Alpha King’s Lost Luna by Aubrey Pepper

Chapter 1 Emergency

CASSANDRA

“For the glory of Wegalla Empire, you must die!” Intruders snarled at me as I knelt on the floor.

“Please let me see Asher. Please…” I begged.

“How dare you speak the name of our king!” The soldiers growled and grabbed my hair, forcing me to raise my head. They were like shadows towering over me.

“Please. I need to talk to him. I’m pregnant. I have his baby!” I cried.

The head soldier snorted. “Baby? You think you’d be qualified to deliver a baby for our king? Filthy whore! He won’t come to you anymore. Don’t you understand? He’s with Lady Adalyn. Now drink it!”

“No!”

He pulled me harshly, gripped my face and pried my mouth open. Mysterious liquid flew down my throat.

Burning. I began to gag.

“Die! You wretched moron.” They spat at me before slamming the door. And I heard the click of the lock.

I struggled to move, but my eyes felt swollen, and my legs were strengthless. The smell of smoke quickly filled the room.

Fire engulfed me.

*****

My mind wandered as I stared out the window. The sky was a perfect clear blue, and the air was filled with the sound of children’s laughter. A smile formed on my lips at the sound.

Far beyond me, the pups, accompanied by their parents, made their way toward the forest not too far away from where I sat. It was finally time for the annual hunting festival, and the pups chattered and giggled with excitement as they tugged at their mother’s and father’s sleeves.

I remembered their innocent happiness well. When I had been a pup myself, I’d been infinitely impatient and raced far ahead of my father and brother, urging them the entire way to move faster. I’d been so excited to get a glimpse of the hunting group I wished to one day be a part of. I was eager to find my place amongst the Pack.

I’d been grown for a long time now, and yet, these pups had more freedom than me.

inferno, I’d lost the ability to shift

all I used to love and cherish. I’d moved far away and came

the sound of footsteps rang out behind me. I snapped out of my stupor and turned to see Marley

I almost fell asleep at

Her light green eyes were slightly bloodshot, but her small smile offset her tired

“Here, come sit down. We

to be a healer. And Marley had been my first patient. Shortly after

the stool beside me and then

she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “The kids have been going crazy for days.

“The village

really doesn’t interest me much. Visitors from other packs are troublesome. Can you imagine? I was stopped by them three times this morning for the question – ‘How to get to the forest?’. Gosh. Can’t they read signposts? They are everywhere on the streets. And with how crazy my kiddos

boy. Mine are little monsters, no matter what I do.

paused for a moment, and a strange expression crossed

quietly. “I didn’t mean to

I was unable to shift, and therefore, I was not

smile. “Don’t even worry about it. Besides, Finnick is too

been five years past since that

sweet boy?”

and

offer to watch my son while I ran the clinic. The hours were incredibly long, and my patient list had grown endless recently. Marley and

peculiar mark on different parts of the patient’s bodies, each slightly raised, red, and warm to the touch. I’d biopsied several of them, and yet,

interrupted my thoughts again, and then beyond us, bells rang out. She

I nodded. “Let’s go.”

a young woman named Anna, and her brown eyes were slightly glazed over. Her skin was pale and coated with a slight sheen of sweat, and her

with the mysterious sickness, but it seemed to just be a common cold. I prescribed her some

Marley began to say, and suddenly, a tall man burst into

at his side indicated his rank. I recognized him

one of the Alpha’s guards. I knew him very well, as he was often sent to collect me on

greeted him, and I flashed him a smile, assuming it would be returned. When it wasn’t, I knew something was wrong. Jasper was always friendly with Marley and me when he came to the clinic, but today, his expression was

you right away, Cassandra,” he addressed me hurriedly. “You must accompany me to the Pack House.