Alpha King’s Lost Luna by Aubrey Pepper

Chapter 7 Bad guy

CA SSANDRA

“Mommy, what’s going on?” Finnick whispered, and he stared up at me with widened eyes. I froze in place, unsure of how to answer him. Surely, the Alpha King

couldn’t be serious.

Me, go with him to Anemond?

I studied Asher’s expression and wondered if he’d seen past my changed face.

and voice. Had he discovered it was me after all? No. There was no way.

Regardless, why would he bring me there? As the capital city of the Wegalla Empire, there were countless outstanding healers that resided there. While I knew I was good at my job, I didn’t believe for a moment that I was any more talented than any of them.

If anything, I could just write down the list of herbs I’d used and have the ser vants pass it along to the royal healers, and if something was amiss, they knew

where to find me.

“I-I don’t understand, Your Majesty,” I asked him. “Why bring me all the way to

Anemond?”

“Must I repeat myself?” the Alpha King sighed and he shook his head in frustration. “I thought you were smart, but perhaps I’m giving you too much credit.”

Anger s piked within me, but I ignored it.

“Begging your pardon, but I have patients here in the Wild Crawler Pack I must attend to,” I brought up in hopes he’d change his mind. “Many of them require. treatment that only I can administer.”

“Isn’t that why you have an assistant?” Asher retorted.

“Well, yes,” I admitted. “But I can’t just leave her to do all of the work. It takes

both of us to run the clinic.”

“This isn’t a discussion, Ca ssandra,” his voice hardened as his impatience grew. “It’s an order. You will comply or else suffer the consequences. I doubt you wish to subject your son to any sort of punishment.”

The Alpha King was right. I couldn’t refuse, not when it was a royal decree. I had to do what was right and keep Finnick from harm’s way.

replied quickly, and I held Finnick

leave us,” Asher commanded. “Return home and prepare your things.”

my feet, I bowed in

I left without another word, and once the doors were closed behind

he whispered. “He scares

whispered back, and I glanced around to make sure no one had heard him. “You mustn’t say such things,

“Sorry,” he apologized.

the stairs, and after I waved goodbye to Jasper,

Pack House.

and the moon shone bright above us as we walked down

eat dinner?” I asked Finnick,

“Auntie Sofia gave us soup

I replied simply, and I made note to thank the Luna for watching my son and

time the Pack. members would be heading home to celebrate their harvests, but I wanted nothing to do with any of it. Even if I had, I needed time

happened that day.

his fingers wrapped tightly around mine. I knew he could sense my frustration, so he remained quiet as we quickly walked, but after a while, he started to lag behind me. Soon, I dropped his hand

“Please slow down!”

I noticed he’d stopped and was panting about ten feet

and crouched down so

honey,” I apologized. “I didn’t

Once he was calm, his eyebrows creased together. “You look sad, Mommy.”

assured him, but

he insisted, and his face

he could tell I wasn’t okay. But what could I say? How could I explain the situation in a way that a child

understand?

I asked him softly, and he immediately shook.

“No,” he said.

not?” I asked.

replied as if it was obvious.

loyal boy. He was so special, so empathetic. I smiled at him, and drew him into a hug. After a moment, I let go, and we resumed our walk. As we continued on, Finnick started asking more questions, and I did my best to answer

I

without revealing too

he was that strange man?” he wondered, “You called him…

um… an important official,” I explained simply.