Alpha King’s Lost Luna by Aubrey Pepper

Chapter 9 Attack

CA SSANDRA

When I entered my son’s room, I half-expected him to be awake, but he was

fast asleep.

He had his arms wrapped around his favorite teddy bear, Teddy, and for a moment, I didn’t want to wake him up. He seemed so peaceful, and I was about to put him through so much stress.

But not as much as I would be if we went to Anemond.

So, I leaned down and gently touched his arm.

“Finnick,” I whispered, and when he didn’t rouse, I said his name again. After a moment, his nose crinkled and his eyes blinked open.

“Mommy?” he said, and he yawned lightly.

“Sorry to wake you, baby,” I said, and I gave him my most apologetic smile. “We have to go.”

“Go?” he repeated back in a confused voice. “Go where?”

“I’ll tell you on the way there,” I explained. “For now, we just need to get ready,

okay?”

Finnick nodded, though his gray eyes were concerned. I pulled the covers aside and helped him down. We walked over to the closet, and we got him dressed.

After I zipped up his jacket, I picked out a couple of fresh sets of clothes and packed them in a small backpack.

“Put this on,” I instructed him.

“Can Teddy come?” he asked hopefully, and he glanced over at the stuffed bear he’d left on the bed. I studied the toy carefully. We were running low on room, but Teddy was his favorite toy. I couldn’t ask him to leave it behind when I was already asking so much of him.

I said. “But we have to

bag, and once he was secure it was time for shoes.

the house. It seemed like I had remembered everything we needed. I glanced at

scooped Finnick into my arms

I wrapped my jacket around him to

further.

him out of the

sure we were alone. Luckily, everyone else seemed to be asleep. I

fear.

out a soft sound

Mommy?” he asked, and

I know you don’t like

we have to go?” he pressed. I

we saw today. He’s very bad and very

wasn’t a total lie. Asher Collins wasn’t a

done

question I know he

“I’m not afraid. Let’s

as he tried to wiggle in my arms. “Not before we pass the sentinels. Just stay here for right

my son closer to my

It was for the best. Finnick would have been fine on foot, but there was a short interval just before midnight when there would be no guards around. This window was our only hope

away.

quickened my pace

my delight, there were no guards. around.

into my pack. I’d brought a flashlight, a compass,

to avoid the forbidden section of the forest, so I had to find us a shortcut that would get us out of Wegalla, If I

take every precaution to keep us safe. Now that I couldn’t shift, I needed to keep my wits about me and keep us from making too many sounds or running into

his first time entering the forest, and I could tell he was scared because his palms were wet. I felt pangs of guilt go. through me. Putting Finnick in this much danger wasn’t fair, but I had no other choice. I couldn’t let the nightmares

our walk through

to speak. We continued on for an hour in complete silence, carefully maneuvering