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.

“But we have to put him in your backpack, okay?”

bag, and once he was secure it

were fully dressed, I did a quick scan of the house. It seemed like I had remembered everything we needed.

Finnick into my arms and held him close.

I wrapped my

further.

him out of the house and

was completely empty, with only the streetlights out to light our way. I glanced around and made sure we were alone.

fear.

there, Finnick let out a

forest, Mommy?” he asked, and his

so sorry we have to go there, I know you don’t like it. But I

he pressed. I considered my words carefully.

saw today. He’s very bad and very dangerous. So

a total lie. Asher Collins

he had done to me.

him the question I know he didn’t

not afraid. Let’s leave. I’ll

I said quickly as he tried to wiggle in my arms.

my son closer to my chest, and Finnick sighed.

Finnick would have been fine on foot, but there was a short interval just

away.

my pace and kept walking.

my delight, there were no guards. around. I let out a sigh of relief and then walked straight into

flashlight, a compass, and a knife with me. Retrieved them all, and after I put the knife in my pocket, I turned on

wasn’t an expert navigator, but I knew enough to get us through. We needed to avoid the forbidden section of the forest, so I had to find us a shortcut that would get

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 any predators.. Luckily for us, my father had taught me how to

pangs of guilt go. through me. Putting Finnick in

began our walk through the

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