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 put him in

Teddy in his bag, and once he was secure it was time

dressed, I did a quick scan of the house. It seemed

my arms and

wrapped my jacket around him to

further.

carried him out of the house and into the night.

sure we were alone. Luckily, everyone else seemed to be asleep. I held Finnick tight and then took off

fear.

Finnick let out a soft sound

forest, Mommy?” he asked, and his

there, I know you don’t like it. But I need you

have to go?” he pressed. I considered my words carefully.

I decided. “The man we saw today. He’s very bad and very dangerous. So we have to go somewhere to keep us

Collins wasn’t a good man,

he had done

I asked him the question I know

said firmly. “I’m not afraid. Let’s leave. I’ll protect

quickly as he tried to wiggle in my arms. “Not before we

to

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

away.

my pace and

delight, there were no guards. around. I let out a sigh of relief and

brought a flashlight, a compass, and a knife with

knew enough to get us through. We needed to avoid the

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

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 of Anemond come back to me, not

we began our walk through

We continued on for an hour in complete silence, carefully