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.

we have to put him in your backpack,

in his bag, and once he

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

arms and held him

I wrapped my jacket around him

further.

carried him out of the house

I glanced around and made sure we were alone. Luckily, everyone else seemed to be asleep. I held Finnick tight and

fear.

let out a soft

we going to the forest, Mommy?” he asked, and

I said. “I’m so sorry we have to go there, I know you don’t

have to go?” he pressed. I considered

right before,” I decided. “The man we saw today. He’s very bad

wasn’t a total lie. Asher Collins wasn’t a good man, especially considering

he had done to me.

didn’t reply, I asked him the question I know he didn’t want to hear. “Are

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

arms. “Not before

son closer to

It was for the best. Finnick would have been fine on foot, but there was a short interval just before midnight when there would

away.

pace and kept walking.

we made it there, and to my delight, there were no guards.

my pack. I’d brought a flashlight, a compass, and a knife with me. Retrieved them all, and after I put the knife in

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 timed things. correctly, we could be on the

keep my wits about me and keep us from making too many sounds or running into

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

we began our walk through the

for an hour in complete silence, carefully maneuvering