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

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

a quick scan of the house. It seemed like I had remembered everything we needed. I glanced at the clock. It was time to go.

Finnick into my arms and held him close.

tight, baby,” I said, and I wrapped my jacket around him to conceal

further.

him out of the house

streetlights out to light our way. I glanced around and made sure we were alone. Luckily, everyone else seemed to be asleep. I held Finnick tight and then took off

fear.

there, Finnick let out a soft sound of

forest, Mommy?” he asked, and

sorry we have to go there, I know you don’t like

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

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

Collins wasn’t a good man, especially considering

he had done to

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

Let’s leave. I’ll protect you. I

sweetheart,” I said quickly as he tried to wiggle in my arms. “Not before we pass

held my son closer to my

but there was a short interval just before midnight when there would be no guards around. This window was our only hope and it was

away.

pace

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

a flashlight, a compass, and a knife with me. Retrieved them all, and after I

I used the light to check the compass. I wasn’t an expert navigator, but I knew enough to get us through. We needed to avoid the forbidden section of the

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 use a knife when I

through me. Putting Finnick in this much danger wasn’t fair, but I

walk through the forest.

for an hour in complete silence, carefully maneuvering through the