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

we were fully dressed, I did 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.

scooped Finnick into my arms and

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

further.

him out of the house and into the night.

light our way. I glanced around and made sure we were alone. Luckily, everyone else seemed to be asleep. I held

fear.

way there, Finnick let out a soft sound

going to the forest, Mommy?” he asked,

baby.” I said. “I’m so sorry we have to go there, I know you don’t like it. But

he

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

total lie. Asher Collins wasn’t a good

had done

asked him the question I know he didn’t want to hear.

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

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

to

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 and

away.

I quickened my pace and kept

and to my delight, there were no guards. around. I let out a

way in, I set Finnick down and reached into my pack. I’d brought a flashlight, a compass, and a knife with me. Retrieved them all, and after I put

was pitch-black around us, so we needed to rely on the flashlight to see. 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

making too many sounds or running into any predators.. Luckily for us, my father had taught me how to use a knife when I was a girl,

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

we began our walk

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