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.

to put

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

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

my arms

wrapped my jacket

further.

him out of the house and

only the streetlights out to light our way. I glanced around and made sure we were alone. Luckily, everyone else seemed

fear.

out a soft

to the forest, Mommy?” he asked,

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

to go?” he pressed. I considered

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

Asher Collins wasn’t a good man, especially

done to me.

reply, I asked him the question I know he didn’t

not afraid. Let’s leave. I’ll protect

now, sweetheart,” I said quickly as he tried to wiggle in my arms. “Not before we pass the sentinels. Just stay here for right now.”

held my son closer to my chest, and

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

away.

pace and kept walking.

my delight, there were no guards. around.

Finnick down and reached into my pack. I’d brought a flashlight, a compass, and a knife with

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

I needed to take 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 use a knife when I was a girl, but I’d never had

his palms were wet. I felt pangs of guilt go. through me. Putting Finnick

began our walk through the forest.

two of us were too afraid to speak. We continued on for an hour in complete silence, carefully