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 him in your backpack, okay?”

and once he was secure it was

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

arms and

and I wrapped my jacket around him to

further.

the house and

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

fear.

way there, Finnick let out

forest, Mommy?” he asked, and his

go there, I know you don’t

to go?” he pressed. I

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

lie. Asher Collins wasn’t a

he had done to me.

question I know he didn’t want

afraid. Let’s leave. I’ll protect you. I can walk-”

said quickly as he tried to wiggle in my arms. “Not before we pass the sentinels. Just stay here for

my son closer to my chest,

silent. It was for the best. Finnick would have been fine on foot, but there was a short interval

away.

quickened my pace and kept walking.

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

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 the

navigator, but I knew enough to get us through. We needed 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 other side of the forest by the

wits about me and keep us from making too many sounds or running into any predators.. Luckily for us, my

hand in mine. This was his first 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 of Anemond come back to me, not again,

we began our walk through

us were too afraid to speak. We continued on for an hour in complete silence, carefully maneuvering through the sp