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

his bag, and once he was

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

my arms and held

baby,” I said, and I wrapped my

further.

the house

we were

fear.

way there, Finnick let out

the forest, Mommy?” he asked, and his tone was

to go there, I know you don’t like it. But

have to go?” he pressed. I

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

total lie. Asher Collins wasn’t a good

done to

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

not afraid. Let’s

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

closer to my chest,

the best. Finnick would have been fine on foot, but there was a short interval just before midnight when there would be no guards around.

away.

I quickened my pace

no guards. around. 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

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 forest, so I had to find us a shortcut that would get us out

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

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, and I

began our walk

for an hour in