Alpha King’s Lost Luna by Aubrey Pepper

Chapter 12 Alpha’s meeting

CA SSANDRA

I tried to protest Marley’s proposal, but I knew it was a losing battle. I needed to get some rest so I could be strong enough to see Finnick. Even though he was with Alpha Gareth’s family, my poor boy was probably terrified and worried about me. And I was worried about him.

But I couldn’t deny that I needed rest.

So, I laid back in bed.

Marley told me she’d be downstairs and she’d check on me in a little while, and then she quietly left the room. Once she was gone, I took a long deep breath and tried to process everything she’d told me.

Asher Collins had saved my life.

I closed my eyes after a while and tried to get some rest. Luckily, the medicine Marley had given me was highly effective, and I drifted off quickly, but my sleep was anything but peaceful.

My dreams were plagued with images and nightmares of the inferno along with scenarios of losing my Finnick all because Asher had exposed my real identity. The dreams were strange and twisted, and when I awoke, I was drenched in sweat.

Golden sunlight streamed through the window. I’d been asleep for hours. I managed to carefully sit up without causing myself too much pain, and after I took a long, deep breath, I raised my arm to brush my hair from my forehead. The effort was painful, but it was a relief to get some cold air on my face.

“Marley?” I called out, and my throat strained a little at the effort. The door opened moments later, and Marley entered the room.

“Oh good, you’re awake,” my friend remarked, and she gave me a small smile.

“How are you feeling, Ca ss?”

“Warm,” I admitted, and then I gave her a tiny smile back. “But other than that, I guess I could be a lot worse.”

“That’s exactly what I wanna hear,” Marley replied as she walked over to the bed. Once she reached my side, she started checking my bandages. “It looks like your dressings stayed intact while you slept. That’s great.”

“Definitely,” I agreed, and then I took another deep breath. “Marley, could we go

to the Pack House?”

“In a while,” Marley said slowly, and she offered me an apologetic look. “Let’s get some food in you first, along with some water and another round of medicine, okay?”

I sighed. She was right.

“Okay,” I agreed.

of soup and some cra ckers, along

myself, but Marley wouldn’t let me. She insisted on helping me eat, and as embarrassing as it was to need help with such a normal thing, I

done with my soup. “There has to be some way to reject the

about that, Marley,” I objected.

“I mean, I’m no slouch, but I’m nowhere near as gifted as you, at least not yet. There’s no way Gareth or Sofia would let you go. I’m sure they’ll beg the Alpha King

and I smiled

sometimes, Marley managed to stay so optimistic even in times of hopelessness and I admired

wished she was

and after I changed my clothes and got myself a little more presentable, we decided it was time to

the Pack House.

was unpleasant and slow, but Marley was there to help me the entire time, so it wasn’t nearly

the door, and we were greeted by Jasper,

he said slowly, and his dark eyebrows creased together. “What

Finnick,” Marley explained and she peeked around him into

in the middle of a meeting with their guest,” Jasper said cryptically. “Now isn’t a great

I

sure he’s more than ready to go home

moment, and then his expression

and Luna before you can take him,” he said, and then he waved

followed him -inside. Once

entryway.

way to bring out a weird side of people,” Marley remarked.

had to report our arrival?”

formality,” I said quietly. “Everyone has to be on their best behavior in front of the king.

said, and then she rolled her eyes. “Leave it to Jasper to be a

giggled together for a minute until we heard footsteps from down the hall.

murmured, and we gathered our

Luna wish to see you in the meeting room, Ca ssandra,” he

waved me

and I exchanged a glance.

Marley said, but

he replied,

Γ

injured!” she insisted, and her nostrils flared in frustration. “She needs help getting there-”