Alpha King’s Lost Luna by Aubrey Pepper

Chapter 14 Alpha’s mark

CA SSANDRA

I felt like a rabbit cornered by a fearsome predatory. My entire body broke into goosebumps, and as I stared back at the Alpha King, I couldn’t believe what was happening. Was this truly the Asher Collins I’d known since childhood?

I’d always known the Alpha King was ruthless. I’d heard countless tales from others in the Wild Crawler Pack about his heartlessness and his cruelty. It’d been said on many occasions that he was much like his father, the old Alpha King, a man who’d centralized his power and oppressed the members of his own empire.

At the time, I hadn’t believed the stories. I’d thought there had to be some sort of disconnect, a misunderstanding of some sort that kept people from seeing the real Asher. He might not have been a loyal mate, but I’d always trusted that he would be a great Alpha.

Past memories flooded through my mind.

Asher had never been a cold and dominant man all those years ago. We’d grown up together and spent most of our childhoods with one another. Even as a young boy, he’d been loving, caring and compassionate, and that’d only continued into his teenage years.

I remembered all of the times we’d sat together, discussing the future. He always told me that he wanted to be a kind Alpha. He wanted to be nothing like his cruel father who’d never shown him an ounce of affection.

Asher had sworn he wanted to release this corrupted empire from its old ways and usher in a time of peace and kindness. He valued all lives, poor and rich, and wanted to make sure the people of the empire knew that their well-being mattered

to him.

His father used to scold him for being a coward, but Asher had never wavered from his beliefs.

And yet, as he stared at me now, he looked just as cold as his father, the former

King.

As much as my heart pleaded and hoped that Asher still had good in him, I knew I needed to accept that what others had said about his cruelty was true. The idea brought me a deep-rooted sadness, but I had to release those feelings if I was going to survive this ordeal.

whatever reason, had pleaded his case, but it had made no difference other than embarrassing the

was somewhere else, I knew deep down that

didn’t matter.

I was a

to Anemond.

coming to the Wild Crawler Pack. They had been too good to me to

away from me and fixed his gaze on Gareth.

please excuse us?” he requested in a regal tone, and he lifted his chin. “Ca ssandra and I need to have a

seem like he wanted to leave the chamber, but

once she is finished?” Sofia requested in a soft

he offered the Luna a nod. “I will see to

is assisted. Now please, leave us to speak alone.”

nodded again, and without another word, the Wild Crawler’s royal family left the chamber. Once the door had

skyrocketed.

talk to me about? And why was it necessary to conduct the conversation in private? Was I

Collins stared at me for a moment

in your Pack, Cas sandra,” he began in an even tone. “One of the symptoms is black marks on

I hadn’t expected him to ask about the sickness, especially

I nodded anyway.

Majesty,” I said.

nodded back slowly. “What do you think it

I continued. “It’s a strange symptom I’m not certain of. But lately I’ve been wondering if it’s some kind of poison.”

poison?” Asher repeated back in surprise.

in my shoulder. “There’s a book my husband left me, all about the poisons he’s dealt with -in the past

talks about something