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.

had made no difference other

Sofia’s saddened expression, I could tell she didn’t want me to go either, and though Alpha Gareth’s gaze was somewhere else, I knew deep

didn’t matter.

I was a

to Anemond.

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

me and fixed his gaze on Gareth.

please excuse us?” he requested in a regal tone,

She reached out and took Rayden’s hand. Her son didn’t seem like he wanted to leave the chamber, but soon, his face softened and he gave his mother a small nod. The Alpha King’s orders couldn’t

Majesty, will you please escort Ca ssandra to the door once she is finished?” Sofia requested in a soft voice. “Her assistant remains outside and will

the Luna a nod. “I will

healer is assisted. Now please,

another word, the Wild Crawler’s royal family left the chamber. Once the door had

skyrocketed.

And why was it necessary to conduct the conversation in

Collins stared at me for a moment and

about the illness prevailing in your Pack, Cas sandra,” he began in an

I hadn’t expected him to ask about the sickness, especially at a time like this, when my loyalty to the empire was being

nodded

Majesty,” I

back slowly. “What do you think

I’m not certain of. But lately I’ve been wondering if it’s some kind of poison.”

repeated back in

I replied, and I leaned in closer, ignoring the pain in my shoulder. “There’s a book my husband left me, all about the poisons he’s dealt with -in the past decade. I’ve combed through the book like mad,

talks about