Alpha King’s Lost Luna by Aubrey Pepper

Chapter 21 Rayden’s help

CA SSANDRA

After I concluded that the pendant wasn’t in the backpack, I discarded it and looked around the room I’d been confined to. There was a stack of boxes in the far

corner I hadn’t noticed when I’d first arrived.

I rushed over to them and wasted no time. I rummaged through the closest one, and once I finished rooting through it, I moved on to the next.

I continued this way for nearly an hour.

In the process of searching my belongings, a pair of se rvants took turns delivering more boxes. With every one, I prayed to the Moon Goddess that the pendant had just gotten misplaced in a pocket or bag, and when it wasn’t in any of the spots, my frustration grew.

Finally, the se vants stopped arriving, and I began to give up. My mother’s

necklace wasn’t here.

Thankfully, one thing was certain the pendant hadn’t been found by the Alpha King’s guards. If it had, things wouldn’t be nearly as quiet as they were now. If my true identity had been revealed, Asher Collins would have been crazed and frantic, and the entire Pack House would be up in figurative smoke.

Since it wasn’t here, my mother’s pendant had to be back in my house, most likely hidden away somewhere. I tried to search my memory in an attempt to figure out where it was, but my brain was drawing an absolute blank.

There was only one logical plan of attack.

I needed to get home and find it before the guards did.

I would have to act quickly and sneak out of the Pack House as swiftly as possible.

It would only take a short amount of time- just a quick in and out, and then I could sneak back in and act like nothing ever happened.

I spent the next half hour working up the courage to make my escape, and once I was finally ready, Finnick surprised me and entered the room.

“Hi, Mommy,” he greeted me in a happy tone, but his gray eyes were even more

serious than usual.

“Hi, baby,” I replied, and my eyebrows creased together. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he murmured, and then after a moment of consideration, he continued. “Well… I ran into the bad man earlier. The King.”

“The King?” I repeated back in surprise, and a lump formed in my throat. “What… what happened? Did he say something to you, Finnick? Were you polite to

him?”

Finnick replied, and worry painted his face. “He invited

said no.”

him.”

I

I tried to find the words to say.

Collins have

raced in my chest, but I did my best to collect myself. I couldn’t let Finnick know I was scared, not even a little

I

boy.

pet his soft hair. After a

and told him we

sense that there was more to the story, but I elected not to push any further. Finnick didn’t seem like he wanted to talk about

worry him.

my good boy,” I replied. I leaned over and kissed the top of Finnick’s head, and then I rose to my feet and gestured to the boxes. “I think the se rvants grabbed some of your

lit up and he grinned. “Okay, Mommy!”

play in. He wasted no time

in it to make my

gave him a small smile. “Just keep playing and stay here until I

enthusiastically. “Okay!”

time. I took a breath and

hall.

have the guts to actually sneak out again. Of course, I wasn’t about to complain. This miscalculation

closer to the lobby, there still weren’t any guards around, not even Gareth’s.

quiet.

guarded as the front door

rarely attended to.

I tried to search my memory for him, but I

before. Luckily, he was one of Gareth’s guards, not

were wrong when I approached. The guard stiffened as I

Healer Ca ssandra,” he said in a stern tone. “I’m afraid I can’t allow your

took all of my effort to keep

treated like a prisoner?

house to pick up something I left. behind. I won’t be longer than half an

his chin and pointed down the hall. “Just go to the

sigh. Why wasn’t

his head. My hands began to shake at my sides as panic

familiar voice asked, and when I turned around, I was pleasantly surprised to see

I greeted him.

son frowned and then tilted his head to the side. His dark eyes studied me curiously, and it took all of my effort to keep from worrying. My