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?”

and worry painted his face. “He invited me to dinner,

said no.”

him.”

I

find the words to say. “That was kind of

have invited

to collect myself. I couldn’t let Finnick know I was scared, not even a little bit. I needed to stay strong for my

I

boy.

crouched down until I was level with him, and then pet his soft hair. After a moment or two, Finnick’s features softened

him we ate already,” he

Finnick didn’t seem like he wanted to talk about the exchange. All I could do was hope that Asher Collins

worry him.

then I rose to my feet and gestured to the boxes. “I think the

and he

and after we rounded up some of his favorites, he found a corner of the room to play in. He wasted no time and began to talk

waited until he was deep in

be right back, baby,” I said, and I gave him a small smile. “Just keep playing

nodded enthusiastically.

and then left the room.

hall.

surprised. Perhaps Asher didn’t think I’d have the guts to actually sneak out again. Of course,

I got closer to the lobby, there still weren’t any guards around, not even Gareth’s. Usually, the Pack House was brimming with activity, but tonight, all

quiet.

the backdoor, which I knew wasn’t heavily guarded as the front door was. It would be much easier to

rarely attended to.

approached, I noticed a tall guard standing at the ready. I tried to search my

realized I’d seen him before. Luckily, he was one of Gareth’s guards, not the

were wrong when I approached. The guard stiffened as I got closer, and then

stern tone. “I’m afraid I can’t allow your to

my effort to keep

was I being treated like

going to my house to pick up something I left. behind. I won’t be longer than half an hour. I’ll return right

you with whatever you need, Miss Ca ssandra,” the guard insisted, and he raised his chin and pointed down

a sigh. Why

I tried again, but the guard shook his head. My hands began to shake at my sides as panic set in. Suddenly, I heard footsteps behind

when I turned around, I was pleasantly surprised

I greeted him. “Hello.”

side. His dark eyes studied me curiously, and it