Alpha King’s Lost Luna by Aubrey Pepper

ASHER

Chapter 29 Her secret

Why did I trust Cas sandra Keller?

That was a great question. But I was completely surprised when the healer asked it, and even more surprised when I realized her question had a point.

I hadn’t told anyone about my ailment apart from Lancel. My most trusted guard had been attempting to investigate the mark for me, but it hadn’t been going well. Besides him, no one else knew I had the disease. Not the royal healers or even Adalyn.

So, why was I willing to entrust this secret to a healer from a mostly forgotten

Pack on the border?

In all honesty, I didn’t know why, but something in my gut told me she could be trusted. When I’d shown her my mark back in Alpha Gareth’s meeting room, I hadn’t thought about it twice. Trusting her felt natural as if she were someone I’d known for years.

But in reality, it was unnatural, strange even.

Why would I trust a village healer?

So, I reached into my mind and crafted an answer for Ca ssandra Keller that seemed passable. I told her it was nothing, just a calculated choice. I hated to lie, but I needed to do so to cover for myself.

My father, the late Alpha King, once told me that the king should trust no one. I’d never believed him until I myself became king and realized that Anemond was full of traitors and liars who sought to sway me in their favor. They smiled at me and treated me favorably, but their reasons for doing so only came down to one thing.

Power.

if I wasn’t the king, and the Moon Goddess only knew there were plenty of others who wanted to

Adalyn’s family, the malicious Northerners… they all wanted my power, and that was all.

Keller considered my answer for a moment, and then she tucked her long copper

“I’ll do my

I

and for a moment, I continued to study her. Something about her was familiar, I just knew

demeanors were entirely different. Cora was lively and outgoing, while Ca ssandra was calm and thoughtful. Still, there was something there that

old is

Despite her quiet nature, she was prone

and Ca ssandra’s deep green eyes widened as if he’d said something he wasn’t supposed to.

Uneasiness painted her features, and

she so scared? Was she simply uncomfortable with me because

steaming hot tea into her cup and then gently set the teapot back down. She passed the cup down to Finnick, who accepted it

finished and then continued

wondered. “Or perhaps your husband? Emmett, you said his name was?

a little curious of Finnick’s eye color. Was there something in his bloodline that made

causing her teacup to crash to the ground. It shattered upon impact and the pieces flew everywhere, all over the floor. Hot liquid sprayed me, and I hissed instinctively in

so sorry, Your Majesty!” she apologized profusely, and her big eyes flashed in horror. She rose to her feet in a flash and started collecting the shards from the floor. Meanwhile, I reached forward, grabbed a napkin, and began to dab at my shirt. Luckily it didn’t leave a huge mark, but my skin was a little warm.

“It’s ok

grumbled as I dried myself off. “It was an

Ca ssandra dropping the cup seemed a little convenient. Had something about my question flustered her so greatly

sure, Ca ssandra Keller