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.

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

Northerners… they all wanted my power, and that

a moment, and then she tucked her

she said simply. “I’ll do my

I

moment, I continued to study her. Something about

couldn’t place why. Though Ca ssandra was impossibly lovely as well, they looked nothing alike. They had completely different faces and their demeanors were entirely different. Cora was lively and outgoing, while Ca ssandra was calm and thoughtful. Still, there was something there that made me like Ca

old is your son,

the healer looked panicked, but I couldn’t figure out why. Despite her quiet nature, she was prone to fear and it

could answer, and Ca ssandra’s deep green eyes widened as if he’d

Majesty,” she managed. Uneasiness painted her features, and she appeared as if she

Was she simply uncomfortable with me because of my station? Or was it something

and then carefully picked up the teapot. She streamed steaming hot tea into her cup and then gently set the teapot

were finished and then

father have gray eyes, Ca ssandra?” I wondered. “Or perhaps your husband? Emmett, you said his name

sure what inspired me to keep pressing further, but I was still a little curious of Finnick’s eye color. Was there something in his bloodline that made the pair familiar to me?

ground. It shattered upon impact and the pieces flew everywhere, all over the floor.

the shards from the floor. Meanwhile, I reached forward, grabbed a napkin, and began to dab at my

“It’s ok

I dried myself off. “It was an accident.”

ssandra dropping the cup

for sure, Ca ssandra Keller