Alpha King’s Lost Luna by Aubrey Pepper

Chapter 32 He protected her?

CA SSANDRA

My heart sk ipped a beat in my chest and every inch of my skin broke out in goosebumps.

Was this real?

Was that really my tomb?

But as I stared on at the marble monument, I knew it to be true. That tomb was indeed for Cora Felix.

Had Asher built it himself? And furthermore, did he have Rosepetal reconstructed? There was no other logical reason for the mansion to be intact after the inferno. The blaze had rendered everything damaged and destroyed.

I stared at the Alpha King and frowned. His stance, his bowed head… he appeared to be in mourning. As sad as it was, it made little sense to me, and many questions swirled around my mind like a tornado. Why did he do all of this? Was he sorry for me? Why had he left me alone that night and why didn’t he come to my rescue if he was so sad?

My instincts told me to run to him and demand answers, but after a moment of deliberation, I managed to get myself under control.

What would change if I got the answers anyway? It was too late. Cora Felix was long gone.

I decided the best course of action was to turn around and leave. If I was quiet enough I could slip right back over to the palace and put this strange encounter behind me. I could bring Finnick into my bed and snuggle him until I fell back asleep. Perhaps his mere presence would be enough to push the nightmares away.

I turned on my heels and started creeping forward. Each footstep was cautious

and careful until I accidentally lost my momentum and brushed against one of the rosebushes that lined the path. The thorns brushed the skin of my arms and I cried out a little in surprise. My hands suddenly flew to my mouth at the sudden sound.

I said a silent prayer that Asher hadn’t

King’s voice called out angrily, and when I turned around, I saw him coming toward me swiftly. The cold light of the moon made his gray eyes even more piercing, and his nostrils

sudden force made me cry out. He was angrier than I’d seen him before

I stammered as I fought to find my words. “I’m s-sorry”

you doing here?” he demanded again, his tone even more severe this time. I was in deep trouble,

my throat. “I was… I was just taking a walk, but I got lost out on the grounds. There’s still so much of the palace I haven’t seen and the roses. were

narrowed suspiciously, but he lessened his grip. around my arm. He studied me for a while in silence, as if he were evaluating my lies. My

you know anything about Cora?” he asked finally, and it took all of my effort to keep from gasping in

managed, and then I shook my head for

intensified. “I think you’re lying

I insisted, but Asher raised his hand to silence

you wouldn’t have made that face at the mention of Cora. You must have known her

lips curled downward into a frown, and he sighed. His grip suddenly tightened

was

heard a noise behind us. It was a strange rustling sound, and when my eyes fell to the ground,

cried out as the beast hissed at us. Asher

than any I’d seen before. Its large body was studded with black and red scales, and

speed, and before I could react, it lunged right

enormous snake. I closed my eyes at the last second, ready to be attacked. And yet, as braced myself

later, a strange gurgling sound and a

open to a

black-scaled viper lay on the ground, its large body