Alpha King’s Lost Luna by Aubrey Pepper

Chapter 33 Troubles

CA SSANDRA

Why had there been a viper near the Palace?

And why had Asher uttered my true name before he’d lost consciousness in the garden?

The questions swirled around in my mind as I stared down at Asher. The Alpha King was fast asleep and tucked tightly into bed. His forehead was still shiny with- sweat and his chest heaved as he breathed laboriously.

Just after he’d been bitten by the viper, I’d screamed my head off and caught the attention of several guards out on the grounds. They’d rushed over to Rosepetal and helped get the king back to his room in the palace.

One of the guards, an older one whose name I couldn’t recall, had asked if I wanted the aid of the other royal healers, but I’d turned down the offer. I didn’t want to risk the others seeing the dark mark on Asher’s skin. Injured or not, I’d made a promise to keep the king’s disease a secret.

Since I’d been appointed as Asher’s private healer, the guards had no problem with me treating him personally. They’d even gone out and retrieved my medical supplies from the palace lab for me.

The viper’s body had been retrieved and sent to the lab with my assistant, Becky. I was assured that once the results were finished, they would be brought to me straight away.

Once I had my supplies, I had one of the guards remain at the door for me, and the other standing just outside the chamber. They’d granted me my privacy and allowed me the space to treat Asher.

I attempted to steady my hands as I cleaned the wound on his wrist, but it was no use. I was a complete and total wreck. Seeing Asher this way made my heart

ache in ways I didn’t know it could. I’d never been this way before. Emmett had always praised me for my calmness when it came to the horrific things I’d seen during medical treatment. I’d always been able to prioritize my patient’s health over my own emotions, but today…

Today I was scared.

stay sharp and focused if I was going

the wound was clean, I could begin to apply medicine to it and get the

down, I heard a commotion from outside the

then suddenly,

beautiful face was rendered furious. Her amber eyes were piercing as they bore into mine with sharp intensity, and for a moment, I thought her gaze was

raised high and her finger pointed right at my face as her ivory nightgown billowed around.. “You backwoods piece of commoner

Adalyn,” I tried to reason with her, but it was of

a murderer and a

pleaded with her as I took a step backward. “You’re not making any sense. I don’t have any type of magical abilities-”

and then she lunged at me. I closed my eyes and

Let

the guard, and when she reached toward me, her fingernails shifted into long,

the guard apologized as he tried to hold Adalyn still, “Your cannot harm the royal healer, not when she’s treating the

hissed. “Treating my husband? I don’t

but it was no use. The guard’s grip on her was too strong. Once I was certain she wouldn’t be able to break free, I stared deeply

and I raised my chin slightly. “As the king’s private healer, I’ve already started to administer the treatment. Besides, I’m the only one here in the palace with the knowledge needed to treat the viper bite. The beast was nearly identical to the one that bit Prince Marco back in

and her nostrils flared. She opened her mouth as if she was going to speak, but then no sound came

to trust me and let me care for Asher like the healer I

thrashing about and stiffened.

oves were s

her. Part of me wanted to brace myself for an attack, but the other part knew I needed to stand my ground. Adalyn couldn’t bring me harm, not when the Alpha King’s