Alpha King’s Lost Luna by Aubrey Pepper

Chapter 44 Grievance

CA SSANDRA

As Adalyn continued to glare daggers in my direction, I turned to look at

Finnick.

“Did you lay a hand on Prince Marco?” I asked as evenly as I could possibly manage. Finnick took a moment and then shook his head.

“I didn’t do anything,” he said quietly, but his expression told a different story. Finnick tended to glance down at the ground when he was lying, and he’d done just that a moment ago. So, I took a breath and repeated myself.

“Finnick, this is serious,” I said in a much sterner tone. “I want the truth. Did you lay a hand on Prince Marco?”

Finnick took a moment of pause, and then he nodded.

“Sort of,” he admitted. “But it was just a light push, Mommy. And Marco hit me

first-”

“Prince Marco,” Adalyn corrected him through bared teeth, and then she rushed over to us. She seemed as if she were going to sn atch my son away, but held firm. and lifted him up before she could do anything.

I glared at Asher’s wife as she stopped in front of us. No one, royal or not, was going to lay a single finger on my son.

“I’ll take my son and leave-” I started to say, but as I turned to move, Adalyn’s hand clamped down on my shoulder.

“I’ll tell the Alpha King,” she spat. Her nails dug into my skin, but the pain didn’t matter. I was in protective mode and my only concern was my son.

“Tell him whatever you like,” I retorted, and I yanked my shoulder away with

impressive force. “But I’ll be taking my son away now.”

Prince Marco began to wail.

“My father is going to punish you!” he cried, and he pointed his finger at Finnick. “You’re going to be in trouble!”

Finnick opened his mouth to speak, but I shushed him immediately. I didn’t wait for Adalyn to dismiss me. I simply turned and rushed right out of the room and into the busy hallway. I walked as quickly as I could with Finnick in my arms, and I held him tightly against me.

“Mommy,” Finnick whimpered as I sped toward our chamber. “Mommy, I’m

sorry-”

push Marco?” I asked

insisted, but I wasn’t having it. I set him down on the ground and stared

violence,” I chastised him. “Now, tell me

and then he began to sniffle. It was soft at first, and then it grew a little louder.

prompted

heart began to ache. Finnick hardly

sniffs, and the whites of his eyes turned slightly red. “He laughed at me, Mommy, for not having a daddy. So, I told him

shocked. I hadn’t realized Finnick had overheard what Erika had said to me last night. Even if I’d known, I’d never have expected him to repeat it back to

loudly. “You

I hardly ever raised my voice, but my son needed to know

suddenly began

before I could say anything else,

the hall toward

Tears welled in my own eyes. My worst

place was toxic.

readied myself for the stern hands of guards,

sighed. “Shhh… don’t cry. Finnick didn’t mean it. The

never said that to me,” I whispered through my cries.

know,” she assured me. “He’s not that kind of boy. I must tell you, Ca ssandra.. This is all my fault. I stepped out of the classroom to grab some

and I didn’t blame her. Adalyn was on the war

as I wiped my cheeks. “Thank you for getting

Erika said, and she offered me a small, apologetic smile.

hall. Once she was gone, I continued toward my

I got there, Finnick was in bed with his head buried in his blanket. I quietly closed the

softly. “Finnick, I’m

up slowly. I took a seat beside him on the bed and we

in silence for a minute or

overheard us last night?” I asked. “And

bad things about you, Mommy. I… just wanted to say

doesn’t work like that. I know you meant well, but you can’t say things like that to people, even if they’re

squirmed. “You always keep things from

was so full of secrets l,could

apologized. “I’m

too,” he whispered. “I should probably say

itself, you should,” I agreed. “For right now, everyone needs to take some

me?” Finnick wondered, and my heart ached