Alpha King’s Lost Luna by Aubrey Pepper

Chapter 66 The soldier

CA SSANDRA

That night, for the first time, after all of these years of loneliness and emptiness, I dreamt of my father and brother.

It was a nice dream. In it, I was out with my family in a field. Ector and I were running while my father watched on with a kind smile on his normally stern face. As we ran, a warm breeze kissed my cheeks and bright sunlight filled the sky. Ector and I tumbled around in our wolf forms and rolled in the tall, soft grass. It was the first time I’d pictured my wolf form in ages. I’d almost forgotten what she’d looked like.

I wished I could have stayed in that dream forever.

But it wasn’t meant to be. I awoke the next morning to the sound of someone calling my name. My eyes blinked open slowly and my vision was blurred as I came to. Who was saying my name?

Moments later, my eyes focused, and I saw Erika standing over me. The maid’s face was painted with worry and she touched my forehead gently.

“Oh, sweetheart,” she murmured. “You have a fever.”

For a moment, her stance and tone of voice reminded me of my childhood.

contain myself, I began to s ob.

swelled up in my eyes and before I reminded me

“Oh Erika,” I managed to say through my cries. “I’ve missed you so much.”

The maid stood there, completely stunned and unsure of what to say. I was confused by this interaction- why wasn’t she saying anything?

Suddenly, another voice chimed in.

“Mommy?” Finnick called out in a worried voice. “Mommy, what’s wrong?”

realized I was no longer dreaming. The realization hit me like

and the tears came much faster.

winced from the pain but allowed her to check the wound. Her face suddenly paled. “Your wound is infected, Ca ssandra. Do you have any antiseptic

here?”

regained my composure. I nodded and then pointed at the closet just

to the closet. She

and containers until

it?” she asked for clarification, and when I nodded again, she shut the doors and walked back over to me. She took a seat at my bedside, and then carefully applied the salve to my hand. I cried out in pain as the medicine touched my wound but then

stable, I turned my attention back to

you,” I

nodded. “Of course.”

carefully, and I could tell from her perplexed expression and the glimmer in her eyes that she wanted to ask me something. Her lips event parted but she seemed to change her mind about whatever she was going to say.

take care of yourself, Ca ssandra,” she offered. “You’ve been pushing yourself too hard these days. But don’t

I nodded. “Alright.”

lower lip trembled and he had his favorite stuffed bear in his hands.

his cheeks freely. “I hate it here in Anemond. Ever since we got here, there’s been no happy things. I miss Wild Crawler. I miss Dominic and Luna Sofia. I don’t like Prince Marco. He was supposed to be my friend but he’s so mean, Mommy. I don’t like him and I don’t

swelling within me. “I’m so sorry, Finnick.

us go, it was unlikely we’d return to Wild Crawler safe and sound. Too much had happened here. There was no chance that we could go back to our normal lives, not

a glass of water.

a few guards when

make sure I don’t leave,” I explained. “The Alpha King confined me to my chambers for the foreseeable future.”

Erika said and she shook her

with me after I explained what had happened. But at

slowly as she stared off into the distance. “They’re dangerous, the lot of them. I just don’t understand their issue with you, if that’s not too bold to say.”

all,”

heard a voice beyond us. I recognized it instantly. It belonged to Margaret. She was arguing with the