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?”

I was no

and the tears came much faster.

and I felt her touch my bandaged hand. I winced from the pain but allowed her to check the wound. Her face

here?”

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

to the closet. She rooted around through

bins and containers until

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 forced myself to breathe

was more stable, I turned my attention

you,” I

“Of course.”

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

ssandra,” she offered. “You’ve been pushing yourself too hard

I nodded. “Alright.”

of me, his gray eyes filled with tears. His lower lip trembled and he had his favorite stuffed bear in his hands. He set the animal beside me and then

onto 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 like it here. Can we please

was swelling within me. “I’m

missed Marley. But there was nothing we could do about it. Even if Asher was willing to let 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

me a glass of

as I obeyed, she glanced over at the door. “There were a few guards when I arrived here earlier. They didn’t stop me from entering, but they seemed serious.”

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

said and she shook

necessarily,” I elaborated as a chill ran through my body. “The Alpha King didn’t seem angry with me after I explained what had happened. But at the same time, it was a very firm decision. You were right, Erika. Adalyn and her family are unlikely to

she stared off into the distance. “They’re dangerous, the lot of them. I

all,” I replied.

further, suddenly I heard a voice beyond us. I recognized it instantly. It belonged to Margaret. She was arguing with the guards, who were telling her