Alpha King’s Lost Luna by Aubrey Pepper

ASHER

Chapter 81 A taste of jealousy

When Ca ssandra Keller arrived at my study for the health check the next day, was still thinking about Adalyn’s accusatory words. I wasn’t st upid enough to fall for the claim that the healer was somehow entangled with the king of Yurene. There

was no way she had anything to do with him..

I knew Adalyn’s words had come from jealousy.

And yet, I couldn’t help but consider Kaleb. The way the king from the North treated Ca ssandra bothered me greatly. There was something there in the way the tall, foreign man studied her. There was an affection that I didn’t like, one that even now, I couldn’t deny.

But a spy? No. There was no way that the beautiful healer I’d plucked all the way from Wild Crawler was an operative.

“Is everything okay?” she asked me quietly.

“Sure,” I remarked simply.

She spread her supplies out on my desk and then got to work. As she poked. and prodded me, my mind began to wander until I finally slipped back into reality. Ca ssandra was engrossed in her work. I watched her closely as she made notes about my blood pressure and then moved on to the next task with ease.

I wanted to make small talk, but I had the sense she didn’t want to speak with me at all after what had happened between us in my chamber yesterday. What could I say, and what could I do about it all?

A sigh escaped me before I could stop it.

“You can sit closer,” I said-softly.

Ca ssandra looked up from her notes and seemed taken aback by the offer.

“Excuse me?” she asked as her brow furrowed.

I repeated myself, and then I took a breath. “I

cheeks flushed scarlet and then she nodded. She scooted in a little closer, but I could tell from her body language that she was still too

I cleared my throat. “About Margaret. I just wanted to apologize for what she did. There was no reason why she should have shown up to your chambers and tried to seize you. Her guards had no reason to lay a single

sentence aloud, though it was true. I’d always wanted to send Margaret away, and now since my father was gone, there was really no reason for her to remain in Anemond. But I resisted the urge to exile her for Kane’s sake. I didn’t want

somewhere else.

been too lax with her. I needed to punish her for what she’d attempted to do to Ca

Adalyn was wounded in my laboratory. I understand why Margaret would be angry

response but didn’t know what. I was

earlier conversation between us where Ca ssandra had asked me if

with Adalyn, and I’d said

my heart

the one that stopped

lock of her hair

king had a private conversation with you,” I said. Ca ssandra stopped what

she said. “He

waited for her to elaborate, but when she didn’t, I decided I needed to pry a little bit more. Why wasn’t she sharing any of this with me? Did she really trust me so

to you about?” I asked her directly as

then her eyes fell

of great importance,” she said. “The king of Yurene wanted to make sure that I was alright out of his courtesy as a gentleman. He brought me some salve from his country to soothe my

on Adalyn last night,” I said. “At her family’s estate. She said

fell silent. She stopped making notes in her journal and

line. Her hands shook a little, but she managed

hear that, Your

I didn’t object too much to the formalities that came with my position, but I didn’t like hearing the words “Your Majesty” coming from her lips. They were too cold, too courteous, too/polite. As absurd as it seemed, they almost felt like