Alpha King’s Lost Luna by Aubrey Pepper

Chapter 98 Dark Abyss

ASHER

Kane studied me with an amused smile. His appearance was as immaculate as ever, and he looked well-rested. I envied him. Up until last night, I hadn’t had a decent night’s sleep in weeks. My mind had been too vexed by the viper situation to truly let myself relax, and my body ached too much from my escalating illness.

My head began to pound as if to remind me of the disease. Luckily, Kane didn’t seem to notice my turmoil.

“You seem to be growingly busy these days, dear brother,” he remarked with a sly grin, and then he pouted for emphasis. “I miss playing chess with you.”

“I have been busy,” I agreed, and I let out a small sigh. “How can I help you, Kane?”

“Wow,” he said as his eyes trailed over me. “This definitely isn’t the welcome | expected. You seem to have lost your sense of humor.”

“Too much on my mind these days,” I murmured.

Kane pulled up a chair and sat opposite of me. His lithe frame was lion-like, and his violet eyes danced with amusement. He was like some kind of wild cat, set to pounce at any moment, and just as sneaky.

I knew this wasn’t a friendly visit.

He wanted something.

“My mother is quite freaked out,” Kane noted as he leaned back in his seat and examined his nails. “She heard that you caught and imprisoned one of her private guards yesterday.”

Margaret was freaked out?

The idea of my stepmother in panic was hilarious. She’d always been calm and collected, even when my father had died. She hadn’t shed a single tear, at least not in the anywhere where she could be seen.

Kane chuckled. “So, who was this guard exactly? And why was he apprehended?”

explained. “He isn’t truly a guard, from what intel has been gathered. His presence has something to do with the vipers that

didn’t look surprised

time, my tone was far more serious.

behind this,” he said.

that?” I asked

a fool,” he

she isn’t,” I agreed. “But that doesn’t clear her of suspicion. You know

first time in his life. He nodded his head lightly

did. Margaret wasn’t necessarily the one behind

asked aloud before I could stop myself. “Did she

silent until Kane looked

me,” he admitted. “I already tried. You know her, Asher.

I couldn’t help but sigh.

course, she wouldn’t admit it,” I muttered under my

“And a private one. She speaks with me often but holds her personal information at a distance. She’s always been like that. Always worried about her appearance to

brother when

a spy, Asher,” he said. “And I won’t pretend to be. But I’m not against you. You know that. I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure that my mother isn’t planning some kind of conspiracy. I promise you, I’ll get to the bottom of

sure how much he could really accomplish. I trusted

rubbed my temples.

in my gut that she was up to something. She’d always been conniving and wicked, and I didn’t trust her even a little. She was always gone at opportune moments and all too present

My stepmother had made herself scarce and the night had ended in disaster. I found it odd that Margaret, a woman who normally thrived at events in high society, had been absent, and then just hours later, there was

had my stepmother

was one of her personal guards. Had

wasn’t he guarding

imposter been one of the men who had laid his hands on her? Why had she decided to take justice into her own hands? Sure, she and Adalyn had a close relationship, but what game was