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?”

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

but he didn’t look surprised in

only this time, my tone was far more serious. Something was off and

behind this,”

know that?” I asked without missing a

she isn’t a fool,” he replied.

agreed. “But that doesn’t clear

fell silent, probably for the first time in his life. He nodded his head

his mother better than I did. Margaret wasn’t necessarily the one behind this,

aloud before I could stop myself. “Did she know who could have arranged

remained silent until Kane looked back at me.

he admitted. “I already tried. You know her, Asher. She never tells me anything like that.”

couldn’t help

course, she wouldn’t admit it,” I muttered under my breath. “I’m completely unsurprised.”

often but holds her personal information at a distance. She’s always been like that. Always worried about her appearance

I replied. I was moments away from dismissing my brother when

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

remarked, though I wasn’t sure how much he could really accomplish. I trusted my brother, but I didn’t trust my

eyes and rubbed my temples. This was a

up to, but I had this feeling in my gut that she was up to something. She’d always been conniving and wicked, and I didn’t

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 a viper

had my

one of her personal guards. Had she

he guarding

had brought her guards to try to arrest the healer on Adalyn’s behalf. Had the 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