Alpha King’s Lost Luna by Aubrey Pepper

As I studied the strange Northern King, I tried to ascertain if he was telling me the truth. His deep blue eyes remained fixed on me and maintained their gaze too steadily to be overtly suspicious, but how could I trust the man I’d found out was a villain?

But even though I wasn’t sure if what he said was credible, I remembered what Asher had once told me a while ago that Emmett Keller had been “abducted” after the death of his parents and then returned to Wild Crawler after many years.

But why would Emmett do that?

Since he was dead now, how could I confirm his story?

1 can see the doubt on your face,” Kaleb spoke up, and he leaned forward and folded his hands in his lap. “Both Yurene and Wegalla had lost track of the sorcerer’s family until ‘Emmett‘ visited Yurene one day. Upon arriving in my country, he revealed his identity as a sorcerer, though back then, he didn’t give us his name. Back then, my father was deeply ill with the mysterious illness. Emmett promised that he could cure him, but in return, he wanted my father to offer him some help.”

“What did he want?” I wondered as my eyebrows knitted together.

“He said he wanted revenge on Wegalla,” Kaleb replied in a solemn voice. “Revenge against the king who had killed the saviors of his family. The one who had forced all of the sorcerers to be chased or go into hiding just to survive.”

I frowned at this response. I didn’t believe that Emmett would be someone who had been planning on revenge. He had always been kind and warm–hearted, especially when it came to his patients.

But then again, I felt like despite all of our years together in Wild Crawler, I never understood him. I had never known who he was, what he had been through, or what he had wanted out of life: Those conversations had never happened and Emmett had never offered me any information about his past. Our marriage was one of convenience, a way for me to survive after all I’d endured in Anemond.

“So, what happened?” I asked after a moment of pause.

“Well, my father rejected his idea of revenge,” he answered as he shook his head slowly. “He didn’t want to declare war against Wegalla, Yurene had already suffered a lot from the seemingly ever–lasting disputes. A war against the most powerful wolf empire would be devastating for our people. So, Emmett left and said he would give my father some time to reconsider.”

Kaleb took a moment to gather his thoughts before he continued on. “A few years later, after my father had died, I received a letter from Emmett. In the letter, Emmett said he had discovered something and wanted

immediate word with

-14

Mon, 25 De

191 The first story

eyebrow shot up. A

it to the meeting because he was brutally killed in the forest,” the king of Yurene lamented with a soft

was why Wild Crawler had never uncovered Emmett’s corpse? Because the king

rogue wolves had killed the innocent healer, but none

he was in the Northern country, buried far away where

Kaleb couldn’t see my reaction. Just as I did, the tears streamed down my cheeks and my lips trembled as I began to quietly cry. Though Emmett had kept me at a distance, he’d been the one to save me from that dreadful inferno and heal me from my many injuries. Had it not been for his intervention, I would have died there in Rosepetal, and Finnick never would have

owed my life to

healer. Had it not been for him, I wouldn’t have learned how to heal people as he

described

an accident?”

accident or a deliberate murder, the outcome was the same, Cassandra. Emmett Keller’s life was shrouded in shadows. He was hiding something, the letter suggested as much. Surely, he had to leave some clues about what he wanted to meet

he did.

better not to draw a conclusion so hastily.” Kaleb insisted. “Because if there’s a clue, it must be something that couldn’t easily be found. Emmett was from a family of sorcerers. He couldn’t risk someone finding out his heritage. But his work, his intentions when it came to the illness, and whatever he had to tell me, I’m sure he left

seemed to be the better choice for you in the long run. Not only would you thrive somewhere that isn’t as barbaric as Anemond, but if the secret was exposed, you would be the target for anyone who

I frowned instantly.

my mind?

between me and Asher? Was he

if his accusation had a drop of truth, I knew the Alpha King