Alpha King’s Lost Luna by Aubrey Pepper

Chapter 289

The healer appeared dejected as the Alpha’s daughter stared him down with a vicious expression on her beautiful face, but he seemed to know that it was too late for him to deny the truth.

“Please, forgive me, Kiara,” he pleaded pathetically. “This all got out of hand and it didn’t go the way you think. I didn’t do this for revenge or to spite your father. Darwin forced me to administer the poison. He threatened to kill my wife and children if I disobeyed his orders.”

Kiara softened slightly but I maintained my ferocity. As cruel as it sounded, I wasn’t going to wilt just because the healer had an excuse. If he was telling the truth I would let up, but until I was certain, I wouldn’t relax.

“What does Darwin want?” Kiara repeated herself.

The healer simply glanced at her without saying a word.

The answer was self-evident. If the Alpha died without a proper heir, Darwin would be the one in power. Kiara would either have to marry him or suffer the same fate as her father. Something told me that Darwin had a preference but would accept either option to get what he wanted.

Kiara seemed flustered as she started to put the pieces together, so I spoke to the healer instead.

“Can the Alpha be saved?” I wondered.

The healer considered the question for a moment.

“It would be difficult, but I could try,” he said finally. “I think if I had the proper herbs I could rouse him from his coma and then begin to treat the rest of the poison as I would anything else. It would take some time, and there’s no guarantee, but I think I could try.”

I nodded and then glanced at Kiara. She snapped out of her daze and then nodded. Once I had her turned my attention back to the healer.

approval, I

your best to keep this between us,” I said firmly but not unkindly. “If you comply, we’ll make sure your family is safe, If

healer nodded quickly. “Of course. You

blood away from his skin. My

return to the palace to check the Alpha’s condition together. Just as expected, the healer gave us a warning stare before we entered Arthur’s room. He pressed a finger

locked on her father. She seemed fiercely determined to make sure

he gestured to the door. It took me a moment to realize he would only speak to us about the Alpha outside of the castle. It was risky to follow him out since we still didn’t know if we could trust the healer completely, but after Kiara and I exchanged a

healer out of the castle and all the way to the side road again.

Alpha is okay, he informed us. “Darwin had instructed me to increase the strength of the poison the other day, but I didn’t do it. I will stop the administration of the medicine at once and shift him over to normal nutritional

up at this news but I wasn’t completely

playing any tricks. I won’t

to die. That’s why I hadn’t yet used the stronger poison. I don’t want to take his life. He deserves to live on for many more years to

out and held on to the wall, as if trying not to collapse to the ground. I rushed to her side and steadied her before

demanded as concern

to herself. “How could Darwin do

eyes and offered her a sympathetic expression. “I don’t know,

to call her that, but the affectionate moniker slipped out before I could stop it. Kiara didn’t seem to notice.

sadly. “He’s always been my father’s

Darwin is much younger than my father, he considered Darwin to be his best friend.

are complicated,” I explained. “Men

she shook her head. “How st upid am I? The rest of the Pack is

idiot,” I insisted firmly. “Don’t blame yourself, Kiara. This isn’t your fault. Darwin may have been loyal in the past. He was probably kind back then too. When you’re close to someone, it can be hard to recognize a change right away. One also tends to trust those who have been loyal in the past. Believe me, I understand how you