Ch. 101..105: Alpha King’s Lost Luna Chapter 101-105

Chapter 101 False Accusation CAS SANDRA When I arrived at my chamber, I was surprised to see it was completely empty. “Erika?” I called out anyway, and when no answer came in response, I frowned and shook my head. Where was she? And where were Adalyn and Margaret? Knowing how spiteful and petty the two women were, I’d assumed that they’d remain in my room until I was finished with work, just to incite a bigger emotional response in me. Perhaps they’d even gone as far as sending Finnick my way to hasten the process. Yet, they weren’t here. So where had they gone? I considered all of the options and landed on one in particular. I would go to every inch of the palace if I had to, but before I began checking every room, I decided I would start with Margaret’s. Asher’s wicked stepmother’s chamber was a likely place for them to convene, as her win of Merliscire was tucked away from everyone else’s. She’d given up the larger chamber to Asher when his father had passed all of those years ago and moved into the South Wing. It was forbidden to most, which would make it a prime place to take Erika. So I took a deep breath. I would remain calm even though every ounce of me wanted vengeance. I took off down the hall and headed to the South wing. The hallways were empty, and as I got closer, my heart pounded. I had no ideal what I was going to say once I got there, but I was ready to go to war for my beloved Erika. I would do anything in my power to make sure she was okay. Much to my surprise, Margaret’s chamber doors were unguarded. I supposed 1/5 that now that the imposter guard had been seized, the vile woman had no one stationed here. I briefly thought about the implications of that and couldn’t help but wonder how involved Margaret was with any of this. But I shoved those thoughts aside, took a deep breath, and opened the door.

When I rushed into the chamber, I was unsurprised to see Margaret and Adalyn standing there talking. The room itself was spa cious and lavishly decorated with gorgeous furnishings and lovely tapestries, but there was a strong smell of staleness that verged on decay. My nose crinkled and I fought back the sick feeling in my stomach. The two women giggled and then glanced over at me.

“Oh, Healer Cas sandra,” Margaret greeted me, and she covered her mouth in faux-surprise. “Goodness, you surprised me. What brings you here, dear girl? Would you like to sit down and enjoy some tea with us?” When her hand came back down to her side, the woman gave me a sickly, disgusting smile. She knew exactly what she was doing, and anger swelled within me, but I managed to stay calm. “Where is Erika?” I asked slowly. “Erika?” Margaret repeated back, and she blinked her eyes deliberately as if she didn’t unde stand. She turned to Adalyn. “Dear, do you know who Erika is?” Adalyn didn’t answer for a moment, and then pursed her lips slightly, feigning innocence. “Erika is Healer Cas sandra’s maid, Margaret,” she explained. Her tone was kind, but her amber eyes were cold and cruel as they bore into mine. “Oh, please forgive my bad memory,” Margaret said, and then her overexaggerated expression settled into her normal, calculated stare as she dropped the act. “Your malicious maid tried to poison Lady Adalyn and Prince Marco. She needed to be punished, Healer Cas s andra. Surely you understand that- 2/5 “It wasn’t her fault!” I interrupted as I seethed with anger. “The man behind it all has already been caught.” Margaret laughed and shook her head. “What makes you so certain that Erika wasn’t involved? For all we know, she was his accomplice.” “She wasn’t,” I practically snarled.

Asher’s stepmother’s eyebrow raised in surprise and then she tilted her head slightly. “I find it rather… suspicious, that you would care so much about some maid,” she mused, and then her eyes narrowed. “I can’t help but consider how much you’re involved in all of this, Healer Cas sandra. Perhaps you need to be investigated as an accomplice as well.” Anyone else would have been chilled by an accusation like that. But I wasn’t afraid of Margaret. Any excuse would serve a tyrant. “What do you want, Margaret?” I asked. She scoffed. “I didn’t realize we were on a first-name basis. You should mind your attitude, girl. I’m just trying to figure out the truth of the matter.” I knew then that I wasn’t going to get any real answer from her. If Margaret wasn’t going to tell me where Erika was, I would find out myself. Looking around, I deduced that she wasn’t in this room, but I remembered that Margaret had a small study she used to use when she was this Pack’s Luna. She used to deal with “Pack business” there, whatever that entailed. I wasn’t sure where it was located, but I’d figure it out. I immediately turned on my heels and was about to leave when a guard stepped out of the shadows. “Seize her,” Margaret ordered. The guard took a step toward me, but before he could come any closer, a voice 3/5 interrupted us. ‘What are you trying to do this time, Mother?” I recognized the voice at once. It was Kane. Sure enough, Margaret’s handsome son crossed into the room. His nearly violet eyes were wide with concern as they surveyed the room, but narrowed at the sight. of the guards. “Kane-” Margaret began to say, but her son raised his hand. “Step a away from Healer Cas sa ndra at once,” he addressed the guards. The men stared at one

another for a second and then nodded and walked out of the chamber. Kane then turned back to his mother. “What’s going on in here?” “Nothing, my love,” Margaret insisted. “We were just talking.” “I think there’s more to it than that,” Kane retorted, and then he turned to me. “Healer Cas sandra, your maid is outside the door with a few se rvants.” My eyebrows knitted together and I blinked at him in surprise. I was abt to ask him how this was possible, but before I could ask, he walked past me and gently brushed my shoulder. “Your maid might need some treatment,” he whispered as he passed. I didn’t hesitate for a single second. I rushed out of the chamber without a second thought. As I stepped out of the room, I heard Margaret’s angry voice hiss at her son. “How dare you help that filthy healer!” she demanded. Kane’s laughter filtered out into the hall. I heard him say something more, but I couldn’t make sense of his words. 4/5 0 < But then, I heard Margaret raise her voice and call out to me. “Remember this well, Healer Cas s andra,” her cruel words reached my ears and made my skin crawl. “Let this instance serve as your first and only warning.” I paused for a moment as a lump formed in my throat. Her threat was enough to set my entire body on edge, but I didn’t have a second more to linger on Margaret. I stepped away from the chamber, and once I turned the corner, I spotted Erika. 5.5

Chapter 102 Always on her side CAS SANDRA As my eyes took in the sight of my beloved friend, my heart sank in my chest. Erika looked terrible beyond words. “Cas sandra,” she managed to utter. Her skin was ghostly pale, and though her kind eyes were happy to see me, her gaze was distant. Her lips were practically blue and her gray-streaked blonde hair had sprung loose from its usually tidy bun. I rushed over to her and helped steady her just as she was about to fall. “Hang on, Erika,” I urged. “Let’s get you back to my room.” A pair of se rvants appeared mere seconds later. “Can we help you, Miss Cas sandra?” one asked me pol politely. “If you could help me escort her down the hall that would be great,” I replied. The serv ant nodded. “Of course.” “Are you ready?” I asked Erika. After she managed the smallest of nods, I carefully fted her arm up over my shoulder. The se rvant did the same on the other ide, and once we had a good grip on her, we began to guide her down the hall and out of the South Wing. With every step, I could tell that Erika was in a great deal of pain. Her lower lip trembled, and every few seconds, she whimpered. However, despite the pain she seemed to be in, she managed to smile at me, as if she wanted to assure me that she was alright. “You don’t have to be brave on my behalf,” I told her gently. 1.5 “I know,” she whispered.

It took all of my power to keep from crying. This was all so terrible and I felt awful about the fact that Erika was in so much pain, but I forced myself to remain strong. Once we reached the chamber, the serv ants helped me get Erika into bed, and once she was alright,

they left. I peered down at my hands and my lips parted in shock. They were streaked with blood. I stared at Erika’s back. I’d been so consumed with trying to get her as far away from Margaret’s chamber as possible that I hadn’t even noticed Erika was covered in blood. It ran down her back in long streaks and a shiver ran through me. She’d been whipped. “Lay face down,” I instructed her gently. “I’ll be right back.” Erika complied, and then I carefully moved over to the sink to wash my hands. I prepared some towels and some cool cloths and then walked back over to the bed. “Is Finnick alright?” Erika whispered as I began to treat her wounds. “He’s fine,” I assured her. “He’s safe with the Alpha King’s guard.” “Lancel?” she asked, and when I said yes, she let out a sigh of relief. “Good. He’s in great hands. I’m so sorry, Cas sandra-” “Don’t be sorry,” I said as I carefully unzipped the back of her dress and dabbed at her wounds.. “I don’t want to incriminate you any further,” Erika insisted. “Maybe I should just go back to my room-” “Nonsense,” I cut her off again. “This isn’t your fault, Erika. And besides, you aren’t going anywhere, not until you’re recovered.” 2/5 Once the blood was wiped away, I studied the lashes on her back. They were quite deep, but not enough to need stitches at least. However, I needed to pick up some supplies. I had few here in my chamber and Erika was going to need a lot of medicine. I “I need to go to the lab,” I said gently. “It will only take a second. I just need to pick up some ointments that will help your back feel better.” Erika turned around quickly and when she faced me, her eyes were wide with

concern. “It’s okay, Cas sandra,” she insisted. “The treatment can wait. I… I want to talk to you first.” My eyebrows knitted together. Her tone was deadly serious and the expression. on her face was starting to scare me. I wanted to protest, but instead, I simply nodded and sat back down in the chair beside the bed. “What do you want to talk about?” I asked quietly, making sure to keep my voice calm and collected despite my speeding heart rate. Erika gulped and studied me for a moment. We remained in silence until finally, she managed to slowly lift her arm and touch my face. “It’s you,” she said, her voice shaking as she stared into my eyes. “You’re Cora, aren’t you?” My heart suddenly dropped and my jaw went right along with it. My stomach twisted in knots as I began to panic. “I know it’s you,” Erika continued. “I should have recognized you at first sight, but I wasn’t certain at first. But now… Why didn’t you tell me, darling? I’ve… I’ve missed you so much.” I considered brushing off her words just as I’d done with Asher, but I couldn’t contain myself any longer. My eyes welled up with tears that spilled down my cheeks mere seconds later. 3/5 “I’m so sorry,” I apologized. “I’m so sorry, Erika.” Erika shook her head and her eyes shimmered with tears as well. “Don’t be sorry,” she insisted. “I understand why you didn’t tell me. You have great reason to cover up your identity. All that matters to me is that you’re here and you’re safe.” She lowered her hand back down to her side. “I wish I could hug you, ut my back-M “Don’t worry about it,” I said, and then the floodgates opened even further. “Oh, Erika, this is all my fault. It’s always my fault. The people around me who love me… they always get into trouble.” “Shhh,” Erika’s hand rested on my arm. “It’s not your fault, my love. It never was.” I knew at once that Erika wasn’t only referring to her wounds, but also what had happened five years

ago. Oftentimes, when I thought back about the inferno, I blamed myself for doing nothing. If I hadn’t just stayed in Rosepetal and relied on Asher to clear my family’s name… if I’d taken action and done something… would things be different? We fell into silence as I sobbed quietly. Erika continued to rub my arm, and once I regained my composure, I took a deep breath. “How did you recognize me?” I asked as I wiped the tears from my cheeks. “From the moment we met, I knew there was something familiar about you,” Erika said. “But I didn’t know for certain until I saw the scar on your leg. I recognized it at once. I’ll never forget how brave you were that day. You were so tough and so strong that even when the healer was attending to your wound, you didn’t cry.” The scar. I should have known she would have recognized it just as Asher had. “Why didn’t you tell me right away?” I asked. “I figured you had your reasons to hide,” Erika replied. “And I know how 4/5 dangerous Merliscire and Anemond are for you. As much as I wanted to tell you so that we could properly reunite… I didn’t want to put you in harm’s way. I smiled gratefully. Erika was so compassionate and considerate. I was lucky to have her back in my life. “I’m so sorry I didn’t say anything, Erika,” I apologized again. “And I’m sorry that I’m not as strong as I used to be. I wish I was more brave but after everything… I’m just as scared as ever.” “I understand, honey,” she said quietly, and she took my hands in hers. “At the end of the day, I just want you to know… I’m here for you. You’ll always have me on your side. No matter what.” 0 5/5

 

Chapter 103 Why call you Corn? CAS SANDRA I smiled back at Erika. Even though my time back in Anemond had been nothing. short of turbulent and dangerous, knowing she had my back meant the world to me. I felt relieved to finally be able to tell her the truth. I didn’t have to sit with the guilt any longer. Erika covered her mouth but didn’t manage to conceal her yawn. Her eyes started to appear a little distant. She looked exhausted. “I’m going to go to the lab and get the medicine for you,” I said gently. “Why don’t you lay down and try to get some rest?” I half-expected her to protest, but instead, she simply nodded and then laid. back down. I carefully tucked her in, and within seconds, Erika nodded off. As I rose feet and stared down at her, I wiped the stray tears from my cheeks. to my The maid meant more to me than just about anyone. I would do everything in my power to take care of her injuries. I carefully cleaned the blood off of myself and then slipped out of the chamber. I would grab the necessary medicine for Erika and also pick up Finnick while I was there. My poor son was likely still upset about the whole thing. I wasn’t sure how I was going to explain this all to him, but at least seeing me would relieve a little bit of his stress. on. When I reached the lab, Finnick ran toward me at full speed while Lancel stared ‘Immy!” my son cried as he threw his little arms around me. “Oh, Mommy, is Aun Erika okay?” “She’s going to be alright, honey,” I assured him, and then I carefully crouched down to his level and rested my hand on his shoulder. “But I have to tell you… Aunt TAS

Chapter 103 Why call you Cora? CAS SANDRA I smiled back at Erika. Even though my time back in Anemond had been nothing short of turbulent and dangerous, knowing she had my back meant the world to me. I felt relieved to finally be able to tell her the truth. I didn’t have to sit with the guilt. any longer. Erika covered her mouth but didn’t manage to conceal her yawn. Her eyes started to appear a little distant. She looked exhausted.

“I’m going to go to the lab and get the medicine for you,” I said gently. “Why don’t you lay down and try to get some rest?” I half-expected her to protest, but instead, she simply nodded and then laid back down. I carefully tucked her in, and within seconds, Erika nodded off. As I rose feet and stared down at her, I wiped the stray tears from my cheeks. to my The maid meant more to me than just about anyone. I would do everything in my power to take care of her injuries. I carefully cleaned the blood off of myself and then slipped out of the chamber. I would grab the necessary medicine for Erika and also pick up Finnick while I was there. My poor son was likely still upset about the whole thing. I wasn’t sure how I was going to explain this all to him, but at least seeing me would relieve a little bit of his stress. on. When I reached the lab, Finnick ran toward me at full speed while Lancel stared “I ommy!” my son cried as he threw his little arms around me. “Oh, Mommy, is Aur Erika okay?” “She’s going to be alright, honey,” I assured him, and then I carefully crouched down to his level and rested my hand on his shoulder. “But I have to tell you… Aunt 1/5

Erika was hurt.” Finnick’s gray eyes grew wide and his lip trembled. “Did Marco’s mother and grandmother hurt her?” he asked quietly. “Oh, Mommy, how could they do that to her?” I considered my words carefully. I wasn’t about to traumatize Finnick any further or subject him to future trouble by saying this wrong. I didn’t want him to be complicit or held responsible for my actions. “People… people are complicated,” I explained. “I know things don’t make sense. right now. I promise we’ll talk more later. But I have to get some supplies so we can get Aunt Erika some medical treatment right away.” Finnick nodded. “Everything is going to be alright,” I assured him. “I just need you to trust me. And when we get back to the room, I’m going to need you to stay as quiet as possible. Aunt Erika is going to be staying with us until she gets better, and she’s going to need all of the rest she can get. Can you do that for me?” Finnick nodded again. “Of course, Mommy. I’ll help you look after Aunt Erika.” I smiled and ran a hand through his dark hair. “That’s my boy. Thank you, Finnick I rose to my feet and quickly rushed over to the supply cabinet. As I rooted through the salves and medicines, I considered all of the possibilities. I needed to keep her wounds from getting infected or else things could get quite ugly and painful. Once I was done, I tucked them into my pack and then turned my attention to Becky and Lancel. it.” “Thank you for watching Finnick,” I addressed both of them. “I really appreciate O 2/5 “It was no trouble at all,” Becky assured me. Lancel hesitated and then glanced around. He took a step toward me. “I had hoped Lord Kane would arrive in time,” he said vaguely. I was immediately taken aback. I hadn’t expected that it was Lancel who’d asked for help from Asher’s

stepbrother. “My apologies for not getting to the Alpha King,” he continued as he rolled his shoulders back. “The king was busy interrogating the imposter in the dungeons and I didn’t want to bother him. The Alpha King has been quite busy lately…” His voice trailed off and confusion swelled within me for a moment, and then I realized what he meant. Lancel likely didn’t tell Asher because he knew that if the king had gotten word of this, there would have been a huge fuss. The Alpha King was busy dealing with the imposter. Bothering him with business like this right now likely wasn’t wise. I knew that Lancel was just remaining loyal to Asher, so I smiled at him. “Thank you,” I replied after a moment. “I understand. Luckily, Lord Kane arrived just in time. I really appreciate his help. That being said… I think I need to bring this. up to the Alpha King anyway. Otherwise, there’s no way to clear Erika’s name and prove that she’s innocent. She doesn’t deserve the kind of trouble that’s being dealt to her.” Lancel didn’t reply, but I could tell by his expression that he understood. I turned my attention back to Finnick. “Are you ready?” */hen he nodded, I took his hand in mine and smiled at Becky and Lancel. My as is ant waved at us, and then we left the room and headed back up the stairs. “Remember what I said,” I reminded my son as we got closer to the hallway. “We need to stay quiet, okay?” “Yes, Mommy,” Finnick replied quietly. “I promise I’ll be quiet.” 3/5 “Thank you,” I said. When we reached the room, I turned the kn ob as gingerly as possible, and when I opened the door, I was relieved to see that Erika was still asleep. I was glad she was able to get some rest and that no one had disturbed her in my absence. After the door was closed behind us, I turned to Finnick and held my finger up to my lips. Finnick

understood at once and nodded. He glanced over at Erika and after a second of studying her, he slowly walked over to his toy box. As he occupied himself with his favorite stuffed bear, I got to work and began. to dress Erika wounds I carefully applied the salve to her back and used as light of a touch as possible to keep from disturbing her. As I worked the medicine into her tender skin, I considered Margaret’s last words to me. She’d clearly issued a warning- one meant for me, not Erika. I’d underestimated Asher’s stepmother and Adalyn. They were far more dangerous than I’d expected and I needed to stay on alert. The two women clearly had more up their sleeves and it was only a matter of time before they tried to hurt someone close to me again. I had to figure out a way to better protect Erika and Finnick. If anything were to happen to them, I had no idea what I would do. Just as I finished wrapping up her wounds and zipped up the back of her dress, Erika began to stir. “Cora?” she uttered in a low voice. “Cora, are you back?” nough her volume was quiet, it was crystal clear in this quiet room. A lump. ferd in my throat and my eyes immediately darted over to Finnick. he lifted his head away from his stuffed bear and turned to face me. His expression was confused. “Mommy?” he asked. “Why did Aunt Erika call you Cora?” O

Chapter 104 Get back together CAS S ANDRA My voice caught in my throat and I blinked in surprise as I fought to find an answer. I knew Erika hadn’t intended to slip, but it was a slip nonetheless and I needed to find a proper explanation to keep Finnick from finding out the truth. He couldn’t know I was Cora. Luckily, Erika spoke again. “Oh,” she mused, and she rubbed her eyes and let out an exaggerated but still believable yawn. “I’m so sorry Cas sandra. I didn’t realize it was you. I was having this… dream… and I apparently mistook you for someone else. I’m sorry.” “It’s alright,” I replied, and when I glanced over at Finnick, he didn’t seem too thrown off by the answer. He nodded his head and held his stuffed bear up. He pursed his lips slightly and then frowned. “Everything okay, Finnick?” I prompted him. Finnick stared at his toy for a little while longer, and then realization crossed his serious features. “I remember!” he announced. “Cora was the name of the poor mate of the Alpha King. I remember you talking about her.” I forced the lump down my throat and nodded. “Yes, honey, that’s right. You have a great memory.” Finnick smiled happily at the compliment and then turned back to what he was do. Once he resumed playing, I let out a tiny sigh of reliei. Sorry,” Erika mouthed, and I shook my head. “It’s okay,” I mouthed back. Ir wasn’t Erika’s fault. She was exhausted and had been through so much. 1/5 Besides, Finnick likely wouldn’t remember the exchange. He was a smart boy, but tiny outbursts like that would probably vanish from his mind the moment something else came up. Little boys were thoughtful but could be easily distracted.

As Erika carefully sat up, I walked to the other side of the room and began to prepare a cup of tea for her. It felt nice to do something kind for the maid for once, and as much as I hated the situation, I was glad I could help her out when she needed it the most. Once the tea was ready, I brought it over to her and retrieved some medicine from my backpack. “Be careful, it’s hot,” I said as I passed the cup to her, and once she accepted it, I opened the medicine container and pulled out a couple of pills. “Take these. They should help with the pain and keep the wound from getting infected.” “Thank you, Cas sandra,” Erika replied. She obediently took the medicine, and after she took a small sip of tea, she smiled. “I appreciate you helping me.” “Of course,” I said. “It’s the least I can do. How are you feeling, Erika?” “I’m alright,” she said. “Tired, mostly, but I suppose things could be worse, couldn’t they? I might be an older woman now, but I still have some fight in me.” Her tone was light and almost playful, but no matter how much she smiled at me, I couldn’t relax. I knew how vicious Margaret and her guards could be. Erika’s wounds were a physical reminder of just how wicked Asher’s stepmother was. Her evilness kne no bounds. We glanced over at Finnick, and once we were certain he was occupied with his toys, I leaned in closely. Erika clearly had more on her mind. ‘Have you told the Alpha King about your true identity?” she asked. considered it and gave her a small nod. “Sort of. I haven’t confirmed it directly, but he knows. I can’t say whether or not that’s a good thing. I plan to keep it concealed. Staying Cas sandra is probably for the best.” 2/5 Erika hesitated. “I understand your concern,” she said slowly. “But… I know this is bold to say… I think the Alpha King is still deeply in love with you. This could be a chance for

you to get back together.” Get back together. I considered the phrase and thought of Asher. I was happy that my former mate still loved me, and clearly, I felt the same, but getting back together was something else entirely. I wasn’t the young girl who thought love. would conquer all anymore. That innocence had died in Rosepetal. “I don’t know, Erika,” I lamented, and I offered a small, bitter smile. “Can’t you tell… I lost my wolf.” Erika fell silent and her kind eyes widened. I Everything was different now. My face, my identity, even my personality. I used to be so daring, but now, I was only good at keeping secrets and hiding. For the past five years, I’d been a wolfless, timid country commoner. Even if circumstances were different and things aligned as I wanted to, there was no way that the Crescent Pack, the proudest Pack in Wegalla, would ever accept me as a Luna. Besides, Asher had married Adalyn after all, and they had a son now. Even though Marco was adopted, Asher loved him dearly. Erika’s eyes darted over to Finnick, who was happily playing a game on his own. She studied the boy for a little bit, and then her eyebrows knitted together. Realization crossed her features and her lips parted. When she glanced back at me, I nodded. Without a word, Erika knew exactly what I meant, and as the information set in, she odded her head. She gave me a small, sad smile. “Finnick deserves to know that Asher is his father,” she whispered. I glanced at my son. I knew it was unfair to keep Finnick from the truth, but I 3/5 had to consider my options carefully to keep him out of danger. “Cas sandra, I have to tell you something,” Erika continued quietly. “It’s about the Alpha King. He didn’t marry Adalyn because he wanted to. There was another reason, and some have gossiped and suggested that she tricked him into it.” “How?” I asked. How could Adalyn have tricked him? Had Asher really been unwilling to marry her?

Erika shook her head. “Unfortunately, I don’t know as much as I want to. That being said, there’s a pattern I’ve noticed. Those who have gossiped or made theories about the matter… they’ve all disappeared.” “Disappeared?” I repeated back in disbelief. “Some of them died in accidents,” she replied. “Others were fired and banished from the palace for good. Once that started happening, all rumors stopped. No one. has said a word in the past few years.” I remained silent as I considered her words. People disappearing… that was something the Betas could easily facilitate. The Moses family had spoken against ours easily. Those who wanted to speak for the Felix name had all vanished. Had they done the same to those who’d questioned Asher and Adalyn’s union? “I think you need to speak with the Alpha King more frankly, Cas sandra,” Erika advised me, and she gently touched my arm. “I think there may be some misunderstandings, ones that you could fix together. I don’t believe all hope is lost. for you two. I took a moment, and then a long, deep breath. “I’ll think about it,” I said finally. knew Erika’s intentions were good and that she was only looking out for me. But so much had happened between Asher and I. Adalyn, Marco, Margaret, the inferno, the conspiracy that ripped my family from me. | 4/5 I would have to face it all again

Chapter 105 Something happened ASHER “The trash bins were empty when we found them, Your Majesty,” the guard lamented to me with a bowed head. “We searched high and low. We even checked with the cleaner. He couldn’t find anything either. It seemed that the supposed masked man worked too quickly.” I released a heavy sigh though I wasn’t surprised in the slightest. I sat back in my chair and fought the urge to grow frustrated. The guard resumed a more polite posture and waited for my response. When he’d arrived in my study just minutes ago, I’d been hoping for good news. But sure enough, the masked man was far more skillful than I wanted. He had to be, otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to hide here in Anemond for so long. I’d sent a team to investigate Sp ik e’s claim that he’d discarded the books stolen from the royal library in a trash bin out in the street in the development beyond the palace. Now that I knew that the books were still missing, I wasn’t completely certain if Sp ik e was lying or not. “I want higher security stationed at the dungeon,” I commanded. “I want no one. to come in or out of that place or speak to the prisoner without my express permission. I require a comprehensive list of every guard stationed at the doors.” “Yes, Your Majesty,” the guard replied, and he offered me another bow. “I will see to it at once.” Thank you,” I said, and then I waved him on. “You are dismissed.” The guard obediently turned on his heels and once the door closed, I released tie groan of frustration I’d been holding in. I rose from my chair and walked to the door. Part of me wanted to hide in this room forever, but the other part had a different desire. 1/5 Cas sandra.

I needed to see her at once. As I stepped out of my study and walked quickly down the hall, I thought of the healer’s beautiful face. As strange as it was for me to admit, I missed her a lot. Everything was becoming so complicated and demanding on my time. Cas sandra would make it all feel better. She always did. When I reached the lab, I was surprised to see only her assistant and Lancel in the room. Becky was so hard at work that she didn’t notice me, but Lancel stiffened immediately. “Alpha,” he greeted me with a nod. “What brings you here?”

“Where is she?” I asked. “Cas sandra.” “She should be in her room, Your Majesty,” he replied, and I frowned immediately. “Why didn’t you follow her?” I asked. My most trusted guard opened his mouth to speak, but before the words could escape him, the door to the lab opened and another guard appeared. “Healer Cas sandra is waiting for you at your study, Your Majesty,” the guard announced. “She is ready to conduct your health check.” I wanted to laugh. Of course, she was all the way up there when I’d specifically ne to seek her out. “Thank you,” I replied, and then I glanced at Lancel. “We’ll speak more on this later.” “Yes, Alpha,” Lancel agreed. I tried to read the older man’s expression, but it was difficult. It was almost as if he were hiding something, but that was very unlike 5/5 him. Lancel was passionately loyal and dedicated to his station. If something were up, he would have told me immediately. I followed the guard back up the stairs, and once I got to the study, a smile formed on my lips. Cas sandra was waiting by the door, and when she caught sight of me,

her cheeks flushed a beautiful shade of rose. She looked quite lovely today. Her hair had been pulled into a loose bun, and a few loose copper ringlets fell into her face. “Your Majesty,” she greeted me formally, and when her deep emerald eyes met mine, my heart sk ipped a beat. I was so happy to see her that I almost completely forgot about the mess of a situation with Spi ke. “Cas sandra,” I greeted her. I moved past her and held the door open for her. She crossed through the threshold, and once the door was closed behind us, I swept her into my arms and held her close. Her familiar vanilla and cin namon perfume filled my nose and I inhaled the warm, sweet scent deeply. “Your Majesty-” she said, completely taken aback as I set her down. “Call me Asher,” I insisted. She fell silent, and I reached out and pulled her back to me. My hands fell to her waist and then I pressed my lips against hers. She didn’t protest, but when I noticed that she wasn’t kissing me back, I pulled away. Had I come on too strong? “I’m sorry,” I apologized. “I should have controlled myself, but I was struggling.” Cas sandra’s cheeks darkened further. “It’s alright.” She walked over to the desk, set her kit down, and began to take out the cessary tools to conduct the health check. I waited patiently, and just as she raised one of her devices, she cleared her throat. “Your Majesty,” she said quietly. ||| 375 I frowned. “What’s wrong?” She took a moment and then cleared her throat again. “It’s my maid, Erika,” she explained softly. “Something happened.” “Tell me,” I insisted. Cas s andra nodded and then launched right into it. She told me all about the tea incident with Adalyn

and then explained that Margaret and Adalyn had the poor maid whipped. As she spoke, her lower lip trembled and her lovely eyes filled with tears. “I’m worried, Your Majesty,” she said. “I was hoping you could clear Erika’s name in case they try to come after her again. I want the imposter’s written confession that he was the one behind the poisoned tea, not her.” “Of course,” assured her. “I’ll look into the matter later. “Thank you,” she whispered. My chest suddenly felt heavy as I studied her. “Were you hurt?” I asked. She shook her head. “No. I was a little worried about what they would do, but luckily, Lord Kane came to help.” me? Kane? I was taken aback. Kane had come to her aid? My mind ran in circles as I searched for an explanation. “Lancel,” I breathed. Had my most trusted guard gone to my brother instead of “It’s not his fault,” Cas sandra insisted. “Lancel is more loyal to you than anyone 4/5 else. His efforts weren’t malicious.” As much as I was still confused, I immediately softened my expression. Cas sandra was always so considerate. She was always thinking of others- her friends, her patients, her maid, even Lancel. But when did she ever think of herself? Or about us? I should have been the one to come to her protection first, shouldn’t I? So why was she still trying to push me away? I sighed as I forced back these questions. I knew how I felt about her, and I swore that she shared the same feelings. But with the way she was acting here in this room, I couldn’t help but feel seeds of

doubt forming in So, I rolled my shoulders back and straightened up. “Tell me, what can I do for you, Cas sandra?” my stomach.