Ch. 11..15: Alpha King’s Lost Luna Chapter 11-15
Chapter 11 Alpha King found her?
CA SSANDRA
When I awoke, my vision was blurred, and my head swam with incoherent thoughts. As I fought back the dizziness, my eyes began to adjust, and images of the Moon Goddess and the Holy Moon appeared.
For a moment, I stared at them and wondered if this was the afterlife.
Had the bear managed to take my life? Was I… dead?
Suddenly, the room came into focus, and I recognized the mural I’d painted on my ceiling long ago. I wasn’t dead. I was in my bedroom, tucked tightly into bed.
How had I gotten here?
Suddenly, I felt the soft touch of a warm hand on my arm. When I glanced over, I caught sight of Marley.
“Oh Ca ssandra,” she gushed in pure relief, and her pale green eyes glittered with tears. “You’re awake!”
It took me a moment to register everything. I blinked a few times and then I smiled up at my dear friend. “H-hi, M-Marley.”
The effort of speaking hurt my throat, but I was so relieved to see her that it
didn’t matter.
“I was so worried, Ca ss,” Marley continued on, and she wiped a tear from her cheek. “So extremely worried.”
She then took my hand in hers.
“I’m sorry to scare you,” I managed to say. I wanted to comfort her further, but when I attempted to squeeze her hand, a sharp pain shot through my entire body.
When I winced, she pulled her hand away quickly.
“Oh, Ca ss,” Marley uttered, and her eyes widened. “I’m so sorry, that must have
hurt!”
“It’s… it’s okay,” I said through the pain, and then a thought crossed my mind.
Where was my Finnick?
I glanced around the room, but my son was nowhere to be found. Panic flooded through me, and my heart rate increased exponentially. Had he made it out of that cave? And how had I ended up here anyway?
“Marley, where’s Finnick?” I asked, and my lower lip trembled as I choked out
I I the words. “What’s going on? Is he alright? And how did I get here in the first place?
“Hey, take a breath,” Marley urged, and her expression grew serious. “Finnick is perfectly safe. He’s back at the Pack House with the Alpha and Luna. They’re taking good care of him.”
“Is he h-hurt?” I stammered, and my vision grew cloudy with tears as memories
of the bear and the cave crashed over me.
But Marley shook her head. “Finnick is perfectly fine. He’s a little bruised but that’s it. Now, I’m serious, take a deep breath. Doctor’s orders. You’re in pretty rough shape and I don’t want you to hurt yourself further.”
It took a moment for the information to sink in, and when it did, I heeded my friend’s advice and took a long, deep breath. A few minutes later, when I was in a calmer state, another thought crossed my mind.
“Who… who saved me from the bear?” I wondered, and my eyebrows creased together. “And how did I get back here in the first place?”
A strange look crossed Marley’s face.
“The Alpha from Anemond brought you here,” she replied with a roll of her eyes, and she let out a small sigh. “He was the one who found you out in the woods.”
I gasped in surprise.
Asher Collins had found me?
It made a little sense, I supposed. Before I’d lost consciousness, the last face I remembered seeing was Asher’s.
Is it possible I hadn’t hallucinated after all?
“The Alpha found me,” I repeated back quietly. I attempted to sit up, but the effort sent another pang of pain through my chest, so I laid back down. “Wow.”
“It was definitely a surprise to get a call from him in the middle of the night,” Marley remarked. “When he explained the situation to me, he sounded like he was going to bite my head off or something.”
I frowned in confusion. “What do you mean?”
Marley sighed again, and she sat down on the chair beside me. “Well, he was extremely angry. He was super short-tempered with me and ordered me to get to the clinic-to help. I totally understand the urgency, and I would have rushed there in a second anyway to help you, but he was intense, to say the least. That being said… What he did really changed my opinion of him.”
“Really?” I asked in surprise and she nodded.
“When he arrived at the clinic, he was so gentle with you,” she explained. “You were passed out cold, and he handled you so carefully. He helped me get you down on the table and made sure you were comfortable as I started treating you.”
“Wow,” I uttered.
“Right?” Marley agreed, and she shook her head slowly. “I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. He could have sent a guard to handle the whole thing, but he wouldn’t let anyone else into the clinic the entire time I was taking care of your injuries. Then he carried you himself all the way here to your house.”
“That’s… surprising,” I remarked.
Asher Collins had personally escorted me back to my house?
For a moment, I felt strange about the idea of the Alpha King being in my small house, but the other part of me was grateful that he’d intervened and helped Marley get me home safe. That meant more to me than I could express, even if the idea of
it all was so strange.
“Definitely,” Marley said. “We made sure you were comfortable, and then he left. for the Pack House. It was so strange, Ca ssandra. It was like he was a completely different person than he’d been when we
were taking care of his son.”
“That’s definitely strange,” I said. When I tried to readjust myself in bed, my shoulder cried out in pain, and I let out a soft cry. Marley immediately reached out and supported me.
“You have to be careful,” she urged. “You’re going to stress your body out if you keep moving around.”
I
Tears welled up in my eyes as I suddenly became aware of the rest of the pain. It was there in my abdomen, my arm, my head… I was a wreck.
“So, how bad is it?” I wondered even though I was scared of the answer.
“I’m not gonna lie, it’s not great,” Marley replied, and she gave me an apologetic look. “The bear’s claws scratched your stomach up pretty badly, and your shoulder
is sprained.”
My eyes widened.
“Relax,” my friend insisted. “You’re going to be just fine. It’s just gonna take some time to heal. Now, I’m gonna take a look at your stomach and make sure nothing is bleeding, okay?”
“Okay,” I agreed.
Marley carefully shifted the covers away from me and got to work immediately.
She gently checked my bandages, and after a minute or so, she pulled the blanket
back over me.
“Looks good,” she said, and after she smiled at me, the expression faded, and she stared deeply into my eyes. “Ca ss, I just have to ask… why were you out in the forest with Finnick to begin with? Especially that late at night. What was going on?”
My heart stopped in my chest, and I gulped quietly. I’d assumed Marley had read the letter I’d left her, but evidently, she hadn’t.
When I hesitated to find an answer, Marley’s eyes narrowed.
“I can tell you’re about to lie to me,” she said. “Please don’t. I want to know what happened, Ca ssy. It must have been serious if you’d brought Finnick out there with you. Please just tell me. I won’t tell anyone else, I swear.”
I wanted to lie, but Marley was my best friend. I couldn’t reveal all of the details. of my past, but I had to tell her this.
“The Alpha King ordered me to come with him to Anemond,” I revealed. “He told
me I had two days and then I was supposed to come with him.”
Marley was shocked.
“That dog,” she cursed under her breath. “I take back everything I said. He’s a terrible person. How dare he try to uproot your entire life like that.”
After the words left her lips, we fell into silence. We could curse him all we wanted, but we both knew his order was law. I could only imagine what he would do
now that I’d tried to leave.
But that was something I could worry about later. For now, my only concern
was Finnick.
My eyes flew toward the window. The sun hadn’t risen from the h orizon yet. It was earlier than I’d thought.
“I have to pick Finnick up,” I remarked. “He’s probably scared and worried sick.”
“You’ll do no such thing,” Marley replied in a serious voice. “You’re too weak to go anywhere. Finnick is safe. You need to worry about yourself and get some rest.”
She picked a bottle of medicine off of my nightstand and opened the container. She retrieved a pair of pills. Painkillers, I assumed.
“Take these,” she urged, and she carefully helped me get them down. After I swallowed, she gave me some water and then pulled the blanket up further.
“But what about-” I started to say, but Marley cut me off.
“Finnick will see you later,” she said. “Now, try to get some sleep. When you wake up, I’ll accompany you to the Pack House.”
Chapter 12 Alpha’s meeting
CA SSANDRA
I tried to protest Marley’s proposal, but I knew it was a losing battle. I needed to get some rest so I could be strong enough to see Finnick. Even though he was with Alpha Gareth’s family, my poor boy was probably terrified and worried about me. And I was worried about him.
But I couldn’t deny that I needed rest.
So, I laid back in bed.
Marley told me she’d be downstairs and she’d check on me in a little while, and then she quietly left the room. Once she was gone, I took a long deep breath and tried to process everything she’d told me.
Asher Collins had saved my life.
I closed my eyes after a while and tried to get some rest. Luckily, the medicine Marley had given me was highly effective, and I drifted off quickly, but my sleep was anything but peaceful.
My dreams were plagued with images and nightmares of the inferno along with scenarios of losing my Finnick all because Asher had exposed my real identity. The dreams were strange and twisted, and when I awoke, I was drenched in sweat.
Golden sunlight streamed through the window. I’d been asleep for hours. I managed to carefully sit up without causing myself too much pain, and after I took a long, deep breath, I raised my arm to brush my hair from my forehead. The effort was painful, but it was a relief to get some cold air on my face.
“Marley?” I called out, and my throat strained a little at the effort. The door opened moments later, and Marley entered the room.
“Oh good, you’re awake,” my friend remarked, and she gave me a small smile.
“How are you feeling, Ca ss?”
“Warm,” I admitted, and then I gave her a tiny smile back. “But other than that, I guess I could be a lot worse.”
“That’s exactly what I wanna hear,” Marley replied as she walked over to the bed. Once she reached my side, she started checking my bandages. “It looks like your dressings stayed intact while you slept. That’s great.”
“Definitely,” I agreed, and then I took another deep breath. “Marley, could we go
to the Pack House?”
“In a while,” Marley said slowly, and she offered me an apologetic look. “Let’s get some food in you first, along with some water and another round of medicine, okay?”
I sighed. She was right.
“Okay,” I agreed.
Marley went downstairs for a while, and when she returned, she had a tray with a bowl of soup and some cra ckers, along with a cup of tea and a glass of water.
I tried to feed myself, but Marley wouldn’t let me. She insisted on helping me eat, and as embarrassing as it was to need help with such a normal thing, I knew it was in my best interest to accept the help.
“You know, I’ve been thinking about it, Cas sandra,” Marley mused once I was done with my soup. “There has to be some way to reject the Alpha King’s request.”
“I don’t know about that, Marley,” I objected. “His word is law-”
“Yeah, but you’re the only fully qualified healer in this Pack,” she interrupted me with a raised eyebrow. “I mean, I’m no slouch, but I’m nowhere near as gifted as you, at least not yet. There’s no way Gareth or Sofia would let you go. I’m sure they’ll beg the Alpha King to let you stay. He’ll change his mind. I’m sure of it.”
“I sure hope you’re right,” I said, and I smiled at her. Even though she could be
grumpy sometimes, Marley managed to stay so optimistic even in times of hopelessness and I admired her greatly.
I only wished she was right.
About an hour later, Marley helped me get out of bed, and after I changed my clothes and got myself a little more presentable, we decided it was time to go to
the Pack House.
The walk there was unpleasant and slow, but Marley was there to help me the entire time, so it wasn’t nearly as awful as it would have been alone.
When we reached the Pack House, Marley knocked on the door, and we were greeted by Jasper, who seemed surprised to see us.
“Marley and Ca ssandra?” he said slowly, and his dark eyebrows creased together. “What are you doing here?”
“We’re here to get Finnick,” Marley explained and she peeked around him into the entryway of the house. “Where are the Alpha and Luna?”
“They’re in the middle of a meeting with their guest,” Jasper said cryptically. “Now isn’t a great time-”
I
“I just want to see my son,” I pleaded. “I’m sure he’s more than ready to go home after everything he’s been through.”
Jasper paused for a moment, and then his expression softened.
“I’ll need to report to the Alpha and Luna before you can take him,” he said, and then he waved us forward. “Come on in.”
Marley grumbled under her breath, but I smiled at Jasper as we followed him -inside. Once the doors were closed behind us, Jasper disappeared and left us in the
entryway.
“The Alpha King really has a way to bring out a weird side of people,” Marley remarked. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Jasper act so… formal. Especially with us.
And since has he had to report our arrival?”
“It’s probably just a formality,” I said quietly. “Everyone has to be on their best behavior in front of the king.
“I suppose,” she said, and then she rolled her eyes. “Leave it to Jasper to be a suck-up.”
We giggled together for a minute until we heard footsteps from down the hall.
“Shh,” I murmured, and we gathered our composure. Luckily, it was just Jasper.
“The Alpha and Luna wish to see you in the meeting room, Ca ssandra,” he
declared, and he waved me forward.
Marley and I exchanged a glance.
“I’ll come with you,” Marley said, but Jasper shook his head.
“They want to see her alone,” he replied, and Marley’s green eyes darkened.
Γ
“She’s injured!” she insisted, and her nostrils flared in frustration. “She needs help getting there-”
“You can escort her to the door, but you must wait outside,” Jasper sighed, and then he gestured toward the hallway. “Let’s go. We mustn’t keep them waiting.”
We followed Jasper to the meeting room and stopped just outside the door.
“I’ll be right out here for you,” Marley assured me, and after I nodded, I carefully knocked on the door. Moments later, Gareth’s voice called out to me.
“Come in.”
I gave Marley a nervous glance and then straightened my posture as much as my injured body would allow and entered the room.
The Alpha’s meeting room was one of the most spa cious rooms in the entire
Pack House. The walls were painted a deep sapphire and the floors were a rich dark wood. Candles and lamps flickered around the room, and large, oversized couches. were arranged around a coffee table. It was a beautifully decorated room, and for a moment, I was distracted by all of the pretty things.
Gareth, Sofia, and Rayden were seated on the lengthiest couch while Asher Collins sat opposite them on an armchair. They all turned to stare at me as I entered, and Sofia jumped to her feet and raced
over to me.
“Ca ssy!” she exclaimed, and her eyes widened as she stared at my bandages. “Thank the Goddess, are you alright?”
“I’m alright,” I assured her, but the Luna didn’t seem convinced.
“I’ve been so worried about you,” she said and she took my hands in hers. “When I heard you’d been attacked by a bear… I was so scared for you.”
“Thank you,” I replied, and I gave her a warm smile. “I’m doing much better now.”
“Is that so?” Asher called out, and a lump formed in my throat when he continued. “You were in pretty bad shape when I found you.”,
Even from across the room, I could see his eyes were colder than usual, and for a moment, I wanted to turn and run. But I couldn’t. I needed to play this out
correctly.
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” I replied. “For saving me, I mean. I’m feeling much better now than I was last night, and it’s all thanks to you and Marley.”
Asher smirked, and then he tilted his head to the side.
“Tell me, Ca ssandra,” he said slowly. “Were you trying to run and get away my order for you to come to Anemond? I sure hope not, as it would make you a
deserter.”
from
Chapter 13 King’s decision
CA SSANDRA
My voice caught in my throat as the Alpha King’s words set in. He was absolutely correct and I understood the potential consequences of my actions
completely.
Things in Anemond were different than they were here. In Anemond, going) against the Alpha’s wish or running from the Pack was considered treason, and furthermore, a felony. They were strict in their laws and highly set in their ways in the capital, something I knew all too well. I’d lived in that terrible city for eighteen
years.
Asher Collins’ cold gray eyes bore into mine with horrible intensity as he waited for me to respond to his accusation, but I didn’t know how to answer. If I owned up to and admitted that I was trying to run away, I would be arrested and tried for treason. But I didn’t have another reason to justify my actions.
Who would run into the forest at midnight with all of their belongings other than
a deserter?
Luckily, before I could respond, Rayden rushed to his feet.
“You’re taking her to Anemond?” he demanded in surprise, and his hands balled into a fist at his side.
Alpha Gareth and Sofia’s cheeks darkened at their eldest son’s sudden outburst, and they looked at the Alpha King with apologetic expressions.
“Please forgive him, Your Majesty,” Gareth pleaded, and his dark eyes shot daggers toward his son.
“Yes, please, Your Majesty,” Sofia insisted, but Asher raised his hand to cut her off. Sofia closed her mouth and nodded, and then the Alpha King turned his
attention to their son.
“Young prince, have you learned nothing from your time with the Myriad?” he asked in an amused yet irritated tone. “Your father was just telling me that
you received a Medal of Honor during your services. Was questioning your commander something you learned during your service?”
Rayden’s eyes dropped to the floor and his hand released from its fist and relaxed. His expression said it all- he’d made a mistake in addressing the Alpha King directly like that, and he was in the wrong.
After a moment, he looked Asher Collins in the eyes and straightened his
posture.
“My apologies, Your Majesty,” he said in an even tone. “But you can’t take Ca ssy away from us-”
“Rayden!” Gareth cut him off in a loud and surprised tone, and then he shook his head and turned to the Alpha King. “I’m so sorry, Your Majesty.”
He then turned to his son.
“Leave us,” he ordered, but Rayden’s nostrils flared.
“Father, I have every right to remain here,” he insisted and even I was taken aback by the prince’s declaration. Why was he sticking up for me so much and risking his fate? The Alpha King could have his head for his indignance, and yet Rayden didn’t seem to care.
“Let him stay,” Asher declared, and he raised his hand toward Fareth. “I wish to hear the young man out. He seems to have a very good reason for remaining and a decent case to make. So, please, Rayden, explain yourself.”
He fixed his steel gaze on Rayden and a lump formed in my throat. I was scared for Rayden. Asher Collins wasn’t someone to challenge, and I was worried for his
well-being.
Rayden swallowed and then took a long, deep breath. His eyes seemed nervous, but his posture remained strong.
“Before I do, can we allow Ca ssandra to take a seat?” he wondered, and he gestured toward me. “She’s still very much injured and I see that she’s wavering a
little.”
“Yes, please, Your Majesty,” Luna Sofia spoke up, and she offered me an apologetic glance. “May she be seated?”
Asher considered her words for a moment, and for a second, I wondered if he would allow me to continue standing there in pain. It wouldn’t be unlike him.
But he simply nodded his head instead and gestured to the chair opposite him. “Take a seat, Ca ssandra.”
“T-thank you, Your Majesty,” I managed, but as soon as I took a step forward, I nearly fell. My entire body was still incredibly sore, and without Marley’s assistance, I was semi-useless.
Luckily, Alpha Gareth took notice and rushed over to me.
“Give me your arm,” he said gently, and I nodded my head before allowing him to assist me. He guided me over to the chair, and once I was seated, he gave me a small smile and then returned to his perch on his sofa.
The Alpha King waited for me to be situated, and then he turned back to Rayden.
“Please, continue,” he urged.
Rayden took another breath and then nodded.
“Cassie- Ca ssandra, is the only healer in our Pack, Your Majesty,” he began. “We need her here. As my father mentioned to you earlier, an unknown illness has been spreading through the Pack. Her patients need her in order to continue their
treatments.”
Asher suddenly chuckled as if he were amused by something Rayden had said. His cold eyes darted over to me, and my heart nearly stopped. “What’s the name of your assistant?”
“Marley, Your Majesty,” I replied, and it took all of my effort to keep from stuttering. “Marley Raven.”
“Marley Raven,” he repeated back. “She’s good at medical treatment, I assume since you’re still with us today?”
I nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty. Marley has been training with me for a while now. She’s a fast learner and at this point in her studies, she’s able to treat most common diseases and ailments without difficulties.”
“But Cassie is better, Your Majesty,” Rayden spoke up, and this time Asher Collins’ stern face appeared annoyed at the outburst.
“Don’t test my temper, young prince,” he said, and he flashed Rayden a cold smile. “Let me take a guess. You like this healer, don’t you? That’s why you don’t wish for her to leave to Anemond?”
MANIRE
It took everything to keep my jaw from dropping. What was Asher talking about? Was he purposely trying to embarrass me in front of the Wild Crawler’s royal family?
There was nothing between me and Rayden, so why else would the Alpha King say something to that effect?
Rayden’s cheeks flushed scarlet, and his lower lip trembled.
“Did I guess correctly?” Asher laughed, and the sound made my blood run cold. His cruelty had only increased with time, and I could hardly recognize the man in front of me.
When Rayden didn’t answer, the Alpha King shook his head, and the smile left his face.
“Unfortunately, Prince Rayden, Your Cassie is going to leave for Anemond with me,” he announced, and then his voice hardened further. “There’s no room for discussion. If you cooperate, I may send a few healers for your Pack.”
Alpha Gareth and Luna Sofia’s expressions appeared grateful.
“Thank you-” Sofia began to say, but Asher raised his hand up to cut her off. His cold eyes remained on Rayden’s, and he raised an eyebrow.
“But if you don’t comply,” he warned, and his lips curled into a snarl. “I’m afraid your entire Pack will suffer the consequences. I don’t care how many people will die. She is coming with me. And that’s that.”
Then, his eyes stared back at mine, and a chill ran down my spine.
Chapter 14 Alpha’s mark
CA SSANDRA
I felt like a rabbit cornered by a fearsome predatory. My entire body broke into goosebumps, and as I stared back at the Alpha King, I couldn’t believe what was happening. Was this truly the Asher Collins I’d known since childhood?
I’d always known the Alpha King was ruthless. I’d heard countless tales from others in the Wild Crawler Pack about his heartlessness and his cruelty. It’d been said on many occasions that he was much like his father, the old Alpha King, a man who’d centralized his power and oppressed the members of his own empire.
At the time, I hadn’t believed the stories. I’d thought there had to be some sort of disconnect, a misunderstanding of some sort that kept people from seeing the real Asher. He might not have been a loyal mate, but I’d always trusted that he would be a great Alpha.
Past memories flooded through my mind.
Asher had never been a cold and dominant man all those years ago. We’d grown up together and spent most of our childhoods with one another. Even as a young boy, he’d been loving, caring and compassionate, and that’d only continued into his teenage years.
I remembered all of the times we’d sat together, discussing the future. He always told me that he wanted to be a kind Alpha. He wanted to be nothing like his cruel father who’d never shown him an ounce of affection.
Asher had sworn he wanted to release this corrupted empire from its old ways and usher in a time of peace and kindness. He valued all lives, poor and rich, and wanted to make sure the people of the
empire knew that their well-being mattered
to him.
His father used to scold him for being a coward, but Asher had never wavered from his beliefs.
And yet, as he stared at me now, he looked just as cold as his father, the former
King.
As much as my heart pleaded and hoped that Asher still had good in him, I knew I needed to accept that what others had said about his cruelty was true. The idea brought me a deep-rooted sadness, but I had to release those feelings if I was going to survive this ordeal.
What could I do? Rayden, for whatever reason, had pleaded his case, but it had made no difference other than embarrassing the young prince in front of the Alpha King of Wegalla.
From Luna Sofia’s saddened expression, I could tell she didn’t want me to go either, and though Alpha Gareth’s gaze was somewhere else, I knew deep down that he surely felt the same. I was valued in this Pack, but their words and pleading
didn’t matter.
I was a
to Anemond.
I couldn’t risk harm coming to the Wild Crawler Pack. They had been too good to me to risk any lives.
Asher finally turned away from me and fixed his gaze on Gareth.
“Will you, your wife, and the young prince please excuse us?” he requested in a regal tone, and he lifted his chin. “Ca ssandra and I need to have a private talk.”
“Yes, of course, Your Majesty,” Gareth said, and he nodded generously. He rose to his feet, and Sofia followed suit. She reached out and took Rayden’s hand. Her son didn’t seem like he wanted to leave the chamber, but soon, his face softened and he gave his mother a small nod. The Alpha King’s orders couldn’t be ignored, not when the lives of their Pack mates were in danger.
“Your Majesty, will you please escort Ca ssandra to the door once she is finished?” Sofia requested in a soft voice. “Her assistant remains outside and will help her the rest of the way home, but-”
“Yes,” Asher replied coldly, but he offered the Luna a nod. “I will see to it that
your healer is assisted. Now please, leave us to speak alone.”
Sofia nodded again, and without another word, the Wild Crawler’s royal family left the chamber. Once the door had closed behind them, my heart rate
skyrocketed.
What did he want to talk to me about? And why was it necessary to conduct the conversation in private? Was I in trouble?
Asher Collins stared at me for a moment and then spoke.
“Alpha Gareth has informed me about the illness prevailing in your Pack, Cas sandra,” he began in an even tone. “One of the symptoms is black marks on the body, is that correct?”
I was taken aback by the question. I hadn’t expected him to ask about the sickness, especially at a time like this, when my loyalty to the empire was being questioned.
But I nodded anyway.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” I said.
Asher nodded back slowly. “What do you think it is?”
“The marks?” I asked, and after a brief pause, I continued. “It’s a strange symptom I’m not certain of. But lately I’ve been wondering if it’s some kind of poison.”
“A poison?” Asher repeated back in surprise.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” I replied, and I leaned in closer, ignoring the pain in my shoulder. “There’s a book my husband left me, all about the poisons he’s dealt with -in the past decade. I’ve combed through the book like mad, and each time, have.
noted a section that talks about something similar to this.”
“Interesting,” the Alpha King remarked. “Please continue on, Ca ssandra..”
I nodded. “Well, it says when werewolves were exposed to certain poisons, their blood would darken and continue to do so day by day. Blood marks would appear throughout their bodies. But that isn’t the same as the disease that now prevails.”
“Really?” he replied, and somehow, he looked disappointed by this. “How so?”
“This one is more peculiar,” I said. “Similar marks are there in my patients, but they don’t grow like the ones written about in the book, They don’t resemble the shape of veins. In fact… they’re more like tattoos. It’s bizarre, Your Majesty. I’ve never seen anything like this illness.”
When I finished explaining, Asher fell silent and sat back in his seat. I could see him considering something, and after a minute or two, he leaned back forward and began to unbutton his white shirt
from his collar.
Heat spread through my body. What was happening?
My entire face felt as if it were burning, and my hands shook at my sides.
When he got three buttons down, he pulled the collar from his neck and exposed the skin beneath. My heart dropped.
A large black mark spread from the area below his collarbone and appeared to
continue downward.
Shock set in and my jaw dropped.
“Yes, you’re guessing correctly,” he said plainly. “It seems I have caught the very same disease that plagues your Pack.”
My throat tightened as dread set in. This was unbelievable.
“My trusted healer in Anemond couldn’t figure out the source of my affliction,” the Alpha King revealed. “He did all that he could, and yet he couldn’t come even close to an answer. So, healer, I will need you to come with me to Anemond so you can find out the reason. Do you understand?”
Chapter 15 Don’t get caught again
CA SSANDRA
I gulped back the lump in my throat as I stared at the black mark on Asher’s skin. Of anyone, I never would have expected the Alpha King to become infected with the mysterious disease. Especially since he’d just arrived here from Anemond.
Was the disease running rampant in the capital just as it did here?
We hadn’t heard anything about it here, and besides, if it was so prevalent, there would have been no reason for Asher to keep his condition so private and concealed. So, how did he get infected in the first place?
From the research I’d conducted with my patients, I’d come to the conclusion that the disease didn’t transfer very easily, which was especially lucky for us. Otherwise, we’d all have been infected by now, especially me. I worked around the infected so often that it was a miracle that Marley and I hadn’t become infected
yet.
Though the illness was peculiar and mysterious, there was one thing I did know- the disease weakened werewolves’ power. Once present in the system, the disease latched onto the blood and caused the victim’s bodies to deteriorate from the inside out. It was incredibly deadly and fast-acting, so it was only a matter of time before the patient died from the illness.
No matter how much I didn’t want to admit the feelings for Asher Collins that lingered in my heart, I still cared and worried for him. I didn’t wish this disease on
anyone, not even him.
“Your Majesty, I can treat you here,” I proposed in a last-ditch effort to avoid. -Anemond. “We have more samples here and it’ll be better for me to continue my
research where I have all of my prior records, devices, and books. I work better in a
familiar environment-”
“Well, in that case, I can move everything you need from here to Anemond,”
Asher countered. “Even your little house. We can completely rebuild and replicate it in the capital with little difficulty.”
Part of me wanted to ask why he was so insistent on me returning with him to Anemond, but the other part knew I couldn’t ask a question like that. The conversation wouldn’t work well in my favor, and besides, Asher Collins probably just wanted everything under his absolute control, just like any king would
I exhaled quietly. There was nothing I could do to argue my case anymore. I had to go against my own desires and accept my fate.
I was going to Anemond whether I liked it or not.
“There’s no need to bring everything,” I replied. “Just my books, devices, and
records would suffice.”
“Good,” Asher replied, and as he readjusted his shirt and buttoned the buttons back to the top, his mood seemed to brighten. I hated that he seemed so thrilled to have gotten his way, but there was nothing I could do about it. For now, I needed to
focus on what I could control.
“Your Majesty, may I be excused?” I asked as I straightened up in my seat. “I’d like to return home before it gets too late.”
“Go home?” the Alpha King replied back in surprise, and then he shook his head. “I’m afraid you won’t be returning home, Ca ssandra. I’ve asked Alpha Gareth to prepare a room for you and your son. The belongings you left in the forest are in your room already, and a few guards have been sent to pick up the rest of your things. You won’t need to return home for them.”
all?
My eyes widened and my heart dropped at his statement;
What was actually happening?
Was I a prisoner here now? Was I actually being punished for my actions after
“But Marley is waiting for me-” I blurted out before I could stop.
“Your assistant?” Asher replied, and then he smirked and leaned forward to grab the cup of coffee that sat in front of him on the coffee table. He took his sweet time blowing on the steaming cup and then took a long, measured sip. Once he was done, he set the cup back down and looked back at me. “Don’t worry, she’s already gone.”
“She is?” I asked, and the Alpha King nodded.
“I heard them out in the hall,” he revealed. “Alpha Gareth had her escorted out when he and his Luna left with their son. She’s returned home.”
“Oh,” I remarked, and for a moment, I had to fight back my disappointment. wanted to share all of the details of my encounter here with my friend and find comfort in her arms and words.
“You can say goodbye to her on the day of your departure,” Asher said absently and I froze in place.
The day of my departure? I wouldn’t be allowed to see my best friend until then?
My chest heaved as I fought to keep myself calm. This was unfair on so many levels, and I could hardly contain my anger.
If I was the girl I’d been so many years ago, I’d have leapt to my feet and demanded he let me leave. I would have put up a strong fight and insisted he let me stay here in the Wild Crawler Pack.
But I wasn’t that girl anymore. She’d died in the inferno, and besides, Asher Collins wasn’t the same boy he’d been back then. He was the Alpha King of Wegalla now, and I had no choice but to obey his demands.
So, I took a deep breath, collected myself, and raised my chin slightly.
“May I go to my room and see my son, Your Majesty?” I requested formally. If he was going to hold me hostage, the least I could do was make sure my dear Finnick was okay. The poor kid was likely traumatized from our ordeal with the bear, and it was my duty to comfort him in these times of crisis.
I expected Asher to put up more of a fight, but he nodded his head.
“Of course,” he said, and then he gestured to the door.
I’d expected him to keep me hostage in this chamber, but his expression had softened significantly. Despite his harshness, he seemed to have a soft spot for children, which I needed to use to my advantage as much as possible.
Despite the pain that radiated through my shoulder, I rose from my seat and started to make my way across the chamber to the door. Every step was agony without an assistant to help me, but I managed
to make it happen without tearing up. I couldn’t let the Alpha King see me cry, not after everything I’d been through.
I nearly made it to the door when Asher’s voice spoke up from behind me.
“Ca ssandra,” he said, and when I turned around his eyes had grown cold again. “The next time you want to run, run wisely. Don’t allow yourself to get caught.”
My heart sank down in my chest. For the briefest of moments, it felt like he was looking straight past my changed face and voice and was speaking to not Ca ssandra, but Cora Felix, the girl I’d been five years ago.