Ch. 21..25: Alpha King’s Lost Luna Chapter 21-25
Chapter 21 Rayden’s help
CA SSANDRA
After I concluded that the pendant wasn’t in the backpack, I discarded it and looked around the room I’d been confined to. There was a stack of boxes in the far
corner I hadn’t noticed when I’d first arrived.
I rushed over to them and wasted no time. I rummaged through the closest one, and once I finished rooting through it, I moved on to the next.
I continued this way for nearly an hour.
In the process of searching my belongings, a pair of se rvants took turns delivering more boxes. With every one, I prayed to the Moon Goddess that the pendant had just gotten misplaced in a pocket or bag, and when it wasn’t in any of the spots, my frustration grew.
Finally, the se vants stopped arriving, and I began to give up. My mother’s
necklace wasn’t here.
Thankfully, one thing was certain the pendant hadn’t been found by the Alpha King’s guards. If it had, things wouldn’t be nearly as quiet as they were now. If my true identity had been revealed, Asher Collins would have been crazed and frantic, and the entire Pack House would be up in figurative smoke.
Since it wasn’t here, my mother’s pendant had to be back in my house, most likely hidden away somewhere. I tried to search my memory in an attempt to figure out where it was, but my brain was drawing an absolute blank.
There was only one logical plan of attack.
I needed to get home and find it before the guards did.
I would have to act quickly and sneak out of the Pack House as swiftly as possible.
It would only take a short amount of time- just a quick in and out, and then I could sneak back in and act like nothing ever happened.
I spent the next half hour working up the courage to make my escape, and once I was finally ready, Finnick surprised me and entered the room.
“Hi, Mommy,” he greeted me in a happy tone, but his gray eyes were even more
serious than usual.
“Hi, baby,” I replied, and my eyebrows creased together. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” he murmured, and then after a moment of consideration, he continued. “Well… I ran into the bad man earlier. The King.”
“The King?” I repeated back in surprise, and a lump formed in my throat. “What… what happened? Did he say something to you, Finnick? Were you polite to
him?”
“Yes,” Finnick replied, and worry painted his face. “He invited me to dinner, but I
said no.”
him.”
I
“Oh,” I remarked simply as I tried to find the words to say. “That was kind of
Why would Asher Collins have invited Finnick to dinner?
My heart raced in my chest, but I did my best to collect myself. I couldn’t let Finnick know I was scared, not even a little bit. I needed to stay strong for my little
I
boy.
I crouched down until I was level with him, and then pet his soft hair. After a moment or two, Finnick’s features softened a little.
“I was polite and told him we ate already,” he said.
I could sense that there was more to the story, but I elected not to push any further. Finnick didn’t seem like he wanted to talk about the exchange. All I could do was hope that Asher Collins hadn’t accosted my son or said anything that could
worry him.
“That’s my good boy,” I replied. I leaned over and kissed the top of Finnick’s head, and then I rose to my feet and gestured to the boxes. “I think the se rvants grabbed some of your toys if you want to play for a bit before bed.”
Finnick’s eyes lit up and he grinned. “Okay, Mommy!”
I took a little while to help him search the boxes, and after we rounded up some of his favorites, he found a corner of the room to play in. He wasted no time and began to talk his little stories out to
himself. Finnick loved to play with Dominic, but he was also great at entertaining himself. His mind was so imaginative and creative.
I waited until he was deep in it to make my escape.
“I’m gonna be right back, baby,” I said, and I gave him a small smile. “Just keep playing and stay here until I get back, okay?”
Finnick nodded enthusiastically. “Okay!”
He immediately returned to his toys, and I decided it was time. I took a breath and then left the room. I closed the door quietly behind me and then scanned the
hall.
Luckily, there were no guards around…I was surprised. Perhaps Asher didn’t think I’d have the guts to actually sneak out again. Of course, I wasn’t about to complain. This miscalculation on his part would work well in my favor.
When I got closer to the lobby, there still weren’t any guards around, not even Gareth’s. Usually, the Pack House was brimming with activity, but tonight, all was
quiet.
I made my way to the backdoor, which I knew wasn’t heavily guarded as the front door was. It would be much easier to slip out that door undetected, as it was
rarely attended to.
Unfortunately, as I approached, I noticed a tall guard standing at the ready. I tried to search my memory for him, but I didn’t recognize him right away from my
distance. But as I got closer, I realized I’d seen him before. Luckily, he was one of Gareth’s guards, not the Alpha King. He would likely let me leave.
However, my calculations were wrong when I approached. The guard stiffened as I got closer, and then gave me an apologetic expression.
“I’m sorry, Healer Ca ssandra,” he said in a stern tone. “I’m afraid I can’t allow your to leave the Pack House.”
It took all of my effort to keep from tearing up.
Why was I being treated like a prisoner?
“Please,” I pleaded. “I’m just going to my house to pick up something I left. behind. I won’t be longer than half an hour. I’ll return right after-
“The guards can help you with whatever you need, Miss Ca ssandra,” the guard insisted, and he raised his chin and pointed down the hall. “Just go to the front. lobby and let them know what you want.”
I fought back a sigh. Why wasn’t he letting me leave?
“Please-” I tried again, but the guard shook his head. My hands began to shake at my sides as panic set in. Suddenly, I heard footsteps behind me.
“Ca ssandra?” a familiar voice asked, and when I turned around, I was pleasantly surprised to see Rayden behind me.
“Rayden,” I greeted him. “Hello.”
Gareth’s son frowned and then tilted his head to the side. His dark eyes studied me curiously, and it took all of my effort to keep from worrying. My cover was
blown.
“Is everything okay?” he wondered, and his eyes flew to the guard.
“She was trying to leave, Prince Rayden,” the guard said, and then Rayden turned to me.
I couldn’t lie to him, so I simply nodded. “Yes. I was trying to go to my house to find something I think I left behind, that’s all. I was going to return right after.”
“Ah,” Rayden replied. He flashed me a small smile and then turned to the guard.
“Let her go,” he commanded in a regal voice, and the guard’s crow-footed eyes. widened.
“Prince Rayden, please understand,” he pleaded. “I don’t want to lose my job. I’m simply following orders.”
Rayden nodded, and for a moment I thought all was lost. Then a thought seemed to cross his mind.
“What if I accompanied her?” he proposed. “Is that prohibited as well?”
When the guard didn’t answer, Rayden released a sigh and ran a hand through
his blue-black hair.
“If the Alpha King seeks punishment, you can hold me accountable,” he said after a moment of pause.
The guard took a moment to consider, and then he sighed and stepped aside. Rayden gestured forward, and without hesitation, the two of us made our way out
the door.
Once we were outside, we were greeted by a small garden. I took a moment to admire it, and then made my way to the gate. Rayden followed behind me silently, and the entire time, I considered my plan of action. Once we were past the garden, we’d be close to the main street, and it would only be a little longer until I was at my house. I needed to move quickly if I was going to pull this off, so I took a moment and then turned around to face Rayden.
“Thank you for helping me,” I said. “I think I can handle it from here-”
“Nonsense, Ca ssandra,” Rayden replied. “I’ll come with you. It’s not safe out
here with the hunting festival going on. Besides, you’re still injured. I’ll keep you safe and make sure you get there okay.”
Rayden wanted to come with me?
I was a little taken aback by his offer. It was kind of him to step in and try to help me, but I couldn’t risk him seeing the pendant and asking questions. I needed to get to my house and get there quickly.
So, I needed to find some way to get there on my own.
“I appreciate your kindness,” I said slowly. “But you’re going to get punished if you follow me, and I don’t want that to happen, Rayden.”
Before he could say something more, I started to walk again, and when I heard his footsteps behind me, I tried my best not to get impatient. Why was Gareth’s eldest son so insistent on coming with me? Was he spying on me for his father?
Or perhaps the Alpha King?
Chapter 22 Elope?
CA SSANDRA
Rayden suddenly grabbed my hand, and when I whipped around to stare at him, his eyes bore into mine intensely, so much that my heart began to race.
“Let me go with you, Ca ssy,” he insisted, and his eyes grew sorrowful, as if he was a young boy who’d lost something he couldn’t recover again. “Please.”
My eyes widened as I tried to wrap my mind around what was happening.
“Rayden…” I uttered.
As Rayden stared at me with his large brown eyes, a feeling swept through me. along with understanding. Asher’s earlier words in the meeting room played through. my mind. The Alpha King had quipped that the prince of the Wild Crawlers fancied me. At the
time, his words had been a massive shock, but as I stood here in the garden, I began to suspect that Asher may have been right.
But I didn’t want to believe it.
At the time, I never could have imagined that Rayden could see me like that. I’d always been something of a friend to him, as well as a healer. Just as I’d done with countless others in the Pack, I’d treated Rayden once when he was quite ill.
I’d assumed Rayden’s outbursts in the meeting room were because he was worried about the Pack losing their healer. And I desperately wanted that to be
true.
“I’m sorry,” he apologized. “I just… I just want to talk to you, that’s all.”
Suddenly, a clapping sound cut through the air, and when I turned around, Asher Collins was right behind me. The Alpha King’s face was cruel and mocking, and the expression on his amused face sent a pang of anger through me.
“How touching!” Asher laughed, and he continued to applaud. Just beyond him, Alpha Gareth and Luna Sofia stood with their arms crossed. Sofia’s cheeks were red with embarrassment, but Gareth looked completely angry. Their brows furrowed as they stared at me.
“Are you trying to elope with the healer, Prince Rayden?” Asher continued. His tone was still amused, but his smile quickly faded.
A lump formed in my throat as I tried to find my words
“There’s b-been a misunderstanding, Your Majesty,” I spoke up. “It’s my fault.”
“What’s your fault?” Asher demanded through narrowed gray eyes.
“Prince Rayden was just trying to help me,” I managed to explain. “There is something I need to pick up at my house, and he was trying to accompany me…”
My words trailed off as Asher’s expression darkened, and for a moment, I felt as if I couldn’t breathe. This was bad.
Suddenly, the Alpha King uttered a single, dry laugh.
“Do you think I’m st upid, healer?” he asked, and then his voice deepened. “You must not have heard me earlier. If you want to run, run wisely. This… is not wise at all, is it?”
“I don’t want to run, Your Majesty!” I blurted out before I could consider my words. “I meant what I said, I have something important left in my house.”
“What is it then?” he demanded. “Why don’t you tell the guards to get it for you. I’m sure they would love to assist you. It’s their job, after all.”
I swallowed.
“It’s… it’s just something personal, Your Majesty,” I murmured.
Asher Collins practically stared through me and I felt trapped, as if he were the predator and I were the prey. Every inch of me was terrified, but I had to remain
calm.
Everyone remained silent as they awaited the Alpha King’s response. Event Gareth seemed scared of Asher.
Finally, Asher smirked.
“Fine,” he announced. “If it’s that important, I will accompany you.”
My eyes widened instinctively, and Asher clocked the reaction immediately.
“What?” he demanded. “Is it something you couldn’t show to your king?”
His tone dripped with suspicion, and I knew I needed to act fast.
“No, Your Majesty,” I said, and I shook my head quickly. Like it or not, everything in the Wegalla Empire belonged to the King in a legal sense. Any attempts to hide anything from the King could be considered treason. And I knew treason was al felony better than most.
It was the charge they’d placed on my father, after all.
“Then what are we waiting for?” Asher Collins demanded. “We will leave at once. Meanwhile, it appears that your little suitor needs to be taught some discipline. Am I right, Gareth?”
His eyes shot over to the Alpha of the Wild Crawlers, and I watched Gareth’s
face lose whatever color it had left.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” he said quickly, and then he bowed in respect. “He will be dealt with immediately. Thank you for accompanying our healer.”
As this exchange went on, my brain spun in circles and tried to decide how to handle things. I had no choice but to let Asher accompany me back to my house, but how would I conceal my mother’s necklace from him? How could I possibly look. for the pendant with him so close to me?
This was a nightmare.
Suddenly, a chorus of footsteps rang out behind us, and a mass of guards
swarmed into the garden. My body froze for a moment, scared they were after me, but instead, they stopped in front of Gareth.
“F-f-”
“A-A-Alpha Gareth,” the closest one managed to say through trembling breath.
“Spit it out!” Gareth demanded.
“Fire!” the guard replied as his chest heaved.
“Report it clearly!” the Alpha demanded again, and all of looked around at one. another as we waited for the guard to elaborate.
“Healer Ca ssandra’s house is on fire,” he finally managed to blurt out, and! nearly sank to my knees.
What??
No… not my home…
“Send more guards to put out the fire at once!” Alpha Gareth ordered, and the guards sprang into action and rushed out of the garden.
Before I could stop myself, I followed suit and took off in the direction of my house. I was running so quickly that I felt as if I were floating, but suddenly, I was halted in place when someone gripped my arm and tugged.
“Stop,” Asher demanded, and he tightened his hold around me. “You can’t go there, Ca ssandra, it’s too dangerous.”
His expression was firm but I could spy a tiny molecule of caring in his eyes. I stared him down for a moment and then tears sprang forth from my eyes.
“You don’t understand!” I shouted, and I erupted into s obs.
Chapter 23 Her sorrow
“You don’t understand!” Ca ssandra shouted, and then suddenly, she broke into a fit of heavy s obs. The healer’s knees buckled slightly as she cried, and her chest heaved as she fought to breathe. Her copper hair fell into her face and her cheeks flushed pink.
I stood there, completely stunned and unsure of what to do.
For the briefest of seconds, she reminded me of Cora.
Cora had once said the exact same phrase to me once many years ago when she thought I’d lost a pendant she once gave me.
It had been the first time I’d been allowed to join the Crescent Pack’s hunting group, and furthermore, the first time I’d been allowed to enter the hunting zone of the forest in Anemond. I’d admittedly been a little nervous, but Cora was absolutely terrified. She was always looking out for my well-being and cared so deeply for me
which meant the world.
I remembered putting on a brave face, but that wasn’t enough for Cora. So, one day, she came over to my house and presented me with a pendant. It was a gorgeous thing- white gold with a moonstone at its center, ringed by tiny, sparkling diamonds. The necklace was one of the most beautiful things I’d ever seen.
“What is this?” I’d asked.
“It was my mother’s,” Cora explained, and her lips curled into a sad smile. She never spoke about her mother, but I knew the memory brought her pain.
“It’s lovely,” I said, and then my brow furrowed. “Why did you bring it?” “It’s for you to wear,” she said, and before I could protest, she leaned in close and wrapped the chain around my neck. I was still confused, but I let her do it anyway. When the clasp was fastened, the moonstone settled against my skin. It was cold,
but the sensation had been pleasant, comforting somehow.
“I don’t understand,” I said. “Why do you want me to wear your mother’s necklace.”
“It’s a good luck charm,” Cora insisted, and this time, her smile was brilliant. “Wear it with you into the forest. My mother will protect you just as she did me.”
Her smile was so earnest that for a moment, the entire world faded away. Coral had that effect. She was so sweet and so kind that I could hardly grasp just how much she cared.
Not only that but there was a comfort in knowing that Cora’s mother could be watching me. My own mother died right after I was born. I hadn’t gotten a chance to know her, so something about the idea of having a maternal presence with me during my first hunting festival meant a lot.
Days later, it was time for the festival. I’d worn the necklace under my shirt, and something about it helped my bravery. My nerves faded away almost instantly, despite the darkness of the forest, and when I howled along with the rest of the Crescent Pack, I swore I could feel someone watching over me.
When I returned from the festival, I decided to stop by Cora’s house. The entire time, I began to wonder if the necklace had really helped or if it was just in my head. It didn’t matter, but for some reason, my brain couldn’t let go of the small sense of
doubt.
I was a very young man back then, and despite my upbringing, there was a little mischief in my mind. I couldn’t help but be co cky and a little tricksy. So, on the way there, I decided to play a joke on Cora.
“Asher!” she greeted me at the door when I arrived. “How was the festival?”
“It was fine,” I said, and then I pretended to be sad. “But something happened.”
Cora’s eyes widened. She brushed her blonde hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear, just as she always did when she was nervous.
“What happened?” she asked, and her eyebrows creased together in concern.
“Well… it’s about your mother’s necklace,” I said, and Cora gasped.
“Where is it?” she demanded, and her eyes fell to my throat.
“I think I lost it in the forest,” I said, and immediately, Cora burst into tears. Her knees had buckled as her chest heaved with heavy s obs, and I regretted the joke immediately. I’d never seen her cry so hard, and I felt awful for playing tricks on her.
“Cora, wait,” I insisted, and I reached into my pocket and pulled out the necklace. “I was just kidding, it’s right here!”
I held it out to her and expected her to stop crying, but she didn’t. She sn atched the necklace from me and nearly fell to the ground as she sobbed.
“Oh, Cora,” I pleaded. “Please don’t cry. It was a stu pid joke. I’m so so sorry, please stop crying.”
Cora’s eyes suddenly stared deeply into mine, and she glared at me. “You don’t -understand, Asher! You don’t understand how important this is to me.”
As I stared at Cas sandra Keller, I was reminded of Cora’s pain, and the feeling. tugged at my heartstrings. There was a dryness in my throat, and a strange sadness that overcame me as I watched the healer finally fall to the ground. She covered her beautiful face with her hands and continued to cry.
I wanted to say something to soothe her, just as I’d done with Corá, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. She wasn’t Cora, she was just one of my subjects.
My Cora was gone.
But I had to help the healer anyway.
I turned to Lancel, who’d appeared just as Ca ssandra had started crying.
“Find the arsonist,” I demanded, and Lancel nodded immediately.
“Right away, Alpha,” he replied, and then he turned to his men. “Let’s go!”
The guards bowed at me in respect, and then the crowd of them disappeared from the garden. Once they were all gone, I tuned my attention back to Ca ssandra. Just beyond us, Gareth and Sofia stood in shock. They didn’t know how to react
either.
I let out a heavy sigh and then squatted down beside the healer. I reached out and touched her arm, and when that didn’t work, I gently pulled her hand from her face. Her large eyes were red from all of the tears.
“It’s going to be okay,” I assured her. “They’re going to figure this out. Now, can you tell me what was so important in that house?”
With every word, I’d calmed my voice, and even I was surprised at the gentleness. I wasn’t usually one to comfort.
Ca ssandra took a long, deep breath, and then shook her head. She wiped the tears from her cheeks and then shook her head again.
“There’s no need, Your Majesty,” she said quietly. “It’s not… important. It’s just… the house belonged to my late husband…”
Her voice trailed off, and there was a strange look in her eyes. I assumed she simply was mourning, but there was a part of me that felt like she was lying.
“This is just a huge shock, Your Majesty,” she continued, and as she rose to her feet, I knew she was lying.
She’d been so intent on returning to the house to retrieve something, and now it was just unimportant. Why? What was she holding back?
Ca ssandra bowed to me respectfully. “Please excuse me, Your Majesty.”
Before I could say another word, she nodded at Gareth, Sofia, and Prince Rayden, and then fled from the garden. Perhaps she really was in shock at the idea of her house burning, but I had the sense that there was more.
Cora had been so inconsolable back then and wasn’t keen to get out of her sorrow so easily. As I watched Ca ssandra leave, I was reminded of all of the hours I’d spent soothing her.
But Ca ssandra wasn’t Cora.
Frustration bloomed within me.
Enough thinking about the past. Tomorrow, I would return to Anemond and put all of these delusions behind me.
I rose to my feet, brushed off my hands, and turned to Gareth.
“Please have the car ready for me, Alpha Gareth,” I instructed. “I hope to leave tomorrow morning.”
Chapter 24 Leave for Anemond
CA SSANDRA
Night came and I couldn’t get any sleep. Too many thoughts plagued my mind, and no matter how many times I tried to settle in and get some rest, I just couldn’t. I tossed and turned like mad as images of smoke danced in my mind.
My house was gone and along with it was my mother’s pendant.
After a while, I glanced over at Finnick. I hadn’t told him about the fire. I didn’t want to worry him when there was already so much to deal with. His face was peaceful as he slept, and it brought a smile to my face. At the end of the day, we were mostly safe and sound. I was grateful to at least have my boy with me.
“It’s us against the world, baby,” I whispered, and then I laid back down and closed my eyes.
The next morning came faster than I wanted it to, and I awoke to the sound of a knock at the door. I pulled myself out of bed and carefully walked over to the door
so I wouldn’t wake Finnick.
I opened the door to find Amalia on the other side. The maid smiled at me and then I noticed that she was holding a tray full of food.
“The car to Anemond is ready,” she announced. “The Alpha King wishes for your to join him downstairs within half an hour. Before then, I’ve brought you breakfast.”
“Okay,” I agreed. “Thank you, Amalia.”
The maid nodded, and after I accepted the tray, I closed the door and let out a sigh. Anemond. I couldn’t believe all of this was happening to me. Asher Collins had somehow snuck his way back into my life and was bringing me back to the source of all of my trauma and nightmares.
This half-hour would likely be the last thirty minutes of my life that I would be
able to have calmness. Anemond loomed over me like a monster I just couldn’t escape. I couldn’t even think of the word without shivering.
And now that my mother’s pendant was gone, I had nothing to pray to, nothing. to watch over me. My relationship with the Moon Goddess was complicated, and half of the time, I wasn’t sure I believed in her. I had long lost most of my faith in a being who’d matched me with Asher and then robbed me of everything.
Speaking of the Alpha King, I couldn’t help but hope that the incident last night hadn’t caused too much suspicion. I should have maintained my composure, but it was all so shocking that I couldn’t keep it all in. And then the situation with Prince Rayden… everything had become so complicated so quickly.
I had to tread carefully now if I wanted to survive. I had to protect Finnick at all costs, so I needed to be careful from here on out.
Suddenly, Finnick sat up and let out a yawn. He blinked his gray eyes at me sleepily and then yawned again.
“Mommy, are we leaving now?” he asked, and then he rubbed his eyes.
“Yes, honey,” I replied. “I’m afraid it’s time. But before we go, let’s try to eat. some food, okay? This food looks really yummy and you’ll need your strength for today..”
“Okay, Mommy,” he said, and he stretched his little arms above him. I brought the tray over to the table in the corner and began to set up plates for the two of us. I filled each with eggs, bacon, fruit, and biscuits, and once it was all assembled, Finnick joined me at the table.
We ate quickly, and once our bellies were full, I helped Finnick get dressed and then dressed myself. We picked up a few of our things that we wanted directly with us, and when we were finally ready, a few servants arrived to grab the rest.
“Ready, baby?” I asked Finnick, and after he nodded, I took his hand in mine, and the two of us walked down the stairs.
A mass of people had gathered in the lobby. Alpha Gareth, Sofia, Dominic, and
a few guards were there, along with Asher and his son. Rayden was nowhere to be found, which was somewhat of a relief after yesterday, but at the same time, I felt a little sad. I hoped the prince hadn’t been punished too harshly for what had happened in the garden. I didn’t want to cause too much trouble to the Alpha family who had always been so kind to me over the years.
“Sorry to keep you waiting,” I apologized to everyone as we joined them.
Luna Sofia’s blue eyes filled with tears that welled up further as she took a step toward me.
“Oh, Ca ssy,” she breathed. “I’m going to miss you so much.”
She embraced me warmly, and then she squatted down to give Finnick a hug.
“We’ll miss you too, sweet boy,” she said, and then she glanced at me. “I hope you have a good and safe journey to Anemond.”
Alpha Gareth nodded. “Yes, safe travels to you both.”
Beside him, his youngest son was sniffling. Finnick was his best friend in the world, and I knew this was going to be difficult for both of them. Dominic approached Finnick, and the two hugged each other tightly.
They didn’t say much, but their expressions said it all.
“I’ll come visit you in Anemond, Finnick,” Dominic promised. “When grow up.”
I
Finnick nodded solemnly and wiped a tear from his cheek.
Asher waited patiently for us to finish, and then cleared his through. “It’s time for us to leave.”
The rest of us nodded, and then gathered our things and walked out onto the lawn. Two cars were parked outside- one fancy and extravagant, while the other was more ordinary.
When Finnick caught sight of the extravagant car his eyes widened. He ran to
the luxury car and stared at me with huge eyes.
“Wow, Mommy!” he exclaimed with excitement. “This is amazing!”
“Of course it is,” Asher’s son Marco said with a roll of his eyes. “My father is the king, remember?”
Finnick nodded and then turned to me again. “Can I sit in the front seat) Mommy?”
I shook my head. “The front seat isn’t safe, sweetheart. You’re too young.”
Finnick sighed in disappointment. Living in a village as small as this one, he’d had few opportunities to ride in a car before. The furthest we’d ever gone was with Marley to the neighboring village in her car.
“Sweetheart,” Marco scoffed, and I fought the urge to get annoyed. I’d never expected such meanness from someone so young, but perhaps he got that from his mother.
“Marco,” Asher chastised him.
“Sorry,” he said, but he continued to glare at Finnick. Luckily, my son didn’t scare easily and kept his gaze steady.
I looked back at the more ordinary car. I gripped my bag tighter and began to walk toward the direction of it. Se rvants were filling the trunk with the rest of our belongings, and I wanted to get settled for the long journey.
However, I was stopped by Asher’s grip on my arm.
“You will take the same car as me,” he said plainly.
Chapter 25 Where was she from?
CA SSANDRA
The Alpha King’s tone told me all I needed to know. This was not a request, it
was an order, and it was one I couldn’t refuse.
“Oh,” I remarked quietly, and then I nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you.”
Asher released his hold on my arm and then nodded back before gesturing to the luxury car. “Let’s go then, Mrs. Keller,”
My name on his lips sounded so strange, but I couldn’t let myself freeze up now. I wanted nothing more than for him to call me by my true name, but that could never happen again.
I followed the Alpha King to the car, and once we were there, a se rvant held the door open for us. Just as we were climbing in, I heard a familiar voice calling my
name.
“Ca ssy!” Marley yelled, and when I turned around, I saw her running toward me with great speed. Jasper wasn’t too far behind, and a smile broke out on my face.
I met her halfway, and she threw her arms around me when we met. We hugged each other tightly, and once we parted, Jasper and I exchanged nods.
“Oh, I can’t believe you’re leaving,” Marley said sadly, and her eyes welled up at little with tears. “What am I going to do without you, Ca ssy?”
I smiled back at her and rested my hand on her arm. “You’re going to be an excellent healer, Marley. I promise you can do this.”
“I don’t know,” Marley replied, but I shook my head.
“You can do this,” I repeated. After a moment, my best friend nodded and then wiped the tears from her eyes.
I knew the transition would be difficult, but Marley was more than capable of handling things without me. Our patients needed her, and she would do well with the clinic in my absence.
“Come back and see me,” Marley insisted, and I nodded my head.
“I will,” I promised, but we both knew there was little chance of that actually happening. Once I got to Anemond and became a royal healer, it was unlikely that I would be able to leave. My duties would lie in treating the Alpha King of his
ailments.
We hugged one last time, and then I returned to the car. I helped Finnick get settled into our seats in the back, and then the car door was closed behind me. Marco was seated beside us, and Asher was in the passenger seat. As the Alphal King, he should have been placed in the back and out of harm’s way, but he insisted on taking the passenger seat. Maybe it was him being gentlemanly, but I suspected this arrangement was made so he could study me in the rearview mirror.
The car drove out onto the main road, and when I turned to look back, Marley was waving goodbye. I waved back and watched her figure grow smaller and smaller until it was gone completely. I forced my tears back and then turned back to
look at the road ahead of us.
We continued down the main road until we reached the turn that took us out of
Wild Crawler territory, and a strange sensation went through me. Once again, I was leaving behind all that I knew, only this time, I was going right back where I started.
The four of us, along with the driver, rode along in silence for a few hours. Finnick closed his eyes and fell asleep, and then Marco right behind him.
As they dozed soundly, Asher’s eyes met mine through the mirror and then
narrowed.
“So, Ca ssandra,” he said in a softened tone so as not to wake the boys. “I heard from Alpha Gareth that you arrived at the Wild Crawler Pack five years ago.”
My heart sank a little in my chest. His tone was casual enough, but why was he bringing this up now? Sure, there was plenty of time to make small talk between
here and Anemond, but my past seemed like a loaded topic.
So, why was he asking?
“Yes, Your Majesty,” I answered anyway. “My husband brought me to the Pack. five years ago. We got married, so I settled down there with his people.”
“So, where are you from then?” Asher asked.
I searched my mind quickly and then came up with an answer.
“The Moon Chase Pack, Your Majesty.”
I had been preparing for this question for a while, though I hadn’t thought of the answer in a long time. Years ago, worry had painted my mind- what if someone. were to question my origin- and Emmett had helped me craft a past for myself.
The Moon Chase Pack. Emmett had decided that was the perfect answer. Members of that Pack used to be nomads, he’d explained. They traveled along the territory line as a Pack and moved with the guidance of the moon.
“The Moon Chase,” Asher repeated back, and through the mirror, I could see his raised brow. He seemed a little taken aback.
What answer had he expected?
“So, Mrs. Keller, why haven’t you registered your origin in Wild Crawler?” he asked suspiciously. “You know that’s illegal, right?”
I thought quickly on my feet.
“I was wounded back then,” I explained. “My husband, Emmett, was busy taking care of me. I suppose he must have forgotten.”
“Wounded?”
The Alpha King’s interest seemed piqued, much to my dismay. I needed to stay sharp.
“Yes,” I replied. “I was severely wounded after being attacked while traveling in the forest. Emmett saved me, and then we fell in love.”
It was a lie, but a good one. It was a better idea to tell a story close to the truth. If Asher really wanted to investigate the matter, he would discover that Emmett had in fact, spent months on my treatment. It
was no secret in the Wild Crawler Pack.
Asher’s lips curled into a frown.
“I see,” he remarked, and then he sat back in his seat. He didn’t ask me a single question after that.
We continued the ride in silence. Finnick woke up a couple of times and stared, out the window in awe. This was the furthest he’d ever traveled, and he was impressed by all of the sights. Marco, meanwhile, was bored and huffy. If I had to guess, I’d say the young prince wasn’t too pleased to be riding with a pair of country
commoners.
I didn’t let him bother me, though, and neither did Finnick. My boy was too strong and tough to be affected by such a spoiled child.
When they both fell back asleep, I decided I should close my eyes as well. We still had quite a ways to go to Anemond, and I’d barely slept the night before, and I’d need all of my strength to make it through this.
So, I leaned back into my seat and let my mind wander. I took a long, deep breath, and allowed myself to sink in further.
I drifted off into sleep, and after a few hours, a voice woke me up. It was the driver, verbal at last.
“Your Majesty, we are arriving at the Merliscire Palace.”