Ch. 231..235: Alpha King’s Lost Luna Chapter 231-235
Chapter 231
The moment | agreed to help Helene, | regretted it and wished | could take my promise back. H Ronald's fiancee escape from Yurene when | was still in trouble myself?
But Helene appeared greatly moved. Her light brown eyes filled with tears, and her cheeks blushed a de she reached across the table and took my hands in hers.
“Thank you,” she uttered quietly as she squeezed lightly and gave me a grateful smile.
das
| smiled back at her, but before | could reply, the door to the cafe opened, and the bells chimed as Helene’s maid retu The poor girl’s cheeks were flushed and she panted heavily as she rushed over to the table.
“| searched high and low, but your ring wasn’t in the shop, my lady,” Alana lamented, and her eyes fell to the ground as in were steeling herself for physical punishment. “I don’t know what could have happened to it,”
As the maid tensed up as if by instinct, Helene pondered her statement for a moment, and then, as if a sudden realization: hit her, her berry-painted lips parted.
“| wonder...” she murmured, and then she reached into the pocket of her heavy coat. She rummaged around for a moment and then retrieved her ring.
Alana appeared as if she were about to cry from relief, and Helene gave her a small smile.
“Silly me.” she said as she slipped the ring back onto her finger. “I must have put it in my pocket when | tried the other ring on in the shop. So sorry, Alana.”
“It's no trouble at all, My Lady, the maid replied quickly, and when she raised her pretty blue eyes, they were wet with tears. “I’m simply glad the ring is still in your possession,”
We all knew that she was more relieved not to be punished, but | didn’t blame her in the slightest. | could only imagine what it felt like to be a maid in Viokwell. Hell, what it was like to serve as a maid in Yurene in general. While Helene didn’t seem the type to inflict pain on others, surely Alana had been subjected to methods like that by others in the fortress if she’d flinched like that. After we finished our food and drinks, we visited a few other shops before returning to the castle. Helene didn’t say a single word about her situation or intended escape, but when the car returned to the fortress and stopped outside of the building | was housed in, Helene caught my hand and asked if | was willing to have tea with her tomorrow.
She squeezed my fingers gently as a hint, and my stomach twisted into knots. | had no idea what she was planning, nor how to navigate this situation.
“Thave to visit Kaleb tomorrow morning, but I'll be available after that.” | said after | took a short breath. “Is that
“After will be perfect, Helene replied “I would like to have lunch with you”
“That sounds nice” | said, and after we exchanged smiles, we parted ways.
that alright?
1 didn’t sleep very well that night When I'd returned to my chamber after my trip with Helene, Thadict rald Erika any thing sung thought. | wasn’t sure if lever would
lzern capeletally thing for her
anhat was clear that this journey to Yuuene lud
strar. But | didn’t want
.
to add to it further, so I-remained silent and pondered what Ronald and Helene told me as
I still hadn’t decided what to do when Ms. Benn turned up at my door the next day to lead
The head housekeeper was pale, far more than usual, and her ice-blue eyes had dark circles remained expressionless like usual, | could detect a trace of worry in her eyes. As we walked sile main building, | remembered that Ms. Benn’s daughter had been ill. | wondered if that was why s
“How is your daughter, Ms. Benn?” | asked before | could lose the courage to do so.
The housekeeper remained silent at first, and | figured that she wasn’t going to answer like always.
But then, when we turned the corner and stepped on the staircase, she paused and turned to glance at me. Her com was even paler still, and her lips trembled.
“She’s still very ill,” she said quietly, and then her mouth drew into a thin line as her gaze fell to the ground.
My heart ached for her. | knew what it was like to be worried for my child.
“I'm sorry to hear that,” | said gently. “I hope she will recover very soon.”
Ms. Benn looked back at me but didn’t move. After a long, tense moment, she spoke again. “My daughter won't recover.”
| widened my eyes in confusion, and before | could ask her what she meant, she continued on.
“| can’t afford the medicine required to cure her,” she lamented.
My eyebrows knitted together as | tried to understand, in Wegalla, even the lowest level servant working in the palace earned very decent money. How could the head housekeeper not have enough to take care of her daughter?
Ms. Benn began to climb the stairs and | began to wonder if there was anything | could do. Though she wasn't the kindest to me, no one deserved to go without medicine if they were ailing.
An idea crossed my mind.
“If you're willing. | could check her condition,” | offered, and Ms Benn paused again. “Bring her to my room if you're able. I'll examine her.”
The housekeeper remained frozen, but after a moment she nodded.
The bluntness of the Northerners never failed to surprise me. When Ms. Benn and | arrived at the meeting room, she didn’t utter a word to me. Instead, she simply knocked on the door and announced “It’s Ca ssandra Keller, and then turned and left.
1 let out a soft sigh and then entered the room a few seconds later
There were two other people in the meeting room aside from Kaleb. One of them was Raven, and the other one was a black- haired man I'd never seen before As his equally black eyes trailed over me and a cruel smile formed on his pointed face. | hadd the sense that he seemed to know me
“Helo be greeted me, and a shiver ran through me. Tin Arabis
“Hello” Exeplied politely, unsure of what the to say
eto be interested in raplating more to me fibead be gestured at the table and told me to take a seat.
11:48 En, Feb 23
| obediently sat on the couch opposite Raven, and the sorceress blinked at me. | wasn’t quite sure what was did | understand her strange demeanor
“Go ahead, Raven,” Kaleb instructed in a bored tone. “Tell her your request”
Raven nodded and then turned to me. “I think you should visit the prison tower, Ca ssandra. You need a thorough examination.”
| was taken aback. A physical exam? Whatever for?
“What's going on in the prison tower is top secret,” Anubis spoke up, and he shot me a suspicious glare. “It’s dangerous to let a Southerner in the building. Besides, why is it necessary to do the check in the prison tower? It could be conducted anywhere.” “The exam is private. Raven sighed in annoyance, and she rolled her bluish-green eyes. “The check and the results aren’t anyone’s business. There are spies and informants everywhere. Besides, Ca ssandra isn’t going to be a Southerner for much longer. She’s going to marry Kaleb and be our queen.”
| wasn’t quite sure what their true intention was or why this physical exam was so important, but my body stiffened when Raven said the word “queen”.
Chapter 232Anubis suddenly snorted and glanced at me with irritation with yet even further cruelness.
“Healer Ca ssandra hasn't even agreed yet,” he sneered, and his black eyes flashed. “It seems our king isn to illicit a response.” As he laughed. Raven appeared surprised. She folded her legs beneath her and sat forward.
“Why wouldn't you want to marry Kaleb?” she asked me in confusion. “Every girl in Yurene dreams about the king.”
Anubis lifted a thick dark brow. “Including you, Raven?”
Raven’s jaw dropped and she shook her head firmly. “Me? Of course not! My sister, though she probably went nuts when she heard about this.”
Anubis laughed again, and | felt my face flush as | watched this exchange. Roxy had seemed intense when I’d met her, so | was a little surprised to find out that she admired Kaleb. Then again, with how cruel and blunt the dark-haired beauty was, | couldn’t be too shocked that the cruel Northern king was her type.
As | glanced at Kaleb, | wondered if he expectell me to answer his proposal now. | began to panic, but before | could lose myself in anxiety, the king asked Raven and Anubus to stop joking
“Enough,” he sighed, and then he turned his attention to Raven. How are the antidotes coming along, Raven? Will you be able to prepare enough of them in such a short time?”
“The cure to Black Ma
Marks, you mean?” Raven asked for clarification, and after Kaleb nodded, he glanced at me.
1 felt my heart quicken as | tried to keep up.
Black Marks.
Was that the official name of the poison? The one that was plaguing both Wegalla and the man | loved and missed with all of my being?
And was Raven the one who had invented the cure for it?
Before my mind could spiral further, the sorceress replied to the Northern king’s question.
“Of course, I’m able to she started to say, but Kaleb raised his hand to stop her before she could finish her sentence
“| need an amount of antidote sufficient enough to cure 50,000 people,” he said.
Hasen frowned and then stared at him with a look somewhere between shock and utter confusion. “Are you joking? Or at vagecrating the number?”
the of Yurene said flatly, and Haven uitz
arritated sigh.
“Whist Har hell wir jou uje tor” star grumbled, just loud enough for me to hear, and then she left silent. After a moment of
atu sjeike up. “It’s dithrode to get the antidote prepared in a short tune, cipecially that amount, without
would
of mumbers. But something like that would
Fadeli perefund the Dollar opin
there he for our an annoyed sigh. Raven stopped
“Is it true that you used-the poison on 50,000 people?” she blurted out, and everyone in the room fell silent. “I though were only going to use it on the guinea pigs since | invented the poison and...”
Raven's words dulled in my mind until they were almost shut out completely, and | suddenly frowned as | tried to make sense of what was happening
Did the talkative sorceress just say that she invented the poison?
This made no sense at all. Wasn't it Emmett?
And why did Kaleb bring up a number like 50,000 Had he somehow gotten an update about Wild Crawler? 50,000 people was fifty percent of the remote Pack’s entire population.
Had that many people gotten infected since I'd left Wegalla and come to Yurene?
As my heart raced in my chest, | followed Raven’s sight and looked at Kaleb
50,000 is an estimation,” the Northern king said.
Raven exhaled heavily and pursed her lips. “It better be. Since we haven't learned how to control it yet, you'd better not use it on that many people.”
j
He’s already done it! | wanted to yell at her. Clearly, these two weren't on the same page when it came to the subject, but | couldn’t determine why
No matter how confused and stressed out | was, however. | managed to hold in my anger. Anubis’ cold black eyes were on me and something told me | couldn't slip up under his watchful gaze.
So instead, | asked Raven a question for clarification.
“What did you mean when you said you ‘invented the poison?” | wondered. “I thought it was created by Emmett Keller.”
Raven didn’t seem all that surprised by my question, which told me she knew about my relationship with Emmett. But she did grimace.
“It's true that Emmett created a powerful poison,” she explained. “Initially, | was just trying to recreate it. Though | failed. ! managed to create a poison that was slightly different than his, and | named it “Black Marks”
“Slightly different?” Anubis snorted.
Raven seemed agitated and flashed a glare in his direction. “I did my best! Black Marks is still powerful, even though it’s not as potent as Inferno”
“Inferno” | repeated back and my heart dropped in my chest as 1 froze
Haven nodded oblivious to my shock. “It’s the name of the poison that Ermett created. | suppose he called it that because the potion is just like an interno impossible to put our”
going to be sick. This was all commence wa
(the naine to the sukurtingie lux
The waste possiter way to has sated such thing after tha
LESTINA
C232
As | considered the answer to this insanity, another thought crossed my mind, one that made me feel weak and left me on the urge of retching.
Had Emmett planned all of these things?
Was he involved in the inferno itself? Was he the one responsible for it all?
“Cassandra, are you alright?” Raven asked, bringing me back into the present moment. Her lovely face was full of concern. and she reached out for me just as | began to slump. “You look positively green. Are you feeling alright?”
My lips parted to speak, though | wasn’t sure what to say, but before a full thought could escape my mouth, Kaleb cleared his throat and crossed over to me. His handsome face was as calm as always, but | could detect an ulterior motive in his dark blue eyes.
There was always a motive with someone as calculating as him.
“| believe Cassandra needs to speak with me in private,” he declared as he rested his hand on the back of the couch | was seated on. “Raven and Anubis, you're dismissed. | will see you both later”
Though Raven didn’t seem like she wanted to leave, she nodded her head obediently, and then she and Anubis left the
room.
Chapter 233
As my head began to pound from the influx of this new information, | stared off in the far corners of the room.
| saw movement in my peripheral vision, and then | felt Kaleb sit on the couch beside me. | glanced briefly in his direction, and he held a tissue out to me. Though my cheeks were stained with tears, | didn’t take it. | knew this was all by design. Every step he took was deliberate, and today’s conversation was no exception. He allowed me to listen to what Raven was going to say and then watched me break down.
Though | wanted to continue crying and dissolve into my sadness, | took a few deep breaths and calmed myself. Ronald was right. There was no way | could fight against Kaleh, at least not directly: Eneeded to be cunning and brave if | wanted to take the king of Yurene down
So, | forced myself to look into his dark blue eyes,
“Are there truly 50,000 people in Wild Crawler who have caught the disease?” | asked him quietly.
Kaleh didn’t answer directly. Instead, he slightly raised his eyebrow and clenched his jaw before speaking
“The longer you drag out giving me an answer the more the number will increase” he said, his tone calm but also somewhat threatening
| gulped down the lump that had formed in my throat and summoned all of my courage. | wasn’t certain how this was going to play out, but | couldn’t wait any longer. No one else would die because of my resistance.
“| will marry you,” | decided. “And I'll do anything you want to help find the magic that Emmett hid within me. But | have some conditions. If you want to make use of me completely, you'll need my full willingness to cooperate.”
The Northern king seemed surprised by my statement and nodded for a second.
“What do you want?” he asked softly as his eyebrows crinkled together. | hesitated and then put forward my conditions.
“First, a cure needs to be sent to Wild Crawler,” | stated. “Before our wedding even takes place.”
Kaleb nodded. “That can be done. | promised as much would happen.”
“| hope you're the kind of person who would keep your promises,” | replied, and the king of Yurene’s expression grew solemn “Of course,” he insisted. “That's why | never swear them easily. My morals may not align with others too often, but I’m a man of my word, Cas sandra. Now, what else do you want?”
“Well, secondly, | want Raven to create the cure to Inferno,” | answered without missing a beat.
Kaleb lifted a brow and didn’t answer immediately. He must have known it was for Asher, but his handsome face didn’t betray that at all. He ran his hand through his long golden-brown hair and after a brief moment of hesitation, he nodded his head
“| will allow Raven to give it a try, he remarked. “But | want you to know upfront that she could very easily fail. She’s talented but there’s a possibility she cannot crack at
Ewanted to fire back and tell him that it was non negotiable, but simply nodded back and then summoned the courage to make supposed what he was saying held some merit. So, 1
last request.
“And last trailed off and after a moment of pause. | straightened up “I don’t want Asher to find out about this.”
Find CRM For Small Businesses
Kaleb smirked. “I doubt that it could be kept from him. News of our engagement is going to reach th if | tried my da mndest to ensure that no one tells him, the king of Wegalla would likely find out fro
“| know,” | sighed as my stomach twisted into anxious knots. “But | want to keep it a secret at least ut invented
The king of
Yimene narrowed his eyes and studied for a moment. Then, yet another smirk formed on his
“You love your mate, he assessed, and when | parsed my lips, he laughed lightly. “Alright. I'll help you save Asher and allow the naive king to remain oblivious.
Even
| thought he would have much more to say on the matter, but to my surprise, he didn’t continue. Instead, he rose from the couch and then walked over to the door. He lingered in the doorway as he exchanged a few words with the guard stationed outside of the room, and then he turned back to face me
“Helene’s maid is waiting for you,” he announced, and | was nearly startled by his words. Like Ronald’s fiancee said, Kaleb surely kept an eye on whatever | was doing. But still, it chilled me. | wasn’t sure if Kaleb knew I had agreed to be Ronald’s informant. He probably wasn't, of course, but | was particularly on edge.
| forced myself to smile through my stress and nodded politely
“I'll walk you out myself,” Kaleb said as | stood up. “I have a few friends to visit, so it'll be
| swallowed hard and then nodded again
be on my way.
You and Helene must have a lot in common to talk about. he remarked as | crossed the room to join him. “You're both from the South, after all. | suppose that’s why you've visited her so often lately.”
His voice was placid, yet his eyes were as sharp as ever. | had the sense that he was suspicious, but | remained calm and even- faced.
“Indeed.” | replied, and | offered him a small smile, “Helene is very kind. I've enjoyed her company greatly.”
| must have managed to not appear panicked or suspicious because Kaleb simply nodded in response.
He held the door open for me and we stepped out into the hall. We continued our walk in silence, and when we turned the corner, we spotted Alana, Helene’s maid.
Alana’s eyes widened when she caught sight of Kalebs, and she immediately bowed her head.
“Hello, Your Majesty, she uttered politely as her cheeks flushed scarlet.
Kaleb didn’t address her. Instead, he reached out and took my hand in his. My heart began to race as | tried to make sense o what was happening, and then the king pressed his lips against thy hand gently
Have a good day, Cassandra,” he said, and after he dropped my arm, he left. | tried to catch my breath. It was just a kiss on the hund, but it was more than I’d expected
Asolowed Alana to Ronaldsdence, | pondered the display of affection
waiting for mac on the terrace. The table wastaden with an entire feast of delicious smelling food, but | didn’t diate an apprima. No instead Tupped at mane bitter tes and faced a sene, id in We talked and ate with mass and
Hirjeir couldija say mything about her sis plan, but | wasn’t upset about it was still rechung trom
Sales was a large golden bekas today and it was very eye tegie, and at in that bedre When | praised
ching The pertand in the milde was shaped like an she happily told it was one of her favorites
tand mas
When lunch was finished, Helene smiled at me and gently tour hed my arm.
“| want to give you a present.” she announced, and then she withdrew her hand and unfastened her necklace. When she handed it to me, | was completely surprised.
“Oh, Helene, | couldn’t accept this. | objected, but she shook her head.
“You must,” she insisted, and when we stood up, she then she hugged me. Before | could break the embrace, she whispered. in my car. “You must take it.”
Before | could question it further, | felt Helene place something in my pocket.
My lips parted in surprise, but when | glanced at Ronald’s hancee, she shook her head.
“Wait until you get back to your chamber,” she whispered.
It was a warning, and it sent a chill down my spine:
What had | set in-motion?
Chapter 234
Nervousness plagued me the entire way back to my chamber. On one hand, | was afraid that Hele thing her mistress had placed in my pocket, and on the other. Iwas eager to know what it was.
When | reached my room. | took a moment to greet Erika and Finnick, and then | told Erika | needed to Though the declaration was a little bit of a lie, it wasn’t an unusual excuse by any means. I’d spent most of my since I'd arrived in Viokwell- usually eagerly studying the books Emmett had left for me and searching for clues.
Finnick was too busy playing by himself to notice anything was amiss, and as | walked by and headed to the quiet corn claimed as my reading nook. | found myself missing him dearly. We saw each other daily, but with everything happeni didn’t get the quality time | was used to with him.
| had duties to fulfill, and once | did, Finnick and I, along with Erika, would find our way back to Wegalla. Back to Asher..
| forced away my thoughts of the Alpha King and turned my attention to the object in my pocket. | carefully retrieved it an was surprised to find it was a folded paper. When | carefully unfurled it onto the table, | discovered it was quite a large piece of paper. My eyes scanned over it, and my eyebrows shot up.
“It's a map.” | whispered to myself. While it had no names and only a few explanations to it, it was clearly a map of the castle. There were a few red cross marks scrawled on the exits, which | inferred meant that they weren't passable. There were also a few green round marks on other exits, which seemed to be passable. A few lines were also drawn along the roads, which probably indicated escape routes.
As | studied the map, my heart thumped steadily in my chest. | felt excitement and panic at the same time. | knew how useful the map could be. It could be my life jacket. But | also knew all too well that it could be dangerous.
If Kaleb were to discover this map and learn of our plans, | couldn’t imagine what would happen. The Northern king wasn’t one to handle things calmly, and something like this wouldn’t go over well.
| had no idea how Helene managed to draw this and how it had been possible to do it under the eyes of Ronald. If the Southern woman's words were true, then he wasn’t any better than Kaleb, and surely a thing like this would have been dangerous for her as well.
| needed to find a safe place to keep it.
| carefully folded it back up and decided to only read it at night when Erika and Finnick were asleep. | couldn't risk their safety or let them know that | was getting involved in business like this. They couldn’t be accessories to this would-be crime. The risk was mine and mine alone since I'd agreed to assist Helche on this mission.
Just as | went to place it back in my pocket, | noticed a small note had dropped onto the floor. As my eyebrows knitted together, | supposed it must have dropped when | unfolded the map.
Fearefully opened the note and noticed it was written in the same swirly sort of penmanship as the map. After | read it, | an shock. According to the note, the necklace Helene had gated me this afternoon was more than just a mere piece of fine jewelry It was a wrajilini
The note said that by pressing the eagle’s songs a punoned norille would be released from its open beak. The needle was apparently quite nay, but the poison within was strong. Altogether, the pendant contained ten of these little needles. It was alan martand that it shitwold teer treated.
came the ponur way dendbe and could kill a person in
ere just once, Icould have been hurt or even killed
| shuddered as 1 tucked the gote into my pocket.
| couldn't imagine how long Helene had been planning this. She was far more well-prepared expected her to trust me so much, but it felt nice to be a person like that for Helene.
Though things were uncertain, the weapon and map gave me confidence and hope.
Yet another surprise arrived at dinner.
Just as usual, it was Ms. Benn who brought us our evening meal, but this time when she entered the chamber, she look different. She wore a slightly awkward expression on her face. und her ice-blue eyes seemed timid. | hadn’t seen such a vulnerable look on her, and it was admittedly a little strange to witness.
The head housekeeper didn’t retreat immediately after setting the tray down on the dining table. She hesitated for a moment and then cleared her throat, as if she’d been gathering the courage to speak with me.
“Could | speak with you. Healer Cassandra?” she requested in her heavily accented voice.
| nodded. “Of course
As | rose from my seat at the table. | gestured at the food and addressed Finnick and Erika. “Please, go ahead and start without me.
They nodded politely, and as they began to eat. | stepped away and crossed over to the far side of the room.
*Healer Cassandra, could you indeed help my daughter?” she asked, and her cheeks flushed from embarrassment.
“I can do my best, | said softly, and then | glanced at the door. Is she with you?”
Ms. Benn nodded and then tucked a stray white-blonde hair behind her ear. “Will you please wait a moment?”
After | offered her a nod, she turned on her heels and retreated to the hallway. Erika watched on with concern but didn’t question what was happening. She gave me a knowing expression, a silent and subtle indication that we would speak about later. Before long. Ms. Benn returned with a little girl following behind her. She couldn’t be more than six. She had a pale but senous face, and the same icy blue eyes as her mother. Her breaths were thin and she trembled as she walked over.
“Cassandra, this is Lila,” Ms. Benn introduced us, and she smoothed her daughter's pale blonde curls out of her face. “Hello, Lila.” | greeted her, and when | squatted down to her level, she simply stared back at me with her wary eyes.
| didn’t pay her quietness any mind. | knew she was ill and | would never blame a child for their shyness.
“Let me grab my medical kit, | said to Ms. Benn after | placed my hand on Lila’s forehead. Her skin was hot to the touch. and covered with beads of sweat.
| crossed the room and grabbed my liug from the closet, then returned to them. | began my exam right after, and as | took her temperature and other vitals. | noticed that she was looking at Finck, who maintained his distance politely but stared at her. 1, wild tell that he wanted to greet the little girl but when I took a step toward us. | warned him that her illness 214 be contagiotis and that he needed to stay over there
He seed disappunted Rear noddest anyway.
after 1 wijte them down and comdered the possibilities, | told her
11.49 Ft Fabon.
I
The housekeeper nodded thoughtfully but her expression was grim | knew that she could get the medicine, so | decided to take matters into my own hands
“I'll try to get ahold of them. | sand thi fo
my hands on the antibiotics
one herbs. They should help her feel better until | can get
Ms. Benn’s lips candes
samle of relief.
“Thank you Healer Cassandra, she said Hank you
by was the first time the stern woman had ever thanked me, and her sincere tone warned my heart
Chapter 235
ASHER | had never expected the condition to be so dangerous for me. Of course, expectation was one thing and reality was another.
| stared down at the killer whose throat had just been slitted. He was the third killer we’d been forced to take the life of this week. Though these would-be assassins were not very skilled, they all seemed to be loyal to their master. None of them had said who
sent them here to kill the king before their deaths, but Kane and Silas had their theories. My stepbrother thought it could be just
about anyone, but the Beta assumed the man who hired these assassins was his own father.
Though Oliver was the most suspected of the bunch, Kane suggested that it wasn’t just him who wanted to use this chance to take the crown.
The second and third killers came only half a day apart, which meant our whereabouts had been exposed. It came as no surprise to me that our route had been compromised. Since we had taken command of the Myriad and taken a few elite soldiers with us, Oliver must have gotten the news from his spies. The old Beta had eyes everywhere in Wegalla. As much at | hated to admit it, we were never truly safe from his watchful gaze.
If only I'd known that Oliver Moses was so wicked before all of this had gotten so out of hand. | would have dismissed him from my court much earlier bamshed him and his villainous family to the borderlands,
All except Silas, of course. The youngest son of Moses had been a worthy ally and | was grateful to have him at my side
“Til be sure to ensure that our soldiers are extra vigilant from here on out, Silas swore. his golden eyes fixed intensely on the body of the assassin’on the ground.
“That’s not enough” Kane remarked, his face worried. The more Packs we visit, the more people will know what situation their Alpha King is m. It might incur more and more killers from different parts of the country.
“Then what do you suggest we do?” | wondered as frustration swelled within me. “Do you have a plan?”
My stepbrother ran his hand through his hair and then nodded. Sort of. What we need to do is figure out which Packs are ging to fight for the Alpha King once this war begins We need to know who is going to have your back once things in Wegalla escalate. That being said, we need to keep you hidden away for now. Allow me to present myself and do the talkin Sala presence will also show them the king’s authority
kid want ine to remain in the shado “I cut him off as my eyebrows creased together
“Yes and no Kai teplied gently “The Alpha King doesn’t need to be present during this campaign of ours, but that doesn’t (rated to remata is the ‘stay at one of nns when we meet with the Alphas of the differem Packs
“What do you man and It was clear that my stepbrother had a plan in mut, but | wasn’t following it
(mund,
“Tuned dogue younette capitained aid he stepped away for a moment and returned with medium sized ba in avatarred thar bot and resealed iba konbenta
Take (pards.
A fake king? An imposter?
| wasn’t sure how to feel about this plan.
“Do you intend for one of the soldiers to pose as me?” | asked him
He shook his head. “A soldier wouldn’t work Warriors of the Myriad have all gone through intense training. They're too hardened to pass as a king and have no experience or opportunities to witness how a royal is meant to behave.”
| stared at Kane for a moment and then understood what his brother truly meant. It was a crazy idea, one | didn’t with | began to speak. “Do you intend-”
“Yes,” he said with a nod. “We need to change clothes. You will disguise yourself as a soldier, and I’ll-”
quite agree
| shook my head before he could finish his sentence. “This is too dangerous, Kane. You're too important to risk. You're the brains of this operation.”
“Tll take that as a compliment, Kane said with an amused smirk. “But that’s precisely why | need to take the job. | know how to act since I’ve been living in the palace for so long. I’ve observed your father and yourself for years. | know your mannerisms. your speech patterns, everything. We may not look much alike, but | know how to conduct myself the way a king should.”
“Be that as it may, | don’t think this is a good idea,” | insisted. “I appreciate that you're willing to take this risk for me, but this is a dangerous plan, Kane.”
“| know it’s dangerous, Asher,” Kane replied with a steady gaze. His violet eyes were even as they stared into mine and he raised his chin slightly. “I know what I’m taking on in doing this
Silas and | exchanged a cautious glance with one another. The tall Beta didn’t seem too convinced of this plan either, though he likely wouldn’t speak much on the matter. While Silas was intelligent, he had a quiet disposition and usually allowed me to make the decision rather than offering his opinion. That said, | knew if | asked him directly, he would speak his mind.
| didn’t want to offend Kane, but as a headache bloomed within me, | found myself at odds with his daring plan. JM “Asher, you have to let me do this.” Kane pressed, and he took a step toward me. “I don’t see any other option here.”
“And what happens if you die?” | blurted out. “What do we do if one of the assassins gets ahold of you and attacks you, thinking you're the Alpha King? | cannot ask you to make that sacrifice for me, nor would | ever want to..
Kane remained silent for a moment, and we stared at each other for what felt like an eternity until he spoke again.
“My death would be better than yours, Asher,” he said firmly, his tone full of resolve. “I’m replaceable. You, however, are not. You have a duty to Wegalla, and you need to follow through and remain safe. | will take your place.”