Ch. 301..305: Alpha King’s Lost Luna Chapter 301-305

Chapter 301 Her brother CASSANDRA HB When Asher and I and a few Wild Crawler soldiers arrived at Keller’s, we were surprised to find that Dickson wasn’t there.

Instead, there was another younger man looking after the clinic, onel didn’t recognize. He had a gloomy expression on his bored face and his brown eyes rolled at us when we entered the clinic.

“I thought you were Dickson,” he remarked, then sighed as he shook his head in annoyance.

“Sorry to disappoint,” I apologized, though I barely meant it.

“Whatever,” he mumbled. “Who are

| you?” “We're friends of Dickson,” I replied vaguely, unsure of how much ~~ information to provide to a total stranger. “And you are?” He sighed, as if my questions were inconveniencing him, and then he . straightened his posture and began to speak. “Max. I’m Dickson’s friend. He asked me to do him a favor, which normally wouldn’t be an issue, but I didn’t expect to be babysitting a clinic like this. I haven’t worked as a healer in a long time. How am I supposed to look after patients?” He continued filling me in on all of the details I had missed during my absence from Anemond. Dickson had told him that the clinic hadn’t received any new patients and several others left the

clinic given the current situation in Wegalla. Despite so, there were still a few patients who needed daily checks.

Finally, I cut him off.

“Where did Dickson go?” I wondered as I forced down my rising irritation.

Much to my dismay, Max only offered me a shrug. “I don’t know. He only told me to come here and look after the place. But if you’re friends of Becky, he left you a note.” My heart dropped at the mention of Becky and my eyes went wide. I exchanged a glance with Asher and then turned back to face Max.

The young man wordlessly pointed ahead at the reception table, and I followed the direction of his gesture until I

spotted a piece of paper.

rushed over and then unfurled the paper with my shaking hands. It took a deal of effort to keep from dropping the note entirely, but when I felt Asher’s reassuring hand on my back, my nerves quelled at least a little.

. Iread quickly and then turned to face my mate.

“Dickson didn’t listen,” I sighed. “He went to the House of Moses.” Asher’s sterling eyes darkened and his jaw tensed. “Of course he did. That’s the last place he should be.” I nodded in agreement and then reread the note. “He said he plans to get Becky out of there safely. He claims he’s thought it through carefully and going there himself was the only option. He

couldn’t let her be alone.” I passed the note to Asher and then pinched the bridge of my nose between my fingers as a headache bloomed within me.

This was a foolish mistake on Dickson’s part. It was absolutely thoughtless. If he could have waited, we may have come up with a better plan together, but no. He had to rush into the most dangerous place in the entire capital without waiting for backup.

How could he have been so dumb? “Don’t be upset with him,” Asher spoke up and when I turned to face him, his expression was far more gentle than anticipated. “I can understand why he did it. I would have done the same if it were you in there.”

“It’s reckless,” I countered but my mate shook his head.

“It’s reckless love,” he said and then he reached out and brushed my cheek.

“Don’t worry too much, Cassandra.” I leaned into his warm touch but had to force a smile. “How could I not worry? Becky is in the House of Moses and we don’t know if she’s alive or dead.” “Becky will be alright,” he assured me gently. “Don’t forget, she’s still Silas’ fated mate. The Moseses wouldn't harm her.” Just as I realized he was right, I suddenly heard Max move behind us and when I turned around, I saw a confused look on his face.

“What's going on?” he asked me, and his eyes darted between me and Asher.

“What did Dickson do? You're acting like he’s asking for his death or something.” “It’s nothing,” I tried to assure him, but he wasn’t convinced.

“Something is up,” he insisted, and then his eyes narrowed at Asher. “Do I know you? You look familiar somehow.” A nervous pang traveled through me and I decided at once that we couldn’t be here for a minute more.

“Thank you for your help,” I said, evading his questions, and then I grabbed Asher’s hand. “We have some things to accomplish but Dickson will be back soon enough.”

[tried to tug Asher’s arm but he resisted and stood in place.

“Actually, before we leave, could you bring me the medical records?” he requested.

Medical records? I frowned at him in confusion. “What do you need records for?” My mate hesitated for a moment. He ran his hands through his thick brown hair and studied me cautiously.

“There’s a patient I want to take you to,” he said. “Before we leave.” My frown deepened. “A patient? Who?” “You'll know when you see him,” he replied vaguely and then he turned to Max. “Will you bring them?”

Max didn’t seem too keen to oblige but nodded his head anyway and then disappeared. He returned a while later with a binder in his hands and passed it to Asher.

“Thank you,” my mate said gratefully.

My heart pounded in my chest as I waited for an explanation. I wasn't certain what was happening and I wasn’t fond of surprises, especially when the situation with the House of Moses and our missing friends was so dire.

Still, I trusted Asher, so I allowed hima moment to scan the records and waited patiently until he selected a sheet. He withdrew it from the folder and then | handed the records back to Max.

“Thank you,” he said again and then

he turned to me. “Come with me.

There’s someone you need to see.” Though I wanted to demand an answer, I simply nodded. Asher inclined his head forward and then I followed him down the hall. We continued past a few different rooms and once we reached the end of the hall, Asher stopped before the final door. Nervousness bloomed in my belly and a strange feeling came over me.

Though my theory was unfounded, I could sense whoever was behind the door was important.

Asher opened the door and after I took a breath, I followed him inside.

The light was dim and the patient was sleeping. I could tell it was a man, but the lights were so low it was hard to

make out any other features.

We drew closer toward the bed and I noticed his long, golden hair. It was a beautiful shade, and as I stared at it, a thought crossed my mind.

I had only known one man with hair that golden before, but there was no way.

It would be impossible.

I took another step closer and when I did my jaw dropped and I froze. My eyes welled up with tears and I began to tremble.

I knew it in my heart to be true.

The man lying in the bed was none other than my older brother, Ector Felix.

Chapter 302 Memory of the past CASSANDRA b As my heart dropped in my chest, I felt paralyzed from sheer disbelief.

I'wanted to reach out to touch his face or his hands. I wanted to tangibly feel that he was real, lying in this bed before me, but I couldn’t move. For all of these years, I had believed that Ector was dead.

When he had been exiled to the borderlands, I had given up any hope of ever seeing him again. Those exiled from Wegalla were never seen again and after the undoing of our family name, Ector was no exception. A small part of me had wished we would reunite one day, but after the inferno, that part of me went silent. Though my | 11

| heart ached for my dear brother, no one ever returned from the borderlands unless they were soldiers specifically sent on a mission.

But here he was, lying in this bed, breathing.

For a moment, I felt like I was about to collapse. My knees wavered but before I could fall, Asher reached out to stabilize me.

“Silas found him months ago out in the borderlands,” my mate explained as he held me. “But Silas wasn’t sure if he was Ector or not since we all presumed him to be dead after being exiled all those years ago. So, I went out there with him to check.” “That’s why you needed to leave Anemond,” I realized.

He nodded. “I'm sorry I didn’t tell you then, but I didn’t want you to be disappointed if it wasn’t him. I needed to be absolutely certain it was Ector before I said anything. And then things got... complicated after that. So much has happened since that there wasn’t an opportunity to tell you. I'm sorry, Cassandra.” “Don’t be sorry,” I assured him, and I offered him a small smile. “I understand, Asher. Things have been difficult.” After he nodded in agreement, I turned back to Ector.

“He looks so thin,” I remarked as I noted his hollow cheeks, and my heart ached at the sight. Though his hair was as beautiful as ever, he was clearly very malnourished. Given his appearance, 1

| could only imagine what his life had been like out in the borderlands, and the thought of him having to survive out there for all of this time...

The last time I'd seen my brother was after the trial. Our father had been sentenced to the death penalty and Ector was going to be banished.

In all honesty, I should have been banished like him, but back then, I had been the prince’s mate, so things had been different for me.

I was grounded and put on house arrest in Rosepetal, awaiting future trials.

The day Ector was set to leave Anemond, I was inconsolable. I wasn’t allowed to leave so I wouldn't be able to say goodbye.

Thankfully, Asher snuck in and helped

me quietly leave without being seen by the guards. We secretly met with Ector in the gardens. — | Back then, my brother had been strong and confident. He believed our family’s name would be cleared and told me not to worry about him.

But this Ector looked completely different. He looked fragile. Delicate.

As if he could snap in half at any moment.

Before I could stop myself, I began to cry. Tears spilled onto my cheeks and I reached out to touch my brother’s face.

“He might not be emotionally stable, Cassandra,” Asher warned me gently.

“He tends to attack when he feels threatened. Trust me, we’ve learned that from experience.”

[nodded and then a thought crossed my mind. For Ector, I was like a stranger now. My face and voice had changed after the inferno, altered by Emmett’s sorcery. I didn’t look like I had back then, but beneath the dye I had used for so many years, my hair was just as golden as Ector’s. Though my features were no longer the same, I somehow believed that he would recognize me.

We were family.

The moment my hand touched his cheek, Ector’s eyes opened wide, revealing irises the same color as mine.

He suddenly looked alert, like a | frightened animal, and his hands moved as if he intended to attack me.

Behind me, Asher tensed, ready to step

in, but to both of our surprises, Ector didn’t attack. Instead, he moved backward as if he were trying to protect himself, I couldn’t tell how I felt at the sight of this. I couldn’t imagine what Ector had been through after he’d been banished.

Just as I was about to open my mouth to say something, Ector began to yell and scream. He wasn’t saying any understandable words, just loud noises, and I tried to soothe him before he could hurt himself.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” I assured him calmly. “ It’s okay.” Despite his rising emotions, I stared deeply into his eyes. Asher started to step forward, but I shook my head to relay that I was alright and could

handle this myself.

[ took a step backward but continued to maintain eye contact with Ector.

“Do you recognize me?” I asked him softly.

My brother frowned and stared for a second before he started bumping his head against the headboard. His movement was gentle at first, and then stronger, as if he were trying to physically jump- start his brain. Before he could hurt himself, I moved forward and caught his shoulder to stop him.

“It’s me, Ector,” I said gently, and then I summoned all of my bravery.

“It’s Cora.” My brother froze and silence hung in the air. His emerald eyes studied me |

for a moment, trailing over me multiple times as if I were an illusion.

“Cora?” he repeated back and I nodded.

“Yes,” I replied. “I'm your sister, Cora.

My face was changed by an accident, but it’s me, Ector.” He didn’t seem convinced but didn’t push me away either. He continued to study me, as if searching for any trace of my former self.

Suddenly, I remembered something and reached into my pocket. I pulled out my mother’s amulet and held it up so it caught the light. I had been keeping it safe on my person ever since I got it back from Kaleb.

The moonstone glinted and Ector’s

eyes welled up with tears. He began to cry at once, clearly remembering the pendant. Before I could say another word, he took it from me and ran his fingers over the shining stone. He began to tremble and then whispered a single word.

“Mother.” As tears spilled down his cheeks, I couldn’t bear the sorrow any longer.

I threw my arms around Ector and hugged him as tightly as I felt comfortable with. I didn’t want to injure him further, but I needed him to know that although I looked different, I was still his sister, and I loved him dearly.

It was hard to tell if he understood the meaning of my having the amulet or

not, but he didn’t shy from the embrace. He allowed me to hold him and soon relaxed his tensed muscles.

I' wasn’t certain if he truly recognized me or not, but it didn’t matter.

We were reunited and safe.

And that was all that mattered.

Chapter 303 Supporters CASSANDRA My brother fell asleep a while later, still holding our mother’s amulet in his hands. He didn’t want to give it back to me, so I allowed him to keep it for now.

We left the room soon after, and once we stepped out into the hall, Asher took my hand in his.

“His physical condition seems like it’s improved,” he informed me. “He looks better than he did when I saw him last.

But his mental condition is still very poor.” “He must have been through a lot,” I said sadly.

Asher nodded. “The conditions out in

the borderlands are harsh. He was probably struggling to survive out there alone.” My lower lip trembled but I forced myself to remain strong. What mattered was that he was alive.

“I’m sure he'll only continue to improve,” I said. “Thank you for saving him, Asher.” He smiled at me warmly. “We’re mates now, Cassandra. You don’t need to thank me for anything.” “Still,” I insisted. “It means the world to me.” Asher nodded and then his face grew serious and he let out a sigh. “It’s Silas who deserves the thanks. Had it not been for him, we never would have found him. I owe my Beta so much.”

I considered what he had told me about Silas’ injuries in Sky Pride and then my eyebrows knitted together. Though we hardly knew each other, Silas Moses had never been a weak man. It struck me as odd that he still hadn’t recovered from his wounds and a thought crossed my mind.

“Was he really injured so badly that no healer in Anemond could save him?” I wondered.

My mate seemed confused and frowned at me. “What do you mean?” “It’s strange,” I explained. “IF the wound had been lethal, Silas would likely have perished on the road back here. But he didn’t. And strong young werewolves like Silas should heal p

quickly if the wound isn’t lethal.” “I"m not following,” Asher admitted.

“Do you remember when you were attacked by a bear during the hunting festival?” I reminded him. “You were wounded so badly that I thought you would die, but luckily, it wasn’t fatal, and you healed quickly. You recovered in a few hours.” Asher’s frown deepened.

“Do you mean to suggest that Silas can’t wake up because someone doesn’t want him to?” he asked slowly.

“It’s just a guess,” I admitted. “I can’t figure out why someone wouldn’t want him to wake up. Who would dare do something like this to Silas in the

House of Moses? Oliver? If it was him, what does he want? What's the point of keeping him unconscious...” Before I could finish my sentence, Asher and I seemed to come to the same realization.

If someone wanted Silas to be unconscious, then they wanted him to stay away from something, something he would want to stop. But what? What action were they about to take? “Do you really think it’s Oliver?” he wondered. “Would he keep his son unconscious and deliberately arrange a farce? “It could be,” I replied. “It would raise people’s empathy, at least. What would be better to the public than seeing a

loving father who desperately wants to save his son? Not to mention the fact that the son is the well- respected Lord Beta. Oliver Moses seems like the type to pull this kind of treachery. What do you think?” Asher let out a heavy exhale. “It’s not a bad theory. I just can’t imagine how a father could use his son’s life for his own political plot. I would sacrifice anything for the life of my son. How could others think differently?” I wasn’t sure if Asher thought of Finnick or Marco when he made his statement. Perhaps he was referring to his late father as well.

I remembered that Emmett had told me in my dream that the last Alpha King wanted to use Asher to speak with his dead wife. How much of that did

Asher remember or know? I squeezed Asher’s hand.

“Unfortunately, people aren’t all the same. But I think you're going to be a better father than all of them.” “I’m not sure Finnick would agree,” he said quietly.

“He will one day,” I assured him. “You just have to give it time.” My mate nodded and we fell into silence as I considered our discussion.

“What do you think Oliver is planning?” I asked.

“I’m not sure, but I think there’s a way to find out,” he replied, and when I blinked at him in confusion, he continued to speak. “After Oliver claimed the ‘Alpha King was missing’,

he hosted meetings regularly as a regent. I would need to see the councilors, but I think they would help me understand what's going on in this country and speculate what Oliver is planning.” Our plan had been to go straight to the House of Moses, but we decided our best course of action would be to call the councilors. The clinic would be the perfect place to meet since it was just far away enough from Merliscire to give us privacy, so we placed the calls at once.

We asked Max to keep watch on the clinic and then went into one of the private meeting rooms. Once we were sure we couldn’t be overheard, I picked up the phone and dialed the numbers.

Each time, I made sure to speak first : and ensured that the councilors themselves were on the other end before passing the phone to Asher.

We invited two councilors to join us, Jacoby and Karsh. They were the only ones Asher trusted. There should have been three of them, but Karsh informed him that the third, Aremine, had passed away not too long ago.

“It’s sad,” Asher remarked as we waited for the councilors to come to Keller's. “He was a good friend of Lancel’s back in the day.” I blinked at him, suddenly realizing that his beloved guard hadn’t been around for quite some time. I then remembered what he told me about the day Marco had been brought to him, when Adalyn had administered the

poison.

Asher released a sigh and shook his head before I could utter a word.

“I hadn’t expected Lancel to do that,” he sighed as he ran his hand through his hair. “I’ve known him for so long. I know he never would have done that if he’d known it was a trap, and it was exactly because he cared about my feelings that he brought Marco to me.

But a mistake was made and Lancel broke his vow of absolute loyalty, so he couldn’t be the king’s guard anymore.” He sighed again. “That’s why I've started to understand my father. It’s never an easy or pleasant thing to be king.” «1 understand,” I assured him. “You and Lancel are like Erika and I but

more complicated. just... T can’t believe Adalyn did all that. Used Marco and then drugged you. She must really be crazy.” Asher nodded. “She’s dangerous, more than I ever expected. We can’t underestimate her, Cassandra.” The councilors arrived not long after we made the calls and seemed agitated when they saw Asher.

Jacoby shed some tears while Karsh knelt down before him. They thanked the Moon Goddess dramatically for sending the Alpha King back to them, and then after a while, we all gathered around the table to talk.

It was a long conversation. The councilors mentioned that Oliver was

trying to take the power of Wegalla bit by bit. He was isolating councilors who had clearly shown their loyalty to Asher and remained on his side. He weakened their power at once.

He had also announced the palace would stop providing financial support to Packs like Vanished Hunters and White Shadows, which had been receiving support ever since they became part of Wegalla.

Aremine had protested strongly at the meeting but got spiteful comments from Oliver and his accomplices. The poor old man had suffered from a heart attack and died.

«liver wants the small Packs to go against the royal family,” Asher mused.

“1m afraid so, Jacoby said. “And

there's more than that, sadly. Oliver has been quiet since Silas was ill, but yesterday, he called all the councilors for a meeting.” Asher frowned. “What does he want?” Karsh and Jacoby shook their heads.

“We don’t know,” Jacoby said. “But Oliver wants every councilor to be at the next meeting. There must be no exception. No excuses.”

 

Chapter 304 Turning Point BECKY pe As I stared out the basement window, I couldn’t believe my eyes.

How had Dickson known I was here? I was grateful to see him but I was confused at how he had gotten here without being spotted by the many guards stationed around the House of Moses. My colleague wasn’t weak, but then again, I never would have taken him for a stealth operative.

Dickson looked around before he attempted to move the window, but to both of our dismays, the windows were nailed down. His forehead tensed as he strained to move it, and then he looked

at me and pointed at the door. His hand cupped his ear, gesturing for me to listen, and then he mouthed a sentence.

Is anyone at the door? I thanked my lucky stars that I could read lips easily and then shook my head.

Dickson nodded thoughtfully and then mouthed another sentence.

I'll get in through the door.

My eyes widened and I shook my head as hard as I could to emphasize how bad of an idea that was. It was much too dangerous to get inside the building. If he tried to save me, he would surely be captured and then placed in the same position I was, if not worse.

I wanted to mouth back, but the gag prevented me from speaking. Dickson didn’t seem to understand the reasoning behind my head shakes and simply offered me a smile before disappearing into the darkness.

I wanted to scream. Why had he come here? Was he truly convinced he could get me out of here? It was too impossible of a task even for the most seasoned fighters, and Dickson wasn’t a fighter. He was a healer, one who should have been waiting for me back at Keller’s as instructed.

Just as my frustration swelled, I heard the locks on the door click, and my heart dropped in my chest. Surely, Adalyn or one of her guards was back to hurt me.

Within a few seconds, the door opened,

and on the other side, much to my shock, was Dickson. He seemed out of breath but moved quietly and quickly: He carefully closed the door and then walked over to me.

He removed the cloth that had been placed in my mouth, and the moment I was able to speak, I questioned him a voice so low it was basically a whisper.

“Are you crazy, Dickson?” I hissed.

“Do you know how dangerous this place is? What are you doing here?” He remained calm and didn’t seem offended by my harsh tone. It was obvious he was happy to see me and he offered me a smile after his blue eyes scanned me.

“Are you alright?” he wondered. “You

don’t look injured but I want to be sure.” “I'm fine,” I sighed. “Adalyn won’t harm me, at least not for now. But I’m serious, Dickson, you need to leave before anyone finds you.” “What do you mean ‘at least for now’?” Dickson said with a frown.

I didn’t dare answer him. Instead, my eyes locked on the door.

“you need to go,” I repeated myself.

“You can’t get me out of here.” It was true. Though my gag had been removed, my ankles were still chained to the legs of the chair. The cuffs were made of steel, so there was no way to remove them. But Dickson didn’t seem to be listening. Instead, he was studying the chains carefully.

Irritation rose within me and my cheeks grew hot.

“I’m serious,” I growled. “You need to leave, Dickson!” I knew I should have been grateful that my friend had put himself in danger to rescue me but I was frustrated.

Perhaps, more at myself than anything. My stubbornness and stupidity had landed me here. He couldn’t get himself hurt because of my mistake.

Dickson stared into my eyes and then smiled. “I won’t leave.” He placed his hand on my ankle and I gasped as pain shot through me.

“Your ankle seems to be deeply bruised,” he assessed as I tried not to cry. “I'll try to be gentle.”

I'was about to ask him how he intended to free me, but just as I did, a sharp pain ran through me again. I closed my eyes and clenched my teeth, and then suddenly felt coldness against my skin.

The clanging of chains rang out, and when I opened my eyes, I saw them fall to the floor.

[ was free! “How did you do that?” I demanded but Dickson shook his head.

“111 tell you later,” he assured me.

“We need to leave this place first.” nodded my head and then rose to my feet. The pain in my ankle grew stronger when I put my full weight on it, but I knew time was of the essence.

We needed to leave and we needed to

leave quickly.

So, once I was steady, Dickson helped me out of the basement. - Thankfully, the corridor was quiet and the front door wasn’t too far away, but I couldn’t move fast due to the pain in my ankle. I clenched my teeth in an attempt to subdue the hurt, and it worked a little, but unfortunately, my good luck didn’t last.

When we rounded the corner, we were caught by two guards.

I instinctively sharpened my nails into claws, and when I glanced over at Dickson, I saw that he had done the same, but it was no use. The guards were too strong and managed to grab hold of us.

After some resisting, they pulled us

into the hall, where we met with Oliver and Adalyn. The pair were in their night clothes and appeared annoyed to see us.

Oliver Moses seemed particularly exhausted. He rolled his eyes and stifled a yawn as he addressed the guards. “Who are they?” “We don’t know,” the one holding Dickson admitted. “They were sneaking around in the corridor. They could be thieves.” I frowned in surprise. The fact that Adalyn had caught and imprisoned me was clearly a secret, as the guards were unaware of my identity.

Adalyn, however, noticed me at once and stepped forward after giving me an angry expression.

NY Shia ats oo ol “They are thieves for sure,” she said and then she turned to Oliver. “It’s late and these two don’t deserve your attention, Father. I'll deal with them.” Oliver nodded but just as he turned to leave, I blurted out a sentence.

“I have something to say to Lord Oliver.” Oliver turned to face me with a look of surprise and Adalyn’s expression darkened.

“The girl only wants to play tricks on you, Father,” she spat in my direction.

“There’s no tricks I intend to play,” I countered boldly. “I have something I wish to speak to Lord Oliver about.”

vw Eta tiet.

Oliver frowned at me, his eyes trailing over me as he tilted his head slightly to the side.

“Do I know you, girl?” he asked as his eyebrows knitted together.

“I'don’t know that you would remember me,” I answered honestly as my heart pounded. “We have met before, though.” He stepped closer to me and studied me closely. I could practically see his thoughts searching his memories and then suddenly, his expression hardened.

Adalyn opened her mouth to speak but Oliver raised a hand to stop her. I fought the urge to cower from his fierce eyes and remained calm.

I silently prayed.

| Moon Goddess, protect me.

 

Chapter 305 Telling the truth BECKY Much to my dismay, Adalyn didn’t seem to be affected by Oliver’s posture.

Her golden eyes remained locked on mine, shooting daggers so intense I should have been frightened.

But she didn’t scare me.

She was a child pretending to be someone powerful. A coward, hiding behind her family name.

“This girl is trying to kill Silas!” Adalyn cried as her hands balled into fists at her sides. “I caught her before, Father. She escaped with the help of her accomplice and now she intends to play some sort of trick on you, I just know it.”

Oliver frowned and then fixed his gaze on his daughter.

“If you caught her before, Adalyn, why didn’t you report it to me?” he asked her coldly, his lip curling into almost a snarl. It was a chilling look and I didn’t envy Adalyn in the slightest.

She took a moment to make up an explanation and then spoke. “Because I knew the girl was cunning, so I wanted to deal with her carefully, Father.” Her excuse didn’t seem to convince Oliver in the slightest. He rolled his hazel eyes in her direction and then shook his head in disappointment.

“You think too highly of yourself,” he said with a small snort, and then he turned to face me. His eyes grew sharp and his mouth tensed. “If you, in fact, dared to kill my Silas, I'll slit your

throat personally.” Though Adalyn didn’t scare me, Oliver | did a little bit. Unlike her, I knew he was keen to follow through on his threats, and I didn’t dare to question if he would kill me. He was capable of murder, I could see it in his eyes.

Still, managed to remain calm.

“I'would never do that,” I remarked, my tone as casual as I could make it, and then I drew my brows together slightly and pouted, as if I were too innocent for that. “What good would it be for me to kill him? Besides, he’s my fated mate after all. As much as we want to deny the fact, the mate bond would let us suffer if one wanted to kill the other.” Oliver lifted a brow and then the rest of his expression softened. He seemed to

be touched by my words, or, at the very least, seemed to understand that my logic was sound. = I saw Dickson's cheeks flush at the mention of the mate bond, but I couldn’t worry about his feelings, not now. The stakes were too dire to care about his affection for me.

“What do you want to say to me?” he asked, and then his sharp jaw tensed.

“You'd better have a good reason for disrupting me at this time of night, girl, or else you will still pay the consequences.” I smiled back at him, fully knowing he was threatening to kill me again. “I have a very good reason, Lord Oliver, and I don’t think you could kill me. If you do, your son will die soon after, most likely. It’s unclear what the mate

bond would do to him if I were killed.” Oliver seemed irritated by my attitude and his mouth drew into a thin line.

Unfortunately for him, my statement was likely right again. If I were to die, Silas would likely die soon after, which clearly wasn’t what he wanted.

He turned to the guard holding me.

“Take the girl straight to my study.” Adalyn’s golden eyes flashed with shock and she growled.

“She’s obviously lying, Father!” she insisted angrily. “Why would you even listen to her? She needs to be executed immediately.” “I could always tell you everything here, Lord Oliver,” I blurted out as |

flashed Adalyn a wicked expression.

“The guards judge who is lying between me and Lady Adalyn.” Adalyn’s cheeks paled and her lower lip trembled, but she managed to remain calm.

“She’s trying to cause a farce in the House of Moses,” she insisted. “1’11 expose her lies.” The guard holding Dickson spoke up for the first time since we’d been brought to the corridor.

“How would you like the man to be dealt with, Lord Oliver?” he asked.

I thought fast on my feet.

“It’s true what Lady Adalyn said about him being my accomplice, Lord Oliver,” I spoke up. “He protected me so I would stay alive long enough to tell

you the truth. He needs to be present or [won't speak a word.” Oliver seemed annoyed but nodded his head.

“Fine,” he agreed, and then he turned to the guards. “Bring them to my study at once.” kkk Oliver Moses’ study was like a secret room. It was so dark within I felt suffocated upon entering the room. It was all dark wallpaper and furnishings.

Cold and foreboding.

The moment we were led into the center of the study and the door closed behind us, Oliver let out an annoyed sigh., “Speak at once,” he ordered as his

arms crossed.

I complied without hesitation.

“I’m not the one who wants to kill your son,” I explained. “Lady Adalyn is. She wants to harm her brother-" “She’s a liar!” Adalyn shouted and her eyes glowed angrily at me. “YOu can’t believe such a low-born commoner like her.” Oliver’s expression darkened but he only focused on me. “What are you talking about?” “I eavesdropped on a conversation between Lady Adalyn and the head healer,” I explained. “With his help, Adalyn has been using special drugs on Silas, which is why he hasn’t woken up yet.” Oliver’s eyes widened in surprise.

“She even planned for Silas to be disabled or paralyzed permanently,” I continued. “I heard her say so herself. 1 swear on the Moon Goddess.” Before her father could utter a word, Adalyn stepped toward me and raised her hand as if she intended to hit me.

“You nasty little bitch!” she hissed.

“You're trying to destroy the Moses name because you’re a friend of that evil healer, Cassandra Keller.” Before she could make contact, her father grasped her wrist and glared at her. Adalyn retreated silently but continued to glare at me.

“You have to trust me, father,” she pleaded. “Why would I want to harm my own brother?”

Oliver ignored her and uttered a sigh.

He stepped toward me and frowned. | “This sounds like quite a tall tale,” he assessed. “How did you get into the house and why did you come here in the first place, girl?” “I got in by pretending to be one of the royal healers,” I replied truthfully. “I did it because I was worried about Silas. He is my mate, after all, and I couldn’t control my emotions toward him.” “And how did you overhear this conversation between the head healer and Adalyn?” he questioned me without pause. “If you were worried about Silas, shouldn’t you have remained in his room?” I took a moment and then straightened

my posture to show I wasn’t afraid.

“At first, I wanted to eavesdrop on your and Adalyn’s conversation because I wanted to know what you were planning-" I started to speak frankly, but Adalyn cut me off abruptly.

“See, Father!” she cried. “She’s exposed herself. She was trying to steal information for her friend.” “Silence,” Oliver shushed her angrily and then he turned back to me.

“Continue.” “I heard you wanted to announce something at the next council meeting,” I said boldly to show him I wasn’t lying. “I wanted to know what it was.” | It was a strong, reckless choice to

admit to it, but I needed him to know I was telling the truth. I swallowed the lump in my throat and managed to remain calm.