Ch. 41..45: Alpha King’s Lost Luna Chapter 41-45

Chapter 41 Splendid idea

CA SSANDRA

As I stared back at Margaret, I pushed down my disbelief and tried to keep my face as neutral as possible. Asher’s stepmother’s words were harsh, but I couldn’t let her threaten me.

“Rest assured, I’m being completely honest with you,” I said calmly. “The Alpha King was especially concerned after the viper appeared here at Merliscire, and wanted a thorough investigation done on the beast.”

“Were there any findings?” Margaret practically demanded. The woman’s nostrils flared in agitation, and her mouth pursed as she awaited my reply.

“Yes,” I confirmed, and I made sure to keep my tone as even as possible as leaned forward. “The viper that attacked the Alpha King seemed to be raised deliberately by someone-”

“What does that mean?” she interrupted me, and her eyes narrowed further.

“The essence released in the bite wasn’t venom,” I revealed. “It was an artificial

poison.”

The moment the words left my lips, a strange feeling moved through me. I didn’t regret blurting out the words, but I wasn’t sure how the pair of women would react to it.

Adalyn’s face shifted first and contorted into an expression of shock and.

concern.

“That’s in

she managed. “No one would dare to sneak a poison under the Alpha King’s nose. There’s no way someone in Merliscire would dare.”

Meanwhile, Margaret’s face looked panicked, but only for a single second. She regained her composure quickly and nodded.

“Adalyn is right,” she agreed. “No one in Anemond would dare.”

Part of me wondered if Margaret had something to do with any of this. The older woman’s face was highly suspicious, and she had a track record of

wickedness. Had she directed this behind closed doors?

I wouldn’t put it past her, but I wasn’t sure. If it really was Margaret who wanted to kill Asher, she could have done it much earlier.

And furthermore, what would she gain in killing the Alpha King?

Sure, she might still be deluded into thinking that her son could take the throne, but she wasn’t an idiot. If Asher died, Kane would be the first suspect, and Margaret would be complicit as well.

I turned to the food I’d been ignoring on my plate and raised my knife.

“It’s just a theory,” I mused as I carved into my steak.

The room fell into silence as I attended to my food, and after a little while, Adalyn and Margaret followed suit. We all ate quietly, and the sound of our knives and forks against the plates was the only sound.

Finally, a little while later, Margaret cleared her throat.

“I’m sorry,” she said in a softened tone. “Please forgive me, Healer Ca ssandra, and don’t take offense to my questions. I’m just worried about my son and my grandson.”

“It’s okay,” I said, even though I didn’t mean it. I wasn’t going to press the issue further, but I was definitely taking note of the way Adalyn and Margaret were acting. This whole encounter was suspicious and strange. Neither woman could be trusted. Hell, no one in this palace could.

“How old is your son, Cas sandra?” Margaret changed the subject.

As the older woman sipped at her wine, I swallowed back a gulp.

“Five years old,” I answered.

I felt a little uneasy answering Asher’s stepmother’s question, but it would have been strange for me to refuse to say or even to lie.

Margaret and Adalyn perked up at the mention of “five years”, and for a moment, my heart raced as they glanced at one another. But then, they resumed earring.

“Prince Marco is six,” Margaret mentioned with a smile. “Since they’re so close in age, I’m sure Finnick and Marco could be good friends.”

It took all of my energy to not frown in confusion. Marco was six years old? I’d assumed that given our past, Adalyn would have given birth five years ago. But six? She hadn’t seemed pregnant six years ago.

“That’s a splendid idea,” I remarked as I pushed the thoughts away. “Finnick is a little shy, but I’m sure he would love to have a friend here. He left his best friend

back in the Wild Crawler Pack.”

glass.

“Another peasant?” Adalyn scoffed rudely as she swirled, her wine around in her

“The son of the Wild Crawler’s Alpha, actually,” I retorted. Maintaining a calm. tone of voice was nearly impossible, but I managed to do it well enough. I wasn’t looking to start a fight with Asher’s wife, but the beautiful, mean woman wasn’t making it easy.

“Hmm,” she said, unimpressed. “Not much better than a peasant, then.”

“Adalyn, húsh,” Margaret hissed with a roll of her eyes, and then she turned to me with a calculated expression. “Who takes care of Finnick while you’re working, Healer Ca ssandra?”

“Erika,” I replied. “The Alpha King generously designated her to be a babysitter for me. It’s been a huge relief and help. I appreciate his kindness.”

“Oh, c’mon,” Adalyn muttered, but Margaret and I ignored her.

“Perhaps young Finnick could join Prince Marco’s classes in the afternoons,” Margaret proposed, much to my surprise, and then she glanced over at Adalyn. “What do you think, Adalyn?”

“Him, join Marco?” Adalyn replied in a shocked tone, and her eyebrows

furrowed.

Every afternoon, Prince Marco attended classes that taught him different facets. of a royal education. Maths, languages, history, and the arts were on rotation every day, along with classes on etiquette. I wasn’t sure if Finnick would be welcome to join the sn ooty young boy, but I didn’t mind the idea of Finnick getting to learn. Back in the Wild Crawler Pack, he was still new to reading, though he’d taken to it quickly. Perhaps a royal education could prepare him one day to take over for me as a

healer.

“I don’t know,” Adalyn spoke again and interrupted my thoughts. She toyed with the large blue-white diamond ring on her finger and examined it absently before looking at Margaret. Asher’s stepmother stared at her expectantly, and Adalyn returned her hands to her lap. I was a little surprised at how quickly she was whipped back into shape, but I knew Margaret was impossible to say no to.

“Okay,” Adalyn agreed, and her amber eyes darted over to me: “I suppose Prince Marco would be happy to make a new friend.”

Her demeanor suggested she still wasn’t fully convinced, but we both knew that her hands were tied. She offered me a small smile that wasn’t completely genuine, and I offered one right back. This was an impossible game we were playing, but I had to let her think she had the upper hand if I was going to survive.

Meanwhile, Margaret turned back to me and smiled slowly.

“What do you think, Healer Ca ssandra?” she asked. “Do you think Finnick would like to join Prince Marco? I think it would do the boy a great deal of good to learn something.”

Though her tone was kind, I knew her words were a subtle dig at my pretend. upbringing, as well as Finnick’s. No matter what, the two women would always think they were more intelligent and educated than we were, and furthermore, better

than us.

Little did they know, I was better at hiding my intelligence. I would stay smart about all of this and play along.

So, I smiled. “I think that’s a great idea.”

Chapter 42 Prince is adopted

CA SSANDRA

Once dinner was over, a se rvant guided me back to my chambers, and when I entered the room, the lights were dimmed and Finnick was fast asleep.

Erika sat at the table, reading a book by candlelight, and when she looked up to face me, her kind eyes were wide with concern.

“You look stressed, Ca ssandra,” she noted quietly, and she patted the seat beside her. “Come, tell me what’s wrong. Did something bad happen at dinner?”

I crossed over to the table and took the seat next to her. The entire way there, the weight of the conversation earlier hit me hard, and my hands began to shake.

“Lady Margaret made me an offer earlier,” I remarked. “She suggested that Finnick should join Prince Marco in his afternoon lessons.”

“Oh,” Erika said simply, and her brows furrowed. “That… seems… generous.”

I could tell the maid was stringing her words together carefully in hopes not to offend me, but little did she know, she could never say anything to hurt me.

“It is,” I replied, and I leaned my elbows on the table and placed my hands on my temples. I massaged them for a moment and then continued processing my thoughts. “I’m worried about Finnick, though. He can be… audacious at times, and I’m worried that he could say something to offend the prince. The last thing I want is for Finnick to be punished for something he didn’t mean to say.”

Erika considered my words and nodded to herself for a moment. She seemed -like she was on the verge of saying something but the words didn’t come. After a

minute of hesitation, she let out a soft sigh and touched my arm.

“Ca ssandra, there’s something you should know about Prince Marco,” she said quietly, and then she looked around the room. “But this must stay between us.”

“Of course,” I replied as my heart began to race. The maid’s tone was serious, and though there was no way for our privacy to be betrayed in the room, I leaned forward anyway.

“I used to primarily clean the Alpha King’s study,” she began. “It was and still is, as you know, a forbidden place to just about everyone in Merliscire. The only ones. allowed in when the Alpha King isn’t present is housekeeping.”

I nodded in understanding.

“Now, Prince Marco understood the rules,” Erika continued. “And yet, he still tried to get me to open up the study for him. He knew that I had a key and could grant him access. I explained to the young boy that I couldn’t do it, and he cried and bellowed and threw a huge tantrum. He flailed his arms about and sobbed until he was red in the face.

“Oh wow,” I remarked. Even when Finnick was a tiny boy, he’d never thrown a tantrum like that before. He’d always been so calm.

“Eventually, I couldn’t take it anymore,” she admitted in an embarrassed tone. “I knew it was against the rules but I agreed to give him a glimpse. I made the boy promise he would leave right after. Suddenly, he stopped crying and nodded. I thought he understood. I let him-inside for just a moment, but when I told the prince it was time to leave, he wouldn’t comply.”

She let out another sigh and her expression grew more weary.

“No matter what I said, Prince Marco refused to leave. He threw yet another fit and insisted that he belonged in his father’s study. Then, suddenly, out of nowhere, the Alpha King arrived.”

“Oh no,” I whispered.

“Indeed,” Erika said. “He was vexed when he saw the prince in his study and demanded to know why he was in there. The prince was scared of being punished, so he blurted out that it was my fault.”

“No,” I murmured, and I shook my head. The boy was even more spoiled and

rotten than I thought.

“Yes,” Erika lamented. “He tried to blame the entire affair on me. Granted,, I was to blame for complying, but he was making it seem as if I’d told him to go into the study. Luckily, the Alpha King trusted me enough to know the prince was lying.”

I frowned as her words sank in. Had Marco learned such behavior from Adalyn? Surely a six-year-old boy wouldn’t know how to use such tricks to avoid punishment.

“Did he punish Prince Marco?” I asked

“No,” Erika replied and she shook her head slowly. “The Alpha King hardly scolds him. In fact, he spoils him more than any child should be.”

I turned around to look at Finnick, who was tucked in and fast asleep in bed.. Bitterness rose in me as I thought about Prince Marco and the way the Alpha King treated him.

“He seems like he’s a good father,,” I said when I turned around, and I absently tugged on a lock of my long hair. “He must love the prince and his mother”

“He does love Marco,” Erika said. “But there’s something else to know about all of this. Prince Marco isn’t Adalyn’s. He was adopted.”

My heart sk ipped a beat and my jaw dropped a little.

“Adopted?” I repeated back in surprise.

“Yes,” Erika çonfirmed. “Six years ago, the Alpha King was out on an inspection. He was investigating the other Packs. He found Marco abandoned out in the forests by the border. No one was around, he was all alone. So, the Alpha King adopted him.”

I blinked in shock. I’d assumed Marco was Adalyn’s. The two shared similar features, but then again, perhaps they weren’t as alike as I thought.

It also explained how Marco was six instead of five. Adalyn hadn’t been

pregnant after all.

“Back then, everyone was against it,” Erika continued on. “Mostly because Marco wasn’t born into the royal family and couldn’t be able to compete for the throne later in life. But the Alpha King insisted on adopting the boy.”

“Why?” I wondered.

“I think it was a matter of timing,” she mused, and her expression grew sad. “The Alpha King found Março two months after Cora’s death. And Lady Cora had been pregnant when she died. If she hadn’t perished in the fire, she’d have given birth the following month. So, that’s why he decided to bring home Marco He believed the boy would be a chance to redeem himself given by the Moon

Goddess.”

I sat there in complete shock, lost for words. This was all too much to take in. Marco, Asher… All of it. I hadn’t known any of this.

As I considered all of the information, Erika’s cheeks reddened..

“I’ve said too much,” she murmured. “Forgive me, Ca ssandra, but I must leave.”

She rose to her feet before I could say a word and straightened out her apron.

“I’ll be sure to take care of Finnick when he’s with Prince Marco,” she assured

1. “Don’t worry about any of it.”

I opened my mouth to speak, but Erika had already turned and walked toward the door. She slipped out a moment after, and when the door closed, I heard rustling in the back of the room.

“Mommy?” Finnick called out sleepily, and when I turned around, my son was sitting upright. He rubbed his eyes and yawned.

I stood up and walked over to him. When I reached his bedside, he frowned.

“Mommy, why are you crying?” he asked, and I raised my hand to my cheek. It

was wet to the touch.

When had I started crying?

“It’s nothing, baby,” I assured him as I wiped the tears away, and then I decided to lie. “I’m just homesick, that’s all.”

Chapter 43 Kids fight

1.

CA SSANDRA

The next day in the lab, I was hard at work when I realized Becky was staring at

“What’s wrong?” I asked, and I smoothed my hair down. “Is my hair sticking straight up or something? Do I have something in my teeth?”

“No, no,” Becky assured me, but her expression said otherwise. “Did you have some trouble sleeping last night?”

“How did you know?” I wondered.

“Your eyes are swollen,” my assistant pointed out gently. Heat spread to my cheeks, and I took my protective goggles off. I was hoping it wasn’t that noticeable, but apparently, that wasn’t the case.

After I’d gotten Finnick to sleep, I’d gone to my own bed and cried into the early hours of the morning. Hearing about Marco and the way Asher had used him to mourn my loss had been such a heavy burden to learn about, and I wasn’t processing it well.

But I couldn’t think of that now. There was too much work to be done.

“Anyway,” I said slowly, and then I shifted the subject. “Becky, have you found anything more about Udosyn?”

I likely knew the answer, but I couldn’t help but ask anyway. Becky and I had checked all of the medical books that the royal healers had access to, but there was

no mention of Udosyn.

But surprisingly, Becky didn’t say no straight away.

“Becky?” I prompted her again. “What is it?”

“Well…” she said, and she pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. “It might be a mistake or a bad note-”

“That doesn’t matter,” I assured her. “Any bit of information helps.”

“Well, I realized last night that I’ve heard the name Udosyn before,” she revealed. “From a story anyway.”

“A story?” I repeated back, and then I leaned back against the counter behind. me and crossed my arms. “What story?”

“It’s one my mother told me when I was young,” Becky replied, and then she cleared her throat. “I was so little when I heard it that I had to make sure I wasn’t- imagining it. So, I went and spoke with my mother this morning. She told me that she couldn’t remember it clearly either, but after a while, she told me that she thinks Udosyn was actually the name of the poison?”

“I’m lost,” I admitted.

“Sorry,” Becky apologized, and she took a moment to collect herself. “It’s all a little hazy. But according to the story, as my mom remembers it, Udosyn was created by an academy of sorcery known as Ewonmiams. They were infamous for creating different kinds of poisons and drugs. Apparently, Udosyn was their most successful and dangerous one.”

“Hmm,” I remarked, and my eyebrows knitted together. “How did your mother know about this?”

“She used to be an assistant in the royal library,” my assistant answered, and she tucked a lock of dark red hair behind her ear. “I guess she read it in one of the books. But that was many years ago. She couldn’t remember the rest of the story.”

I nodded my head as I thought about it. I didn’t know much of anything about sorcery. Not many people in Wegalla did either for that matter. All I could recall was mentions of it from historical books. See, sorcery had been wiped out of the continent centuries ago because people believed it to be evil and a violation of the Moon Goddess’s blessings.

“Is there a way I could try to find the book your mother talked about?” I wondered, but Becky shook her head.

“The royal library can only be accessed by the royal family,” she replied with an apologetic glance. “You’d need permission from the Alpha King if you wanted to

visit.”

I nodded again. Of course. Things couldn’t be easy, especially here in Anemond. This place was full of secrets.

“Thank you for trying,” I said earnestly. “Seriously, Becky. I know it’s just a little information, but it might go a long way in helping us find the truth.”

“Of course,” Becky replied, and she offered me a smile. For a moment, she reminded me of Marley. My heart ached. I missed my friend dearly.

Just as I was about to put my goggles back on and turn back to my work, the doors of the laboratory flew open, and in burst Erika. The maid’s normally kind eyes were frantic, and her hair was falling out of

its perfect bun.

“Miss Ca ssandra,” she managed through heavy breath, and she took a moment to collect herself. “I’m so sorry to rush in like this.”

“Don’t apologize, Erika,” I assured her, and I rushed over to her side. “What’s going on? You seem stressed.”

“Forgive me for saying it, but I am,” Erika said. “I’m in a hurry and you need to be as well.”

“What do you mean?” I demanded. I hadn’t meant for my tone to be so harsh, but I was getting scared by the look on her face.

“Finnick fought with Prince Marco,” the maid revealed, and panic flooded through me.

No.

No, no, no.

I knew this would happen.

“Let’s go,” I said. I quickly peeled my white lab coat off and threw it to the closest counter, not caring much where it landed. Once it was off, I turned to Becky.

“I need to go,” I informed her. “Please, continue working on the research. I’ll be

back when I can.”

“Of course,” Becky agreed, and then she gestured to the door. “I’ve got this. Get going, Cas sandra.”

I nodded. “Right.”

Without another word, I followed Erika out the door and into the hall.

The laboratory was on the other side of the classrooms where Prince Marco’s lessons were held, so the maid and I had to hasten our paces. The halls were full of various guards and se rvants, and I had to maneuver around a handful of them to keep from tripping over myself. I’d never been graceful, and my sudden speed wasn’t helping things at all.

Meanwhile, I considered every possible scenario I could be walking into. I’d had a bad feeling about these lessons, and the idea of my boy getting into a fight with the Alpha King’s son filled me with utter dread.

What if Finnick had broken a bone? Or what if Marco had seriously hurt Finnick? If the first was true, we were likely in a heap of trouble that neither of us was prepared for. Laying a hand on a member of the royal family was a crime worthy of severe punishment. Even if Finnick was a child, I couldn’t protect him from this.

“Don’t panic,” I whispered to myself. “Breathe, Ca ss.”

Finally, Erika and I reached the classroom. When we burst through the doors, Adalyn was already there. The Alpha King’s wife had Prince Marco in her arms. The young boy was sobbing hysterically while Adalyn’s amber eyes were shooting daggers in Finnick’s direction. She looked as if she were prepared to spring at my son at any moment.

“What’s going on?” I demanded. I rushed to Finnick’s side and swept him in my arms wordlessly. Finnick’s solemn gray eyes were filled to the brim with tears, but they didn’t spill onto his cheeks.

“Mommy,” he whispered just loud enough for me to hear, and after he gave me a sad look, he turned to Adalyn. With how vicious the normally beautiful woman’s expression was, I half-expected Finnick to cry just as hard as Prince Marco, But my son was braver than the other boy. He managed to hold his head high and stare back at Adalyn as if he were older than his years.

When I turned my attention toward Adalyn, she offered me an even fiercer expression. Her amber eyes flashed and her lip curled into a snarl. Even from here, I could see her long nails had sharpened into claws.

“Look at what your filthy peasant son has done,” she snarled, and she gestured at Prince Marco, who was still sobbing. “He’s going to pay for laying a hand on my Marco.”

Chapter 44 Grievance

CA SSANDRA

As Adalyn continued to glare daggers in my direction, I turned to look at

Finnick.

“Did you lay a hand on Prince Marco?” I asked as evenly as I could possibly manage. Finnick took a moment and then shook his head.

“I didn’t do anything,” he said quietly, but his expression told a different story. Finnick tended to glance down at the ground when he was lying, and he’d done just that a moment ago. So, I took a breath and repeated myself.

“Finnick, this is serious,” I said in a much sterner tone. “I want the truth. Did you lay a hand on Prince Marco?”

Finnick took a moment of pause, and then he nodded.

“Sort of,” he admitted. “But it was just a light push, Mommy. And Marco hit me

first-”

“Prince Marco,” Adalyn corrected him through bared teeth, and then she rushed over to us. She seemed as if she were going to sn atch my son away, but held firm. and lifted him up before she could do anything.

I glared at Asher’s wife as she stopped in front of us. No one, royal or not, was going to lay a single finger on my son.

“I’ll take my son and leave-” I started to say, but as I turned to move, Adalyn’s hand clamped down on my shoulder.

“I’ll tell the Alpha King,” she spat. Her nails dug into my skin, but the pain didn’t matter. I was in protective mode and my only concern was my son.

“Tell him whatever you like,” I retorted, and I yanked my shoulder away with

impressive force. “But I’ll be taking my son away now.”

Prince Marco began to wail.

“My father is going to punish you!” he cried, and he pointed his finger at Finnick. “You’re going to be in trouble!”

Finnick opened his mouth to speak, but I shushed him immediately. I didn’t wait for Adalyn to dismiss me. I simply turned and rushed right out of the room and into the busy hallway. I walked as quickly as I could with Finnick in my arms, and I held him tightly against me.

“Mommy,” Finnick whimpered as I sped toward our chamber. “Mommy, I’m

sorry-”

“Why did you push Marco?” I asked him sternly.

“He deserved it,” Finnick insisted, but I wasn’t having it. I set him down on the ground and stared at him.

“There’s never an excuse for physical violence,” I chastised him. “Now, tell me Finnick, why did you push the prince?”

Finnick was quiet for a moment, and then he began to sniffle. It was soft at first, and then it grew a little louder. I paused for a moment and looked at him.

“Finnick?” I prompted him quietly.

When the tears fell down his cheeks, my heart began to ache. Finnick hardly ever cried.

“He was making fun of me,” Finnick revealed through his sniffs, and the whites of his eyes turned slightly red. “He laughed at me, Mommy, for not having a daddy. So, I told him that he was abandoned by his parents.”

I was shocked. I hadn’t realized Finnick had overheard what Erika had said to me last night. Even if I’d known, I’d never have expected him to repeat it back to Marco. Finnick wasn’t usually that mean.

“Finnick, that’s not okay,” I said loudly. “You don’t say things like that to people.”

Anger swelled within me. I didn’t understand what had gotten into Finnick. I hardly ever raised my voice, but my son needed to know he was in trouble.

Finnick knew right away and suddenly began to s ob.

“I hate you, Mommy!” he exclaimed, and before I could say anything else, he

took off down the hall toward our chamber.

“Finnick!” I called after him, but it was no use. Tears welled in my own eyes. My worst fears were coming true.

This place was toxic.

Footsteps rang out behind me, and I readied myself for the stern hands of guards, but when I turned, it was just Erika.

“Are you okay?” she asked, and when I shook my head she sighed. “Shhh… don’t cry. Finnick didn’t mean it. The boy is young.”

“He’s never said that to me,” I whispered through my cries.

“I know,” she assured me. “He’s not that kind of boy. I must tell you, Ca ssandra.. This is all my fault. I stepped out of the classroom to grab some water and left the boys alone. I didn’t expect them to quarrel.”

The maid looked terrified and I didn’t blame her. Adalyn was on the war path and would likely seek revenge on anyone involved in the situation.

“It’s not your fault,” I said as I wiped my cheeks. “Thank you for getting me. I appreciate it. I’ll handle Finnick from here.”

“Okay,” Erika said, and she offered me a small, apologetic smile. “Thank you, Ca ssandra. Please, take care.”

The maid turned and walked down the hall. Once she was gone, I continued toward my chamber.

When I got there, Finnick was in bed with his head buried in his blanket. I quietly closed the door behind me and then approached.

“Finnick?” I called out softly. “Finnick, I’m sorry.”

Finnick raised his head up slowly. I took a seat beside him on the bed and we

sat there in silence for a minute or two.

“Why didn’t you tell me you overheard us last night?” I asked. “And why would. you repeat our words back to Marco?”

Finnick sniffled. “Marco is always saying bad things about you, Mommy. I… just wanted to say bad things to him too.”

I swept him into my arms. “Honey, it doesn’t work like that. I know you meant well, but you can’t say things like that to people, even if they’re mean. You also shouldn’t keep things from me-”

Finnick squirmed. “You always keep things from me, Mommy.”

I was taken aback. He was right. I was so full of secrets l,could hardly breathe.

“I’m sorry,” I apologized. “I’m sorry, baby.”

“I’m sorry too,” he whispered. “I should probably say that to Marco too.”

“When the opportunity presents itself, you should,” I agreed. “For right now, everyone needs to take some time to cool down.”

“Mommy, did Daddy leave because he didn’t like me?” Finnick wondered, and my heart ached again.

“Why would you say that?” I asked in shock.

“Because that’s what Marco said,” he replied.

“That’s not true,” I assured him, but he didn’t seem convinced.

“Daddy never seemed to like me,” he said.

I sat there in surprise for a moment as Finnick’s words settled in.

Emmett had never been good with emotions. He only seemed to care about two things- his patients and his career. In fact, he never showed much affection for Finnick or me for that matter. Of course,

he’d never wanted to marry or have

children in the first place, but that wasn’t fair

for Finnick.

I considered my words carefully. Emmett hadn’t been a great example of loving parenting, but I wasn’t like him.

“Finnick, Daddy loved you very much,” I assured him softly. “He just didn’t know how to express it.”

“Promise me you aren’t lying,” Finnick whispered.

“I’m not,” I said, even though I wasn’t convinced.

I hadn’t completely lied to him. If it weren’t for the inferno that’d destroyed my life, Asher could have been a loving father to Finnick. That much was obvious by the

way he treated Prince Marco.

Bitterness rose up in me again.

It always came back to the inferno.

Finnick nodded carefully. “Mommy, it’s sad and lonely here. Can we visit Anemond?”

“I don’t know, baby,” I said. “I’m sorry I’ve been so busy. I just have a lot of work to do-

“Oh,” Finnick whispered, and he bit his lower lip. He was so crestfallen that I needed to find something to cheer him up. Palace life wasn’t easy and I knew he was homesick and lonely. I had to do something to reassure him.

“I’ll talk to the Alpha King, okay Finnick?” I said as I drew him into an embrace.

“We’ll find a time to visit Anemond. I promise.”

Chapter 45 Telltale

ASHER

As the Alpha King of Wegalla, I often had to endure things that I didn’t want to, and this meeting was no exception.

I wasn’t usually one to drift off during important conversation, but this particular one wasn’t holding me as much as I wished for it to.

I’d invited a few of my more trusted councilors into my study to discuss some business, and as I sat back in the leather armchair at my desk, their discussion danced by my ears. I’d had the housekeepers make some rearrangements, so the councilmen were seated around me rather than all of us sitting in the more informal seating area of my study.

I fidgeted in my seat. These days, I was more restless than I’d ever been. There was much to attend to, but ever since the viper attack in Rosepetal’s garden with Ca ssandra Keller, I’d been off my game.

“Your Majesty?” one of my councilors, an older gentleman named Jacoby prompted me out of my stupor. His dark eyes were wide with concern as they studied me, and I straightened my posture so he wouldn’t get the wrong impression.

“Yes, sorry,” I apologized, and I waved my hand. “Please, repeat what you said.”

“We were just discussing the forthcoming visit, Your Highness,” Jacoby managed as he glanced at the other three councilors in confusion.

In a few days, the Crescent Pack, and Anemond for that matter, would be receiving a group of diplomats from North, Yurene. The group used to be a small pack, but their old Alpha was very warlike

and vicious. In the last few decades, their numbers had grown as they’d annexed several packs in its vicinity.

Normally, this wouldn’t be perceived as an issue, but their new king, who’d just

ascended took the throne a mere year ago, seemed to prefer another way of taking. lands from other Packs. They made “peaceful” diplomatic relations with the Pack they wanted to annex and then broke it down, economically and then physically.

I’d received their request to visit a month ago.

“What do you have to say about the meeting?” I prompted my councilors, and each exchanged nervous looks with one another

“If you don’t mind my being candid, Your Majesty, I must say that I don’t think this is the best idea,” Jacoby said slowly.

“I have to agree with Jacoby, Your Majesty,” Aremine, another older councilor.. added quietly. His tone was even more timid than Jacoby’s but his fierce blue eyes told another story. Aremine had been around since my father had been in power, and I considered him to be one of the wisest men in the room,

“Explain,” I said simply, and I crossed my arms against my chest.

“Well, Your Majesty, this visit may have ill intentions,” Aremine said. “Their Pack has a documented history of using these visits as a jumping off point before they try to seize further land for their gain. This could be their play now-”

“We don’t know that for sure,” Karsh, the youngest of the councilors spoke up. “This could be a peaceful meeting of leaders-”

“Be serious,” Aremine snapped, and his brow furrowed after he rolled his eyes.

“I am,” Karsh insisted. “It would be st upid of them to play the same tricks here in Wegalla. The empire is too strong to be defeated.”

“Such is true,” Jacoby remarked, but he didn’t seem completely sure. He was playing the two sides of the debate too evenly, but that was in his nature.

“The empire is strong,” Aremine allowed, but then he turned to me. “But Your Majesty, there’s strength in numbers, and their Pack certainly has them. Should we allow them to come here to Anemond?”

“If we don’t seize the opportunity to guide their visit, they’ll simply come here by force,” I said with a sigh. “It’s better for them to be here right under my nose rather than behind my back.”

“Wise words, Your Majesty,” Karsh chimed in, and Aremine rolled his eyes again.

“How do you suggest we treat the diplomats, Your Majesty?” he asked me. “As friends? Welcome guests? Or should we be much fiercer in our interactions? Intimidation is a worthy tool-”

“Sure, until they speak bad things about Wegalla when they return to their own country,” Jacoby said. “This will only hurt the empire’s image and bring about more chaos!”

As the councilors debated how to handle the visit, I closed my eyes and leaned back in my chair. As the cold leather hit my skin, a sigh of relief escaped me. My head was beginning to ache again

As bad as it was to admit, I didn’t care about the diplomats from Yurene, not even a little bit. The whole country was no matter to me. Besides, Karsh was right. Wegalla wouldn’t easily be taken down by a small country’s nasty tricks. T

My councilors always worried too much, and they tended to drag out simple meetings over the span of days. But I couldn’t exactly dismiss them, not when I needed their advice.

Suddenly, a knock was heard at the door and the councilors stopped speaking.

“Who is it?” I demanded in annoyance, and I pinched the bridge of my nose between my fingers.

What now?

“It’s Merle, Your Majesty,” one of my guards answered from the other side. “I have Prince Marco here to speak with you. He says it’s urgent.”

glad to have some

I exhaled. Though I didn’t know what was going on, I was glad reprieve from this meeting.

“Send him in,” I called out, and then I turned to my council. “You’re all

dismissed.”

The councilors obediently rose to their feet and hurried out of the room. Just as they left, Marco burst into the room and rushed over to me.

“Daddy!” he sobbed as he barelled into me. A small gasp escaped me upon impact and annoyance bloomed in my mind.

“What’s going on?” I demanded. Moments later, Adalyn appeared in the doorway. Her cat-like eyes were ablaze with anger and her arms were crossed against her chest. I waved her forward. “Come in.”

Adalyn skulked into the room and immediately, I knew I was too tired to deal with this.

“What’s going on?” I asked again.

“It’s that Ca ssandra Keller,” Adalyn spit. “And her little mutt of a son.”

All the while, Marco sobbed and tugged at my shirt.

“He wanted to kill me!” he cried out. “Finnick wanted to kill me!

“How?” I demanded as I tried to wrap my brain around the situation.

“He pushed me,” Marco explained. “Hard!”

“What?” I frowned. “Why would he-”

“He humiliated Marco,” Adalyn chimed in.

“How did Finnick Keller do that?” I demanded as my head began to pulse with pain. I was tired of this interaction already and no one was speaking plainly.

“H-he told Marco he was adopted,” Adalyn said.

I frowned. How did Finnick Keller know this? Surely it wasn’t a secret, but how

would a young child like him know about this?

“It had to have been his peasant mother,” Adalyn continued. “Surely she planted such words in his head.”

Ca ssandra?

There was no way she would have done such a thing, I just knew it. Something more was going on here.

“Take Marco to his room,” I ordered, and then I turned to the prince. “And stop crying. You aren’t hurt. Besides, you’re old enough to handle things yourself. Fight back rather than cry.”

Marco stopped immediately and nodded.

I wasn’t sure what was going on, but things were strange around here. I needed to get to the bottom of this mess.