Ch. 46..50: Alpha King’s Lost Luna Chapter 46-50

Chapter 46 Do you care?

CA SSANDRA

As I stood outside Asher’s study, my heart beat like a drum. I was there to ask the Alpha King for permission to both visit the royal library and take a day off of my duties to show Finnick Anemond, and I was incredibly anxious. I had no idea if Prince Marco or Adalyn had come to him to report what had happened between the boys yesterday, and I wasn’t sure how Asher had taken it if they had.

I took a long, deep breath and then knocked on the door. A moment or two passed and then the door creaked open. Asher stood on the other side.

“Ca ssandra,” he greeted me calmly. “Come in.”

and

He inclined his head toward the study and held the door open for me. I crossed the threshold carefully and glanced around the room. Everything seemed as normal and there didn’t seem to be any weirdness in the air.

Once the door was closed behind us, Asher took a seat at his desk and turned his attention to a stack of documents in front of him. I’d half-expected his steel-like gray eyes to glare at me when I entered, but the Alpha King didn’t seem all that interested in my presence.

“Take a seat,” he instructed absently. “I need to finish some signatures.”

I did as I was told, and as I sat there, I wasn’t sure how to proceed. Did I need to speak up about the incident or should I wait for him to bring it up? Which option. would be perceived better?

Asher got up and left the study before I could make that decision. My foot -bounced as I waited for him to return and I carefully folded my hands in my lap. I

needed to calm down if I was going to handle all of this professionally.

The Alpha King returned five minutes later and then sat back down at his desk.

“My apologies,” he said as he swept his dark brown hair away from his

handsome face. “Now, why are you here, Ca ssandra? Health checks aren’t until next

week.”

“I’m here to ask you a couple of favors, Your Majesty,” I replied politely, and Asher raised a dark eyebrow.

“Oh?”

I nodded. “Yes. First of all, I wanted to ask if I could have access to the royal library. For a visit, anyways.”

“The royal library?” he repeated back. “What ever for?”

I quickly explained Becky’s findings about Udosyn, and as I shared the story, Asher listened intently. His frown only deepened with every sentence and heat rose to my cheeks in anticipation. Did he think we were speaking nonsense? Or that Udosyn was a fairytale meant to stay hidden?

“Okay,” he remarked, and his expression softened as he gave me a thoughtful nod. “You have my permission. I’ll let the librarian know you’re coming.”

“Thank you,” I said in surprise. I hadn’t expected that to go as well as it did. Normally there was resistance or further questioning, but Asher seemed perfectly calm.

“Now, you mentioned you had multiple things to request,” Asher brought up, and he smirked. “What else can I do for you, Ca ssandra?”

My new name on his tongue sent a tingle down my entire body, and for a moment, I had to remind myself to behave. He was looking so incredibly handsome in his sapphire blue button-down shirt, and I couldn’t help but notice the way the color set off his eyes.

I cleared my throat and my mind. I needed to focus.

“I also would like a few days to explore Anemond with my son,” I stated. “He’s never been to the city before and he asked if we could go. Is that alright?”

Asher considered the idea and then nodded. “Yes, that’s fine by me. You could use some days off after how hard you’ve been working. Feel free to travel the city.”

For a moment, I was a little shocked. I expected more resistance, but he seemed perfectly fine with my requests, and on top of that, he was giving me a little praise?

What was going on?

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” I said again, and then we fell into silence. I wasn’t sure what else to say. Lately, every time I was around him, I was reminded of our passionate kissing session. His sighs, his groans, the way his mouth had felt on my neck, my breasts… it was hard to push out of my mind.

“Is there anything else?” the Alpha King asked finally.

I snapped back into reality and considered my next move. As much as I didn’t want to, we needed to acknowledge the incident between our sons.

So, I cleared my throat again and told him everything. I tried to remain as

I

neutral about the matter as possible, and as I explained what had happened, Asher simply nodded his head.

Once I was finished, he smirked.

“I already knew all of this,” he admitted.

I gulped. “You… you did?”

Was he going to punish us for what Finnick had done after all?

“Yes,” he replied, and then he frowned. “Why were Finnick and Marco together in the first place?”

“It was Lady Margaret’s idea,” I explained. “She generously offered for Finnick to join Prince Marco’s studies.”

“Ah,” Asher murmured, almost as if he already knew. His eyes dropped to the

floor for a moment and then went back to me. “Ca ssandra, I have another question for you, one I don’t understand exactly. Was it you who told Finnick about Marco’s background? And if so… how did you come by this information?”

My heart stopped in my chest. I had no idea how to answer him without incriminating Erika and I didn’t want Finnick to get punished after all.

But I had to be truthful.

“It’s my fault,” I said, and Asher frowned.

“Why did you tell Finnick?” he asked. “And how did you find out?”

His eyes held mine, and for a moment, I thought my breath would stop. Before I could utter a word, Asher rose from his chair.

“Ca ssandra, do you really care if Marco is my son?” he asked.

My eyes broke contact with his as I searched for the right words to say. How could I handle this without offending or hurting someone?

“I just heard the information from someone else,” I admitted vaguely. “But I don’t care, Your Majesty, that Marco is adopted.”

chin.

Asher approached me slowly, as if he were stalking his prey, and raised his

“Do you care about what goes on between me and Adalyn? That the child isn’t biologically ours?”

A lump formed in my throat.

Did I care about it?

My brain spun in circles as I tried to make sense of all of this. Maybe I did, maybe not. I wasn’t sure. But there was one thing I knew for certain, I had to answer the Alpha King. I couldn’t refuse him, not any longer.

So, I raised my chin.

“I was just surprised, that’s all,” I remarked. “You and Lady Adalyn make the perfect couple. I assumed that Marco was yours.”

My lower lip trembled but I managed to keep calm as Asher stared into my eyes. He held my gaze for what felt like an eternity and then waved his hand.

“You’re free to go, Ca ssandra,” he murmured.

Chapter 47 Pet store

CA SSANDRA

As the days went by, I couldn’t get the cold look on Asher’s face out of my mind. It lingered there like a ghost and haunted my every move.

The way he’d dismissed me, the way his lips had drawn into a thin line…

But what else had he expected me to do? I didn’t want to stay here or compète with Adalyn for his affection. I wanted to complete my research, find a cure for the Alpha King’s mysterious condition, and leave Anemond for good.

And yet, the image of Asher’s face made my heart wrench.

“Mommy!” Finnick called out and interrupted my thoughts. I shifted my attention to my son and forced a smile. He was dressed up in brand new clothes and his normally serious face was bright and cheery.

Though I tried to replicate his enthusiasm, he saw through me right away, and

his smile turned into a frown.

“Mommy,” he complained. “What’s wrong? You’ve been so distracted.”

It was an intelligent observation and I knew I needed to save face.

“I’m sorry baby,” I apologized. “I’ve just been so busy that I’m a little tired. But you look so nice in your new clothes.”

Finnick’s frown shifted back into a grin.

It was true. He’d been gifted a whole set of new clothing from the royal staff, and he looked like a proper young man. Today, he’d chosen a pair of tan trousers and a navy blue sweater that made his eyes even more gray than usual.

“Thanks, Mommy,” he said.

I smoothed down the front of my own new sweater. Mine was a similar knit, but instead of blue, it was a nice deep green.

“Are you ready to go?” I asked, and when Finnick nodded, my smile was genuine. His excitement touched my heart and healed a little bit of the hurt from

Asher.

“Grab your jacket,” I advised. “We need to be prepared for it to be a little chilly.”

“Yes, Mommy,” Finnick replied, and after he grabbed his jacket, I double-checked my purse and made sure I had everything necessary. Once I was certain I was ready, I grabbed my own jacket and took my son’s hand in mine.

We stepped out of the room and into the busy hall, and then we made our way to the entrance of the palace.

Finnick and I were going to visit the main street of Anemond. Much to my relief the hunting festival had just ended, so it wouldn’t be as bustling as usual.

As we left the palace and made our way through the grounds and toward the city, I was reminded of when I was a child. Back then, there would be a festival market on the main street with different and wonderfully interesting things for sale. Trinkets, books, exotic taxidermied animals, and various other

wares filled the many stalls and carts posted up on the streets, along with areas for food and beverages. made from precious plants that only grew in the hunting zone of the forest.

Along with the things for sale, there were talent shows and performances that I watched with curious eyes. It was an exciting time here in Anemond, and I felt a strange feeling come over me as I thought about it all. It felt like another life, another century when I’d been a part of that.

When we finally made it to the main street, my jaw dropped a little.

It was just as bustling as the hunting festival.

Hundreds of people filled the streets, maneuvering around each other like schools of fish. For a moment, I was a little overwhelmed by the sheer amount of activity, and when I looked down at Finnick, I expected the same reaction. But much

to my surprise, Finnick was thrilled. His eyes were wide and his infectious smile was on full display.

I couldn’t blame him. Back in Wild Crawler territory, we didn’t have markets like

this.

“Stay close to me,” I advised him, and after he nodded back, I took a deep breath, and we walked into the market.

gripped Finnick’s hand tightly as we made our way into the crowd.

He tugged on me more than usual and with the other hand, he pointed out all of the various stalls and displays. He was in awe of everything, just as I’d been when I

was young.

Various smells danced through the air, and with them, a chorus of music from a few musicians perched in the center of the market. Their exotic instruments sent a chill down my spine. This was all too familiar.

I let Finnick guide me over to a shop nearby, and when we stopped in front of it, my jaw nearly dropped again and my eyes widened.

Through the shop’s window, I could see they were selling adorable puppies. When my eyes flew to the sign above the door, a strange feeling went through me.

I didn’t think the shop still existed.

I’d visited this place with my father and brother when I was young.

Back then, Ector and I had dragged Father to the shop. It took a lot of convincing but he finally caved and took us there. The moment we stepped foot in the shop, Ector and I were absolutely enamored by the cute puppies, and we desperately wanted Father to buy one for us.

Our family had raised several ferocious hounds over the years that would aid well in battles, but we’d never had a puppy before.

We did our best to convince him, but Father didn’t think it was a good idea.

Back then, he’d told us it was because they both were over the age of fifteen at that time. Ector would soon be old enough to be recruited as a young warrior, and as such he would be sent on missions that would keep him from taking care of a puppy. As for me, I would soon be considered a young lady and my duties would keep me from also taking care of an animal.

As he listed the reasons, Ector and I knew he was right.

But in the end, I knew the decision wasn’t because of Ector’s upcoming military

recruitment.

Finnick stared through the window with enormous eyes, and I recognized that look immediately. Back in Wild Crawler, Finnick had begged for a pet, but Emmett had always refused. While he was great with healing people, he wasn’t a fan of animals.

My son turned his attention to me, and I shook my head lightly. I didn’t want to disappoint him, but I had no choice.

“Honey, we can’t have a puppy right now,” I said gently. “We live in the palace

and we can’t do whatever we want. Maybe once we settle down-”

“What if we ask the Alpha King?” Finnick pleaded.

“I don’t think so, sweetheart,” I replied. “He’s a very busy man with much bigger things to worry about. I don’t think he would have the time to hear about a thing like this right now.”

I knew there was a possibility I could ask Asher for this favor, but also… I couldn’t face him, not right now.

Not after our encounter.

As Finnick frowned and I contemplated my situation with the Alpha King yet again, the chiming of bells rang out, and a man stepped out of the shop.

He looked at Finnick and smiled. “Would you like to take a look inside?”

Chapter 48 Kidnapper

CA SSANDRA

As the shopkeeper stared at us expectantly, a pit formed in my stomach. I wanted to turn down the man’s offer and was about to open my mouth to do just that, but before the words could leave my mouth, Finnick jumped excitedly.

“Yes!” he declared, and then he whipped back around to look at me. “Just one look, Mommy, pleaaaaaase?”

My son’s storm-gray eyes were as wide as the puppies’ in the window. He wasn’t normally one to beg so I was a little taken aback by his demeanor, but I was struggling to refuse his request. It wasn’t very often we were able to do something like this.

“You don’t have to take one home with you today, kind lady,” the shopkeeper addressed me gently. “You’re more than welcome to join the boy and look.”

I considered the idea for a moment and then nodded. “Thank you for your

kindness.”

I took Finnick’s hand in mine and the two of us followed the man into his shop. As we crossed the threshold, I couldn’t help but remember being here when I was young. The shop looked exactly the same, but the gentle older lady who ran it didn’t appear to be around.

The moment the doors closed behind us, the puppies in the pen began to bark.

Their hackles raised and their tails thrashed as if we were intruders instead of

visitors. Finnick stiffened beside me, a little taken aback by the sound.

“It’s okay, honey,” I whispered gently, and I squeezed Finnick’s hand.

“They’re just a little excited,” the shopkeeper explained to us when we stopped in ront of the pen. “It’s been a slow day today and they haven’t seen many people.”

I was surprised by his explanation. The main street was full of so many people. It struck me as odd that this shop hadn’t been more popular on a day like today. Had

their customer base dwindled?

Finnick tugged on my sleeve. “Mommy, can I pet them?”

“We’ll have to ask the nice man,” I answered softly, and when I turned to look at the shopkeeper, he gave me a small nod of approval. I then turned back to Finnick. “Now, you’ll have to be very gentle, okay? They’re just babies.”

“I will,” Finnick promised, and then he turned to the shopkeeper. “Thank you!”

He smiled. “Of course, young man.”

Finnick wasted no time after that and hustled right over to the pen of puppies. The little dogs swarmed toward him, and their body language, shifted from guarded to ready for love. They all jumped up and began to beg for his attention.

My son giggled in delight, and my lips curled into a smile. I knew it was going to be hard to drag him away from all of this when the time came, but for now, he deserved to feel the joy of being a child. Life in Anemond had been so difficult lately. He deserved some happiness, if only for a moment.

A tiny brown puppy made its way into Finnick’s arms and my heart panged at the sight of them together. The animal was a fluffy little thing with big black eyes. and a wet pink tongue that licked Finnick all over.

Finnick was delighted as the puppy squirmed around in his lap. It wasn’t long before he turned to face me with a hopeful expression and it took all of my effort to keep from caving in. I simply shook my head and offered him ah apologetic glance.

“We can maybe get you some new toys from the market, but we can’t get a puppy,” I explained. “I’m sorry, honey.”

“Oh,” Finnick sighed, dejected, and suddenly, his eyes began to water. The sight of him so sad was almost enough to bring me to tears as well. I wished nothing more than to be able to get him a companion, but we couldn’t.

Moments later, the shopkeeper approached me and offered me a kind expression and a cup of steaming tea.

“It’s okay, my lady,” he assured me, and then he gestured to the cup. “Would you like a cup of chamomile? It’s awfully cold out there.”

“Thank you,” I said gratefully, and I accepted the cup. “That’s very kind of you to

offer.”

“It’s no trouble at all,” he replied.

I didn’t think anything of it, but when I raised the cup to my lips, the steam reached my nose, and the smell of the tea caught me off guard. It smelled strange, nothing like chamomile.

I frowned and lowered the cup. Something wasn’t right, I could feel it in my bones.

Suddenly, a figure appeared out of nowhere and rushed toward my son. Before I could react, the young woman grabbed him and glared at me. Her light brown eyes

were full of malice and she laughed cruelly as Finnick tried to break free from her

–

hold. That laugh only grew louder as he screamed.

“Finnick!” I cried out, and I started to rush to him, but I was stopped when the shopkeeper stepped in front of me.

“You’ve certainly changed, haven’t you?” he said cryptically as his lips curled into a mean smile. “Emmett Keller sure did help with that, didn’t he?”

My eyes widened as his words sank in.

This man knew Emmett?

I knew at once from his cruel gaze that this man wasn’t the shopkeeper and that Finnick wasn’t his true target.

I was.

“What do you want?” I pleaded. “I’ll do anything, just let my son go.”

“I know who you really are,” the man sneered and he leaned in closer. “And if you don’t come with me, your son will pay for it. Someone wishes to see you-”

“Who?” I interrupted, but the man’s eyes narrowed.

“You’ll know that soon enough,” he retorted. “Now, what’s it going to be?”

“I’ll come with you,” I blurted out, fully knowing there wasn’t any other choice. “But please, let my son go. Please.”

hair.

The man stared at me for a moment and then ran his hand through his black

“Fine,” he replied, and then he signaled at the young woman. “Let the child go.”

The woman released her hold and Finnick rushed to me with impressive speed.

“Mommy!” Finnick exclaimed as he ran right into me.

“It’s okay, baby,” I tried to soothe him as he began to cry. “Shhh.”

Finnick’s body wracked with s obs and I held him close. This was a nightmare, the kind that only Anemond could provide.

“Don’t try to play any kind of tricks,” the man advised with a shake of his head. “They won’t go over well. Just follow me.”

I nodded my head and then took Finnick’s hand. I didn’t want to comply, but I

had no choice.

We followed the man toward the back door of the shop, and once we got closer, I caught sight of an old woman- the real shopkeeper from my memory- tied up with rope in the corner. Her mouth was taped closed and she thrashed as her eyes widened in my direction. Beyond us, the puppies barked again, and my mind was overwhelmed by everything.

As the man opened the door, I knew I couldn’t follow.

I had to fight.

So, I picked Finnick up, and once he was secured against me, I lunged, kicked the man as hard as I could, and then rushed out the door as he bellowed.

“Come back!” he screamed as I ran.

 

Chapter 49 Saved by a stranger

CA SSANDRA

Finnick cried in my arms and I wanted to soothe him, but we had to get as far away from this situation as possible.

The back door of the shop out into a small alley. There was little room between the buildings at all, but I could spy a way out in the distance. I just needed to get us back out to the main street, and then we could disappear into the crowd of people

and leave the crazed man and woman behind.

“Hang tight, baby,” I urged Finnick as I braced him against me. He sobbed quietly in my arms but kept his grip around me obediently.

“M-Mommy, who are those people?” he whimpered as he buried his head into my neck. “Why are we running?”

“I don’t know, honey,” I said. “Just stay quiet and close your eyes.”

The young woman suddenly rushed out into the alley with us. I continued to walk backward slowly.

“Please,” I begged her. “We don’t have to do this. We could forget about this entire thing-”

“I don’t think so,” the young woman retorted, her eyes full of venom as they bore into mine with sharp intensity. “You’re not getting away from me that easily.”

I took a breath as I continued to walk backward. She was moving slow for now, but her crazed expression told me this was about to be a chase.

“Help!” I cried out as loudly as my lungs would allow. “Help us!”

The woman laughed. “No one is coming to save you!”

“Help!” I called out again, and when my call was unanswered, I knew I had no

choice but to save myself. I turned around in one swift motion and took off down the

alleyway.

Make it to the main street, I repeated to myself in my mind. Just make it to the

main street.

I could hear the young woman chasing after us and my heart beat like a drum with every stride.

What was happening?

What had we done to deserve this?

Desperation flooded through me as I ran and tears sprang out of my eyes as Finnick sobbed in confusion.

I

The footsteps behind me suddenly got louder, and when I turned around, the woman was a mere ten feet away.

“Please, don’t,” I begged again. The woman’s vicious smile widened. “Sorry,” she mocked, but before she could get any closer a trio of figures emerged from the shadows. Their movements were swift, and they descended upon the woman. quickly and threw her to the ground.

“Mommy, what’s-”

“Shhh,” I instructed Finnick as I held him close.

It was all happening so fast that I couldn’t keep up. I took steps backward as the fight ensued. It was all a blur of limbs and shouts that lasted maybe thirty seconds at the most. Adrenaline surged through me.

When my eyes managed to focus, I watched the young woman scramble to her feet and flee.

Whoever these guys were, she didn’t want anything to do with them.

Fear flooded through me. What was all of that? And who were they?

The trio of men approached us once she was gone, but though their body language and statues were fierce and tough, their expressions held no malice.

I frowned as I took in their appearances. Each of the men had long, shiny hair that fell nearly to their waist, and they wore clothing that was much different than those we wore here in Wegalla. Their leather attire was lined with dark fur, and they wore tall boots that rose past their knees. On the breasts of their strange coats was a deep green, swirling insignia I didn’t recognize.

Who were they?

Were they foreigners?

Suddenly, there was a noise behind me, and I turned to see a tall man standing about ten feet beyond us. I nearly jumped out of my skin in surprise. His face was concealed by shadows and I braced for trouble when I noticed the

heavily-weaponed guards around him.

men.

However, the tall man paid me no heed and instead looked out at the trio of

“Find the woman and the man she’s working with,” he commanded. “Make sure.

they don’t escape.”

“Yes, sir,” the trio of muscular men said in unison, and then without another word, they rushed back down the alley.

A lump formed in my throat.

What just happened?

The man stepped out of the shadows and into the light, and a gasp escaped me. He was easily the tallest man I’d ever seen in my life. He was handsome in a rugged way, with shiny light brown hair that was just as long as the others. His skin was tan but heavily freckled and his eyes were a beautiful shade of navy blue.

“Are you alright?” the man asked me in a heavily accented voice.

I managed a nod after a moment. “Yes. Thank you for saving me.”

“I take it you didn’t know those people?” he asked, and when I nodded again, he raised his eyebrow. “Hmm. I see. It must have been some sort of attempted robbery then. Perhaps werewolf trafficking. I must admit I’m surprised. I didn’t expect the Wegalla Empire to be this chaotic.”

He laughed and then the rest of his men joined in.

I was still a little alarmed by everything, but the man’s casual air helped put me

at ease.

When the laughter stopped, the man turned back to me.

“I’m sorry to be rude,” he apologized. “Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kaleb Adams.”

He extended his hand toward mine and I accepted it gratefully.

“Ca ssandra Keller,” I replied.

“Ca ssandra,” he repeated back and then he looked down the alley. “Ca ssandra, may I accompany you back to the market? It’s dangerous for a young lady with a child to be walking alone in Anemond.”

“Thank you for your generosity,” I said quickly. “It’s very kind of you to offer. I should probably try to get back home. My son is awfully upset and it’s been a long day.”

Finnick sniffled in my arms but maneuvered himself so he could face Kaleb. His eyes were red but his expression was calm. He was putting on a brave face for our company, and I couldn’t help but admire his efforts.

“It would be my pleasure,” Kaleb pressed. I considered his offer for a moment. more and then gestured down the alley.

“There’s an old woman tied up in the shop up there,” I remembered. “I think she could use some help.”

“I’ll send my men to help her,” Kaleb said immediately, and then with one nod, his men scrambled down the alley toward the shop.

air.

“Perhaps we should go help them-” I said, but Kaleb raised his large hand in the

“My men will be returning in a moment,” he announced, and then he cleared his throat. “The ones who went after the woman and the man, I mean. I’m not sure how to handle them once they’ve returned.”

It was a dilemma for sure. They needed to face some kind of consequences, but I couldn’t risk them revealing their true intentions to anyone. They claimed they knew my identity, my true one.

I opened my mouth to offer a suggestion, but before the words could escape my mouth, the trio of men from earlier returned to the alley. My eyes widened in horror as they grew closer.

In their hands were a pair of limp bodies.

“Keep your eyes shut,” I urged Finnick.

The bodies of the man and woman were soaked in rich dark blood. My stomach turned at the sight and I fought back bile.

saya

“Are those the ones who-” Kaleb started to say and I nodded before he could finish his sentence.

I was shocked. Did they kill themselves because their mission failed? Or were they killed by someone else?

I gulped. This was a terrifying situation.

I never should have left the palace.

“I need to go,” I managed to say through my fear. “Thank you for helping me, but I need to get out of here.”

“Where do you live?” Kaleb asked. “We could give you a ride.”

“I live in the royal palace,” I answered. “I work there as a healer. It isn’t too far from here. I could walk back easily.”

A strange expression crossed the tall man’s face and then he smiled.

“What a coincidence,” he said. “My destination is also the palace.”

Chapter 50 King of Yurene

CA SSANDRA

As much as I wanted to return to the palace on my own, I couldn’t deny Kaleb’s offer to escort Finnick and me. The tall man was kind and besides, he was flanked by a group of muscular men who could defend us against any further threats. I couldn’t allow myself to risk Finnick’s safety again.

As we walked, I couldn’t help but wonder who Kaleb was. The foreign man had to be someone important if he had all of those guards to attend and protect him. Everything about him was poised and proper, and I admired the strong way he held himself as he strode. Normally, those with a stature that tall tended to slouch to make themselves smaller. But Kaleb held himself regally and proud.

Kaleb chattered on as we moved through the thrall of the market. He was making many observations about our surroundings and about Anemond in general, which told me he was new to our lands. Every person we passed by stared at him with curiosity. I couldn’t blame them. Their height, hair, and attire made them stick out like a sore thumb even in a crowd like this.

to ic

I wanted in on the conversation, but I didn’t feel quite up to talking. I was still so overwhelmed by everything that had happened today in the alley.

However, I couldn’t remain silent forever. It was impolite to keep

quiet to

Kaleb mused on about Wegalla, especially after he’d gone through all of the effort to

save me.

So, I answered the questions he had as well as I could.

As we chatted politely, I set Finnick down and let him walk beside me. I gripped his hand tighter than usual, but my son didn’t seem to mind. His pallor was paler than usual, not that I could blame him. I was ready to get him back to the palace as quickly as possible and in the safety of our chambers.

Merliscire was full of terrors and dangers of its own, but at least I didn’t have to

worry about back alley assassins and potential kidnappers.

It took us nearly twenty minutes, but we finally arrived at the gates of the palace. The moment we approached, a se rvant appeared from the shadows. Though I didn’t know his name, I’d seen his young face around the palace quite often.

“Healer Ca ssandra,” he greeted me with a warm smile. “Welcome back.”

Suddenly, his expression shifted when he noticed Kaleb and his group of guards. The young man studied them for a second and then frowned.

Kaleb didn’t seem to notice the strangeness in his gaze.

“Where is the Alpha King?” he asked the se rvant bluntly, and we were all a little taken aback by his question.

“I beg your pardon, sir?” the se rvant asked, and then he cleared his throat. “Who are you?”

Kaleb held his chin up ever so slightly. “My name is Kaleb Adams.”

The se rvant’s skin paled and his eyes grew wide. He began to shake a little and then bowed in respect.

“M-my apologies, my Lord,” he stammered. “I didn’t mean to be so rude.”

Lord?

Kaleb was a lord?

I turned to look at him with confusion, but Kaleb merely smiled and shrugged. This day was proving to be a strange one indeed and I was ready to return to my chambers and breathe.

“Please follow me,” the se rvant waved us on.

Our group crossed through the gate, and the moment they closed behind us, I

breathed a sigh of relief, and Finnick did the same.

“I’m glad we’re back, Mommy,” he whispered.

“Me too, honey,” I said quietly, and I squeezed his hand.

The moment we stepped foot into the entryway of the palace, I felt myself growing antsy. I lingered there with the group for a moment and then I turned to Kaleb.

“Thank you so much again for saving us,” I said kindly but firmly, and then I gave him a small, apologetic smile. “If you’ll please excuse me, I need to be going.”

“Of course,” Kaleb replied. He reached out and took my free hand in his, raised it to his lips, and kissed it. Heat spread to my cheeks as his deep blue eyes stared into mine.

look forward to meeting you again, Ca ssandra Keller.”

“Y-you as well,” I stammered. When he dropped my hand, I gave a small bow of respect and then looked down at Finnick. “Let’s go.”

Finnick nodded in relief, and then the pair of us ascended the staircase.

When we returned to our chambers, we were surprised to see Erika waiting for us. We’d originally invited the maid to join us in the market, but she’d told us that she wasn’t a fan of being in crowds, so she politely declined.

“Erika?” I remarked as my eyebrows creased together. “What are you doing

here?”

“Hello,” she said cheerily, and her warm smile grew wider. “I just wanted to come in and do a little something while you were gone.”

It was then I realized that our chambers were practically sparkling. I looked around the room in awe. Lately, with how many hours I spent in the lab, I didn’t get much of a chance to tidy up our room. But Erika had taken care of it completely. The shelves were dusted, the floors were polished, our belongings were put away in their proper places, and there were vases of fresh, fragrant flowers everywhere.

“Oh, Erika,” I gushed. “Oh, you didn’t have to do all of this.”

I was a little embarrassed. I’d meant to do all of this myself when we’d returned

from the market.

“I wanted to surprise you,” Erika assured me. “It was really no trouble at all.”

“Thank you,” I said, and I gave her a genuine smile. She was one of the most thoughtful people I knew. It was nice to know that there was at least one good. person here in Anemond. I began to tear up as the day’s events ran through my

mind.

side.

“Ca ssandra, what’s wrong?” Erika asked immediately, and she rushed to my

“Something happened in the market,” I said quietly, and then I turned to Finnick. “Go wash your hands and change your clothes, then you can go play with

your toys.”

“Okay, Mommy,” Finnick said obediently, and after he gave me a hug, he disappeared into the bathroom. Once I heard the sink running, I turned back to

Erika.

“What happened?” she asked softly.

I told her everything, minus the part where the two kidnappers mentioned knowing my true identity. As the story went on, Erika’s skin paled and her eyes

widened.

“Oh, Ca ssandra,” she breathed. “Oh, how horrible! I’m so grateful you’re alright.”

“I

“Thank you,” I said. “It was all thanks to Kaleb.”

“Kaleb?” she repeated back.

I told her all about the tall foreign man who’d saved us, and once I was finished, her expression shifted.

“What does this man look like?” she wondered as her eyebrows creased

together.

“Tall, dark blue eyes, very long light-brown hair,” I answered. “He and his men were wearing leather garments lined in fur with a strange green symbol.”

Erika gasped. “Ca ssandra… that must be the new king of Yurene!”

I frowned. “Yurene?”

“The werewolf country that borders us to the north,” Erika explained.

For a moment, I was a little taken aback, but then again, I’d never had much reason to know about any place other than Wegalla, especially considering all I’d been through over the past five years. Besides, there had never been much to report about the north..

Yurene.

“It began as a small country, but in recent years, it’s gained power and expanded across the continent,” Erika explained. “They’ve annexed quite a few other packs and have become quite powerful.”

“What are they doing here?” I wondered as I tried to wrap my head around the fact that I’d been rescued by a foreign king from a land I’d never heard of.

Erika shrugged. “I don’t know anything more than that. The Alpha King mentioned they’d be arriving, that’s all.”

I thought about Kaleb and his smile, and then about his bluntness and strange.

nature.

Asher was certainly in for an interesting time.