Ch. 51..55: Alpha King’s Lost Luna Chapter 51-55
Chapter 51 Mess
ASHER
I’d just laid my head down on the desk in my study when I heard a series of knocks on my door. For a moment, I considered ignoring them entirely, but à voice in the back of my mind told me that I had a duty to fulfill.
I was just so tired these days.
But the Alpha King couldn’t take a break.
“Enter,” I groaned, and I pulled myself back up. As the door, began to open, I ran a hand through my hair and took a long, deep breath.
Luckily, it was just Lancel. My most trusted guard entered the room quietly and as he approached my desk, his full eyebrows creased together in concern.
ask?”
“Alpha?” he asked, his tone drenched in worry. “Alpha, are you alright?”
“Yes,” I answered quickly, though I didn’t exactly mean it. “Why ever do you
“Your skin is quite pale, Alpha,” Lancel replied worriedly. “You’ve got dark circles under your eyes and you look quite tired.”
“You sure know how to flatter me, Lancel,” I murmured, and I stifled a yawn.
“You haven’t seemed quite yourself lately, that’s all,” he said in a much gentler tone and he bowed his head in respect. “I just want to make sure you’re feeling alright.”
“You worry too much,” I teased him, and I gave him a small smile. The older man returned my smile, but deep down, I knew he wasn’t going to put his worry to rest.
I couldn’t blame him for being concerned. He was right- I wasn’t looking my
best these days, nor was I feeling my best. There was simply too much going on in the palace and my sickness was really taking its toll these days. I was so stressed by it all that I was hardly sleeping, which was only making the symptoms of my
condition worse.
I needed to speak with Healer Ca ssandra but I wasn’t too keen on the pleasure
of her company after our last encounter.
“Now, enough about me)” I said after I cleared my throat, and I straightened my posture. “What do you have to report? Have you completed your investigation?”
“Indeed,” Lancel said, and as he took a seat, I took a moment to get my nerves.
under control.
I’d sent Lancel on a mission to continue investigating the arson at Ca ssandra Keller’s home in Wild Crawler, and also to look into the healer and her supposed late husband. I’d been highly suspicious about the man and wanted to know more about Cas sandra’s past.
Part of me felt guilty about looking into her so deeply but the other part needed to know.
“Emmett Keller was born in Wild Crawler territory,” Lancel reported, and he held his chin up slightly as if he were giving a school report. “His parents were murdered when he was quite young. Apparently, his
parent’s killer meant to take his life as. well. He kidnapped Emmett along with them and the rest of the Pack believed him to be dead.”
“Wow,” I murmured. “Continue.”
“He returned to the Pack when he was sixteen and settled back down in his family’s old residency,” Lancel said. “Everyone was surprised by his return.”
I frowned. Something about this didn’t add up.
“How did the Pack know it was him?” I wondered as I leaned forward on my elbows. “Did they check his identity?”
Lancel nodded. “They asked him all kinds of questions to confirm.”
“That doesn’t seem to be foolproof method,” I pointed out, and my eyebrows creased together.
“The only strangeness about him when he returned was that he was suddenly a self-taught healer,” Lancel continued on. “The boy was quite knowledgable but wouldn’t explain how he’d come by such information. He was simply quite talented at it.”
“Hmm,” I remarked. How strange. “Please continue looking into Emmett Keller. I think there’s more there to investigate.”
“Yes, Alpha,” Lancel replied obediently.
“Now, did you find anything out about Ca ssandra Keller or the Moon Chase Pack?” I wondered.
My guard shook his head slowly and offered me an apologetic glance. “Sorry, Alpha. The population of the Moon Chase Pack is very low and has decreased by the years. The last Alpha of the Pack died many years ago and no one has taken up the mantle.”
Figures, I thought to myself. The Moon Chase Pack were nomads who weren’t known for being very social. There was no way to truly figure out if Ca ssandra’s stories were true or not.
“What of the arsonist?” I sighed. Surely, there had to be some good news to report.
Lancel hesitated.
“Tell me,” I insisted.
“I spoke with some of the residents who live near where the arsonist disappeared,” he replied. “Neighbors of Mrs. Keller. They said some peculiar things. One in particular, this old man, insisted that people disappear in those forests all the time. He claims that something… magical happens there?”
I nearly laughed. “Excuse me?”
“Perhaps that’s the wrong word for it,” Lancel corrected himself, and after at sigh, he continued. “He just said that there was some sort of sorcery at play. I’m not sure that there’s any kind of truth to the idea, but he was very insistent that something more was happening there. If I may be frank with you, Alpha, I think it’s ridiculous.”
I wanted to agree with Lancel. Everyone in Wegalla knew that sorcery was no longer practiced in the empire.
“Are you still in contact with the man?” I asked as I considered his words.
Lancel nodded. “Yes, Alpha.”
“I know it’s likely a falsity, but speak with him again,” I said. “Ask him everything he knows about this alleged sorcery and report back to me.”
My most trusted guard looked less than thrilled by the idea but he nodded obediently anyway.
“Yes, Alpha,” he replied.
We sat there in silence for a moment. Arson, sorcery, murder, kidnapping, nomadic Packs without an Alpha to answer to… the empire was messier than ever, especially when it came to Ca ssandra Keller. I had the sense that there was something insane going on here and I needed to get to the bottom of it before it bled into life here in the palace.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
“Who goes there?” I called out. “Enter.”
“The door creaked open and in rushed a young se rvant. He approached my desk swiftly and then offered a small bow.
“Your Majesty, the King of Yurene has arrived,” he announced in a hastened. pace. “He awaits your company in the meeting room on the first floor.”
“The King of Yurene?” I repeated back in surprise, and when the se rvant nodded, my eyebrows creased together. I hadn’t expected the king would come to Wegalla himself. According to the plan we’d crafted through correspondence, the king was going to send a group of diplomats to speak with me.
But it seemed that the king had other thoughts in mind.
I had yet to meet the man, but it seemed like he was a bit of a troublemaker.
I sighed and rubbed my temples in exasperation. “I’ll be there in a moment. Now leave us.”
www
Chapter 52 Rude Northerner
ASHER
“You’re very late, Alpha Asher. Is it customary of your Pack to keep your guests
waiting?”
The moment I stepped into the first-floor meeting room, a heavily accented voice reached my ears, and I raised my eyebrows in surprise. Though I knew the voice belonged to the King of Yurene, I was shocked by how callously I was being
spoken to.
The king stood from the couch very slowly and then extended his hand toward mine. “I jest, of course, though you do appear to be quite busy.””
I stared at his hand for a moment before I accepted it in mine. “I suppose I am quite busy. I’m sorry to keep you waiting-”
“Are you ill?” Kaleb blurted out. “You look tired-”
Lancel took a step forward in warning, but I raised a hand to stop him.
“It’s fine,” I murmured.
Kaleb studied us with a curious expression and then chuckled. “It seems the people of the South are more tense than us Northerners.”
The king of Yurene was one of the tallest men I’d ever seen. I wasn’t short by any means, but compared to his impressive stature, I felt like a child again. His hair was somewhere between gold and
brown, and his deep blue eyes were dark and haunting. His appearance was sophisticated but his attire was another thing completely. He was dressed in deep leathers and furs that suggested a colder climate than it was. It made sense- Yurene’s climate was likely much colder than that of Wegalla’s.
Despite his height, he appeared to be a few years younger than me and still
had a softness to his smile.
“I suppose so,” I remarked.
Though I’d never met Kaleb before, I’d heard from my men that he was a very capable Alpha. While his father, the former king of Yurene, had taken most of their land through war and disputes, Kaleb was known to use softer policies to annex other packs into their empire. That being said, I could see a certain glint in his eyes that suggested he shouldn’t be doubted. He was cu nning and dangerous, and I needed to stay on my toes around him.
“Alpha Kaleb, this is Lancel, Bert, and my counselors,” I introduced the group to the king, and then I took a seat in the leather chair opposite him.)
“It’s a pleasure to meet you all,” Kaleb said politely.
A pair of se rvants entered the room moments later with trays in their hands. They arranged a teapot, cups, and small tiers of snacks on the table before us, and then filled each of the cups with my favorite blend of tea. My mouth watered as the smell hit my nose. I hadn’t had much of an appetite lately, but I was rather fond of tea.
“Thank you,” I addressed them as I accepted my cup.
“Yes, thank you,” Kaleb’chimed in, and when he lifted the tea to his lips, he inhaled deeply and smiled. “This smells lovely.”
He took a sip and his smile widened. “A wonderful selection, Alpha Asher. I must say, the tea in the South is very worthy of praise. The only praise I’ve been able to give so far.”
“It seems to me that you have had a rather bad impression of Wegalla,” I remarked, and I pushed down the feeling of irritation that had arisen.
“Yes,” Kaleb said bluntly, and then he offered a strange expression of amusement. “I didn’t expect to see an attempted kidnapping upon my arrival to Anemond.”
“A kidnapping?” I repeated back, and I set my tea cup down. My eyes flew to Lancel, but my guard looked just as confused by the king’s words.
Kaleb nodded. “Yes. My men and I were walking around the market earlier. I wanted to get a feel for Anemond before I arrived in the palace. I’ve only heard tales. of Wegalla from my father, you see, so I wanted to get to know the city myself. I was in the middle of the market when I heard a woman cry out for help. My men and I ended up finding her in the middle of an alley being pursued by a wicked man and
woman.’
“Oh my,” I uttered before I could stop myself.
“My men intervened before she could be hurt,” Kaleb continued. matter-of-factly, but his bright expression faded quickly. “But I must say, the experience left quite an impression. I didn’t realize this place was so dangerous.”
An attempted kidnapping? In Anemond? Sure, the capital could be dangerous, but something like this… it all sounded so strange. Crime hadn’t been this bad in
years.
“I will look into this,” I announced as my eyebrows creased together. “I can assure you, Alpha Kaleb, this kind of thing doesn’t happen around here-”
“And yet it did,” Kaleb interrupted me with a slight tilt of his head. “Do you mean to say that it was simply a stroke of bad luck, a moment of inconvenient timing?”
“It doesn’t happen around here,” I emphasized. Alpha Kaleb’s tone was tiresome. and I couldn’t believe I was being challenged like that in my own palace. I wasn’t sure how things were done in Yurene, but Kaleb was testing my patience.
The king stared at me for a moment and then chuckled.
“Then it appears we have brought you bad luck,” he remarked, and he turned his attention back to his tea.
Rather than get riled up, I decided to sip at my own and try to steady my breath. I needed to stay calm and collected. Politics between our empires forced me
to do so.
“So, what brings you here, Alpha Kaleb?” I wondered. “From our correspondence, I hadn’t expected you to come in person.”
“I thought things would be easier if I arrived myself,” Kaleb replied simply, and he shrugged. “There are many matters to discuss and I would rather be present during the conversations rather than hear them parroted back by my diplomats.”
Suddenly, a yawn escaped him.
“Are you alright?” I asked.
“Yes,” he replied. “Though, we have just traveled all along the continent to arrive here. I’m afraid I need some rest, along with my men.”
“Of course,” I said, and then I turned to Bert, the head se rvant. “Have the rooms for our guests been prepared?”
Bert nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty, the rooms are ready. The welcoming party has also been prepared in the grand dining room.”
Kaleb’s eyebrow shot up in interest and his strange smile returned to his face. “A welcoming party? I look forward to seeing your traditional southern dance.”
He rose to his feet. “Thank you for your hospitality.”
“Of course,” I replied, and I carefully stood as well. My head swam at the sudden movement, but I tried not to let it bother me. I would rest just as soon as they left.
“Follow me, Your Majesty,” Bert addressed Kaleb. The king of Yurene nodded and then urged his men forward. As they filed out the chamber door, relief began to swell within me. I was ready to be alone.
“Alpha Asher?” Kaleb spoke up before he left. He lingered in the doorway for a moment and tilted his head. “I wanted to mention the lady from earlier, the one who was nearly kidnapped. She was quite admirable, you see, and quite brave
considering the circumstances. She mentioned her name was Ca ssandra and she was a royal healer here in the palace.”
“Ca ssandra?” I said in shock, and Kaleb nodded.
“I hope that I will get to see her again at the party,” he said, and then he turned around. “She was very lovely to get along with.”
Chapter 53 Ewonmiams
CA SSANDRA
The king of Yurene had saved my life.
I couldn’t help but let the phrase repeat through my head as I sat at the small dining table in our chambers. Today had been tough on my nerves, and it was taking all of my efforts to keep from exploding from confusion.
An attempted kidnapping… only to be saved by a foreigner from a land I’d never even heard of until today.
Finnick was fast asleep in his bed. After he’d washed up, he’d decided he was too tired to play and crawled right under the covers without me saying a word. I’d dutifully tucked him in and minutes later, he was out. I was a little relieved. My son. had been so brave today. I couldn’t blame him for feeling worn out.
Erika had served me some fragrant jasmine tea in an attempt to soothe my nerves. The warm drink was doing a little, but I needed so much more.
As much as I didn’t want to admit it, I was scared.
The man in the shop had said he knew who I was. What had he meant by that? Did he know I was truly Cora? Or was there another explanation I couldn’t think of?
If he’d meant that I was Cora… how had he reached that conclusion? I no longer shared her face, her hair, or anything that could indicate my past identity. Even my voice had a different timbre than before. So how could he know?
The man had also mentioned Emmett. Had he known my late husband, and if so… what could that mean for us? Finnick and I were already in such a precarious position. If someone out there knew my true name, likely so did others.
My mind swam with the possibilities.
I pushed my teacup aside.
I needed to think but I couldn’t stew on this any longer. So, I decided I needed to distract myself.
I turned to Erika, who was knitting a blanket in the corner.
“Could you watch Finnick?” I asked. She nodded without further explanation, and I smiled. “Thank you.”
I quietly gathered some supplies into my backpack and ran a brush through my hair in an attempt to look presentable. Dark circles underscored my eyes and worry painted my expression, but there was nothing to be done about that.
So, I pulled my pack on and quietly snuck out of the room to keep from waking Finnick. Once I reached the busy hall, I sped down the stairs until I reached the
back door.
The royal library was located in a small building near the palace. A garden separated the two buildings, and as I walked down the path, I took a moment to sniff a tall flowering tree. I couldn’t place the scent but something about it was calming.
I stepped foot into the library building and was immediately met by a large front desk. A woman who I presumed to be the librarian offered me a kind smile. She was willowy and beautiful, with long blonde hair and huge round glasses that made her big eyes even larger.
“Hello,” she greeted me. “How can I help you?”
“My name is Ca ssandra Keller,” I answered. “The Alpha King gave me permission-”
“Ah, Mrs. Keller,” the librarian interrupted me. “Yes, His Majesty mentioned you would be coming. Please, follow me, and I’ll show you around.”
“Thank you,” I replied politely. The librarian rose from her seat and held the door open for me.
The
library wasn’t very large by any means. The walls were a rich cream color and the floors were a deep brown. The shelves were arranged neatly in rows and every book was clearly indexed by their names and subjects.
The librarian explained the system to me and once she was finished asked if I had any questions.
“I need the books about sorcery,” I explained. “Where would those be located?”
“They’re in a separate room,” she answered, and she retrieved a ring of keys. from her gray plaid trousers. “I’ll unlock it for you.”
She led me to the separate room and after she unlocked the door, she bade me farewell and left me on my own. I wasted no time and hunted through the books. I read each of the spines until I found one that read “Ewonmiams”
I plucked the book from the shelf and looked around the room. There was a small desk in the corner with a leather reading chair beside it. I brought the book over to the desk and sat down. I pulled out some of my notes, along with pens and bookmarks. I was ready to get some information.
I spent the next few hours reading.
The book I selected was interesting.
It said that Ewonmiams was co-founded by several sorcerers centuries ago. It was the first academy of sorcery on the continent and the most powerful one as well. They had invented many potions and poisons, including Udosyn. They also recruited many young werewolves who desired to be witches and wizards.
I was a little surprised. I hadn’t realized that had been a thing of the past. I thought wizardry was just a myth.
The book said it became something that every single Pack fought for. Anyone who owned the power of the greatest sorcery could be the king of the whole continent.
Then, to fight against the evil power, Wegalla was established. Soldiers in the
Myriad banished all witches and wizards out of the continent and wiped out
sorcery.
I was a little shocked by the information. I’d never known that Ewonmians was related to the establishment of Wegalla.
I wrote down as much information as I could and after a while, I heard a knock. on the door.
“My lady?” the librarian suddenly appeared and offered me an apologetic look. “I’m so sorry, but the library is about to close for the day.”
“Oh,” I remarked, and I glanced over at the clock on the wall. Sure enough, it- was the end of the day. I needed to get back to my chambers to check on Finnick and see Erika off for the evening. “Thank you so much for telling me.”
I rose to my feet and gestured toward the book. “Do I need to reshelve this-”
“I’ll handle it,” the librarian assured me with a kind smile.
“Thank you,” I said again. “I’ll be back tomorrow to keep reading it.”
“Sounds great,” she replied. “Have a good evening.”
“You as well.”
I gathered up my things and tucked them back into my backpack. I could have continued reading all night, but I had other things to accomplish this evening. Hopefully tomorrow I could get a little further into my research and learn more about Ewonmiams.
I left the library quickly and stepped out into the garden. The chill of the air made me shiver and the cool breeze danced in my hair. The sun was setting in the sky, and the golden light kissed the flowers around me. I admired the beauty for a moment. There was such ugliness in Anemond but it didn’t exist out here in the gardens.
I continued down the path and then a pair of figures appeared. To my surprise,
it was Bert and Kaleb. I could overhear the head se rvant explaining the different flowers of the garden, and as I approached, Kaleb’s face lit up. He waved excitedly
at me.
“Ca ssandra!” he exclaimed, and his navy eyes sparkled. I was a little surprised he seemed so taken with me, but at the same time, I couldn’t deny a friend.
Even if he was the king of a foreign land I knew little about.
“Hello,” I said. “It’s a pleasure to see you again. I was just on my way back to the palace-”
“I told your king to allow you to join us at the banquet tonight,” Kaleb interrupted bluntly.
“Really?” I asked in surprise. “You… you didn’t need to do that.”
“I insisted,” he assured me, and then he smiled. “Besides, you still owe me an official thank you. Consider your presence my gift.”
Chapter 54 Banquet
CA SSANDRA
I’d been apprehensive at the idea of attending the banquet that evening, but the king of Yurene had been insistent upon me joining them. I’d provided excuse after excuse, but they did me no good. The man was simply not taking no for an
answer.
So, I thanked him for the invitation and immediately headed back to my room to figure out what I would wear to such an occasion.
Back in Wild Crawler, I’d never attended banquets or fine events. Our lifestyle there was much more rugged and simple, so I didn’t have much in the way of fancy clothing.
Erika seemed surprised when I returned to my chambers and explained the situation to her.
“That’s wonderful that you were invited, Ca ssandra,” she said, and then her eyebrows creased together. “Hmm. I wonder what you will wear…”
“That’s my problem,” I replied, and a lump formed in my throat. “I don’t own anything acceptable enough to attend a banquet.“
Suddenly, the maid’s eyes glimmered and she flashed me an excited smile.
“Hold on,” she said mysteriously. “I have an idea.”
Before I could stop her, she’d snuck out of the room and disappeared for a while. When she returned, she had a dress bag in her hands.
“Let’s get you ready,” she announced.
We spent the rest of the evening primping and prepping me. Erika’s hands were steady and she managed to turn my hair from wild to sleek and shiny. She carefully
curled it so it fell in soft waves to my waist and then secured a section of it with a jeweled comb.
Once my hair was sorted, she helped me apply a touch of makeup. I was a little terrified at first, but Erika was very talented. She lined my eyes lightly with eyeliner and applied a rich black mascara that made my lashes long and lustrous. She also added a touch of cre amy blush that brought color back to my cheeks and a touch of pearlescent shimmer to my eyelids.
The maid finished off the look with a soft lipstick that didn’t make me feel too foolish, and when she held the mirror to my face, a gasp escaped me.
She’d enhanced my natural beauty in a way I hadn’t expected, and for the first. time in a long time, I felt lovely.
After that, she led me over to the dress bag and unzipped it to reveal a dress. that made my heart stop. I recognized it immediately.
“This dress belonged to Cora,” Erika revealed with a small, sad smile. “I held on to a few of her belongings after she died. This was one of them.”
I had to fight back tears.
“I think Cora would be happy if she knew you were wearing it,” she continued on, and she forced back a sniffle. “I think the two of you would have been fine friends.”
“Thank you,” I managed, and I choked back a s ob.
The dress was the same one I’d worn to the ball where I’d found out Asher was my true mate.
It was a beautiful thing, a pale silver with a beaded bodice and a flowing skirt that cascaded to the floor like moonlight. It was completely gorgeous, but seeing it filled me with sadness. It was yet another remnant of the life I’d lost.
But Erika didn’t know that, and she sure wasn’t about to find out now. So, I thanked her and swept her into a hug.
Soon after, she helped me into the dress, and I found it to be more snug than I remembered. I had to keep in mind that I’d had Finnick between then and now and I wasn’t quite the same shape as before. It was a little uncomfortable, but not too much, so I simply bore it.
“You look great,” Erika gushed once the dress was zipped and I’d spun around. “Now, let’s get you to the banquet hall. I’ll keep an eye on Finnick for you this evening, so don’t worry about being out too late.”
“Thank you,” I said. “Seriously, Erika. This means a lot.”
Erika simply smiled. “Of course, Ca ssandra.”
Without another moment’s hesitation, I left the room and made my way down the bustling hall. I wasn’t sure where the banquet was being held so I decided to follow the crowd of people down the stairs. As we descended, I realized where we were going, and my stomach twisted.
When I stepped foot in the formal hall, I forced myself to take a deep breath. Many years ago, what felt like an eternity ago, I’d come here to attend Asher’s coming-of-age ceremony and found out we were destined to know one another by the Moon. It had been a beautiful night and the memory of it alone should have put me at ease, but this room had also been where Asher had been crowned King and engaged with Adalyn.
Part of me considered turning around, but before I could, I spotted Kaleb. The king of Yurene wore a suit of dark blue, trimmed in white fur, and the color matched his eyes perfectly. His hair shimmered in the light and even I couldn’t help but admit he looked downright handsome.
“Ca ssandra,” he greeted me warmly as his eyes traveled over me. “You look
stunning.”
“Thank you,” I said. “You look very nice yourself.”
It was then I realized his weren’t the only eyes watching me. Around us, groups of people chattered and stared at me. Heat spread to my cheeks. I wasn’t used to this kind of attention.
Kaleb opened his mouth to speak, but before he could utter another word, Adalyn and Asher appeared.
Adalyn was dressed in a sleek black dress that hugged every curve of her lithe frame and Asher wore a dark, severe suit to match. His gray eyes were sharper than usual, as if he were agitated, but the rest of his expression was calm.
The sight of him in a suit almost made me gasp. The Alpha King was gloriously handsome. But I had to contain myself.
arm.
Adalyn’s nostrils flared and she raised an eyebrow at me before taking Asher’s
“It’s a pleasure to see you, Alpha Kaleb,” she greeted the king of Yurene formally.
“The pleasure is mine,” Kaleb replied, and while his tone was warm, I could sense he didn’t care for her that much.
Meanwhile, Asher stared at me with intensity, as if he were trying to burn a hole. through me. I could tell he was irritated but I couldn’t sense why
Was he still annoyed with me?
“Would you like to accompany me for the rest of the party, Ca ssandra?” Kaleb interrupted my thoughts, and when I looked up, he flashed a pearly-teethed smile at me. While I didn’t know how to feel about his offer, I knew there was no way I could refuse him.
So, I smiled back and nodded.
Across from us, Asher’s cheeks darkened and I watched his jaw tense. His mouth sét in a thin line and I could see the veins in his hands grow more prominent.
Was he… jealous?
Everyone began to take their seats, and Kaleb escorted me to the table. We were seated opposite Adalyn and Asher. Beside them sat Adalyn’s father and
mother, Oliver and Linda Moses. As we sat down, I had to take a deep breath to keep from shaking.
I
Asher introduced Kaleb to them, and the entire time, I had to avert my eyes and
block out his words.
As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t forget Oliver Moses, the former Beta who’d claimed my father wanted to kill him and replace him. Even after all of these years, the need for vengeance surged through me and made me want to rush across the table and kill him. I wanted blood for what that wicked man had done to my family.
Their words flew past me and I held back my disgust as Oliver Moses fawned. over the king of Yurene. I stayed out of the exchange until I heard him mention that his son, Silas Moses, the current Beta of the Crescent Pack, was absent because he was running an inspection on the Myriad for the Alpha King.
I was surprised by this. The Myriad should have been reporting to the Alphal King directly. Perhaps things had changed. Back in the day, after my father had been imprisoned and my brother was banished, the Myriad didn’t have a leader.
Did the Beta family get command over them too?
What hadn’t they taken at this point other than the crown?
I was suddenly brought into reality when Oliver Moses addressed me directly.
“Excuse me, my lady. Are you the new royal healer, the one from Wild Crawler?”
Chapter 55 Dance
CA SSANDRA
Oliver Moses smiled warmly as he asked the question, and for a moment, I
thought he appeared kind. But I knew the truth. The Beta knew nothing of kindness. It was all an act, a game of pretend, and he was quite good at it.
But I was better.
“Yes, sir,” I replied politely, and I returned his smile.
Adalyn’s father shared the same amber eyes as his daughter, and they stared into mine with curiosity.
“My wife and I once visited Wild Crawler,” he mused. “It was a nice small village, but it had the most gorgeous scenery. Don’t you remember, honey?”
He turned to Linda and the pair exchanged a sweet smile. Though their family was conniving, it was clear that the love between them was very real. For a moment, I nearly forgot who they really were.
“Ew, Father,” Adalyn sighed in irritation. “Please, contain yourself. You’re being embarrassing.”
She then turned to Kaleb and offered him a sickly sweet smile. “So sorry for them, Your Majesty.”
“There’s no need to apologize,” the king of Yurene replied with a wave of his hand and then he chuckled. “It’s nice to see such displays of love. It warms my heart.”
Adalyn looked surprised by his words but accepted them anyway. As everyone continued to exchange pleasantries, I tried to force a smile on my face, but I just couldn’t do it. I believed their love was
genuine, but seeing their happiness with my own eyes was just too painful. The Moses family had destroyed mine without a
second thought.
How could I smile in their presence?
A sigh escaped me…
“Are you alright, Ca ssandra?” Kaleb asked just low enough for me to hear and his lips curled into a concerned frown.
“Yes,” I apologized. “I’m sorry, my head hurts a little.”
“I’m sorry,” he said, and then he peered around. “Perhaps some food and drink will help.”
Se rvants appeared in the banquet hall and began to serve the night’s dishes. A symphony of fragrances filled the room and danced on my tongue, but no matter how delicious they smelled, I didn’t have much of an appetite..
It was too agonizing to be in the presence of the Moses family.
Once the food was served, I mostly pushed it around on my plate but managed to take a few bites to keep my head from spinning. As I forced down swallows, I remained quiet and listened to the polite chatter in the room. Luckily, everyone was so swept up in their new guest that no one seemed to notice me.
After a while, one of the Alpha King’s councilors rose from his seat and tapped a spoon against his glass. The room fell silent and he cleared his throat.
“I would like to propose a toast to the king of Yurene,” he addressed everyone. “And a toast to the friendship between his country and Wegalla. To friendship!”
“To friendship!” everyone repeated back in unison, and all around me, people rose to their feet. I hadn’t expected to stand, and I was still a little dizzy, so when I raised my glass, my wine sloshed and spilled all over my dress.
I gasped in shock and quickly searched for a napkin.
“Oh, Ca ssandra,” Kaleb said as he realized what had happened. “Please, let me
help.”
He grabbed his own napkin and began to blot at the large stain, but ther moment he did, I heard an angry voice.
“Keep your hands off of her.”
I raised my eyes to see Asher glaring at us from across the table, his face sullen and agitated. My heart nearly stopped.
Everyone was stunned for a moment, frozen in place, until Bert suddenly appeared.
I
“Can I get a maid?” he called out, and moments later, one rushed to my side.
“Let me help you, Miss Ca ssandra,” the older woman said, and she offered me her arm. I accepted it gratefully and she led me out of the banquet hall.
“Where are we-” I started to say, but then I realized we were headed toward a changing room. The maid went straight to the corner and opened a door to reveal a whole closet of spare dresses.
I wanted to ask what their purpose was, but I was too stunned by everything to react. I obediently held my arms up for the maid and she helped ease me into a new dress. This one was a rich charcoal gray, and the fabric was incredibly soft. let out a sigh of relief. This gown was much more comfortable..
“I’ll have this one cleaned and returned to your room, miss,” the maid said as she gestured to my soiled dress. “Now, let’s get you back to the banquet hall.”
I simply nodded and followed her back into the bustling chamber. When I returned to the table, I was surprised to see Adalyn and Asher were gone.
Kaleb was busy speaking with Oliver and Linda, meanwhile, Bert approached me and offered me a smile.
“You look lovely,” he said, and then he inclined his head across the table at the empty seat. “Lady Adalyn and the Alpha King had urgent business to attend to.”
“Thank you,” I replied, though I didn’t know why the words had escaped my mouth. Where had they really gone?
I finished the rest of my food in silence. I was grateful no one was sparing any more attention on me. That display had been so embarrassing.
Once dinner concluded, the table was cleared, and everyone stepped out onto the dance floor.
“I would love to learn one of your Southern dances,” Kaleb mused as he helped. me to my feet. “Could you teach me, Ca ssandra?”
Heat spread to my cheeks at his question. I was a little nervous to answer, but! knew I couldn’t say no to the king of Yurene, not when he’d been so kind to me.
So, he led me out to the dance floor. A soft orchestra began to play, and as the music filled the chamber, Kaleb offered me his hand. I took it timidly and then began. to teach him the dance of Wegalla.
Much to my surprise, Kaleb was a fast learner. He had a natural rhythm about him, and when I asked, he explained that he’d lived in the South for a few years during his childhood, so he had once seen others perform it.
“I’m surprised at how well you dance,” he remarked as we swayed. “Where did you learn?”
“My nanny,” I replied without missing a beat. It was true. Erika had taught me many things. She’d once told me that she used to be a music performer when she was young and traveled all across the country. It wasn’t until she’d married her husband that she’d decided to settle down here in Crescent. Once her husband died, she stopped performing and became a maid to support her kids.
She decided after that to teach me singing and dancing, and though those techniques were not very appreciated in a warrior family, I was happy to learn all I could from her.
Kaleb tilted his head slightly as he spun me around. “Where are you from, Ca ssandra? You don’t look like the others here.”
“I’m from Wild Crawler,” I explained. “It’s a small Pack near the border. It’s tucked away near the forests.”
It was then that I realized I’d made a mistake.
I shouldn’t have said I’d learned from my nanny. In fact, I shouldn’t have been this good at dancing at all. Ca ssandra Keller was a village commoner. This kind of dancing was only taught to those of the upper class.