Ch. 66..70: Alpha King’s Lost Luna Chapter 66-70

Chapter 66 The soldier

CA SSANDRA

That night, for the first time, after all of these years of loneliness and emptiness, I dreamt of my father and brother.

It was a nice dream. In it, I was out with my family in a field. Ector and I were running while my father watched on with a kind smile on his normally stern face. As we ran, a warm breeze kissed my cheeks and bright sunlight filled the sky. Ector and I tumbled around in our wolf forms and rolled in the tall, soft grass. It was the first time I’d pictured my wolf form in ages. I’d almost forgotten what she’d looked like.

I wished I could have stayed in that dream forever.

But it wasn’t meant to be. I awoke the next morning to the sound of someone calling my name. My eyes blinked open slowly and my vision was blurred as I came to. Who was saying my name?

Moments later, my eyes focused, and I saw Erika standing over me. The maid’s face was painted with worry and she touched my forehead gently.

“Oh, sweetheart,” she murmured. “You have a fever.”

For a moment, her stance and tone of voice reminded me of my childhood.

contain myself, I began to s ob.

swelled up in my eyes and before I reminded me

“Oh Erika,” I managed to say through my cries. “I’ve missed you so much.”

The maid stood there, completely stunned and unsure of what to say. I was confused by this interaction- why wasn’t she saying anything?

Suddenly, another voice chimed in.

“Mommy?” Finnick called out in a worried voice. “Mommy, what’s wrong?”

It was then that I realized I was no longer dreaming. The realization hit me like a

ton of bricks and the tears came much faster.

“Don’t cry, dear,” Erika tried to soothe me, and I felt her touch my bandaged hand. I winced from the pain but allowed her to check the wound. Her face suddenly paled. “Your wound is infected, Ca ssandra. Do you have any antiseptic

here?”

I instantly forced myself to stop crying and regained my composure. I nodded and then pointed at the closet just beyond us.

Erika wasted no time and walked over to the closet. She rooted around through

the various bins and containers until she found the salve.

“Is this it?” she asked for clarification, and when I nodded again, she shut the doors and walked back over to me. She took a seat at my bedside, and then carefully applied the salve to my hand. I cried out in pain as the medicine touched my wound but then forced myself to breathe through it.

Once I was more stable, I turned my attention back to Erika.

“Thank you,” I said.

Erika nodded. “Of course.”

The woman studied me carefully, and I could tell from her perplexed expression and the glimmer in her eyes that she wanted to ask me something. Her lips event parted but she seemed to change her mind about whatever she was going to say.

“You need to take care of yourself, Ca ssandra,” she offered. “You’ve been pushing yourself too hard these days. But don’t worry. We’ll get you feeling better soon, alright?”

I nodded. “Alright.”

Finnick appeared on the other side of me, his gray eyes filled with tears. His lower lip trembled and he had his favorite stuffed bear in his hands. He set the animal beside me and then frowned.

“Mommy, I’m scared,” he admitted quietly, and then the tears spilled onto his cheeks freely. “I hate it here in Anemond. Ever since we got here, there’s been no happy things. I miss Wild Crawler. I miss Dominic and Luna Sofia. I don’t like Prince Marco. He was supposed to be my friend but he’s so mean, Mommy. I don’t like him and I don’t like it here. Can we please go back to Wild Crawler?”

I shook my head and fought back the sadness that was swelling within me. “I’m so sorry, Finnick. We can’t go back.”

I felt so sorry for my son. Truth be told, I missed Wild Crawler more than anything. I missed Luna Sofia, Alpha Gareth, Dominic… I especially missed Marley. But there was nothing we could do about it. Even if Asher was willing to let us go, it was unlikely we’d return to Wild Crawler safe and sound. Too much had happened here. There was no chance that we could go back to our normal lives, not after the ordeal with Adalyn. The Moses family would never let me rest, I was sure of it.

Erika handed me a glass of water.

“Drink,” she urged, and as I obeyed, she glanced over at the door. “There were a few guards when I arrived here earlier. They didn’t stop me from entering, but they seemed serious.”

“They’re here to make sure I don’t leave,” I explained. “The Alpha King confined me to my chambers for the foreseeable future.”

“Oh,” Erika said and she shook her head.

“I don’t think it’s a punishment necessarily,” I elaborated as a chill ran through my body. “The Alpha King didn’t seem angry with me after I explained what had happened. But at the same time, it was a very firm decision. You were right, Erika. Adalyn and her family are unlikely to let this go.”

“That’s what I was afraid of,” Erika sighed and she shook her head slowly as she stared off into the distance. “They’re dangerous, the lot of them. I just don’t understand their issue with you, if that’s not too bold to say.”

“Not at all,” I replied.

As we discussed the issue further, suddenly I heard a voice beyond us. I recognized it instantly. It belonged to Margaret. She was arguing with the guards, who were telling her that no one was allowed to enter the room without the king’s permission.

Margaret was handling them more reasonably than Adalyn had, but that didn’t mean she was easy to deal with. She began to threaten the guards.

“What are you-” Erika began to say as I pulled myself out of bed. I approached the door carefully and after a quick breath, I opened it slightly.

“What’s-” I started to say, but Margaret didn’t let me finish my statement. She pushed right past me and walked into the room, and the guards followed behind.

“What have you done, Ca ssandra Keller?” she demanded shrilly,

“I didn’t do anything,” I tried to explain, but Margaret didn’t let me.

“You attacked Adalyn,” she hissed, and then she turned to the guards. “Seize her at once. She needs to be punished for what she’s done.”

Erika suddenly appeared and tried to step in.

“It was the Alpha King’s decision to confine her here,” she attempted. “You can’t do this-”

“The Alpha King is currently in a meeting with the councilors,” Margaret blurted out. “So I’m dealing with it myself. Stand aside.”

Suddenly, Asher’s stepmother kicked Erika and the maid was thrown backward. Anger swelled within me and rage burst out of me.

“How dare you!” I cried out, and I lunged for Margaret, but before I could, I was grabbed by one of the guards.

“Don’t move, bi tch!” the guard growled, and instantly, I froze. I knew that voice. I’d heard it before.

Suddenly, it hit me. It was familiar for a reason.

It was the same voice as one of the soldiers who’d broken into Rosepetal and

set the fire five years ago.

Chapter 67 He saved her twice

CA SSANDRA

That voice… deep, co arse, and gravelly. It was the kind of voice with a texture, one that was impossible to forget. It had been lingering in my mind for the past five years, playing in a loop in my nightmares.

For a moment, I tried to convince myself that I was making it up, because there was no way it was possible to hear that same voice in the present day, here in my

chamber.

What was going on here?

I’d always had a sneaking suspicion that it’d been Margaret who’d wanted me to die in the inferno. She had always disliked me and sought out any reason to keep me away from the royal family.

And yet, there were some factors that didn’t make that possible. Margaret didn’t have the right to instruct soldiers. No one could, in fact, aside from their leader, the Alpha King. Not only that but soldiers who had served in the empire’s military couldn’t be recruited as guards for the royal family. Even though soldiers had the capability, they had seen too much bloodshed and troubled places to be around the family.

So who were the men that had arrived at Rosepetal? And if this man was one of them, what was he doing here now? Had Margaret hired him to go there and force the poison down my throat? And after that, had he assumed life here as a guard despite the strict rules and restrictions that made it impossible?

As my mind considered the possibilities, I took a long deep breath and studied Margaret. I didn’t want to give in to this, not even for a moment, but I didn’t see any other option.

“I’ll go with you,” I said slowly, but then I glanced beyond me. “But only if you promise to leave my son and Erika out of it. They aren’t a part of this.”

“Of course,” Margaret replied with a cold stare and then she turned to the guard and gestured toward him.

As he approached, Finnick burst into tears.

“Mommy!” he called out, and he started running toward me, but Erika stopped him before he could reach us. The maid then looked at me with a saddened

expression.

“Ca ssandra-” she pleaded, but I shook my head and smiled at her.

“I’ll be okay,” I assured them gently. While this was a dangerous situation, I didn’t think Margaret was actually going to deliver physical punishment for what I had done to Adalyn. There was something more at play, I was certain. Per the usual, I just needed to keep my wits about me and stay strong for Finnick’s sake.

The guard pushed me to move forward and a small gasp escaped me. I took a deep breath, and just as I took a step, I heard someone clear their throat.

“Well, isn’t this quite a scene?”

Kaleb stepped out of the shadows and entered the room. The king of Yurene glanced between Margaret and me and then frowned at the guard who’d laid his hands on me.

“I’m always surprised by the way affairs are handled here in the palace,” he remarked as his eyebrows knitted together. He raised his hand and flicked his fingers. Moments later, his guards rushed in and swarmed around us.

My heart pounded in my chest. What was happening?

Margaret’s guards stiffened and began to protest, but Kaleb’s guards didn’t let up. The foreigners were far bigger and stronger than the ones that were trying to take me, and for a moment, my lips curled into a smile at the display.

“Release her,” Kaleb ordered quietly, and when no one moved, he repeated himself. “Take your hands off of her.”

“Who are you to come in here and interfere?” Margaret demanded shrilly, and as her eyes narrowed, it became clear that she didn’t know who Kaleb was.

But Kaleb recognized Margaret immediately. He grinned his smug grin at her and then tilted his head to the side.

“I believe no one should attempt to execute an arrest without the King’s acknowledgment,” he said with a glint in his navy blue eyes. “I don’t know if that’s some kind of awful tradition in this country, but in Yurene, no one is allowed to treat a lady in this kind of manner, no matter what she’s done. It’s a shame that Wegalla is

so archaic.”

Suddenly, Margaret’s face paled and her lip trembled.

“Y-your Majesty,” she quivered, and then she straightened her posture. “I’m

here on behalf of my son, you see a

he is very busy with palace business. This

filthy healer needs dealing with, seeing as she hurt his wife-”

“I didn’t know the King of Wegalla needed his mother to carry out his decisions,” Kaleb interrupted her boldly, and he crossed his arms against his chest. “Shall we invite him down here to discuss this further? I’m awfully curious to see what he would say.”

Margaret fell silent. Her nostrils flared and irritation painted her features. It was clear she was fighting a useless battle. She stood there, motionless for a moment, and I tried to guess how this was going to play out.

Asher’s stepmother wasn’t one who folded easily, but there was no way she was winning this argument. Aside from being a member of the royal family and at member of the Crescent Pack, the wicked woman had no legal jurisdiction or power to carry out justice.

She glanced at me for a moment and then sighed before turning on her heels. Her guards wasted no time and followed her out the door. Once they were gone, Kaleb turned to his own men.

“Leave us,” he ordered in a voice that was stern yet still kind. “I must speak with. the healer and get to the bottom of this ordeal. Wait outside of the chamber for me

and make sure that the vile woman and her guards don’t return. No further harm will come to Ca ssandra Keller. is that clear?”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” the men said in unison, and without a moment’s hesitation, the enormous foreigners bowed in respect and left the chamber. As they filed out of the room, relief bloomed from within me. I hadn’t expected to make it out of this ordeal without getting hurt. If it hadn’t been for the king of Yurene, there was no telling what Margaret would have done.

Once the door was closed behind them, I turned to Kaleb and offered him a

kind smile.

“Thank you,” I said gratefully as my eyes started to well with tears. “Seriously. I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t shown up.”

“She’s a wicked person,” Kaleb noted. “I could tell as much from her eyes. There’s something wrong there.”

“You can say that again,” I murmured as I ran a hand through my hair and smoothed down the front of my nightgown.

“You know, this is the second time I’ve rescued you,” Kaleb remarked with a grin. “There’s a myth in Yurene… a girl in trouble must marry a man if he’s saved her more than twice, otherwise ill fate will descend upon her.”

 

Chapter 68 Who’s the healer

CA SSANDRA

My heart sk ipped a beat.

Was Kaleb being serious?

I searched my mind for the right thing to say, but nothing was coming to me. Meanwhile, I could feel heat spreading through my cheeks.

Before I could suffer for too long, the king of Yurene began to laugh.

“I’m joking, Ca ssandra,” he said with a brilliant smile. “I simply wanted to lighten the air a little bit. But in all seriousness… are you alright?”

I nodded as I rubbed my wrist. The guards had been really rough with me, and I could feel the kind of tenderness on my arm that usually meant a bruise was forming.

Kaleb suddenly noticed the bandage on my wrist and his deep blue eyes widened in surprise.

“What happened to you?” he asked as his eyebrows knitted together in

concern.

I quickly tucked my arm behind my back to keep from alarming him further.

“It was an accident in the lab,” I explained off-handedly, but Kaleb didn’t seem convinced by my words.

“I heard there was an accident yesterday and Lady Adalyn was severely burnt,” he mentioned. For a moment, I considered fessing up, but I didn’t want to get into it with him. The subject was still a little

sore and I didn’t want to rehash the drama that had led to my confinement and almost kidnapping by Margaret.

So, I just nodded to my savior and kept it simple. “I heard that as well.”

The king of Yurene studied me for a moment. If he knew the entire story, he hid it well. He ran a hand through his long golden brown hair, and shifted the subject again. “You know, I brought some supplies with me from my country. I have a salve that should be useful and help cure that burn.”

I glanced at him in surprise.

“Oh,” I remarked. “That’s very kind of you, but-”

“No buts,” he interrupted me, and then he crossed over to the doorway, stuck his head out, and called to his guards. “Please go to my chambers and retrieve the medical supplies from the case. And make haste.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” I heard the guards reply in unison, and then their heavy footsteps rang out. Once they were gone, Kaleb closed the door again.

“It will be just a moment,” he addressed me and then he pointed to the table. “Please, take a seat while we wait. You look exhausted, Ca ssandra.”

I nodded and then walked over and sat down at the dining table.

Beyond us, Erika and Finnick were in the corner. Erika stared at me with concern in her kind eyes, but I shook my head just enough to indicate they should remain where they were. The maid nodded back at me and continued distracting my son with a toy.

I wanted to run to them and assure them…

all was fine, but my head was still spinning from the fever, and I didn’t know how to handle everything with Kaleb in the room. Though we were on friendly terms, he was still a king and I needed to behave respectfully.

A guard returned a little while later and handed Kaleb a dark blue glass container.

“Here you go, Your Majesty,” he said in a gruff, heavily accented voice.

“Thank you,” Kaleb replied and then he gestured to the door. “Leave us.”

“Yes, sir,” the guard said obediently, and then he left the room. Once we were alone, Kaleb undid the cap on the bottle. A pleasant smell radiated from the container but I couldn’t place what it was.

Before I could say anything, Kaleb expertly shifted my bandage and began to apply the salve. I winced at the coldness of the balm and slight discomfort rose within me at the king’s touch, but I didn’t fight it. Kaleb applied it to my wound as skillfully as a healer.

“I learned from battle,” he explained as if he had read my mind.

I remembered what Erika had mentioned about Yurene. Surely Kaleb was no stranger to battle..

As he finished applying the salve, I smiled at him.

“Thank you,” I said gratefully. “This feels much better.”

“Good,” Kaleb replied with a smirk of his own. “I’m glad it has helped.”

“If you don’t mind me asking…” I trailed off for a moment, and then I took a breath and continued my thought. “What brought you here? I appreciate you saving me from Margaret’s guards, but why were you outside of my chamber?”

“Truth be told, I wanted to speak with you,” Kaleb explained, and then he glanced over at Finnick and Erika. “I have some questions, but they require privacy.”

I nodded and then followed his gaze. As much as I didn’t want them to leave, I owed Kaleb an audience.

“Erika, could you take Finnick for a walk?” I asked gently. The maid nodded with no hesitation and helped Finnick to his feet. As they walked toward the door, my son’s gray eyes met mine. They were full of concern, not that I could blame him. I waved him over and then kissed his cheek.

“I’ll be okay,” I whispered. “I promise.”

Finnick didn’t seem convinced, but he nodded.

“Okay, Mommy,” he said, and then he turned to Kaleb and straightened his posture like a little soldier. “Thank you for saving her.”

The king of Yurene smiled at the boy. “Of course. Thank you, young man. You’re quite the gentleman. Your mother raised you well.”

Finnick smiled and then rejoined Erika. Once they were gone and the door was closed, Kaleb began to speak.

“Ca ssandra, I know I was quite blunt at the banquet,” he began. “My offer was made suddenly, but I wanted to explain my reasoning. You see, I’ve been looking for an experienced healer from the South, and from what I’ve gathered, you appear to be a great one.”

“There are many others here in Wegalla that are much better than me-” I tried to protest, but Kaleb raised his hand.

“Let me continue,” he said. “Ca ssandra, my father was infected with a disease. many years ago. It was difficult to cure and no healers in my country knew how to treat it. My father spent far too long in utter agony.”

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered and Kaleb nodded. He leaned forward and took a

breath.

“Just when we thought all was lost, a healer from the South came to visit our lands,” he said with a strange glimmer in his deep blue eyes. “He didn’t know how to cure the disease, but he knew how to control the symptoms and ease the pain it brought him. He gave my father some medicine and told him how to slow the progress of the disease. Soon after, the healer said he had to leave but would visit Yurene again once he found the cure.”

He stopped and then stared deeply at me.

“What happened next?” I asked, and my eyebrows creased together.

“The healer never visited again,” Kaleb replied in a melancholic tone. “And my

father’s condition quickly deteriorated. Unfortunately, the medicine the healer left is running out, and I fear he won’t last much longer.”

I shook my head slowly. This was so awful to hear. As a healer, nothing hurts more than losing a patient. I knew the feeling all too well.

Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind.

“Who was the healer?” I wondered. “They were someone from Wegalla?”

“That’s just the thing,” Kaleb replied, and his gaze intensified. “The healer said his name was Emmett Keller and he was from the Wild Crawler Pack.”

Chapter 69 North King’s request

CA SSANDRA

A gasp escaped me, and for a moment, I swore I was about to faint. My head spun and a huge knot formed in my stomach.

Had I heard the king correctly?

Emmett? My Emmett?

“I was devastated to hear that Emmett had passed away,” Kaleb continued without ski pping a beat. “But now I’ve found you. I thought it was a coincidence that your last name is also Keller, but then at the banquet, you said you were from the Wild Crawler Pack. Does that mean…”

His question trailed off and I knew I had to finally speak.

“Emmett was my husband,” I confirmed.

Kaleb nodded solemnly. “I figured as much.”

The room fell into silence as I processed all of this new information. Emmett had been to Yurene? He’d never mentioned he’d been to the North even once. In fact, most people in Wegalla never spoke about the North in general. Why had he gone there in the first place and what brought him to the former king of Yurene in the first place?

The room begin to tilt and I had to steady myself for a moment to keep from. swaying. Just when I thought I was past all of the secrets and mysteries, I was being dealt another.

Kaleb studied me but gave me a little bit to think about everything. I appreciated his patience, but I struggled to find the right words to say. I couldn’t betray too much. It would seem strange for a wife to know so little about her husband, though I could simply pass it off if I needed to.

Most importantly, I needed to find a way to convince Kaleb that my going to his country wasn’t a good idea.

“I’m not as talented a healer as Emmett was,” I said softly. “I want to help, but

I’m afraid I won’t be able to.”

“Please hear me out, Ca ssandra,” Kaleb pleaded in an equally gentle tone. “The disease is… strange.”

Before I could protest further, my lips curled into a frown. “What do you mean? How so?”

“It begins slowly enough,” he explained, and he got a distant look in his eyes. “My father first began to suffer some headaches. They were few at first, but then they began to progress and they became more frequent. His skin lost most of its color, and then these strange marks began to appear.”

“Marks?” I asked, and my eyes began to widen.

Kaleb nodded solemnly and gestured at his forearms. “All along here. Just like the headaches, they were few at first and then multiplied. Deep black marks.”

I gasped.

Black marks.

It was the same disease that plagued Wild Crawler and the Alpha King.

Kaleb’s

expression grew alarmed at the sudden sound, and his lips parted, but he didn’t say anything else. He waited patiently with a knowing look on his face.

I pushed all thoughts of Emmett aside. I needed to act like the healer I was.

“When was your father infected?” I asked him as I leaned forward. “And how?”

“It was years ago,” the king replied and he shook his head. “He started to grow the black marks after he returned from the battlefield. Back then, Yurene was fighting against a small Pack. There was a dispute over territory. My father returned

from the field severely wounded. Everyone thought he was going to die, but then, he recovered almost overnight. It seemed to be a miracle. But soon after, the

headaches and marks began to appear.”

“Was anyone else experiencing symptoms?” I wondered and Kaleb shook his head.

“As far as I know, there is no one else,” he lamented. “Which is not a bad thing, of course. The disease is dreadful and only grows more awful with time. But I worry that if left untreated for much longer, it may spread to others in Yurene and become something of an epidemic. I do not wish for my people to suffer as my father has, Ca ssandra.”

I nodded and tried to wrap my mind around all of this. If the disease had appeared in the North years ago, why didn’t it spread instantly to Wegalla? And Emmett… how did he know about the disease and how to treat it? This was all such a confusing mystery and I needed answers.

“Did you check the medicine Emmett left for you?” I asked. “Could you recognize what he used to treat your father?”

“We’ve examined it,” Kaleb replied, and then he frowned. “But none of the healers in Yurene could figure out what it is. I didn’t bring it with me or else I’d ask you to study it right now for yourself.”

I nodded. This was tricky territory and I needed to tread carefully.

I leaned back in my seat and considered it all. As far as I knew, Kaleb’s father could have been the first one infected with the disease. But that was only a theory.

ad

“Please, Ca ssandra,” Kaleb urged again. “I would not ask this of you if I wasn’t sure that you were a capable healer, I’ve hardly been in Wegalla for long, but I’ve heard multiple accounts from here in the palace that you’ve been detrimental. You healed both the Alpha King and his son when they were attacked by vipers-”

“Vipers are one thing,” I said slowly. “But diseases are another-”

“I don’t doubt your abilities for a second,” he interrupted again, and this time, he

gently touched my arm. “Listen, I don’t expect an answer right this moment. I know you’ve gone through a lot just now and this is plenty to place in your lap. All I ask is that you consider my offer. I will do whatever it takes for your help. Anything I can offer will be yours. Please, just think about it, Ca ssandra.”

His eyes glittered a little and much to my surprise, I could see them growing wet with tears. I was a little surprised. The king of Yurene had always been so playful and strange. This seriousness and display of softness when it came to the health of his father was unexpected and tugged at my heartstrings.

I wanted to help. I knew that more than anything. But how could I when I was so tied up in the Alpha King and life here in the palace?

Everything was so confusing. This web grew more and more intricate with every passing day.

Suddenly, a realization crossed my mind.

If what Kaleb had said was true and the medicine Emmett had gifted to his father was effective, there was a strong chance that I could find the cure to this disease. I could administer it to Asher and all of my patients in Wild Crawler who were suffering from the illness. If I could cure the Alpha King, I could take Finnick and leave Anemond behind forever. The city, the Crescent Pack, the Moses family…. I could put them entirely in my past and go back to the life I’d built for

me and my

son.

But in order for that to happen, I’d have to do the unimaginable.

I’d have to go to the North and study the strange disease all the way up in Yurene.

Chapter 70 Dubious foreigners

I was only half awake as I sat in the meeting room and listened to the morning report. Jacoby was informing me about the investigation being conducted about the attempted kidnapping that’d taken place in the market, and the councilor’s dark eyes were glum as he spoke.

“We checked the identity of the kidnapper, Your Majesty,” he said. “They didn’t live in Anemond, nor did they seem to be residents of Wegalla at all.”

My brow shot up immediately. “Do you think they were foreigners?”

Jacoby nodded. “I believe so, Your Majesty. But without officially issued certification, no foreigners would have been able to pass the territory line of Wegalla.”

I frowned.

This was all very strange.

“Did the soldiers stationed there fail their duties?” I wondered as frustration rose within me. “How could a foreigner enter the territory without anyone knowing?”

Jacoby hesitated for a moment.

“Perhaps,” he began. “There’s another possibility. I find it a little coincidental that the king of Yurene appeared right then and there to stop the kidnapper from taking Miss Ca ssandra…”

“Are you suggesting that he was behind it all?” I asked directly.

“I don’t know,” he replied, and his cheeks flushed with color. “All I know for sure is that the king is infamous for being scheming and slippery. He could be responsible. It would certainly raise the reputation of Yurene if a king swooped in to

save a citizen of Wegalla. It would make their country and their people seem much more civilized and important.”

My frown deepened as I considered his words.

I wasn’t sure if a matter such as this was important enough to make such a fuss about. I didn’t want Wegalla’s own reputation to come into question and be smeared by an incident such as this. But then again, I couldn’t deny the possibility that Kaleb was behind this. As Jacoby had pointed out, it was a little coincidental that he happened to be in the vicinity when the incident had taken place.

I couldn’t help but think about Ca ssandra.

I knew my distaste for the king of Yurene had much to do with the way he devoted so much of his attention to her. I didn’t want to consider the idea too much further, but I couldn’t help but wonder if he had his sights set on her in multiple ways?

All I knew for certain was that I couldn’t trust the Northerner.

I turned my attention back to Jacoby, who was waiting patiently for my reply.

“Thank you for telling me about all of this,” I said politely, and then I nodded at him. “Please keep up the investigation and let me know if more information develops.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Jacoby said dutifully, and then he bowed his head in respect. As he walked out of the room, I couldn’t help but admire the way he’d conducted himself. Jacoby was discreet and highly loyal to me. If anyone was going to get any further in this matter, it would be him.

Once I was alone, I released the heavy breath I’d been holding in and let out a small groan as my head throbbed. Though I’d drank my fill of coffee this morning, I still found myself to be quite tired. My sleep had been restless and little the night. before. Lately, I’d been too anxious to rest.

Ever since Kane had told me that Finnick wasn’t Emmett Keller’s son, my mind could not be put at ease.

My stepbrother had revealed that he’d heard from the villagers in Wild Crawler that Ca ssandra had been three months pregnant when she’d been brought to the territory by Emmett. Of course, it had just been idle gossip since no one seemed to know the entire story surrounding her arrival and their marriage.

I hadn’t known any of this beforehand. Kane had been right when he’d said this kind of information wouldn’t be included in any formal investigations.

It was strange that Ca ssandra’s arrival to Wild Crawler had been so wrought with mystery. But then again, everything surrounding the healer seemed to be.

An impossible idea crossed my mind.

Had Cora been pregnant back then?

The thought sounded like a ridiculous thing to consider, but I couldn’t help but think about it anyway. My recent theory was one I couldn’t ignore even if I wanted

1.

I searched my mind and did my best to recall the events from all those years ago. I tried to picture her body… was she showing any signs of physical change?

As much as I hated to admit it, I couldn’t recall. Before the inferno that’d burnt

down Rosepetal, I’d been too busy with the ceremony and other palace business, along with my efforts to clear the Felix family’s name, to notice things like that.

Regret washed over me like a tidal wave and my heart began to ache.

Why hadn’t I done everything I could?

And why had I let my final images of Cora fade away?

Just as I was sinking into despair, I heard a knock at my chamber door. I sat up straight in my chair and wiped away the tears that had started to spill down my cheeks. For the briefest of moments, I considered telling my visitor to leave me alone, but I couldn’t. My duties as the Alpha King came first. I needed to put on a brave face and be the leader this Pack needed.

“Who is there?” I called out as I cleaned myself up.

“It’s Sir Moses, Your Majesty,” my guard reported from the other side of the

door.

Frustration swelled within me.

Great. Just who I wanted to see this morning.

I considered the idea of sending my father-in-law away again, but ultimately, I knew that was a bad idea.

“Send him in,” I sighed.

I had no idea what the man wanted but I was surprised to see that when he entered the chamber, he was flanked by a team of councilors.

“Gentleman,” I greeted them in confusion, and I gestured to the seats in front of me. “Please, take a seat.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” the councilors uttered in unison. They waited for Oliver Moses to be seated, and once he was properly situated in the center chair, they perched in the other seats flanking him.

Whatever he wanted, I could tell that it was serious and that he was planning. on using these councilors to further his agenda.

“Good morning, Your Majesty,” Oliver greeted me formally, and he offered me a polite but still snake- like smile. “My sincerest apologies for bothering you at this early hour.”

“It’s no trouble at all,” I lied, and then I leaned back in my leather chair. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this meeting?”

The councilors glanced at one another and then Oliver. My father-in-law cleared his throat and then raised his chin slightly.

“I have something I wanted to propose to you,” he said vaguely. “In light of the…

events of yesterday-”

“I will not speak more about it,” I interrupted, and it took all of my willpower to push down the frustration that was growing by the minute.

“But of course, Your Majesty,” Oliver replied, and he crossed his legs and set his hands in his lap. “I didn’t come here to rehash our conversation.”

“Then speak plainly and tell me what you want,” I sighed.

He nodded. After a small breath, he stared into my eyes and grew serious.

“Your Majesty, my proposition is this,” he began. “I think it’s time to announce Adalyn as the Crescent Pack’s Luna.”