Ch. 71..75: Alpha King’s Lost Luna Chapter 71-75

Chapter 71 Crafty Beta

My brow raised instinctively as I stared at Oliver Moses in surprise.

Had he really just suggested something like that? Now, of all times?

“Why?” I asked, and I raised my chin slightly. This suggestion reeked of suspicion, and I was going to get to the bottom of it.

“Your Majesty, it’s been five years since the death of our former king,” he explained evenly. “I understand that you’re still in a state of mourning, as anyone in your position would be. But I firmly believe that the Crescent Pack needs a Luna, someone who could raise the morale of both this Pack and all of Wegalla for that matter. It’s been five years since your wedding. I believe this is the right time to declare her your mate.”

I opened my mouth to protest this fact, but I knew it would get me nowhere. Adalyn may have been my wife, but she wasn’t my mate. Cora had been my mate and no one would ever replace that, no matter how much Oliver Moses wanted to change that fact.

I had to admit that I’d underestimated my father-in-law. He was far craftier than I’d ever expected, and I was surprised that he had the boldness to propose something like this.

With all of his cu nning and conniving, I was certain he was more than clear about the fact that I’d never actually been with his daughter in a physical sense..

The idea was ridiculous. Adalyn was and never had been suitable for taking the position of a Luna. She lacked empathy, kindness, and passion, which were crucial qualities for being the Luna of a Pack.

A thought crossed my mind, along with a pang of sadness.

Before everything had fallen apart, Cora had always been the perfect

soon-to-be-Luna of the Crescent Pack. She would have flourished in the role and

helped me usher in an era of peace and understanding that Wegalla had never

before seen.

Oliver had to have his reason to make this propositions

“Your Majesty, I must speak again about the ordeal between Ca ssandra Keller and Adalyn,” Oliver spoke, and despite my irritation, he held his hands up and continued. “The healer displayed a huge amount of disrespect toward my daughter, as have many others. Suffice to say, I believe it’s because she didn’t recognize Adalyn to be a leader-”

“Is that so?” I blurted out.

The councilors glanced at one another and shrank back a little. I supposed my tone had been a little harsh, but I couldn’t help it.

“Once Adalyn is Luna, this whole matter will be sorted out,” Oliver stated. “I’m

certain of it.”

“Is that so?” I asked plainly.

My father-in-law seemed to be forgetting his place. Sure, he had been the Beta of the Pack, but that didn’t give him the authority to speak on matters he knew nothing about. Surely, he was pretending that I didn’t have the utmost word on any matters in or around the palace.

Besides, this issue, as well as countless others, wasn’t likely to sort itself out if Adalyn had any bit of power. Over the years, I’d heard plenty of complaints from guards and se rvants alike about my wife, and I didn’t think any of that would change once she was appointed Luna. In fact, life around here would likely only become worse. Adalyn didn’t need that kind of encouragement. It would go right to her

head.

She was her father’s daughter through and through.

“I don’t see how appointing Adalyn will change things,” I said.

The councilors suddenly erupted into speech and began to plead Oliver’s case. Their words mingled together, as did their ideas, and with every sentence, they looked to the Beta for approval. They argued that Adalyn would be good for the Crescent Pack, that we’d needed a Luna for some time now, and that it was only natural that my wife of five years deserved the position.

There were a few times I considered turning their words into a fully formed. conversation, but I simply sat back and allowed them to state their piece. As their words soared around me, my mind began to wander. All I’d done in the past few years was sit back and listen.

Being the Alpha King had never been a pleasant thing. No matter how much nonsense and bullshi t that was brought to my meeting chambers, I had to sit there patiently and allow my guests to speak. It was a song and dance I knew quite well. I would sneak in a few quips as necessary, but ultimately, sit back, listen, and then smile. After that I’d say something polite about taking their ideas into consideration, though most of the time, it wasn’t true.

The longer I’d been in this position, the greater I empathized with my late father. Growing up, I’d always felt distanced from him. We had never been close, as

he’d always been far too busy with work and palace business to spend time with me. As the years passed on, my displeasure shifted to hate.

But now, sitting here before a team of councilors who didn’t have the realm’s best interests at heart, I could understand my father. A king was hardly ever able to do what he wanted or what he thought was best for the land. There was always a flock of people with their own agendas and ideas who came first.

I’d never wanted the crown. I could have been happy without the power or the wealth. But I’d ultimately taken the position because I thought it would help me protect my mate, Cora. If I was the king, I could keep her and her family safe.

But that’s not what had happened.

I’d failed at my role as protector, and now, sitting here in this room, I didn’t understand my purpose. Why I was still doing these things I’d never liked? Why was I entertaining these gossips and schemers?

There had to be something I could do to change my life and take back the autonomy I’d lost.

I couldn’t let these people rule me.

But for now, I had to play the role.

1 flashed my audience a smile. I was about to make some arguments of my own and then cast them out of my chamber so I could finally have some peace and quiet.

1.

But just as I opened my mouth to speak, a series of intense knocks interrupted

“Come in,” I called out, and seconds later, a guard rushed in quickly, looking panicked and horrified. His chest heaved as he fought to catch his breath, and even from across the room, I could see perspiration

dripping from his forehead.

“Speak at once,” I demanded as I rose from my seat. “What’s happened?”

“Your Majesty,” the guard uttered through trembling breath. “Your Majesty, we found it… the snake pit.”

A shiver traveled up my spine.

“The snake pit?” I repeated back in surprise and the guard nodded.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” he replied, and then he stared into my eyes. “We rushed in to investigate, and it didn’t as planned. A few of my fellow men were bitten, Sire. And they don’t look well.”

 

Chapter 72 Snake pit

CA SSANDRA

Once Kaleb left my chambers, I crawled back into bed and stared up at the ceiling. My fever was lessening by the moment, but I was feeling all sorts of awful, not to mention downright tired.

The king of Yurene had given me an emotionally charged speech, but I couldn’t help but ponder the authenticity of his words. Kaleb had always been kind to me and didn’t have any reason to lie to my face, but I knew better than to accept. someone’s statements blindly.

Despite his explanation, I didn’t understand why he wanted me specifically to help treat his ailing father. Any number of the healers in Anemond were more talented than I was, and even with the knowledge that Emmett had been the one to gift them medicine, it wasn’t as if my late husband had left me with notes. I had not idea what he’d used to treat the king and there was no guarantee that I could figure.

it out.

Yet, once again, why would he lie about something so serious?

I couldn’t help but think about what going to Yurene could mean for Finnick and me, as well as the Alpha King. With a cure to his disease, Asher Collins could go back to the life he’d had before he’d come to Wild Crawler, and I could satisfy my part of the bargain and return to my old position.

There were so many factors to consider and I wasn’t sure how to handle it all. I was confined to my chambers for the foreseeable future and had no opportunity to speak to the Alpha King unless he came to me. Even if he did come here… what would he say? Would he even let me leave Anemond?

Just as the thought entered my mind, the door suddenly opened, and in walked a guard. Completely startled, I sat up in bed immediately and my heart began to

race.

What was going on?

Was this guard working for Margaret?

“My apologies for walking in unannounced, Healer Ca ssandra,” the young guard apologized to me earnestly. “But I had to make haste.”

“What’s happening?” I asked as I tried to catch my breath.

“A snake pit has been found, my lady,” the guard explained, and then he gestured toward the door. “I need you to come with me. A few guards were attacked by the vipers within and they need treatment immediately.”

My eyes widened. The snake pit?

I jumped out of bed and glanced down. I was still in my night clothes.

“Give me a moment to change,” I said quickly, and I rushed over to my closet. “Will you wait outside?”

“Yes,” the guard replied. “Please, hurry. I’ll be outside of the door.”

Without another word, he stepped out into the hall, and once the door was closed, I pulled on a sweater, pants, and some boots. Once I was dressed, I pulled my hair into a bun and winced at the effort. The salve Kaleb had given me was helping, but my arm was still tender from the burn.

I pushed the pain from my mind and walked out of the room. The guard straightened up and started to lead me down the hall, but before we could go, I turned to a se rvant just beyond us.

“Please tell Erika that I left to take care of the wounded guards,” I instructed, and after the se rvant nodded, I turned to the guard, and we made our way down. the hall.

As we rushed down the stairs, I told the guard I needed to stop at the lab to grab my kit. The guard agreed and escorted me there.

“Stay close,” he urged me as we shuffled through a small crowd of people, and I was suddenly reminded that I wasn’t supposed to be out and about. I kept close as ordered, and once we reached the lab, I rushed in and began to assemble my

things.

“If this situation is as bad as it sounds, we may need my assistant,” I informed the guard. Becky wasn’t currently in the lab since I was in confinement.

The guard nodded and then glanced toward the door.

I finished quickly and then followed him out of the lab.

Our destination was a house a few districts away from the palace. The guard informed me it’d long been deserted, but once we got there, I could tell it belonged to a wealthy family. It was enormous with tall pillars, an expansive lawn, and a few

statues in front of the house.

The moment we stepped foot in the house, I could hear groaning. Five cots had been arranged in the long hallway, and on them, I could see the guards lying there, writhing in pain.

We rushed over to them, and as I glanced around at the wounded me, I noticed they’d been bitten in different places. Arms, legs, faces, all swollen heavily.

“Did they catch the vipers?” I asked, but the guard shook his head.

“The snake pit was found in the basement,” he said. “The vipers are very aggressive. All of the guards that entered were attacked. We need more support and protective suits if we want to go back.”

I nodded slowly and then got to work. I examined each of the guards’ bites thoroughly. The situation was worse than I’d expected. Two of the guards seemed to have difficulty breathing and their blood pressure was dropping fast.

Before long, Becky arrived, and she was shocked by what she saw. Once I briefed her with what I knew, her eyes widened.

“Why would a snake pit be here of all places?” she asked, but all I could do was

E

shrug and shake my head. I had no idea either, but we didn’t have time to worry about that. We had to start treating the guards.

After long, more guards arrived on the scene, all wearing protective suits. Soon after, Asher arrived.

The Alpha King and I locked eyes, and after I offered him a nod of respect, Asher got to work and began to interview the guards.

He asked them questions about the basement and what was down there. I was curious myself, but my main focus was treating my patients.

Once he got some information, he turned to his men.

“Get down there at once,” he urged. “We need to handle this quickly.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” the guards said with a salute, and then they vanished.

A few minutes went by, and then the leader of the squad, a tall young man with intense black eyes, rushed over to Asher.

“Your Majesty, we were stopped by a narrow corridor once we descended the stairs,” he explained. “We couldn’t pass it. However, we did manage to drop a few tubes of anesthesia inside. I don’t know how effective it will be, but it might stop some of the vipers.”

h

“We couldn’t pass the corridor either,” the guard I was treating groaned. “When we were down there, we heard a hiss and then we lit the torches. We were surrounded. The vipers attacked, but after they bit us, they retreated and we ran for our lives.”

“They retreated?” Asher repeated back and when the guard nodded, the Alpha King growled. “What in the world?”

“How narrow is the corridor?” I blurted out before I could stop myself. The leader of the squad seemed surprised by the question but gestured with his hands anyway. I studied the distance.

“There’s no way any of these guys can fit in that,” Asher cursed and his eyebrows creased together as he considered a plan.

I took a deep breath.

I had a crazy idea.

“Do you have another suit?” I asked the leader. “A smaller one?”

The leader and Asher stared at me in confusion.

“Send me in,” I suggested. “I’ll give it a try.

Chapter 73 Dangerous basement

CA SSANDRA

Asher’s gray eyes darkened instantly and his nostrils flared.

“Absolutely not,” he growled. “No, Ca ssandra. We’ll find another resolution. There’s no way I will allow you to set foot in the viper pit.”

“Your Majesty, we’re running out of time,” I insisted, “We need to find out what’s going on down there.”

need you here to treat the guards,” Asher said, but I shook my head.

“Becky is here and she’s more than capable of handling it while I’m gone,” I

pressed.

The Alpha King ran a hand through his dark hair and shook his head.

“There has to be someone else,” he murmured. “Anyone else.”

“There’s not,” I said firmly. “You heard your men. Every guard you have at your disposal is too strong and large to make it down that corridor. I’m not. If the size he indicated is accurate, I should have no issue making it down there. Besides, I’m the best choice anyway. I know the vipers well. I’ve been studying them for years and I know how to protect myself.”

Asher shook his head again. “Ca ssandra-”

“Please, Your Majesty,” I pleaded. “Please let me do this. If not for you, then for the rest of the guards. I need to know what we’re going up against if we’re going to get everyone out of here alive.”

Emmett’s words ran through my mind. Lcouldn’t let my patients die in front of me. It was my duty as a healer to do anything in my power to save them. It was my responsibility.

“Your Majesty, the healer might be right,” the leader said gently. “She seems of proper size, and from what I’ve seen and heard, we need to act fast. We need to know what we’re up against.”

Asher’s nostrils flared, and for a moment, I thought he was going to roar at the both of us for defying his decree. He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his

eyes.

1.

We all waited in silence until finally, Asher opened them again and turned to

“Fine,” he said quietly. “Fine.”

He turned to the leader. “She’ll need a suit and a mask. I won’t have her go in there exposed, you got that?”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” the leader said, and after he offered a salute, he approached his team and gave the orders. A pair of them left the house to retrieve

the suit.

While we waited for the guards to return, I continued working on my patients. One, an elderly gentleman, had lost all of the color from his cheeks.

“Hang in there,” J urged him gently as I wiped the sweat from his brow with a cool cloth. “Just hang on a little longer.”

“I’ll try,” he whispered. “Thank you, Healer Ca ssandra.”

“Of course,” I whispered back, and I fought back tears as I studied him. I knew I was getting myself into a bad situation, but I saw no other option.

The guards returned soon with the suit. It was a little dated and worn, but much to my surprise, it fit me like a glove. I tucked my hair back and then turned to Becky.

“Keep them comfortable,” I said. “Everything you need is in the kit.”

“Be careful, Ca ssy,” Becky urged me. “Please.”

I nodded. “Of course.”

Before I slipped the mask on, I glanced at Asher. The color had drained from his face and his eyes were weary.

“I’ll be back soon, Your Majesty,” I assured him.

“Be safe,” he urged, and then he softened his tone. “Please, Ca ssandra.”

My name was like honey on his lips and I wanted to run into his arms. But I had a duty to fulfill.

The guards escorted me over to the stairs. After they wished me well, I took a

I long deep breath, slipped my mask on, opened the basement door, and stepped

onto the stairs.

As I descended, my heart began to race and my hands trembled. No part of me wanted to do this, but I had to be brave. People were counting on me.

Once I reached the bottom, I spied the narrow corridor. Sure enough, it was a tight space. It was unsurprising that the guards couldn’t make it through.

I took a long, deep breath as I lingered. It was now or never.

I turned myself sideways and maneuvered until I could get through. It was a tight fit, but I managed to do it. I held my breath as I walked through spiderwebs. I wanted to crawl out of my skin as they tangled around me, but I managed to keep myself calm. This corridor was beyond disgusting. This house had been abandoned for a long time.

After I passed through the narrow corridor, the space opened up, and I could breathe a little better. I stretched a bit, but relief turned to fear.

gor

Everything was dark. I could barely see a thing and I began to panic. Danger could be lurking in any corner. I remained quiet and listened carefully. No hissing or slithering could be heard.

I carefully lit the torch I’d brought with me. Once the fire was burning, my

surroundings were illuminated, and a small gasp escaped me.

The basement was surprisingly tidy. There was a long table by the wall with two chairs neatly tucked in. A small stack of books and some bottles rested on the table. I was reminded of the locked room I frequented at the royal library.

It was as if someone had just been here reading.

Just as a sense of calm crashed over me, I pointed the light in the corner and nearly jumped out of my skin when I spotted the pit. Dozens of vipers if not more surrounded the area. Just as I’d expected, the snakes all had black scales like the one that’d attacked Asher in the garden.

The good news was that I could treat the guards easily if their venom was the

same.

Luckily for me, the tubes of anesthetics the guards had thrown into the chamber had reached the corner. The snakes moved very slowly, and when I took a few steps forward, I heard some hisses, but they were too tired to reach me.

Once I was sure they wouldn’t strike, I moved a little closer. At the center of the pit were a few snake eggs. I shuddered.

Just beyond me, I spied a large tarp. I walked over and grabbed it with my free hand and then made my way back to the pit. I flung the heavy covering over the pit. The fabric was dense enough that the snakes weren’t going anywhere.

I

Once I was sure they weren’t following me, I approached the table and glanced at the books. The volumes were old and quite weathered. Curious, I opened the one on the top of the stack and was surprised to see that the pages were covered in characters I couldn’t understand. I frowned.

What was this language?

I then turned my attention to the bottles. They all had the same pattern on them along with a character. As I squinted, I realized the pattern resembled the head of a snake with its teeth sticking out.

I stared at the character at the center of the bottle. It was familiar somehow, but I couldn’t figure out why. After what felt like an eternity of searching my mind, I realized where I’d seen it before.

I’d read this character in one of the books I’d found in the royal library.

This strange symbol meant “Udosyn”.

Chapter 74 Strange man

CA SSANDRA

My heart pounded in my chest as I stared at the bottle. My hands began to shake so hard that for a moment, I nearly slipped and dropped the container on the ground.

Were all of these bottles full of poison?

Did someone raise these vipers here?

Everything was so strange and confusing and my mind began to drown in the possibilities.

Just as I started to steady myself, I heard something move behind me. I started to turn around, but I was shoved forward before I could. A cry rose up from my chest, and when I whipped around, a tall, dark figure stood behind me.

The light down here was too dim to make out his features, and even if I could, he was moving far too quickly for me to recognize him.

The man lunged at me, and suddenly, my mask was knocked off and crashed to the floor. As it broke into pieces, the smell of the basement hit me in full force. I plugged my nostrils as I tried to put some distance between my assailant and me, but it was too late. The scent of the anesthetics was too strong. My knees began to wobble involuntarily and my head swam with dizziness.

I tried to run, but the man was too fast. He came up behind me and shoved a cloth over my mouth. I tried to scream, but the sound was mu ffled. Another pungent scent reached my nose before I could stop it. There was something on the cloth, something toxic, and it was strong enough to finally send me to my knees. I collapsed halfway and then moments later, I was completely on the ground.

I wanted to scream and cry out for help, but I was frozen, paralyzed. A wounded animal trapped on a cold dark floor.

This feeling was all too familiar. It was similar to how I’d felt just before the inferno five years ago. My eyes were swollen and my legs were completely numb.

Even though the effort was nearly impossible, I strained to keep my eyes open. Beyond me, the man stood at the table with his back turned. When he shifted, I could see him gathering up all of the books and bottles. He threw them into the bag. he had draped on his shoulder, and once they were all collected, he turned to look.

at me.

Fear ran through me.

Now that he’d collected what he wanted, what was he going to do to me?

He began to walk toward me and I wanted nothing more than to disappear. I’d been through hell all those years ago, but every day I’d spent here in Anemond had become nightmarish in of itself.

face.

I tried again to cry out, but the effort was of no use. I was trapped.

When the man reached me, he squatted down, and I finally got a look of his

Well, sort of.

His features were concealed under a grotesque mask that made my stomach turn. Whoever he was, he was a villain for sure.

As I trembled, the man snorted, and without another moment’s hesitation, he scooped me up off of the cold basement ground.

I wanted to kick and scream as he gripped my paralyzed body tightly, but there

was no use.

Where was he going to take me?

I tried again to make a sound, but none would escape me. The anesthetics thrown into the basement coupled with whatever chemical the man had put on the cloth were far too much for me to overpower. I was completely at a loss here.

The man carried me over to the far right wall. As we moved through the darkness, I tried to stay focused, but my vision was obstructed.

Once we were there, however, I could see a small button on the wall.

A button?

What was that doing here?

The man pressed it gently, and moments later, the wall before us began to rotate. Dread rose within me as the rotating door revealed a hallway. The corridor was dimly lit and appeared to be never-ending. I couldn’t even see the end of it if I

tried.

Where did it lead? And how far was he going to take me?

The man let out a soft sigh and just as he was about to take a step forward, I heard a voice far in the distance.

“Ca ssandra?”

I managed a gasp.

It was Asher.

“Ca ssandra?” the Alpha King called out again, his tone full of concern. “Ca ssandra, where are you? Are you alright?”

I wanted to call out after him, but I couldn’t. Everything was far too numb.

Footsteps rang out around us, and I heard Asher order his men to break through the corridor. A few other voices, those of his guards, urged the king to reconsider. One pointed out that there was a chance the wall could collapse.

“I don’t care!” Asher practically bellowed. “Do it. Do what you have to do!”

Suddenly, a series of crashes and thuds rang out, and my assailant let out a curse. The guards sounded like they were getting closer.

The man whipped around and practically threw me to the ground. As I landed

I with a heavy thud, the wind was practically knocked out of me. I struggled to catch my breath, meanwhile, the man grasped the hidden door and ran through it into the strange corridor. The door closed behind him, and as he got away, Asher finally

reached me.

“Ca ssandra?” he cried out in alarm, and he got down on the ground. Even in the darkness, I could see the worry that painted his features. “Ca ssandra, can you

move?”

I wanted to reply, but I couldn’t.

Asher took me into his arms and lifted me up. He cradled me gently against his

chest and held me close.

“Ca ssandra, what happened?” he asked.

His eyes locked onto mine, and suddenly, I decided I needed to do anything I could to say something back. I took a deep, steady breath, and tried to move my hands. It took all of my effort, but I managed to raise one of my fingers high enough to point at the wall the man had escaped through.

My lips trembled and I felt as if I were trying to speak underwater.

“H-h-he,” I forced out of my mouth co ar sely. “H-he… ran…”

Asher followed the direction of my finger. He seemed confused but nodded anyway. The guards swarmed around us and the Alpha King gestured to the wall.

“Check over here,” he commanded. “There was someone down here and we need to find them, quickly. Then I need a few of you to deal with the vipers. I’ll get her upstairs.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” the guards replied obediently in unison, and they got to work immediately.

A few of the guards headed toward the pit, and Asher tightened his hold around me.

3

“Let’s get you out of here,” he said to me quietly.

I managed the smallest of nods as relief began to swell within me. Asher was

here. I was safe.

My eyelids began to feel heavy as the Alpha King carried me through the basement and toward the corridor. Just as we reached the stairs, my eyes closed completely, and I was lost in oblivion.

Chapter 75 Vengeance fueled up

ADALYN

Father didn’t look well when he returned home. His cheeks were red and his eyes were frantic as they darted around. As his hands twitched at his sides, I realized that wherever he’d come from, he was in a terrible mood.

or:

Whenever he was angry or agitated, his hand twitched, along with his right eye. As he paced around the room, I saw his eye tick, and I knew that whatever had happened, it wasn’t good.

“What happened, Father?” I asked as I timidly approached.

“You’re an idiot and a fool, Adalyn!” Father shouted as his nostrils flared. His sudden outburst startled me and I took a step back.

“What do you-” I started to say, but before the words could leave my mouth, Mother appeared and swooped in between us.

“Oliver, dear, what’s going on?” Mother said gently, and she rubbed Father’s shoulder. As she tried to soothe him, I took the opportunity to create some distance. between us.

After the incident in the palace laboratory, I’d remained in the House of Moses. My parents had told the Alpha King that I’d receive much better care here than I would there, but it was just an excuse. I knew Father wanted something from me.

Though I didn’t want to admit it, I was incredibly annoyed by it all. I’d expected Asher to at least pop in and see if I was alright, but the Alpha King was nowhere to be found. My husband had accompanied

me during my treatments in the palace, but once I’d left and returned to my parent’s house… it was as if I didn’t exist anymore.

Why didn’t he care?

Why hadn’t he come to see if I was okay?

As I sat down in an armchair and looked out the window, I bit my lip and

remained silent.

Truth be told, I was exhausted in almost every way possible.

My entire life I’d been told how to act, how to behave, how to conduct myself. I’d been instructed how to speak, how to sit, and how to look. Every bit of myself had been painstakingly crafted by my parent’s steady eyes and hands.

So why were they angry with me now?

I had listened to what Father had told me to do… at least for the most part. I knew I’d overreacted slightly. I wasn’t supposed to create a commotion in that healer’s lab. Father had only instructed me to snoop and find out what she was doing. I’d been told I could make small troubles, but not too much of a fuss.

I’d fully intended on only doing that much. But then I’d seen the look on the healer’s face. Ca ssandra Keller. That vile, pathetic healer. She had the most condescending attitude and disposition, and that day, I’d just had enough. She was always in places she shouldn’t be, sneaking secret glances at my husband. She was hiding something, and I was tired of her always somehow finding her way into my life.

When I’d raised the vial of chemicals, I’d intended to teach her a lesson. Not a major one, just enough for her to back off and remember her station. In the end, though, I was the one who got hurt, both literally and me ntally.

My eyes flew down to my damaged arm and I felt a small pang of pain. None of this was fair. Why was everyone always on Ca ssandra Keller’s side, and why was no one rooting for me? I didn’t understand what I’d done to deserve any of this.

“Dear, why don’t you take a seat and tell us what happened?” Mother’s voice suddenly made me snap out of my haze. I looked up to see her escorting Father into the room and into his favorite chair. Instinctively, I rested my hands in my lab and straightened my posture. If there was one thing Father hated more than anything, it was slouching.

“Fine,” Father remarked as he sat down. Once he was seated, Mother

disappeared and left the two of us alone. For a moment, I didn’t know if I should say anything. Provoking Father wasn’t always wise, but I wanted to know what was going on.

So, I cleared my throat and oriented my body toward him.

“Daddy?” I asked timidly, and when his eye narrowed in my direction, I gulped. “Father, what happened?”

He rolled his eyes and then his nostrils flared.

“I told Asher to announce you as the Luna of the Pack,” he revealed just as Mother reentered the room. She nearly dropped the steaming cup of tea in her hands onto the polished floors, she was so excited.

“Really?” we asked in unison.

“Is that true?” I prompted.

Father glared. “It was just a proposition, one that the Alpha King didn’t answer to. Before he could make a decision either way, he was interrupted by a sudde

report.”

I frowned. “Oh.”

Why hadn’t Asher said yes right away?

As the question crossed my mind, I could tell Father was irritated. He always seemed to be very worried about my relationship with my husband. Part of me was too, but the other part firmly believed it was only a matter of time before Asher accepted me. I was his wife, after all, and our ceremony had been witnessed by the entire Pack.

Though Asher hadn’t married me for love, he hadn’t found solace in other women, either, so I knew I meant something to him. Besides, I was Marco’s mother, and Asher loved Marco with all of his heart.

It wouldn’t be long until Asher claimed me. I knew in my heart that he would accept Father’s proposition. After all, I was the only daughter of the second most prestigious family in Wegalla. That meant something in this Pack.

“What kind of report was made, Father?” I wondered.

“Apparently, they found the snake pit,” Father remarked.

“That’s good news-” I started to say, and Father rose to his feet and stood

above me.

“Foolish girl!” he growled. “Must I explain everything to you? My goodness, I thought you had more sense about you! I was this close to having the king punish that wretched healer, but now that the pit’s

been discovered, he’ll need her help more than ever! And if she makes her contribution to this mess, it’ll be that much more difficult to punish her and send her to jail.”

A lump formed in my throat as he glared down at me. I was at a loss for words.

He shook his head. “You’re entirely useless, Adalyn.”

Father glared at me for a moment more and then began to walk away. As he headed toward the hallway, Mother followed suit and tried to ease the tension. But it was no use. Father continued to his study, and before he disappeared, he made. one last remark.

“I wish Silas was here.”

His door closed, and I sat there in shock.

My teeth clenched and Ca ssandra Keller’s face appeared in my mind.

That filthy, vile healer.

Everything wrong with my life lately was solely her fault. She was taking everything away from me.

A short breath escaped me as my eyes welled up with tears.

I wanted her to die.