Alpha King’s Lost Luna by Aubrey Pepper

Chapter 19 Mommy said you’re bad

ASHER

I stared out the window and admired the way the light entered the room. Dusk here in the Wild Crawler

Pack was far more tranquil here than it was all the way out. in Anemond. Out in the capital, it was

nearly impossible to see the h orizon amidst the tall buildings and structures. Here, there was nothing

but open sky for miles.

I peered out at the front lawns. Here, the grass grew tall and was a plush, emerald green. The lawns of

my palace in Anemond were nothing like this. They were broad and sp acious but cut meticulously

short by the team of gardeners. It was almost as if wildlife was forbidden. There was no smell of pine,

no fresh air…

I inhaled deeply. I’d never admit it to anyone, but I would miss the fresh air here. There was something

to be said for this land beside the border. There was a wildness here that didn’t exist out in Anemond,

no matter how much I yearned for it.

Far out on the lawn, two boys were playing ball with one another. One of them, I assumed, was the son

of the Alpha, and the other I recognized as Ca sandra Keller’s son, the one with the gray eyes named

Finnick.

Finnick Keller.

As I watched the two play, I considered the strange color of the boy’s eyes. In the past, it was said that

the color of the iris was a royal trait, passed down from an ancient bloodline. However, I had a few

acquaintances who had similarly colored eyes, so that wasn’t exactly true.

The strange part was the way Ca ssandra had acted when her son pointed out that I shared the same

color eyes. The beautiful healer seemed scared, panicked almost, when the boy had spoken up.

Why was she so afraid of me?

I knew I could be intimidating, but was there something more that I didn’t

know?

I studied Finnick. The sweet boy was laughing with his friend, and the musical sound made me smile.

The pair looked so happy and innocent, and for a moment, my heart ached.

When I was a child, I’d had similar times with my own friends. We’d spent. countless hours playing ball,

exploring the castle, and reenacting plays we concocted in our minds.

My best friends back then had been Cora and her older brother Ector. We were practically inseparable

and spent all of our time with one another. We grew up together, and as the years flew by, I found

myself becoming more and more enamored with Cora. Falling in love with her came naturally, and

when we found out. we were mates, that love only grew stronger.

Those memories felt so far away now.

I was no longer the little boy who played ball.

I was the Alpha King of the Wegalla empire, a ruthless leader who didn’t have time to play or enjoy

myself.

And Cora was gone.

My thoughts were interrupted when a se rvant appeared on the lawn. He approached Finnick and the

Alpha’s son and began to speak with them. Their conversation carried on for a while, and I watched the

Alpha’s son sigh in dejection. The se rvant soon left, and the boy followed suit. Finnick was left on the

lawn alone, and even from the vantage of my room, I could tell the boy was sad.

Just like me, I thought. Cora and Ector had left me too, and I was all alone with nothing but my power

and my enemies.

Suddenly, a knock was heard behind me. I turned around and released a sigh.

“Who is it?” I asked, and I straightened myself up.

“A se rvant of Alpha Gareth’s, Your Majesty,” a young man’s voice replied. “May I

enter the room?”

“You may,” I agreed reluctantly, and before the door opened, I took a breath. I needed to push away all

thoughts of Ector and Cora. I had more important things to worry about at the moment.

The door opened, and a se rvant appeared. He was no older than 1, and his hazel eyes were timid as

they flashed over to me. I recognized him but hadn’t bothered to learn his name since I’d been here.

“Dinner is ready, Your Majesty,” the se rvant announced, and he offered me a

small bow.

“Thank you for letting me know,” I replied, and I fought away the boredom. Yet another dinner with yet

another Alpha. Gareth and his wife Sofia had been wonderful hosts, but I was tired of having business

conversations. They were often so dull, and it was difficult to speak my mind when I knew my hosts

were terrified of

my presence.

I

But I had a part to play. If I showed weakness, my authority could be questioned. I was the Alpha King

and I needed to conduct myself as such.

“May I escort you to the lobby, Your Majesty?” the se rvant asked timidly. I noticed his hands shook at

his sides, and for a moment, I wanted to tell him I could easily walk to the lobby myself, but I knew that

I needed to have measures in place to ensure my safety. My own guards were in a meeting at the

moment, and it was unlikely that this young man would bring me any harm on his own.

“Yes, you may,” I said. I approached the mirror by the dresser and ran my hands through my dark hair.

My eyes were underscored by deep dark circles, but there was nothing to be done there. I was as

presentable as I could be.

I followed the se rvant out the door and down the hall. As we walked down the stairs and toward the

lobby, I passed by a handful of Gareth’s Pack, and each offered various words of politeness. I did my

duty and acknowledged them, but it felt like a chore. While I would miss the fresh air, I was ready to be

back in my own home and in my own chambers.

When we reached the lobby, I was surprised to see young Finnick was there. The boy was staring at a

point beyond him, and when I followed his gaze, I realized he was watching his friend being escorted

toward the dining room.

I considered my move and decided to approach the boy.

“Would you care to join us?” I asked him directly, and Finnick jumped.

Before I could get another word in, the boy retreated slowly, as if I were some sort of predator closing in

on its prey.

“Mommy and I already ate earlier,” he said cautiously. “He told the Alpha we wouldn’t join him.”

“Is that so?” I replied, amused, and then I grinned at him. “You can join us. anyway if you want. I can

tell your mother it’s okay.”

Finnick blinked his wide gray eyes at me and considered my words. He studied me with his serious

gaze for a moment or two and then shook his head.

“No, Your Majesty,” he said like a little adult. “Mommy said you’re very bad.”

Before I could utter my disbelief, the boy bowed and then took off down the hall, leaving me confused

and disappointed.