Alpha King’s Lost Luna by Aubrey Pepper novel Chapter 66

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 k*ssed my cheeks and bright sunlight filled the sky. Ector and I tumbled around in our wolf forms and rolled in the tall, soft gra*s. 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?”

“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.