Alpha King’s Lost Luna

Chapter 22

Chapter 22 Elope?

CA SSANDRA

Rayden suddenly grabbed my hand, and when I whipped around to stare at him, his eyes bore into mine intensely, so much that my heart began to race.

“Let me go with you, Ca ssy,” he insisted, and his eyes grew sorrowful, as if he was a young boy who’d lost something he couldn’t recover again. “Please.”

My eyes widened as I tried to wrap my mind around what was happening.

“Rayden…” I uttered.

As Rayden stared at me with his large brown eyes, a feeling swept through me. along with understanding. Asher’s earlier words in the meeting room played through. my mind. The Alpha King had quipped that the prince of the Wild Crawlers fancied me. At the

time, his words had been a massive shock, but as I stood here in the garden, I began to suspect that Asher may have been right.

But I didn’t want to believe it.

At the time, I never could have imagined that Rayden could see me like that. I’d always been something of a friend to him, as well as a healer. Just as I’d done with countless others in the Pack, I’d treated Rayden once when he was quite ill.

I’d assumed Rayden’s outbursts in the meeting room were because he was worried about the Pack losing their healer. And I desperately wanted that to be

true.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized. “I just… I just want to talk to you, that’s all.”

Suddenly, a clapping sound cut through the air, and when I turned around, Asher Collins was right behind me. The Alpha King’s face was cruel and mocking, and the expression on his amused face sent a pang of anger through me.

“How touching!” Asher laughed, and he continued to applaud. Just beyond him, Alpha Gareth and Luna Sofia stood with their arms crossed. Sofia’s cheeks were red with embarrassment, but Gareth looked completely angry. Their brows furrowed as they stared at me.

“Are you trying to elope with the healer, Prince Rayden?” Asher continued. His tone was still amused, but his smile quickly faded.

A lump formed in my throat as I tried to find my words

“There’s b-been a misunderstanding, Your Majesty,” I spoke up. “It’s my fault.”

“What’s your fault?” Asher demanded through narrowed gray eyes.

“Prince Rayden was just trying to help me,” I managed to explain. “There is something I need to pick up at my house, and he was trying to accompany me…”

My words trailed off as Asher’s expression darkened, and for a moment, I felt as if I couldn’t breathe. This was bad.

Suddenly, the Alpha King uttered a single, dry laugh.

“Do you think I’m st upid, healer?” he asked, and then his voice deepened. “You must not have heard me earlier. If you want to run, run wisely. This… is not wise at all, is it?”

“I don’t want to run, Your Majesty!” I blurted out before I could consider my words. “I meant what I said, I have something important left in my house.”

“What is it then?” he demanded. “Why don’t you tell the guards to get it for you. I’m sure they would love to assist you. It’s their job, after all.”

I swallowed.

“It’s… it’s just something personal, Your Majesty,” I murmured.

Asher Collins practically stared through me and I felt trapped, as if he were the predator and I were the prey. Every inch of me was terrified, but I had to remain

calm.

Everyone remained silent as they awaited the Alpha King’s response. Event Gareth seemed scared of Asher.

Finally, Asher smirked.

“Fine,” he announced. “If it’s that important, I will accompany you.”

My eyes widened instinctively, and Asher clocked the reaction immediately.

“What?” he demanded. “Is it something you couldn’t show to your king?”

His tone dripped with suspicion, and I knew I needed to act fast.

“No, Your Majesty,” I said, and I shook my head quickly. Like it or not, everything in the Wegalla Empire belonged to the King in a legal sense. Any attempts to hide anything from the King could be considered treason. And I knew treason was al felony better than most.

It was the charge they’d placed on my father, after all.

“Then what are we waiting for?” Asher Collins demanded. “We will leave at once. Meanwhile, it appears that your little suitor needs to be taught some discipline. Am I right, Gareth?”

His eyes shot over to the Alpha of the Wild Crawlers, and I watched Gareth’s

face lose whatever color it had left.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” he said quickly, and then he bowed in respect. “He will be dealt with immediately. Thank you for accompanying our healer.”

As this exchange went on, my brain spun in circles and tried to decide how to handle things. I had no choice but to let Asher accompany me back to my house, but how would I conceal my mother’s necklace from him? How could I possibly look. for the pendant with him so close to me?

This was a nightmare.

Suddenly, a chorus of footsteps rang out behind us, and a mass of guards

swarmed into the garden. My body froze for a moment, scared they were after me, but instead, they stopped in front of Gareth.

“F-f-”

“A-A-Alpha Gareth,” the closest one managed to say through trembling breath.

“Spit it out!” Gareth demanded.

“Fire!” the guard replied as his chest heaved.

“Report it clearly!” the Alpha demanded again, and all of looked around at one. another as we waited for the guard to elaborate.

“Healer Ca ssandra’s house is on fire,” he finally managed to blurt out, and! nearly sank to my knees.

What??

No… not my home…

“Send more guards to put out the fire at once!” Alpha Gareth ordered, and the guards sprang into action and rushed out of the garden.

Before I could stop myself, I followed suit and took off in the direction of my house. I was running so quickly that I felt as if I were floating, but suddenly, I was halted in place when someone gripped my arm and tugged.

“Stop,” Asher demanded, and he tightened his hold around me. “You can’t go there, Ca ssandra, it’s too dangerous.”

His expression was firm but I could spy a tiny molecule of caring in his eyes. I stared him down for a moment and then tears sprang forth from my eyes.

“You don’t understand!” I shouted, and I erupted into s obs.