Alpha King’s Lost Luna

CAS SANDRA

Vern

As we crossed the banquet hall and headed toward the entrance, I caught sight of Asher, who stood on the other side of the room. His eyes were on Kaleb and me, and I watched his lips draw into a thin line. His stare was sharp, but thanks to the distance and his disguise, Kaleb didn’t notice him. He seemed too lost in the daze of his drunkenness, and I thanked the Moon Goddess for this. The less aware Kaleb was, the easier the plan would go.

The king of Yur ene brought me to a small meeting room at the other end of the corridor. He closed the door behind us and then led me over to the couch on the far side of the room. He slumped down and then patted the cus hion beside him.

“Sit beside me,” he requested.

Though I didn’t want to, I did as he asked, and once I was there, Kaleb’s eyes trailed over me.

“You look really pretty tonight,” he complimented me with an earnest smile.

I didn’t know what to say, so I simply smiled back. I wasn’t sure what he wanted, but something was going on here. My entire body tensed up and my stomach twisted into knots.

Kaleb didn’t seem by my lack of response.

“How do you feel about the wedding?” he asked. “Do you like all the noise? Would you like it if our wedding was just as splendid?”

He babbled at a rapid pace and my unease grew stronger. I didn’t understand what was going on and I had a really bad feeling about this interaction.

Just as the thought crossed my mind, Kaleb suddenly leaned over and narrowed the space between us. I could smell the alcohol on his breath, and before I could get away, he cornered me using his muscular arms.

My breath caught in my throat and I began to tremble as I pressed my back tightly against the couch. I tried shoving myself back as far as possible, but it was no use. He was still too close to me. His nose nearly brushed mine and his breath was hot against my face.

“Did you ever like me?” he asked shakily. “Before I confessed honestly to you about what I had done… before I made myself a bad guy. Did you ever like me,

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Cas sandra?”

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I didn’t know his intentions or why he had decided to ask me in this way. The question was strange, hilarious even, if he really meant it. Given the circumstances of our meeting, were genuine feelings

d him even in the realm of possibilities? Had he deluded himself into thinking that I could ever like someone

like him, someone so deeply broad failed by this terrible country,

someone so inherently violent that he had plotted revenge against Wegalla?

Even if Asher hadn’t been the love of my life, how could I ever care for someone like that?

Before I could even part my lips to utter a word, Kaleb’s gaze shifted to my lips, as if he intended to breach the distance between us even further and kiss me. Panic swelled within me, and as my body trembled further, I felt the sudden urge to push him away. I was mere seconds away from doing so when Kaleb suddenly retreated back.

A cruel but almost defeated laugh escaped him.

“It seems like I have my answer,” he remarked. I couldn’t tell if he was disappointed or not.

Kaleb then rose from the couch and ran his hand over his long hair, smoothing it down again.

“Wait here for a moment, Cas sandra,” he said as he avoided my gaze. “I have something to show you.”

Before I could protest or ask for clarification, Kaleb turned and left the room, closing the door behind him tightly. Agitation filled my mind and I leaned back into the couch and let out a heavy sigh.

What was going on?

Why had he decided to do all that and what did he want to show me? I wasn’t sure if he’d found anything suspicious and wondered if he’d seen Asher after all.

The minutes passed by slowly and Kaleb didn’t return.

I waited ten minutes before I went toward the door, but when I tried to open it, it was locked from the outside. I tugged as hard as I could, but it was no use.

My heart began to race as I tried to pry it open and then I realized it was a trap. Kaleb had locked me in the room deliberately, but why?

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I started yelling.

“Help!” I cried, and when I received no answer, I called out again. I wanted to know if anyone was there, but all I could hear was faint noises from the hall. The banquet hall was likely too loud to carry my voice.

I ran toward the window quickly, and unfortunately, it was locked as well. The glass was too thick to be breakable, and after I realized there were no tools i could use to escape, I sank to the ground in defeat.

No matter what Kaleb wanted, I knew I couldn’t stay here. I needed to get out.

I stood up and removed my shoes. I struck the window as hard as I could with my heel, but there was no use. I screamed for help, wishing someone would be on the other side. But no one was there.

I was locked in this room alone.

Bad memories flooded in at once. The last time I had been locked in a room alone, I nearly died. I remembered the desperate feeling, the smell of my burning flesh…

A chill ran through me and I wrapped my arms around myself tightly.

As tears streamed down my face, the memories began to consume me, and for a moment, I swore I could smell smoke. At first, I thought I was deluded, but then, the smell grew stronger. Something was on fire.

When I turned around, I saw fire. The couch was ablaze, and before I knew it, the curtains went up in flames too.

Before I knew it, fire engulfed the room.

I started to scream, but I couldn’t move. I was so scared that my limbs had stiffened. My fear was so strong that I couldn’t think straight. As the smoke filled my lungs, I thought that this was it.

I was going to die,

I had been lucky five years ago, but not this time.

My skin began to feel like it was burning, but I forced myself not to look at it. Everything started to grow blurry. All I could hear were the crac ks of the burning furniture around me.

No one was going to save me. No one was going to notice me until my body was nothing more than ashes.

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<3

But suddenly, I heard someone calling my name. First, they were calling for Cas sandra, and then Cora. And then there was a bumping against the door.

Was it Asher?

I wanted to answer him, but the smoke was too heavy. Even the act of opening my mouth was impossible.

With a loud thump, Asher suddenly broke in and rushed to my side. He pulled me into his arms.

“Are you alright?” he asked, and when I nodded, he gave me a bit of soaked cloth and told me that we needed to leave.

Was this all a dream?

I pressed the soaked cloth against my mouth and followed Asher anyway. We left the room, but the outside was no better. Everything was on fire. I scanned the corridor, but all I could see was flames and all I could hear was screaming.

It was like a living hell.

“Where are Finni ck and Erika?” I cried out to Asher as my heart plummeted in my chest.

“I didn’t see them,” he replied.

“They should be in the banquet hall,” I said. “We need to find them.”

We ran down the hall, but the moment we did, I nearly retched in shock.

The gates were all locked up. Guests were trapped in the hall, waiting for their death. Smoke and flames twisted everywhere, and as the screams filled my ears, I kept searching for Finni ck.

“Finn ick!” I called out in hopes of finding him, but it was no use.

Ronald and Helene were standing near one of the doors. Some men were bumping against the large door, trying to break it. Ronald looked horrified while Helene seemed crazily happy. She laughed as she grasped her fia n ce’s shoulders and said something to him. But he ignored her as if she were invisible and continued to stare at the gate.

I rushed over to them./

“Have you seen Finn ick and Erika?” I demanded. “A little boy and a middle-aged

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woman? Have you seen them?”

Helene appeared frantic when she saw me.

“It’s doomsday!” she cried as she grabbed my wrist. “No one will be able to escape. I want you to stay with me and enjoy this beautiful sight.”

The ceiling started to fall, but I didn’t notice until Asher ran over and pushed me aside. The moment I fell to the ground, Asher was engulfed by fire and a scream

escaped me.