Alpha King’s Lost Luna by Aubrey Pepper
Chapter 70

ASHER

Chapter 70 Dubious foreigners

I was only half awake as I sat in the meeting room and listened to the morning report. Jacoby was informing me about the investigation being conducted about the attempted kidnapping that’d taken place in the market, and the councilor’s dark eyes were glum as he spoke.

“We checked the identity of the kidnapper, Your Majesty,” he said. “They didn’t live in Anemond, nor did they seem to be residents of Wegalla at all.”

My brow shot up immediately. “Do you think they were foreigners?”

Jacoby nodded. “I believe so, Your Majesty. But without officially issued certification, no foreigners would have been able to pa*s the territory line of Wegalla.”

I frowned.

This was all very strange.

“Did the soldiers stationed there fail their duties?” I wondered as frustration rose within me. “How could a foreigner enter the territory without anyone knowing?”

Jacoby hesitated for a moment.

“Perhaps,” he began. “There’s another possibility. I replace it a little coincidental that the king of Yurene appeared right then and there to stop the kidnapper from taking Miss Ca ssandra…”

“Are you suggesting that he was behind it all?” I asked directly.

“I don’t know,” he replied, and his cheeks flushed with color. “All I know for sure is that the king is infamous for being scheming and sl*ppery. He could be responsible. It would certainly raise the reputation of Yurene if a king swooped in to

save a citizen of Wegalla. It would make their country and their people seem much more civilized and important.”

My frown deepened as I considered his words.

I wasn’t sure if a matter such as this was important enough to make such a fuss about. I didn’t want Wegalla’s own reputation to come into question and be smeared by an incident such as this. But then again, I couldn’t deny the possibility that Kaleb was behind this. As Jacoby had pointed out, it was a little coincidental that he happened to be in the vicinity when the incident had taken place.

I couldn’t help but think about Ca ssandra.

I knew my distaste for the king of Yurene had much to do with the way he devoted so much of his attention to her. I didn’t want to consider the idea too much further, but I couldn’t help but wonder if he had his sights set on her in multiple ways?

All I knew for certain was that I couldn’t trust the Northerner.

I turned my attention back to Jacoby, who was waiting patiently for my reply.

“Thank you for telling me about all of this,” I said politely, and then I nodded at him. “Please keep up the investigation and let me know if more information develops.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Jacoby said dutifully, and then he bowed his head in respect. As he walked out of the room, I couldn’t help but admire the way he’d conducted himself. Jacoby was discreet and highly loyal to me. If anyone was going to get any further in this matter, it would be him.

Once I was alone, I released the heavy breath I’d been holding in and let out a small groan as my head throbbed. Though I’d drank my fill of coffee this morning, I still found myself to be quite tired. My sleep had been restless and little the night. before. Lately, I’d been too anxious to rest.

Ever since Kane had told me that Finnick wasn’t Emmett Keller’s son, my mind could not be put at ease.

My stepbrother had revealed that he’d heard from the villagers in Wild Crawler that Ca ssandra had been three months pregnant when she’d been brought to the territory by Emmett. Of course, it had just been idle gossip since no one seemed to know the entire story surrounding her arrival and their marriage.

I hadn’t known any of this beforehand. Kane had been right when he’d said this kind of information wouldn’t be included in any formal investigations.

It was strange that Ca ssandra’s arrival to Wild Crawler had been so wrought with mystery. But then again, everything surrounding the healer seemed to be.

An impossible idea crossed my mind.

Had Cora been pregnant back then?

The thought sounded like a ridiculous thing to consider, but I couldn’t help but think about it anyway. My recent theory was one I couldn’t ignore even if I wanted

I searched my mind and did my best to recall the events from all those years ago. I tried to picture her b*dy… was she showing any signs of physical change?

As much as I hated to admit it, I couldn’t recall. Before the inferno that’d burnt

down Rosepetal, I’d been too busy with the ceremony and other palace business, along with my efforts to clear the Felix family’s name, to notice things like that.

Regret washed over me like a tidal wave and my heart began to ache.

Why hadn’t I done everything I could?

And why had I let my final images of Cora fade away?

Just as I was sinking into despair, I heard a knock at my chamber door. I sat up straight in my chair and wiped away the tears that had started to spill down my cheeks. For the briefest of moments, I considered telling my visitor to leave me alone, but I couldn’t. My duties as the Alpha King came first. I needed to put on a brave face and be the leader this Pack needed.

“Who is there?” I called out as I cleaned myself up.

“It’s Sir Moses, Your Majesty,” my guard reported from the other side of the

door.

Frustration swelled within me.

Great. Just who I wanted to see this morning.

I considered the idea of sending my father-in-law away again, but ultimately, I knew that was a bad idea.

“Send him in,” I sighed.

I had no idea what the man wanted but I was surprised to see that when he entered the chamber, he was flanked by a team of councilors.

“Gentleman,” I greeted them in confusion, and I gestured to the seats in front of me. “Please, take a seat.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” the councilors uttered in unison. They waited for Oliver Moses to be seated, and once he was properly situated in the center chair, they perched in the other seats flanking him.

Whatever he wanted, I could tell that it was serious and that he was planning. on using these councilors to further his agenda.

“Good morning, Your Majesty,” Oliver greeted me formally, and he offered me a polite but still snake-like smile. “My sincerest apologies for bothering you at this early hour.”

“It’s no trouble at all,” I lied, and then I leaned back in my leather chair. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this meeting?”

The councilors glanced at one another and then Oliver. My father-in-law cleared his throat and then raised his chin slightly.

“I have something I wanted to propose to you,” he said vaguely. “In light of the…

events of yesterday-”

“I will not speak more about it,” I interrupted, and it took all of my willpower to push down the frustration that was growing by the minute.

“But of course, Your Majesty,” Oliver replied, and he crossed his legs and set his hands in his lap. “I didn’t come here to rehash our conversation.”

“Then speak plainly and tell me what you want,” I sighed.

He nodded. After a small breath, he stared into my eyes and grew serious.

“Your Majesty, my proposition is this,” he began. “I think it’s time to announce Adalyn as the Crescent Pack’s Luna.”