Alpha King’s Lost Luna by Aubrey Pepper
Chapter 76

Chapter 76 The Scar

CA SSANDRA

I awoke with a start. My chest heaved as I fought to catch my breath and once my vision adjusted to the low light, I realized I was staring into Asher’s steel-gray eyes. Startled, I nearly jumped out of my bed.

As I blinked and looked around, I realized I wasn’t in mine at all.

What was going on?

What had happened to me?

“Ca ssandra,” Asher said softly in surprise. “You’re awake.”

We were in a sp acious room I’d never seen before. The furnishings were extravagant and fine, from the golden-threaded rug on the dark floors to the intricate tapestry hung on the emerald-painted walls. Soft embers glowed from the fireplace on the far end of the room and provided warmth and a light glow. Every surface gleamed and sparkled, and I admired the warm comforter on the bed.

Yet, I couldn’t relax, not when I had no idea what was going on. I pulled myself out of bed and offered the Alpha King a small bow of respect.

“Y-your M-majesty,” I stammered as my head swam with slight dizziness.

As Asher studied me with a strange expression, I became aware of the thin pajamas I’d been dressed in. I didn’t recognize the purple silky fabric from my closet.

Where had it come from?

And how had it gotten on my b*dy?

I became highly aware that I wasn’t wearing a bra, and I fought the urge to cross my arms against my chest. Had Asher changed me out of the suit and gas

mask? Had he seen me n*ked?

“Erika helped you dress,” he said quietly, and then his l*ps curled into a smirk. The Alpha King was obviously amused by my state of panic.

“Your clothes were covered in dust and all kinds of grime from that basement,” he continued. “So I had Erika bring some clothes up for you.”

I nodded as the information reached me.

The basement.

The a*sailant.

The Udosyn.

My head began to throb and I nearly fell over.

“Ca ssandra, sit down,” Asher ordered and he gestured to the bed. “You’re in no state to be standing. You’ve been through too much.”

“I’m fine-” I started to say, but before I could protest further, the Alpha King stood up from the chair beside the bed and rushed over to me. He took my arm and began to lead me. Before I knew it, I was tucked back under the soft covers.

די

“Thank you,” I murmured, and then I offered him a smile.

“I know it would probably feel better to be in your own bed,” Asher offered. “But I heard that Margaret tried taking you away this morning and I didn’t want to cause any further trouble. So, I brought you here in my chamber so no one could interfere with your rest.”

“Your chamber?” I gulped, and heat spread to my cheeks. This gorgeous room, with its high ceilings, arched window, and sp acious bed was Asher’s? It made sense but I couldn’t help but feel strange about laying in his bed.

“Yes,” he said without sk ipping a beat. “I wanted you to be safe.”

The explanation was strange and made me feel off. Of all of the rooms that Asher could have taken me to, why did he choose his private chamber? And what of Erika? What would she think of this strange arrangement?

I thought of Finnick, but I was certain that if he was under Erika’s care, he was

more than safe.

“Do you feel any better?” he prompted me.

I nodded, though I wasn’t sure how true that was. I was still vastly shaken after everything that had happened.

“What happened in that basement?” Asher asked gently. “When we found you… things were strange, and they only got stranger. Why were you on the ground? And who left you there? You mentioned a man.”

I took a long, deep breath, and then explained everything. As I described the man, the bottles of poison, the snakes, and the books on the table, Asher’s face. grew grim. He nodded as I continued on, and once I got to the part about the strange door and the hidden pa*sageway, his mouth set in a thin line.

“The guards found the door,” he said. “When they pressed the button, a few of them went inside to investigate. The pa*sage led to an underground tunnel, which seemed to connect with the sewer system. We couldn’t replace out where he went, but at least we know all of that is down there.”

“Are the guards okay?” I wondered. “The ones who’d been bitten by the vipers?”

“Don’t worry about them,” Asher replied, and he leaned forward in his chair. “Becky found a cure for them. They were just normal viper bites, so they were treated accordingly.”

“Oh, good,” I said, and relief crashed over me. Thank goodness they were alright. I knew that my a*sistant had been more than capable, but I couldn’t help but worry about my patients.

I shifted my thoughts to the vipers and frowned.

“The viper that attacked you in the garden was probably raised in that house,” I realized. “Since the bottle i found said it was Udosyn.”

“It’s possible,” Asher agreed. “We’re looking into it now. I’ve launched an investigation. We’re going to figure out who’s behind all of this.”

“Good,” I remarked.

The room fell into silence for a moment. I wasn’t sure what else to say. I studied the tapestry in the distance as I waited for the right words to come to me, and when I looked back at Asher, I detected a strange look on his face.

“I had the royal healers examine you earlier,” he remarked as his eyes trailed over me. “They said everything was okay and that you just need some rest.”

“Thank you for arranging that,” I said politely. “That was very kind of you to have me examined.”

I was about to say something else when suddenly, Asher rose to his feet. He approached the bed and loomed over me..

What was happening?

I stiffened in place as he climbed up on the mattress and arranged his b*dy over me. Her rested his lean yet muscular arms on either side of me. His broad chest ecl*psed me, and we grew so close that I could feel the sweetness of his breath against my cheek. My heart raced and my b*dy shuddered in anticipation.

I was cornered.

The Alpha King leaned in closer still, his soft, dark brown hair creating a curtain around our faces.

“Though the healer said there was nothing wrong with your b*dy, I noticed something interesting,” he said, his voice so low it was nearly a whisper. A shiver traveled up my spine. “I need an answer from you, Ca ssandra.”

I inhaled through trembling breath.

“What?” I whispered as my b*dy broke out in chills.

The Alpha King paused and then brought his face to my ear. His hair tickled my cheek and sweat broke out over my b*dy as he whispered back.

“There’s a large scar on your inner thigh. If you could tell me where you got it from, I’d be most grateful.”