Alpha King’s Lost Luna by Aubrey Pepper novel Chapter 21

Chapter 21 Rayden’s help

CA SSANDRA

After I concluded that the pendant wasn’t in the backpack, I discarded it and looked around the room I’d been confined to. There was a stack of boxes in the far

corner I hadn’t noticed when I’d first arrived.

I rushed over to them and wasted no time. I rummaged through the closest one, and once I finished rooting through it, I moved on to the next.

I continued this way for nearly an hour.

In the process of searching my belongings, a pair of se rvants took turns delivering more boxes. With every one, I prayed to the Moon Goddess that the pendant had just gotten misplaced in a pocket or bag, and when it wasn’t in any of the spots, my frustration grew.

Finally, the se vants stopped arriving, and I began to give up. My mother’s

necklace wasn’t here.

Thankfully, one thing was certain the pendant hadn’t been found by the Alpha King’s guards. If it had, things wouldn’t be nearly as quiet as they were now. If my true identity had been revealed, Asher Collins would have been crazed and frantic, and the entire Pack House would be up in figurative smoke.

Since it wasn’t here, my mother’s pendant had to be back in my house, most likely hidden away somewhere. I tried to search my memory in an attempt to figure out where it was, but my brain was drawing an absolute blank.

There was only one logical plan of attack.

I needed to get home and find it before the guards did.

I would have to act quickly and sneak out of the Pack House as swiftly as possible.

It would only take a short amount of time- just a quick in and out, and then I could sneak back in and act like nothing ever happened.

I spent the next half hour working up the courage to make my escape, and once I was finally ready, Finnick surprised me and entered the room.

“Hi, Mommy,” he greeted me in a happy tone, but his gray eyes were even more

serious than usual.

“Hi, baby,” I replied, and my eyebrows creased together. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he murmured, and then after a moment of consideration, he continued. “Well… I ran into the bad man earlier. The King.”

“The King?” I repeated back in surprise, and a lump formed in my throat. “What… what happened? Did he say something to you, Finnick? Were you polite to

him?”

“Yes,” Finnick replied, and worry painted his face. “He invited me to dinner, but I

said no.”

him.”

I

“Oh,” I remarked simply as I tried to find the words to say. “That was kind of

Why would Asher Collins have invited Finnick to dinner?

My heart raced in my chest, but I did my best to collect myself. I couldn’t let Finnick know I was scared, not even a little bit. I needed to stay strong for my little

I

boy.

I crouched down until I was level with him, and then pet his soft hair. After a moment or two, Finnick’s features softened a little.

“I was polite and told him we ate already,” he said.

I could sense that there was more to the story, but I elected not to push any further. Finnick didn’t seem like he wanted to talk about the exchange. All I could do was hope that Asher Collins hadn’t accosted my son or said anything that could

worry him.

“That’s my good boy,” I replied. I leaned over and k*ssed the top of Finnick’s head, and then I rose to my feet and gestured to the boxes. “I think the se rvants grabbed some of your toys if you want to play for a bit before bed.”

Finnick’s eyes lit up and he grinned. “Okay, Mommy!”

I took a little while to help him search the boxes, and after we rounded up some of his favorites, he found a corner of the room to play in. He wasted no time and began to talk his little stories out to himself. Finnick loved to play with Dominic, but he was also great at entertaining himself. His mind was so imaginative and creative.

I waited until he was deep in it to make my escape.

“I’m gonna be right back, baby,” I said, and I gave him a small smile. “Just keep playing and stay here until I get back, okay?”

Finnick nodded enthusiastically. “Okay!”

He immediately returned to his toys, and I decided it was time. I took a breath and then left the room. I closed the door quietly behind me and then scanned the