Alpha King’s Lost Luna by Aubrey Pepper novel Chapter 257

Chapter 257
ASHER
That night in Sky Pride was far colder than it had been in our forest camp below the mountain. The wind outside of the fortress blew intensely, so much that it rattled the window, and it made me shiver instinctively as we were escorted to our rooms.
Much to my surprise, our designated quarters were warm and cozy, the beds decorated with plush, thick blankets, and the wood floors were covered in several soft rugs. The furnishings were simple yet lovely, and when I finally had a chance to relax, I flopped down onto the bed and allowed the blankets to flare up around me. I sank into the softness for a moment and stared up at the ceiling as I reflected on the evening.
Alpha Arthur hadn’t been very content with Kane’s declaration at first, but after he proposed the idea of courting Kiara, the Alpha escorted us to a small banquet hall. A feast in our honor commenced, and as the night went on, Arthur began to come around on the idea. Kane always knew how to smooth the tension and make everyone satisfied. He was kind and charismatic enough to sway anyone in his favor.
Kiara seemed equally enticed by him. All evening, her bright hazel eyes kept glancing over at my stepbrother, and her full lips curled into a small yet happy smile.
However, as this display continued, a complicated feeling swelled within me. I didn’t understand Kane’s decision, nor did I get why he would make such an offer to court Arthur’s daughter. Why would he step in to save the day when Silas was on the line?
I wanted to understand and yet I couldn’t. This was all so strange and confusing.
Just as I tried to come around to the idea, a knock on the door interrupted my thoughts.
“Come in,” I called out, and I forced myself to sit up and appear presentable. Assuming it was Alpha Arthur, I ran a hand through my hair and smoothed the wrinkles from my shirt, but much to my surprise, in walked Kane with a chessboard in his hand.
“Brother,” he greeted me warmly, and then he gestured at the table in front of me. “If you’re struggling to sleep, perhaps you would like to play a game with me? It’s been quite some time since our last match.”
Though part of me wanted to climb back into bed, the other decided to oblige Kane’s request, so I nodded my head and approached the table.
At first, we played in half-silence. While I remained quiet, Kane would comment shortly when I clearly made a wrong move. He uttered a few stinging remarks, and after I lost two games in a row, he shook his head slowly.
“You seem greatly distracted, Asher,” he mused thoughtfully, and then he tilted his head
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slightly as he studied me closely. “What’s going on in that lovely mind of yours?”
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I didn’t know what to say. I simply stared at the brother who sat opposite me and always smiled. Words felt impossible given the circumstances, and I didn’t know what to do.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Kane spoke again, and he leaned forward against the table. “But I want to make it perfectly clear that I didn’t make this decision purely for you or for Wegalla. I don’t want you to think of this as a sacrifice. Being the Alpha of an undefeatable Pack is a glorious thing and I’m perfectly content with the idea. Besides, Kiara is quite pretty, isn’t she?”
He let out a soft chuckle. “It’s time for me to settle down, And she seems like she would be a kind partner.”
I wasn’t convinced by his words even a little bit. His attitude toward the matter was far too casual, and I’d known him long enough to see that something was amiss.
My lips parted, but before I could say a word, Kane held his hand up to stop me.
“This is going to benefit everyone,” he assured me firmly. “I’ve already made my decision, Asher, and I won’t take any further considerations. Besides, Alpha Arthur isn’t someone we can easily toy with. If we want to act quickly, we need his allegiance.”
I let out a soft sigh and then nodded.
Kane glanced down at the chess set and then figdeted with a couple of pieces.
“Now, I didn’t just come here to play chess,” he revealed. “In truth, ‘m here to tell you something important. I heard from my soon-to-be father-in-law, that there is going to be a wedding in Yurene soon.”
My stomach dropped and a lump formed in my throat. My heart began to race with panic, but Kane reached out and touched my arm.
“Don’t worry,” he assured me. “It’s not Cassandra. It’s the wedding of Kaleb’s cousin. Arthur told me that on the wedding day, the capital of Yurene, Vlokwell, will be accepting hundreds of guests from outside the city.”
My eyes widened at the idea. “Do you mean to suggest-”
“Yes,” Kane cut me off, and then he nodded. “It would probably be the best time to sneak in and find Cassandra. Arthur got a private invitation from Ronald Adams, the cousin, who seems to be seeking alliances with Packs from outside Yurene behind Kaleb’s back. Arthur agreed to help him. But let’s not focus on that now. I don’t intend to attend the wedding, so I’m willing to give you the invitation card.”
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“Thank you, Kane,” I managed to say as I grappled with all of this information. “This is
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great news.”
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“Don’t get me wrong, I’m still against this bold idea of bringing Cassandra back by force,” he reminded me. “But I know that no matter what I do, I can’t stop you. Besides, I’m unable to accompany you for the rest of your journey because I have to remain
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here, as required by Alpha Arthur. The wedding will be in three days, and guests usually arrive two days early. You’d better depart tomorrow.”
“You won’t come with me?” I uttered before I could stop myself, though I knew the answer. We both fell silent and then Kane smiled at me.
“I hope this won’t be the last time we can play chess,” he said quietly, and then he rose from his seat. “In fact, I know it won’t be. But it’s very late now, and you need to get some rest. You have a long day ahead of you.”
I rose from my chair and crossed over to him. He held his arms out to me, and we embraced tightly. This hug lasted longer than usual, and heaviness filled my chest. I didn’t want to leave Kane behind. My stepbrother meant the world to me, and doing this alone filled me with dread. But he made his choice and I had to respect the great deed he’d done on my behalf and honor his wishes.
“Return safely, Asher, alright?” he asked me once we parted.
“I will,” I swore, and after we shared one more quick hug, Kane left the room, and I returned to the bed.
A wedding in Yurene.
This was going to be a strange affair indeed.
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