Alpha King’s Lost Luna by Aubrey Pepper

Chapter 37 Attraction and Control

CA SSANDRA

By the time I had Asher’s condition stable and under control, I was utterly exhausted. The clock on the

wall read 4:00 AM, and I was certainly feeling the effects of being up so late.

It took a lot of effort and plenty of medicine, but Asher finally looked better than he had before. His

breath was steady, no longer labored, the blueness of his lips had faded, and the swelling of his bite

went down. Yet, he still hadn’t regained consciousness, so I needed to stay with him and make sure he

was truly alright.

I pulled a chair up over to Asher’s bedside and then slumped into it with a long, heavy exhale. This felt

like the longest night I’d ever experienced, longer than the night Finnick and I had spent in the woods.

I rested my head in my hands for a moment and closed my eyes. My adrenaline was finally wearing

down and sleepiness was starting to take hold.

As I sat there, Kane’s earlier words played like a repetitive song in my mind. There was a chance

Asher’s stepbrother was right- Asher had been suspicious of my identity from the start. I was starting to

run out of luck very quickly. The longer I stayed here in Anemond, the more difficult it would be to keep

my past a secret.

My only way out of here was to discover the cause of the mysterious disease that plagued the Alpha

King. But how could I discover the source when I had no clue of its origins?

My head swam with dizziness and I slumped in my seat a little. This was becoming a major disaster

very fast. I needed to do anything in my power to keep -my identity hidden from those who would use it

to destroy me and my son.

I leaned back in my seat and settled in. I struggled to keep my eyes open and every so often, my entire

body twitched from the effort. I was exhausted.

Nearly two hours later, I hadn’t realized I’d fallen asleep and awoke to a soft touch against my cheek. I

blinked my eyes open sleepily, and then Asher’s face. came into focus.

Panic set in for a moment, and then my eyebrows creased together.

“Asher?” I whispered, forgetting all formality.

The Alpha King nodded and stared deeply into my eyes. His expression was full of affection and his

finger brushed against my lips. I shivered. What was happening?

My heart raced in my chest and the distance between us narrowed until I could feel his breath against

my face. Part of me thought I was dreaming, but the other part wasn’t quite sure. This all felt so real.

Asher’s lips pressed against mine, and for a moment, I hesitated, until I went against my own instincts

and kissed him back. I knew it was a bad idea, but I did it

anyway.

Heat spread up from my core.

Asher and I were kissing.

He pressed up against me further and then swiftly lifted me up from the chair. I wasn’t sure where this

was going but I wasn’t about to question it. He was warm and inviting, and the scent of his wonderful

cologne invaded my nostrils. He was enticing in every way, and my body was going numb from

pleasure. I wrapped my legs around his torso fór stability.

Asher held mé against him gently and ran his hand and then we collapsed onto the bed. He arranged

himself on top of me and then leaned down and kissed me again. We continued on like this for a while

until I carefully sat up and began to unbutton my nightgown. Asher took over by the third button and

then eased me out. of the dress, leaving me in nothing but my underwear.

Asher laid me back down on the pillow and stared at me. His expression was intimate like he was

looking at the sun for the first time, and I couldn’t help but be in awe of this reverence.

He pulled me against him then, and as I lifted up from the bed, my hair flared out around me. The

Alpha King’s hands got lost in the coppery strands, and when he tugged slightly, a soft sigh escaped

me. I didn’t like to admit it to myself very often, but I enjoyed a little roughness when it came to

intimacy.

Asher’s lips curled into a grin at this discovery, and then he pulled again, a little harder, before he

brought his lips down against mine. We kissed for a while and then he pulled away and kissed my

neck. His breath was hot against me, and I moaned with delight as he cupped my breast and ran his

thumb over my nipple. I hadn’t been touched like this in years, and my body yearned for it.

Asher ran his fingertips along my bare skin and I shivered in anticipation. This moment was unlike any

other. I wasn’t sure how far this was going to go, but if I had it my way, we’d never leave this bed.

I

Eventually, before our intimacy could reach the next logical step, I caught his hand and held it in place.

Asher froze and his eyebrows creased together in confusion.

We caught our breath and then there was a long, drawn-out silence between us that spanned for what

felt like hours but was likely only a few minutes. I stared deeply into his beautiful gray eyes and

searched my mind for the right words to say.

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What could be said?

Should I apologize? Explain myself?

“I… I’m sorry, Ca ssandra,” Asher breached the silence, and he offered me an apologetic expression. “I

don’t know what came over me.”

“It’s okay,” whispered, and then I broke my gaze to look for my discarded nightgown. “Are you feeling

better now?”

The Alpha King nodded. “Yes, I’m feeling much better. Thank you, Ca ssandra, for taking care of me.”

“Of course,” I replied, and I carefully rose from the bed and began to dress myself. Asher helpfully held

my hair back as I pulled my dress on, and once I had it

securely buttoned, he dropped the strands and let them fall down my back.

I studied him again, wondering what else to say until I finally managed to speak. “I should leave. The

hour is late and Finnick is probably wondering where I am.”

“Yes, of course,” Asher whispered. I wondered for a moment if he would stop me, but I was relieved

when he made no move. “Ca ssandra, is there anything you want?”

I frowned. “What do you mean, Your Majesty?”

Asher ran his hands through his hair. “I want to repay you for saving my life. Is où for saving my life. Is

there anything you require, anything at all that would make you happier here in the palace?”

I considered

I considered the idea briefly, but nothing came to mind. I wouldn’t be able to find happiness here in

Anemond, no matter what favor he could grant me, so it was probably best to turn him down.

But when I opened my mouth to speak, a thought crossed my mind..

Maybe there was something after all.

“Perhaps,” I said, and I raised my chin slightly. “I want your maid, Erika, to be appointed as Finnick’s

babysitter.”