Alpha King’s Lost Luna by Aubrey Pepper

Chapter 33 Troubles

CA SSANDRA

Why had there been a viper near the Palace?

And why had Asher uttered my true name before he’d lost consciousness in the garden?

The questions swirled around in my mind as I stared down at Asher. The Alpha King was fast asleep

and tucked tightly into bed. His forehead was still shiny with- sweat and his chest heaved as he

breathed laboriously.

Just after he’d been bitten by the viper, I’d screamed my head off and caught the attention of several

guards out on the grounds. They’d rushed over to Rosepetal and helped get the king back to his room

in the palace.

One of the guards, an older one whose name I couldn’t recall, had asked if I wanted the aid of the other

royal healers, but I’d turned down the offer. I didn’t want to risk the others seeing the dark mark on

Asher’s skin. Injured or not, I’d made a promise to keep the king’s disease a secret.

Since I’d been appointed as Asher’s private healer, the guards had no problem with me treating him

personally. They’d even gone out and retrieved my medical supplies from the palace lab for me.

The viper’s body had been retrieved and sent to the lab with my assistant, Becky. I was assured that

once the results were finished, they would be brought to me straight away.

Once I had my supplies, I had one of the guards remain at the door for me, and the other standing just

outside the chamber. They’d granted me my privacy and allowed me the space to treat Asher.

I attempted to steady my hands as I cleaned the wound on his wrist, but it was no use. I was a

complete and total wreck. Seeing Asher this way made my heart

ache in ways I didn’t know it could. I’d never been this way before. Emmett had always praised me for

my calmness when it came to the horrific things I’d seen during medical treatment. I’d always been able

to prioritize my patient’s health over my own emotions, but today…

Today I was scared.

But despite my fears, I took a long, deep breath and tried to concentrate. I needed to stay sharp and

focused if I was going to be of any use here. Asher needed me to remain calm and collected.

I worked quickly and dabbed the bite carefully with my supplies. Once the wound was clean, I could

begin to apply medicine to it and get the swelling under.. control.

Just as I set my rags down, I heard a commotion from outside the chamber.

“Lady Adalyn-” a guard’s voice called out, and then suddenly, the doors flew open, and in walked

Asher’s wife.

Adalyn’s beautiful face was rendered furious. Her amber eyes were piercing as they bore into mine with

sharp intensity, and for a moment, I thought her gaze was going to set me on fire.

“You murderer!” she hissed as she stormed into the room and raced towards me. Her hand was raised

high and her finger pointed right at my face as her ivory nightgown billowed around.. “You backwoods

piece of commoner trash! I bet this was all your doing!”

“Lady Adalyn,” I tried to reason with her, but it was of no use.

“Don’t you dare speak my name,” she practically growled as she drew closer. “I mean it. You’re a

murderer and a conspirer. I’m willing to bet you used some kind of peasant black magic to control the

viper!”

“Lady Adalyn, please,” I pleaded with her as I took a step backward. “You’re not making any sense. I

don’t have any type of magical abilities-”

“I told you not to speak my name!” Adalyn shouted, and then she lunged at me. I closed my eyes and

braced for impact, but when it never came, I peeked and saw a guard restraining the Alpha King’s wife.

Let

“Release me!” she screamed at the guard, and when she reached toward me, her fingernails shifted

into long, shiny claws.

“I’m sorry, my lady,” the guard apologized as he tried to hold Adalyn still, “Your cannot harm the royal

healer, not when she’s treating the Alpha King.”

“Her?” she hissed. “Treating my husband? I don’t think so-”

Adalyn then let out a girlish shout and continued to thrash, but it was no use. The guard’s grip on her

was too strong. Once I was certain she wouldn’t be able to break free, I stared deeply into her crazed

eyes.

“It’s too late, Lady Adalyn,” I said coldly and calmly, and I raised my chin slightly. “As the king’s private

healer, I’ve already started to administer the treatment. Besides, I’m the only one here in the palace

with the knowledge needed to treat the viper bite. The beast was nearly identical to the one that bit

Prince Marco back in the Wild Crawler Pack, and I was able to cure him quickly if you recall. So, if your

don’t wish for the Alpha King to meet a tragic fate, you will please be quiet and allow me to work.”

Adalyn’s eyes shot daggers toward me and her nostrils flared. She opened her mouth as if she was

going to speak, but then no sound came out.

Had I bested her? Did she know that she had no choice but to trust me and let me care for Asher like

the healer I was?

She stopped thrashing about and stiffened. The

d’s oves were s

as they peered down at her, but after a moment, he released his hold on her. Part of me wanted to

brace myself for an attack, but the other part knew I needed to stand my ground. Adalyn couldn’t bring

me harm, not when the Alpha King’s life was at stake.

Her lower lip trembled, and then she raised her chin.

“Fine,” she said quietly. “Do what you must. But if anything goes wrong, I’m holding you personally

responsible and will tear you limb from limb myself.”

Her tone dripped with irritation, but her posture suggested she wasn’t going to put up a fight. I waited

until her arms were crossed in front of her to turn my attention back to Asher. His wife’s temper meant

nothing to me right now. There was still work to be done if he was going to survive the night.

I continued what I was doing before Adalyn burst into the chamber. I reached into my healer’s pack and

retrieved a few vials and containers I’d filled with herbs, salves, and ointments.

I hadn’t exactly lied to Adalyn. The viper in question had been similar to the one that had bitten her son

back in Wild Crawler territory. Yet, the poison didn’t seem to be the same. I wasn’t entirely certain if the

medicinal combination I was drafting in my mind was going to be effective or not, but that wasn’t going

to stop me from

trying.

I poured all of the ingredients into a large bowl and mixed them together until they made a sort of

chunky paste. The smell wasn’t the best, but medicine never was. I took a big scoop of it in my gloved

hands and then carefully transferred it

over to Asher.

Before I applied a thick mass of it, I studied the bite on the Alpha King’s wrist. Unfortunately, the bite

was still swollen, and Asher’s body was damp with sweat. I carefully used my other hand to touch his

forehead. He was hot to the touch, which told me he still had a fever. I was a little worried.

Why had his condition not improved yet?

As I applied the herb salve onto the bit, a loud and concerned voice traveled into the chamber.

“What happened to my dear little brother? You must allow me to enter at once!”