Alpha King’s Lost Luna by Aubrey Pepper

Chapter 157 I like you

BECKY

After my call with Cas sandra, I had a conversation with Alpha Rayden, and my
departure was quickly arranged. This would be my last night in Wild Crawler, and
despite my short stay, I had grown fond of the small Pack.

The trees, the fresh air, the seclusion, and the general feeling of hominess made
my return to Anemond feel all the more difficult. While some patients could be
unreasonable or even extremely hard to deal with at times, most of them had
been so kind to me. Anemond had a tendency to treat outsiders with scrutiny and
mistrust. Wild Crawler had been the opposite.

I'd never felt more welcome in a Pack.

In Anemond, I was just a poor commoner with no title and no worth other than my
scientific mind. Here, I felt valued and cared for.

It would be hard to leave, but I had no choice. I had to get the sample from the
lake to the clinic in Anemond so I could conduct the proper research and get a
step closer to solving the mystery of this terrible illness.

I had to break the news to the patients in the clinic, and most of them were sad
but understanding about my departure. I assured them they were in good hands
with Dic kson and that the Alpha King was going to deploy more help for their
Pack.

When it came time to say goodbye to Angela and Marina, I felt a particular bit of
sadness. I wished I could stay to help them further but I had no choice.
Thankfully, Angela understood immediately.

“Thank you for your help, Healer Becky,” she said gratefully with a smile. “I
appreciate everything you've done for us.”

Marina offered a nod and a smile. “Safe travels, Healer Becky.”

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“Thank you both,” I said, and then I continued to make my rounds. Word spread
quickly that I was leaving the next morning, and I was surprised at the amount of
people who were sad at the news. Even Jasper expressed his disappointment
when he came by to assist us with our patients in the afternoon.

That night, I went to dinner with Dic kson once more at the restaurant he had
previously taken me to. I decided to use this opportunity to ask the healer what
was on his mind, as he had appeared unfazed and nonchalant since I mentioned
my

departure.

I wanted to treat him to dinner to lift his spirits. I would likely need his assistance
even after returning to Anemond, so I wanted our friendship and partnership to
end on a positive note. I couldn't leave things fractured, not when he was under
so much pressure here.

As we were seated at a table by the same waitress from the other night, I
expected Dic kson to continue to remain silent, but to my surprise, he cleared his
throat and then turned to me.

“I hope you can figure out more about this disease and find a cure, Becky,” he
said kindly. “You're far more skilled than 1 am and I think you're capable of
saving all of these people.”

I was taken aback by his statement.

“Thank you,” I replied, and I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “That's very
nice of you to say, Dic kson. But for the record, I don’t consider myself better than
you. You're an excellent healer with great compassion and work ethic. In fact, if
we're being honest... you're better than most of the royal healers in Anemond.”
Dic kson smiled wistfully at the praise and removed his black-rimmed glasses.
His sky-blue eyes were warm and bright, and his smile was genuine.

“I have to be honest with you as well,” he began, and he glanced around before
continuing. “My reasons for staying here in Wild Crawler extend beyond simply
wanting to uncover the truth about the disease and help the patients here. Of
course, I want to help them, that goes without saying, but I... I hope this
experience can enhance my chances of becoming a royal healer myself. Is that
selfish to

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admit?”

I shook my head. “No, not at all. I understand your ambition entirely. Aspiring to
become a royal healer is a common goal among healers. Truth be told, I hope my
own experience as Cas sandra’s assistant will help me achieve that goal as well.
I'm just as ambitious as you are.”

Dic kson laughed softly.

“That makes me happy to hear,” he acknowledged as he ran his hand through his
reddish blonde hair. “I was worried that it was a terrible want.”

“No, not at all,” I swore.

The waitress appeared with our food, and she walked away after setting the
plates in front of us. We dug in happily, and as I savored my burger and mashed
potatoes, I wished I could extend my visit here. As silly as it was to admit, the
hospitality and food here were unmatched, and I loved having this chance to just
share a meal with a friend without the expectations Anemond placed on me.
Mother would love this place so much.

Once we discovered a cure for the dreaded disease, I would bring her here.
Once our meal concluded, Dic kson offered to walk me back to the clinic. This
time, I accepted his kind offer.

Now that our prior silence had been breached, we discussed the people we had
encountered in the mountain area.

“Alpha Rayden believes it might be appropriate for him to visit the area,” Dic kson
noted. “He hasn't been there in a long time and wants to get an idea of the
situation himself.”

“Having an Alpha present could encourage more honesty from the locals,” I
agreed. “Refusing to answer questions from a pair of strangers is
understandable, but dodging the questions of an Alpha... that would be highly
unlikely. If you speak of it again, encourage Rayden to wear a mask. The last
thing this Pack needs is for

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their Alpha to fall sick.”

“Agreed,” Dic kson said with a nod. “I'll be sure to pass that information along.
Luckily, I think Rayden understands the risks well.”

Once we reached the clinic, Dic kson stopped in place and turned to face me
with a strange expression.

“Becky, do you plan to visit Wild Crawler again?” he wondered quietly.

I stopped in my tracks and stared back at him in surprise. Dic kson spoke again.
“I was... I was just wondering if I would ever see you again,” he said, his gaze
focused intently on me. Even in the darkness of the night, I could see his cheeks
had flushed a deep pink.

on?

Stunned by the depth of his stare, I was rendered speechless. What was going
Dic kson approached and once he was in front of me, he reached out and gently
tucked a lock of my short hair behind my ear. Much to my surprise, I didn't step
back.

He drew so close that I could smell the rich scent of his woody cologne.

“I like you, Becky,” he admitted softly. “I know this might be a blunt confession,
but I don’t want to miss the opportunity to tell you. I think you're wonderful, Becky,
and I want to see you again.”

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