Alpha King’s Lost Luna by Aubrey Pepper

Chapter 177 Innocent and naive

ASHER

Silence hung like a heavy veil in the room as I awaited an answer from the group.
Lancel’s expression remained stoic and composed, meanwhile, Adalyn’s
normally richly tanned skin had paled considerably. She bit her lower lip and
slightly smeared the red lipstick that covered it.

Agitation rose within me and with each passing second, my patience thinned.

I was the Alpha King of Wegalla.

Why was no one respecting my demand?

Finally, Adalyn cleared her throat and her piercing golden eyes met mine.

“It was my doing,” she admitted, and her voice wavered slightly as she spoke.
“After he was injured by the fallen tree in the woods, Marco cried out for you. He
begged and demanded to see his father and refused medical attention unless
you were there. Don’t blame Lancel. I all but forced him to bring us here. I know
it's improper to interrupt the Alpha King when he’s on official business, but I didn’t
know what else to do-"

“It's completely improper,” I interrupted her sternly.

“Daddy, don’t blame Mommy,” Marco pleaded as tears streamed down his.
cheeks, and he began to hiccup from the effort. “It was my fault. I just missed you
so much!”

As he dissolved into so bs and his little body heaved with sadness, exhaustion
washed over me.

This situation felt like a mess.

Though I couldn't fault Marco, as he was simply an injured child seeking

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comfort from his father, I was irritated with Adalyn. Perhaps I had been too lenient
with her or not stern enough in my warnings. I had given her too much freedom
and

power.

Again, I was the Alpha King.

Why were others going against my orders?

My gaze landed on Lancel, who immediately averted his eyes. I hadn't expected
this sort of behavior from my most trusted guard. He had always been my most
loyal man, and I was surprised that he had disobeyed my orders to leave me to
my confidential business.

For a moment, I considered tearing into them both with the intensity that I saved
for my most disloyal knights and se rvants.

But as I studied Lancel, I couldn't bring myself to get angry with him, at least not
in front of the people in this room. Marco was in a state of disarray and I didn’t
want to upset him further. He was just a scared child and me yelling at the guard
would only make things worse.

So, I decided not to delve deeper and instead exhaled slowly.

“Lancel, please return Lady Adalyn and Prince Marco to Merliscire immediately,”
I ordered.

Lancel nodded and rose from his seat with no hesitation. Adalyn attempted to do
the same, but Marco refused to move.

“I don't want to go back!” he practically yelled, and he began to kick as Adalyn
tried to wrangle him. “Daddy, I don’t want to go back! I want to stay with you!”
“Marco, your father said we have to go,” Adalyn insisted, and her eyes flashed
with irritation. Finally, she managed to get him up off of the seat, but just as she
got him to his feet, Marco tried to dart over to me. Luckily, Lancel was close
enough to step in, and as the child was halted in his tracks, he began to cry
further.

I felt entirely overwhelmed by the situation. Normally, I would have given in and
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consoled the young prince. But deep down, I knew that my son was prone to
these types of tantrums, and no matter what I did, he would pull this kind of
behavior

again.

“I need some fresh air,” I announced quietly, and just as I was about to leave the
room, Adalyn reached out and touched my arm.

“Asher, could I please have a private conversation with you?” she requested. “I
know you have business to attend to, but it's urgent. Once we're done, I'll leave
with

Marco.”

“But I don’t want to-” Marco began to whine, but when Adalyn shot him a stern
glance, he fell silent immediately.

I wanted to spurn her request completely after this stunt she’d pulled, but I knew
that if I appeased her at least a little bit, she was more likely to back off. As much
as I felt apathy toward her, she was still legally my wife.

“Fine,” I said, and then I glanced at Silas at Lancel. “Leave us. Take Prince
Marco with you.”

Silas and Lancel nodded in sync with one another and then escorted the boy out
of the room. Once the door was closed behind them, I released a heavy sigh.

I crossed the room and stood over by a large window. Dusk had started to set in
and the sky was darkening with each passing moment. Time was of the essence
and I needed to get back to my business with Ector. He was too ill to be wasting
my time with trivial matters like Adalyn.

“I have important business to attend to, Adalyn,” I remarked as I crossed my
arms. “So, out with it.”

Adalyn approached me but lingered a few feet away.

“I'm sorry for our unexpected visit, Asher,” she apologized in a tone that was
almost genuine. “I know it's rude and insolent to interrupt your affairs. But when
Marco cried... I didn’t know what to do. He misses you so much. You've been so
distant since Cas sandra Keller's arrival-"

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“Don't speak of Cas sandra,” I interrupted her and my eyes narrowed at her.
“Asher, why are you being so cold to us?” she questioned with a doe-like gaze. “I
don't understand why you hate us so much.”

“Adalyn, I don’t have time for all of this drama,” I sighed, and I pinched the bridge
of my nose between my fingers as a sudden headache crept in. “Please, cut to
the chase. What is it that you really want?”

Adalyn’s innocent gaze suddenly shifted and fell away as if she had been
wearing a mask. Her red-painted lips curled into a smile and she studied me in al
calculating way.

“You've always hated me because of Cora,” she accused me as she took a step.
closer. “It wasn’t my doing that led to our marriage, you know. It was all
orchestrated in a way to save her, you know that, right? Our marriage was meant
clear her of her family’s crimes.”

Silence filled the air again. I was completely uninterested in her defense, so I
remained quiet. There was nothing she could say that could repair the distance
between us.

Still, she persisted.

“Asher, I was innocent and naive,” she continued on, and she reached her hand
out to me. “Please, you have to believe me-

I immediately recoiled at her touch, and as a slight rush of air passed between
us, I noticed a strange, pungent smell emanating from her palm.

The scent traveled up my nostrils and immediately, my stomach began to turn.
“What's going on?” I murmured as I suddenly grew disoriented, and then Adalyn
brought her hand even closer. This time, the strange smell flooded my senses,
and my knees began to buckle.

The room began to spin and my vision started to blur.

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[e)

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[e)

Just before I lost consciousness, Adalyn spoke again.

“This time, I won't be as innocent or naive.”

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