THE FORGOTTEN LUNA

LADESSA.

"Do you have a red mark on your back?" King Essak asked the moment he stopped in front of me. He asked in a low voice as if he didn't want anyone to hear.

I saw many guards approaching and dispersing the crowd around us until it was just Kael and me with the Alpha King. I didn't see Alpha Draco anymore.

"Do you have a red mark on your back?" The King repeated his question, snapping me back to the present.

Then, a surge of strong current rippled through my body, and I knew he had used his King's command. I made the mistake of looking back into his eyes. I thought he would never use it on me.

Only the Alpha King had this power, and from what I heard, he had never even used this to get any criminals to admit their crimes. He would leave judgment to his Court. But I had no idea why he was using this on such a trivial matter. Why was he asking me too many questions?

"I do..." I answered in almost a whisper as I dropped my gaze to the floor.

I had no choice; lying could cause me to bleed severely until the King stopped the punishment or until I died.

"Take her!" He said to the man beside him. "And follow me."

My whole body trembled as Kael placed his arm across me and slightly pushed me back. "I'm coming with her."

"No." The King stopped walking. "I only need her."

"She is the reason I wanted an audience with you, King Essak."

The King slowly turned around and stepped toward us. He stopped just a few inches from Kael. "You lied to me, Alpha Kael. Tell me again, what is her name? The loud woman was not lying. Am I right?" Kael swallowed hard but didn't reply.

"You have two choices: let her come with me, or I will throw you out of this banquet, and you will never know what fate she will get within the four walls of my palace."

"I am not leaving her alone..."

"Take him out of here!" King Essak pointed toward the exit.

"No! No! Please... Kael, I will go with him. I'll be okay." I said as I stood between them, but then Kael was grabbed. "Stop, please!"

I tried to take the man's hands off him, but someone grabbed me and pulled me away. I shoved the hands holding me before I ran after King Essak. "Alpha King! I beg you!" The moment he turned around, I dropped onto my knees and clasped my hands together.

"Please do not throw Kael out of the palace!" I begged him.

"You shall not kneel to me or anyone!" He roared that I thought I had turned deaf. He grabbed my arm and pulled me up harshly, and a loud growl erupted behind us.

The King dragged and placed me behind him as he stared at Kael, who was already red in the face with his fangs protruding.

He tried to fight off the people holding him until one of them jabbed his stomach with the long baton he was holding, and someone elbowed his back, making him drop to the ground.

"Kael!" I tried to go to him, but the King pulled me again. I faced him with a tear rolling down my cheeks. "I will do whatever you want. Just let Kael stay and not be harmed. Please, my King."

"I do not want anyone disturbing the peace of my palace." He said in a cold voice.

"He will behave. Kael is a peaceful man, my King. He will never hurt anyone. He was just worried about me."

"As long as he doesn't make any scene, I will let him stay."

"Tell them to stop hurting him. Please..."

"Enough!" He said in a loud voice, and they stopped hitting him.

I wiped my tears and kept my head up. I didn't want Kael to see me crying, or he would be in a rage again.

"Thank you..." mumbled and bowednovelbin

my head to the King before I turned to look at Kael again, who was still on his knees, his hands on the back, with three people restraining him and two others pointing long spears at him.

Our eyes met, and it was getting harder to stop my tears. "Kael, please calm down. I'm okay."

He nodded his head, but I could still see the worry in his expression. I couldn't blame him-this was our first time apart since he found me.

"My apologies, King Essak. I'm just protecting her." His voice was broken, far from the Kael who always knew what to say or do next.

"I will not harm her."

"That is the only thing I want." He bowed down, his jaw tightening. The moment he tilted his head up, he looked at me. "I will wait for you here."

I nodded and forced a weak smile to form on my lips, trying to pacify him, but I knew I failed.

One of the guards held my elbow

and motioned for me to follow King

Essak, who had already begun walking away. I followed his lead but I kept looking back, checking on Kael, making sure they were not dragging him out.

I saw someone help him up, and they talked to him, but his eyes remained fixated on mine. We kept looking at each other until we made a turn somewhere, and I couldn't see him anymore.

I stifled my cries as I puffed my chest. I was back on my own again, but I could do this. I would plead to the King myself.

The important thing was that he would not harm me or Kael. A King never breaks his word. I kept repeating this to myself.

After many turns and what felt like forever, we finally reached the end of the long corridor. A double door opened, and the King stepped in. The doors remained open until the guards and I reached them.

I was ushered into a huge receiving

room with Victorian-style furniture. If

I had not been in a bad position, I would have taken time to take in the beauty of the room, but instead, I let my eyes focus on the Alpha King.

He motioned for the guards to leave us alone, and the door was closed. I stood in the middle of the room while the King was standing almost ten meters away from me.

I studied his features. He must be around in his late 50s, and his face already looked calmer than it was in the banquet.

"Will you tell the truth for all my questions, or do I have to use my command on you again?" He began.

"I will not lie, my King," I responded.