Alpha King’s Lost Luna by Aubrey Pepper novel Chapter 144

Chapter 144 Worse situation
BECKY
As the car drove on, I watched in wonder as the tall buildings and bustling streets dwindled. Once we were outside the city limits of Anemond, I was surprised to see the sheer amount of trees and wooded lands.
I’d always lived in the capital. This was my first time visiting a different Pack in Wegalla, and while I was nervous to travel somewhere new, I had to admit that I was excited about the adventure of it all. Sure, I had research to do, but the experience of leaving the capital and seeing how other people lived their lives elsewhere was incredible.
We continued on for a few hours until finally, we reached a place that was nothing but wooded areas. I saw a single sign, weathered by the elements that read: Wild Crawler.
We were here at last.
The car entered a small road with tall, evergreen trees on both sides and continued until we reached a tall, relatively large house. While it wasn’t nearly as grand as some of the luxurious mansions I’d seen in Anemond, it appeared to be the largest one here. Outside, it bore a sign with a Pack symbol on it, which told me it was likely the Pack House of the Wild Crawler Pack.
The car came to a stop, and I took a long, deep breath.
Two handsome men stood waiting at the gate in front of the house.
As I exited the car and bid farewell to the guard who had driven me there, the nen approached me and offered me twin smiles.
“Are you Becky?” the taller one asked, and for a moment, I was taken aback. He was one of the most beautiful men I’d ever seen. His hair was black with a tint of blue, and his eyes were large and dark. His slender but muscular frame was covered
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in intricate tattoos.
I nodded, and he extended his hand toward me.
“My name is Rayden,” he introduced himself. “I’m the Wild Crawler Pack’s new Alpha. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“And I’m Jasper,” the other one smiled at me when he finished speaking. “I’m one of the guards who works for the Alpha family.”
“It’s very nice to meet you both,” I said as I smiled between them. “I don’t know how much was said about my visit, but I’m grateful for the opportunity to be here.”
“Cas sandra didn’t say much,” Rayden admitted, and he crossed his arms against his chest. “Something about medical research?”
I nodded. “Yes. We’ve been working on some research in Anemond, and I think. some of the patients here could give me insight that would be vital to my theories.”
Rayden and Jasper nodded in unison.
“We’ve prepared a room for you in the Pack House,” the Alpha said, and he gestured toward the house. “Do you want to take some time to rest before discussing business, Becky? I know it was a long trip for you.”
I smiled. “That’s very kind of you to offer. Thank you for your hospitality. But I think I’m alright. I’m not as tired as I thought I’d be. Would it be possible for me to visit Cas sandra and Marley’s clinic first?”
“Of course,” Rayden replied with no hesitation, and then he turned to a se rvant standing not too far away. “Please take Miss Becky’s luggage to her room.”
The ser vant nodded and swooped in and grabbed my luggage before I could think twice about it. I held on to the bag with my medical equipment and research papers, but the rest went with the young man.
“I need to attend to some Pack matters, but I will join you for lunch,” Rayden said when he turned back to me. “Jasper can escort you to the clinic.”
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“Perfect,” I said. “Thank you again for your hospitality. I really appreciate you letting me stay here, Alpha Rayden.”
“Of course, Becky,” he replied, and he tucked his dark hair behind his ear. “Any friend of Cas sandra and Marley’s is a friend of mine.”
His tone was incredibly kind, and for a moment, I felt a little strange. I wasn’t sure if it was jealousy, but thinking of Cas sandra and Marley living here rather than Anemond made me feel odd. I wasn’t sure of the circumstances of why Cas sandra had come to the capital, but I couldn’t imagine why someone would want to leave a peaceful place like Wild Crawler to come to live at the palace.
I snapped out of it when Rayden bid us a quick farewell, and without another moment of hesitation, Jasper and I began the walk to the clinic. The guard and I were silent for the first few minutes, and then I decided to make some small talk.
“So, what’s the current situation with the clinic?” I wondered.
Jasper offered me a sad expression.
“It’s in rough shape,” he admitted, and his eyes were weary as they met mine. “And it’s filled with patients that are in pretty poor condition. I would advise you to prepare for what you’re about to witness. It isn’t pretty.”
I nodded and tried to push aside my feelings of nervousness. If I was going to be a true royal healer, I needed to steady myself and get used to things like this.
After a minute, Jasper spoke again.
“How… how is Marley doing in Anemond?” he wondered. “Is she alright?”
I smiled. “She’s doing well. It’s been busy, but she seems to be enjoying her me in Anemond.”
“Good,” he remarked, and after a second of hesitation, he glanced down at the ground. “When is she planning to return to Wild Crawler?”
I noticed a slight blush on his face when he asked, and I couldn’t help but smile
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to myself.
“Marley will likely return when I go back,” I replied. “She was originally going to come back a few days from now, but wanted to make sure Cas sandra had some extra a*sistance at Keller’s while I was gone.”
Jasper simply nodded. I fought back a small giggle. It was clear the guard cared about Marley.
Once we reached the clinic, I was surprised to see that it was bustling with activity. People hurriedly moved in and out, and once we reached the door, I couldn’t help but shiver.
Just as Jasper had warned, this was pure chaos.
The guard held the door open to me, and once he did, I immediately raised t. sleeve of my coat over my nose and mouth. There was a foul odor in the air that lingered in the air, and it was almost enough to send me to my knees.
Cries and groans echoed around us, and when we entered the clinic, my jaw nearly dropped.
Jasper’s warning had not been an exaggeration.
This was a dire situation, one that we had all underestimated back in Anemond.
The clinic was much smaller than Keller’s, and it was clear that there weren’t enough wards to accommodate the sheer amount of patients. Beds lined the corridor, and all were filled. There wasn’t a single vacancy in the place.
Some patients appeared to be in excruciating pain, and their whimpers and cries were nightmare-inducing. As I glanced around and studied them, a shiver +aveled through me.
Each of these sad, ailing patients had horrific black marks on their skin.
BECKY