THE LUNA CHOOSING GAME - Season 6 Episode 3

My entire body goes numb at Julian’s words. The whole world had seen Nicholas, live, strip down and roll over.

Everyone must have been speculating what they saw. Was there even any question? What else could we have been doing but what we did? God, I never wanted to be in a pit again, but I still half-wanted the earth to open up and swallow me whole, so that I wouldn’t have to live with this absolute mortification.

people already speculated so much about my relationship with Nicholas and with Julian. This only added more fuel to the fire,

julian watched my reaction with a curious, probing glance. Whatever my face looked like made him start to I smile like the devil that he was.

“Why, Piper,” he said, his voice sing- song and teasing. “Did something happen in that cave that you might not want the public to know about?” The blood rushed to my face so fast that I felt dizzy. “How much did the cameras show?” I asked. How much did it hear? I couldn’t bring myself to ask the second question aloud, but it still rattled around in my heart, echoing through my mind on an endless loop.

Embarrassment swelled up inside of me. I felt like I might be sick.

Julian, still watching me, noticed when his teasing didn’t land the right away

He’d likely thought he’d earn a blush, not the kind of near-death reaction I was currently having.

“Hey,” he said.

He placed his hand on my shoulder. His smile was still present, but it softened from its dagger’s edge sharpness.

Instead, now it seemed endeared and comforting. Maybe he was having mercy on me, thank God.

«The rain was too heavy for the sound to pick up anything else,” Julian said.

«And as soon as Nicholas rolled over, the view in the cave was too dark to see anything specific. The most anyone could see was some shifting shadows.

It certainly wasn’t enough to confirm anything sexy went on in that cave.” «please don’t say it like that.” I buried

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mv face in my hands. His wor ds brought me relief, but even though the mortification wore off, the embarrassment stayed.

This was closer to Julian’s wheelhouse, and his sharp smirk returned. He waggled his eyebrows playfully.

«What should I call it then, Piper?” he teased.

I groaned loudly, the sound muffled by my hands.

Julian laughed and laughed.

I hated to admit it, but that too brought me comfort.

Julian was such a good friend to me.

For someone I thought might be an enemy of mine, I was grateful he had come to be one of my closest allies.

If only he could let go of his one sided feelings for Bridget and work on finding true happiness for himself.

Baby steps, Piper. To break a lifelong commitment to one-sided feelings, julian was going to need more than a few weeks.

Instinctively, thinking of Bridget made my gaze slide toward her. She was side-eyeing me. When I caught her looking, she quickly looked away. As I watched, she did it again. And then a third time.

None of those glances seemed particularly pleasant. I certainly didn’t get the impression that she was worried about me. Instead, though she was smiling, the ice in her eyes made me shiver. She had to be pissed.

Maybe because I was in that cave alone

with Nicholas. If Julian had seen the footage, then likely so had Bridget. She had therefore seen Nicholas remove his clothes. She had likely speculated what came after as well as everyone else.

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Since Bridget personally knew Nicholas and me, and already suspected our closeness, she likely speculated correctly.

I suddenly felt very, very exhausted.

Trying to navigate the competition and everyone’s feelings was a minefield on the best of days. When I was already running on little sleep, it was near impossible.

[ wanted to stay up and wait for Nicholas to return, but I just couldn’t force myself.

I needed to find rest or my body was

going to make me rest, one way or another.

’d rather not pass out on the deck in front of everyone.

«I think I need to go lay down,” I told Julian.

His smile softened once more. “Yeah. I imagine you’re tired.” Then he reached out and tugged me into another hug.

His arms were strong around my waist, and his shoulder was sturdy. I could have fallen asleep just like this, but I forced myself not to.

I needed to make it up to my bed, then I could sleep.

“Keep an eye on Elva?” Iasked him, though I knew she was safe. Veronica was watching her, and the nanny. I wished I could watch her myself, but if

I rested on the beach, I’d be asleep in a heartbeat.

Julian pulled away, then drew a cross over his heart with his finger, marking it as a promise.

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“Thank you,” I said, relieved I had so many friends to protect me and mine.

With legs that felt like lead, I turned back toward the manor and dragged myself inside. The stairs were the worst. I had to place both feet on one stair at a time, clinging to the handrail the entire way for fear of falling over.

It took three times as long to ascend the stairs.

When I reached the top, I hobbled my way toward my bedroom door. The

guard at the door saw me coming. He opened it and held it for me.

“Have a good rest, Miss Piper,” he said as I passed him.

“Thank you,” I managed to say, thought the words felt garbled in my mouth. Even speaking was so exhausting now.

As soon as he closed the door behind me, I kicked off my shoes and crawled into bed. I didn’t bother changing into my pajamas. My linen day clothes were comfortable enough, and I was far too tired to care much beyond that.

I slide myself under my covers and pulled them up to my chin. The bed had been comfortable the night before, but nothing could surpass the level of comfort I felt now, after spending the night on a dirty cave floor.

My eyelids were heavy. [ was sunken into the plush bed.

Between one blink and the next, 1 fell asleep.

I awoke to the feel of a pair of strong arms sliding around my waist, and a hard body pressing up against my back.

I felt no fear. This body and his aura was so familiar to me. My wolf near- purred in happiness.

Nicholas.

[ leaned back into him, pressing myself as closely as he was pressing forward into me.

He placed a soft kiss into my hair, just behind my ear.

It was perfect, just like this. I couldn’t

remember the last time I had ever felt this safe, this wonderful. I felt like I was home at last. = Sleep was coming for me again, but I fought it off this time. I didn’t want to sleep again so soon, no matter how much my body demanded it.

With Nicholas here, out of his meeting, I had questions. So many questions.

And now I could finally get some answers.