THE LUNA CHOOSING GAME - Season 7 Episode 20

“Mark,” Nicholas said in his cool, authoritative tone. Mark lowered his head, deferring at once, even as his jaw stayed clenched. “What exactly is your plan?”

“I don’t have one,” Mark said. “Not beyond throwing myself at her parents’ feet. But I will spirit her away if I must. If…” For the first time, his voice wavered. “If that’s what she wishes…”

Even as her friend, I couldn’t be sure what Susie would wish for. She loved Mark, of that I was certain, but what kind of life would they live on the run? Susie wouldn’t care for herself. It’s Mark she’d worry for. His reputation. His future.

“I made a mistake,” Mark continued. “I foolishly let Susie believe that she and our unborn child aren’t the most important things in the world to me. I let her stew in her confusion and unhappiness, when all I should have done was properly take responsibility for our child.

“That is your end goal here?” Nicholas asked.

I had so many questions of my own, but I left the actual asking of questions to Nicholas. As Mark’s employer and alpha, he was the one with the power here. My worries were only in concern of Susie.

Nicholas seemed to be asking the questions I wanted to anyway. It was nice to be in such alignment with him.

“Yes,” Mark said, “I recognize that having a family will interfere with my Beta duties. I know that I will be asked to resign-

“They will not let you in to see her,” Nicholas said. He fully ignored Mark’s previous words. “I will do whatever I have to –

“Not if you go alone,” Nicholas said.

Mark ceased at once. He looked up at Nicholas with widening eyes. “Sir, you can’t mean to…” “I do,” Nicholas said.

My heart brimmed with warmth, as I recognized what Nicholas intended to do.

“We will go to retrieve Susie together,” Nicholas said.

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Hope filled Mark’s eyes. It was rare for him to show so much emotion to anyone other than Susie. My heart went out to him.

“Thank you, Sir,” he said.

Nicholas nodded. “And Piper, you must join us. A good friend of Susie’s might be able to see her, even if they deny me audience.”

“They wouldn’t dare,” Mark said.

“I’m sure they will personally attend me,” Nicholas said. “But I am equally sure they will try to keep Susie away from me, if they do in fact, know the truth of her condition.” He sighed. “We will have to be ready for all options.”

“I would be more than willing to go,” I said. “Susie is a dear friend. I want to help however can.”

Nicholas nodded.

Mark gaze me a grateful glance. “Thank you.”

“We’ll go this evening.” Nicholas said. “After dinner. We’ll arrived unannounced so they cannot have enough time to move her.”

Mark straightened. Now that there was a plan in motion, he seemed more confident, more determined. He had a direction and now he would follow through.

We made plans to meet at the front door after dinner.

“I will make the necessary arrangements at once,” Mark said. Softer, he added, “While keeping the finer details under wraps.”

“Very good,” Nicholas said.

Mark gave Nicholas a courteous bow, then gave a shallower one to me. Then he disappeared down the hallway.

Nicholas turned to me and gave me a small smile. “The way you were chasing Mark… Did you intend to tackle him in the hallway?”

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Nicholas was teasing me. It was nice to find a little humor, where we could.

“If that’s what it took,” I said, playing into it. I slowly grew serious again. “Susie would be furious with me if I let him do something rash.”

Nicholas hummed. “Good thing he has us to watch out for him then.”

I agreed. After everything Mark had done to keep me and Elva safe, the very least I could do in response was help protect him and Susie and their future together.

Thoughts of tonight’s excursion kept me distracted though many conversations throughout the afternoon. Veronica and Tiffany understood, though they did cast a few worried glances at each other.

Elva kept asking me, “Mommy, what’s wrong?”

“I’m okay,” I assured her.

Eventually, we were alerted by a servant that Nathan was holding another meeting in the front sitting room.

Theld Elva’s hand as we went with Veronica and Tiffany toward the room. We must have been the last to be informed, because the other candidates were already there and waiting.

Nathan didn’t bother going on the stage this time. He just walked into the center of the room.

“Attention!” he called. None of us were really talking so it didn’t take much for him to become the center focus of the room.

“I have spoken with the King,” he continued. “It has been decided that we should no longer

push off the inevitable. The date has been set for the elimination ceremony.”

Murmuring sounded around the room. When could it be?

“The date will be in two days’ time,” Nathan said.

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That murmuring became sharp gasps instead. Everyone looked around.

“That quickly?” Tiffany gasped.

“What does that mean, Mommy?” Elva asked, tugging my sleeve. “Do we have to pack

again?”

“Maybe,” I told her. “We have to wait and hear the rules.”

“I know this urgent scheduling may come as a surprise to some of you,” Nathan said. “But with the current hardships facing the kingdom, surely you can all agree that a Queen and strong Luna is needed sooner rather than later.”

The King was taking action, then. He was pushing my hand. Two days. That was all I had to make my choice. Do I fight to stay, possibly being eliminated in the ceremony and dividing the nation? Or do I back out of the competition, throwing my support behind Bridget for the

good of the kingdom?

Two days left to decide.

“The competition will occur as before. One candidate will be removed from each princes’ consideration,” Nicholas said. He nodded toward Jessica. “The ceremony will not include Prince Joyce, meaning you are safe for the moment, Jessica.”

Jessica nodded. She smiled but tried to hide it.

She didn’t know that Joyce was missing. That an elimination ceremony did not matter for him because he was unlikely to marry any of the candidates, even if he did return in time.

I wouldn’t steal Jessica’s happiness though. She’d discover the truth in time.

Beside me, Veronica frowned even deeper.

We were both womed for her.

But, Jessica and Joyce aside, I had my own concerns as well. If the elimination ceremony was to cut the count to two people per prince, where did I fit in?

At the last elimination ceremony, both Nicholas and Julian had chosen me. Did I belong to the Nicholas candidates now, or the Julian ones?

Maybe the King didn’t feel the need to think that through, as he had for Jessica. After all, likely by his thinking, I would be gone before that kind of decision would matter.

He expected me to back out. That much was clear.

I just needed to decide what I wanted to do.