The Luna Choosing Game

The Luna audibly gasped. Some of the girls around me started screaming. Guards quickly moved in to usher them from the room. I was urged forward.

“End the program,” the King shouted. “Now.”

The cameras immediately shut off.

Before I could reach the staircase and earn my favor from the prince of my choice, my path was blocked

with a very angry King and Queen,

“Nicholas!” the King shouted.

“What have you done?” the Luna cried.

Nicholas quickly came down the staircase to join me at my side. I stared at him, bewildered.

“You heard the public,” he said. “This is what they wanted, even if you were too bullheaded to see it.”

“Careful,” the King said.

“Piper won the people’s favor. More, she won the game by the rules we’d assigned.”

“I can do one better than that, even,” Julian said, jumping down from the stage. He carried

my broken

bow in his hands. Where had he gotten it? Had his Beta kept it hidden for him?

He threw it down into the space between the King and Queen, and me and Nicholas.

“She excelled even when our own staff tried to have her killed,” Julian said.

“Our staff?” the Luna gasped.

“Who?” the King demanded.

Julian and Nicholas both shifted their gazes to where Lena was tucked in the Queen’s shadow.

Her face went pale.

Julian smirked, “Anything to say, Lena?”

She seemed set, like she had no intention of moving. The Queen herself motioned her forward.

“Is this true?” The Luna motioned to the broken bow. “Is this your doing?”

lowered her head. She did not answer. It seemed even she couldn’t lie to her

your forgiveness,” she said. “I only ever wished to preserve the sanctity

the royal throne.”

said. “Piper could have died had her wolf

physical harm. I only wished to keep her from finishing the contest. I had no reason to believe that this girl would wander alone into the forest without

is exactly what

Lena bowed.

and Queen looked at each other. Neither seemed pleased by this

happened tonight.

the King said. “We will handle this

she will be reprimanded?” Nicholas

the King said. All eyes looked to

Lena, see yourself out and send in your

of this

my Queen.” Lena scurried to obey the Luna’s command, scrambling

rubbed his forehead.

called the publicist as he hurried closer. “Great news! The public has now

They applaud you for making the choosing of Piper so

The King pushed him

move into the second area now, Your Majesty, if you’d allow.”

area?” I whispered

replied, voice just as soft. “You’ll get more camers

at the moment, knowing the

to send

i was doing here, Nicholas should have sent me

here I was, one of the 15 remaining girls, with Nicholas himself having stuck his neck out to save

should duck out for the night,” I said. If I was there, I would certainly

party.

his head.

wanted me to

now, just like three years ago, I

a simple

well,” I said.

directed me to join the line of remaining girls. The cameramen were setting up to record a long shot, moving one by one through the fifteen, until every girls‘ name and face

was completed, we waited as a group while hors d’oeuvres were served, as the King’s

was setting up. In the other corner, a water station was prepared beside a table of champagne

to come over to speak with me, twice he

he was escorted away by Nathan,

talk after the King has had his time to

more forcefully on the

it was my turn to face the King. The servants guided me to a