The Luna Choosing Game

I pushed the horse as fast as she could go. My wolf was here, I could feel it.

But then, suddenly, it felt further away. It was leaving me!

In the driveway beyond the house, a car started to drive away. I pulled at the reins, guiding the horse in

that direction.

Faster, faster. We were going to lose it!

The horse huffed with each heavy exhale. Its hooves clattered against the concrete driveway. We followed the car as it pulled out onto the road, slipping straight through the rod–iron gate that had opened

for the car.1

Julian was right behind me. He’d stopped calling for me and instead now followed my lead.

We chased that car. The windows were tinted, I couldn’t see inside. But I knew my wolf was there. It was

so close, I could have cried.

But then the road reached a straight stretch, and the car accelerated to a faster speed than my horse

had any chance of matching.

The distance expanded, adding yard after yard, until the car was on the horizon line, and my horse was

slowing from exhaustion.

I watched the car go, even long after it was out of sight. Inside my chest, the tether between me and my

wolf stretched and stretched, until it finally snapped and was gone.

Julian dismounted quickly beside me. “We have to get off the road.”

As I stood there in shock, he grabbed the reins of my horse as well as his own, and led both away from

the road and into the forest brush alongside it.

I was numb. I couldn’t move.

For one brief moment, I had felt my wolf again. Now, as before, I was empty.

Julian, a man determined, carefully guided our horses deeper into the woods. He didn’t say a word the

entire time

He could have been mad at me, I wasn’t sure. Whenever I had seen Julian mad in the past, typically at

Nicholas, he had lashed out with a sharp smirk and barbed insults. This silence was something new.

In the depths of the forest, we reached a small grassy patch. Julian stopped, and the horses began to

“Can you get down?” Julian asked me. “We need to let the horses rest for a few moments. We pushed them pretty hard.”

I understood and slowly dismounted the mare.

at me, but his expression was unreadable. He looked so much like Nicholas in that moment; it was

he

I shouldn’t have –”

calculated that you might react that way. I could only imagine what it

to be reunited.”

Instead, I hooked my

carved out,

silence again. Julian fiddled with his phone, but he seemed frustrated with

out here.”

we lost?” I asked.

here, but it won’t be so secret if I can’t coordinate with Brian. We’re way off the prepared route, and I don’t dare go back that way. Those at the mansion will

truly hadn’t meant to cause trouble. I just… I felt a pull,

get it, Piper. Really.” He ran a hand down his face and then sighed dramatically. “I suppose we’ll

settle for Plan

“What’s plan B?”

He winked.

“Julian.”

“Trust me, Piper.”

didn’t. Couldn’t. Julian was far too manipulative, always watchful, always scheming. And

through and through.

Nicholas,” I

put a hand over his heart. “You

how this banter helped me feel a bit better. “You haven’t

my trust yet.”

It was nice to see him back to

Chapter 0105

the horses were rested, then

was that?” I tried asking, hoping he might surprise me with an actual response

will have established great trust between us,” he said, evasive as ever.

I sighed.

but I’m only not

into this further before I reveal too much.”

just look it up. As it was, I was at the mercy of whatever information Julian wanted to share.

we neared the palace, Julian

began to text

to be sneaky. His

toward us as if they had been

questions.

Tell us about your secret

it worth the risk, breaking the rules to see the

think what you’ve done is fair to the

slid his arm around my shoulders. “Come now, guys. This is no big secret. Hasn’t

Piper is my

I’d already been blindsided by the cameras and questions, and

an absurd lie?

wide, cocksure grin that seemed to say, Play along.

Is that true? Are you Julian’s

wasn’t a good

plum. Julian nuzzled against my cheek. It took everything