The Luna Choosing Game

Chapter 0600

"Oh." Susie's eyes widened. "I suppose you wouldn't have known." She hung her head a little. "Tensions with the Bear People have more or less exploded. Mark says more and more soldiers are being sent to the northern border. War seems imminent."

I didn't want to believe that. "Surely there's something to be done to keep the peace?"

*The Bear People have made demands but those demands are impossible to fulfill."

"What are they?" I asked.

Before us, out on the lawn, Elva sat on the grass with the two wolves, Night and Silver, in sitting in front of her. They were all looking so intently at each other, it was like they were having a conversation. I wondered what they were saying.

Focusing on that was less heartbreaking than thinking of the reality of war.

*They want their princess back," Susie said. She made it sound like I should know what she's talking about.

My brow drew together. "We have their princess?"

Susie tilted her head. "You don't know the story of the lost bear princess?"

I shook my head.

Susie hummed thoughtfully. She tapped her chin with a finger. "Oh. It was something like twenty years ago, I suppose. One of their princesses was stolen away as an infant and believed to be brought across the border into werewolf territory."

I couldn't believe my ears. A stolen princess? "Why haven't I heard of this?"

"I'm not sure," Susie said. "Though I imagine the royals wanted to keep a lid on the whole thing. I don't remember ever seeing anything about it on television. It was only ever discussed in gossip groups. I remember my mom talking about it sometimes."

day life of anyone I knew about back in my regular life. And if it made the werewolf royalty look bad, I could understand

and Queen back then denied any wrongdoing." Susie continued. "They said that the princess had been kidnapped by rebels among the bears own people. They couldn't

wait twenty years

behind the scenes in their own nation. But whatever the reason for it, the bears

sounded like an invasion, even if

belief among the nobles that the bear rebels likely killed the princess. Even if they

would have likely spoken up by now, or had someone speak for her. Bears were powerful. There would be no reason to hide

come forward now if not before, to stop

and my thoughts were filled with grief. They'd taught us something about war at the Academy. They wanted us to be ready to fight, physically and mentally. War was brutal. It would take

an entire generation.

Babies would learn to fear

said, looking at

returning to

even the soldiers, but for every person that will be affected by the war. That is why you would be a

smile. I never really considered feeling so much for so many to be one of my finer qualities. At least to me, it

make the hard choices no matter

heart

me, and together we looked back to where Elva was now laying down with the wolves. She was resting her head on Night's back, while Silver

that I could keep them safe,

but I jumped.

asked when I recovered

Mark said. "He has finished his meeting

I

take you there," Mark

her. She was resting so

Susie said. "Between the