The Luna Choosing Game

Chapter 0622

The butler showed me to Susie's room, and then quickly excused himself outside of her door. When he was gone, I knocked.

"Go away!" Susie called in a watery voice. She was crying.

I knocked more insistently as I pushed open the door.

*I said -* she started, cutting herself off she say me. "Piper?"

"Hi, Susie," I said.

"Oh, Piper!" She was sitting at her desk, the tears running down her cheeks. As I entered the room, closing the door behind me, she jumped from the chair and ran to me.

We shared a hug. Relief flooded through me.

I stepped back after a moment, to look her over. She didn't seem too worse for wear. Other than the crying, she didn't show any signs of abuse or neglect.

"What are you doing here?" Susie sniffed. "I'm sure word has gotten around by now."

*Rumors don't matter. Come back to palace."

*If you've heard the rumors, you know why I can't."

"Everyone will forget, the moment you appear. They'll all just think it's gossip and it won't matter," I say. "Since Jessica is the only other contender for Joyce, you wouldn't even have to face elimination."

*Piper," she sounded so sad. "I can't come. It's just not rumors. My parents... They know the truth about me."

*How could they?" I asked. She wasn't showing yet. Sure they might suspect, but to have real proof?

"I told them," Susie said.

I startled, speechless.

"I didn't want to lie anymore about any of it," Susie said. "I don't want to have to pretend to have feelings for Joyce, when the only one I really want is Mark."

ring in my pocket near doubled, and I regretted holding it back even

room with your parents," I said. Susie's eyes went wide

would have kept him away. If your parents wouldn't have let him inside, he would have scaled the walls and climbed through

laughed a little

he always does, that his arrival at your door might open the way. My

"True."

knew who I was..." I

blushed a little. "I talk about

How grateful I was to be in her life! Though how much it hurt to hear she

you this." I held my palm out with the ring sitting

at it

says it's overdue," I told her. "He wants to ask

inspect it. She touched it with only her fingertips, treating it

of her features. Then, in the

"And even if they did. Or even if that didn't matter to me, Mark

to work. If this is what you want, Susie, you

away the tears. She continued looking at the ring for another minute or two, before she

to see

With Susie leading, we

help my smile. When she saw it, she

as I've consistently said "Susie's father was

*Susie..." her mom said.

Then his gaze dropped to her hand, where she'd already

the word overflowing with obvious

forward, moving closer to Susie's parents, closer than even Nicholas

a deep bow.

parents both

with your daughter," Mark said. "I cannot live without

her

mother was quicker. She touched her husband's arm. "He

Mark confirmed. "The baby is mine. And I would

vouch for this man," Nicholas said. "He is my Beta and a loyal man besides.