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."

in my pocket near doubled, and I regretted holding it

know. Mark. And Nicholas both. They are down in the sitting room with

kept him away. If your parents wouldn't have let him inside, he would have scaled

a little at

a plan, as he always does, that his arrival at your door might open the way. My presence was required

"True."

knew who I was..."

talk about you often. You were my

hurt to hear she had such a hard time getting friends. She was so sweet and kind,

ring from my pocket. "Mark told me to give you this." I held my palm out with the ring sitting in

at

told her. "He

held it up closer to her, to inspect it. She touched it with only

in the next, she began to cry again. "What's the

if they did. Or even if that didn't matter to me, Mark would be throwing

find a way to get it to work. If this is

at the ring for another minute or two,

to see

we both headed for the doorway. With Susie leading, we didn't need the butler

ring onto her finger. I couldn't help my smile. When she

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

*Susie..." her mom said.

Susie's eyes were on Mark, and his on her. Then his gaze dropped to her hand,

he said, the word overflowing

stepped forward, moving closer to Susie's parents, closer

Mark said, dropping into a deep bow. "Please

parents both

daughter," Mark said. "I cannot

know of her condition!"

touched her husband's arm. "He

And I would raise

is my Beta and a loyal man besides. He will