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."

my pocket near doubled,

you know. Mark. And Nicholas both. They are down in the sitting room with your parents," I said. Susie's eyes went wide as saucers. "Mark is

parents wouldn't have let him inside, he

laughed a little

your door might open the way. My presence was required for this. It is, after all, more likely they'd let me in

"True."

who I was..." I

a little. "I talk about you often. You were my

grateful I was to be in her life! Though how much it hurt to hear she had such a hard time getting friends. She was so sweet and kind, she deserved so many more than

give you this." I held my palm out with

at it and

told her. "He wants to ask

it up closer to her, to inspect it. She

moment, pure awe covered her face, softening all of her features. Then, in the

it," she said. "And even if they did. Or even if that didn't matter to me, Mark would be throwing his

find a way to get it to work. If this is what you want, Susie,

continued looking at the

want to see him," she

both headed for the doorway. With Susie leading, we didn't need the butler to guide us back downstairs to

slid the ring onto her finger. I couldn't help my

really is a personal matter, Prince Nicholas, as I've consistently said "Susie's father was saying. He cut himself off when Susie and I returned

*Susie..." her mom said.

Susie's eyes were on Mark, and his on her. Then his gaze dropped to her hand, where she'd already put on

the word overflowing

Susie's parents, closer than

a deep bow. "Please allow me to marry

parents both went wide-eyed.

love with your daughter," Mark said. "I

of her condition!" Susie's

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

is mine. And I would raise it as my

is my Beta and a loyal man besides. He