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."

near doubled, and I regretted holding it back

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

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

a little

as he always does, that his arrival at your door might open

"True."

parents knew who I was..." I

talk about you

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

from my pocket. "Mark told me to give you this."

at

told her. "He wants to ask you

plucked the ring from my palm and held it up closer to her, to inspect it. She touched

pure awe covered her face, softening all of her features. Then, in the next, she began to cry again. "What's the matter?" I

go for it," she said. "And even if they did. Or even if that didn't matter to me, Mark would be throwing his whole life away with this. He can't be Nicholas's Beta

her. "Nicholas will find a way to get it to work. If this is

away the tears. She continued looking at the ring for another minute

see him," she

leading, we didn't need the

her finger. I couldn't help my smile.

a personal matter, Prince Nicholas, as I've consistently said "Susie's father was

*Susie..." her mom said.

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

word

moving closer to Susie's parents, closer than

said, dropping into a deep bow. "Please allow me

parents both went wide-eyed.

with your daughter," Mark said. "I

her condition!"

She touched her husband's

I would raise it as my child,

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