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,

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

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

laughed a

that his arrival at your door might open the way. My presence was required for this. It is, after all,

"True."

knew who I was..." I

talk about you often.

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

pocket. "Mark told me to give you this." I

at

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

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

features. Then, in the next, she began

didn't matter to me, Mark would be throwing his whole life away with this. He can't be Nicholas's Beta

If this is what you want, Susie, you can't let

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

see him,"

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

I couldn't help my smile. When she saw it, she smiled too, though

really is a personal matter, Prince Nicholas, as I've consistently said "Susie's father was saying. He

*Susie..." her mom said.

on her. Then his gaze dropped

he said, the word overflowing with

closer to Susie's

into a deep bow. "Please allow me to marry your

parents both went

in love with your daughter," Mark

don't know of her

She touched her husband's

would raise it as my child, with Susie

man," Nicholas said. "He is my Beta and a loyal man