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, and I regretted

both. They are down in the sitting room with your parents,"

have let him inside, he would have scaled the walls and climbed through your

laughed a little

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

"True."

knew who I was..."

a little. "I talk about you

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

to give you this." I held my palm out with the

at it

told her. "He wants to ask

and held it up closer to her, to inspect it. She touched it with only her fingertips, treating it as a precious, rare,

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

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

about that," I told her. "Nicholas will find a way to get it to work. If this is what you want, Susie, you can't let it get

She continued looking at the ring for

to see him,"

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

the way, Susie slid the ring onto her finger. I couldn't help my smile. When she saw it, she smiled too, though hers

said "Susie's father

*Susie..." her mom said.

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

word overflowing with

moving closer to Susie's parents, closer

deep bow. "Please

parents both went wide-eyed.

love with your daughter,"

don't know of her

touched her husband's arm.

is mine. And I would raise it as my child, with Susie as my

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