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."

pocket near doubled, and

sitting room with your parents," I said. Susie's eyes went wide as saucers. "Mark is

your parents wouldn't have let

laughed a little

before he did anything drastic. Nicholas had a plan, as he always 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

"True."

parents knew who I

blushed a little. "I talk about you often. You

heart lurched and I pulled her into another hug. How grateful I was to be in her life! Though how much it hurt to hear she had such a hard time getting friends.

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

looked at

overdue," I told her. "He wants to

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

in the next, she began to cry again. "What's the matter?" I asked

if that didn't matter to me, Mark

get it to work. If this is what you want, Susie, you can't let it get away. You have to

at the ring for

see him,"

leading, we didn't

I couldn't help my smile. When she

father was saying.

*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

said, the word overflowing with obvious

forward, moving closer to Susie's parents, closer

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

parents both went wide-eyed.

your daughter," Mark said. "I cannot

don't know of her condition!" Susie's

She touched her husband's arm.

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

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