The Luna Choosing Game

Chapter 0624

The next morning, I headed down to breakfast with Elva per usual. Today, all of the girls were even more animated than usual, their voices quick and cheerful with the latest gossip, their expressions bright.

*Susie and Mark are engaged!" Tiffany said, repeating what the others have said but louder and with bigger hand

movements.

*They must have met here during the competition," Olivia reasoned. "She broke the rules by paying attention to anyone other than the princes. She could go to jail for this."

"No one is going to send her to jail," Bridget said. "Nicholas wouldn't let that happen." For once, I agreed with Bridget.

*A Beta, though?" Lilliana scoffed. "She is a lady of good upbringing. She had the opportunity to marry a prince. Why on earth would she settle for someone of lesser stock?"

*She loves him," I said. I helped Elva into her chair and then sat in mine. Susie's was empty on the other side of me, and would now stay empty for the rest of the competition.

While I would certainly miss her - I did already - I was happy that she had found someone that she loved who loved her. She would find her happiness.

I wished now that I could find mine.

At least most of the other girls seemed happy for Susie too. Tiffany, Veronica, Jessica and even Bridget thought the match acceptable.

"What does it matter if she lowers herself slightly? A love match is a beautiful thing," Jessica said.

"You would think that," Lilliana said, "Since now you have no competition for Joyce's affections."

Jessica's face went a bit red. "I wasn't saying it just because of that. Susie is a nice person. Let her have what she wants."

"I bet she's pregnant," Lilliana said flatly.

Olivia gasped, even as a smile crossed her face. "How scandalous. That would explain why her parents would be so acceptable to the match."

wanted to disagree with me on this, I would fight them. Susie's pregnancy did

it did press the timeline of their romance

Susie were

with me. Not even Lilliana or Olivia, who I suspected would argue with me the most. Instead, they turned their sights

not sure if I should be congratulating you or pitying you," Lilliana said. "You may be the only contender now for

right idea, Jessica. Maybe you should back out as well." "Don't be jealous," Jessica snapped. She lifted her head up high. "You two will lose to Piper and Bridget, but I'm a shoe-in

Olivia snapped taller in their

Lilliana snapped. "What happened to Prince Joyce anyway? After he was

for Jessica to turn pale. Her cheeks stayed

scrunched

Jessica

her chin, so that she had to look down her nose at Jessica. "Try it.

innocent question," Olivia said. "Where is Prince Joyce? That's no

sunk down slightly in her chair. I tried to catch her eye and smile at her, but she seemed determined to avoid everyone's

front of all these people. For

however, I wasn't going to sit by and stay

"But he is still a prince. And Jessica will make the best princess consort out of anyone

frowned at me,

Beta," Lilliana said, and they

the wolves for a walk out in the yard beyond the gardens. Elva was laughing,

and I followed

that voice again?" Nicholas asked. "The one you heard the last

But I haven't tried shifting

you should try. See if it

voice again. It had been alarming and unnerving the last time I had heard it. It was much easier to pretend now that I hadn't heard it at

the situation. Just because I ignored it didn't mean it would simply go away. It would be like ignoring a medical symptom just

be wrong with me. It was better to know now rather than ignore the problem until

where Elva played with the wolves. "Stay near me. Just in

"I'm not going anywhere. You know that. I'll always be at your side, for as long

him, but I didn't want to get into that right