Chapter Sixteen
Rhode entered the greenhouse. He must have heard wrong.“Rhode Wales, it may seem as though your physician here is in the business of telling jokes or making jest of a person and i’m not quite sure I appreciate being seen as a joke.”Doctor Ronda said, “I’m afraid I’m not telling a joke or making jest of you, Luna. Your presenting symptoms are without a doubt characteristic of early pregnancy.”Megan laughed and threw her head back. This doctor Ronda must be insane.“Pregnant?” Megan asked and laughed some more. She couldn’t help it.The barren queen suddenly pregnant? Hilarious!“If you’re not convinced, Luna, I have some sensitive test strips used in the West to confirm pregnancies. All you need is your early morning urine.”Doctor Ronda handed Megan a small bottle containing tiny white papers.“You can take as many as you need but let me be the first to say, congratulations queen.” Ronda said as she exMegan flushed down the remaining strips in the toilet and rinsed her face with ice cold water from the tap.She didn’t want to leave any evidence behind that she had been crying. In the mirror, however, her face still looked pink and puffy and she still felt the lingering nausea.Was this how pregnancy was like?After getting back in bed to try sneak in some more hours of sleep, Rosetta and Brianna entered the room.“Good morning, Luna!” They said, a bit too loud for Megan’s ears but she answered them nonetheless.Perhaps she was just cranky this morning. She was determined to look and act as normal as possible.Despite the fact that she abruptly made up her mind to leave the East after her divorce, she wasn’t sure how to break the news to either ladies that she would be leaving.She didn’t have a clear plan so she couldn’t ask them to come along, she couldn’t.Megan let them draw her a bath and she sat at her vanity as Brianna pic
What?”Megan asked, turning to look at Rhode. Clearly she heard wrong.“Marry me, my queen.” Rhode said again, holding her eyes.This was not the time nor the place he planned on proposing yet somehow he felt compelled to at this very moment.“Why?” Megan was finally able to ask.“Why what?”“Why would you want to marry me? What’s in it for you?” “Do I have to have some ulterior motive? Can I not just want to marry a beautiful woman?”“Who is broken goods.” Megan added, getting up.“You’re not broken goods, Megan. You’re the best of only your kind.”“You flatter me but I’m afraid your words fall on deaf ears. I could never marry you.”Rhode’s heart sunk to his belly.“Why?”“Because I can’t.”“That’s not an answer, my queen.”“That is enough, Rhode Wales. I will act as though this night never happened. I appreciate your help these past few nights but I will handle my situation a
Megan was suspicious of his answer but decided not to press any further.She still felt extremely embarrassed that he had seen her at her most vulnerable moments.She cleared her throat rather loudly, “I see. I suppose I should thank you.”“I apologize if you feel embarrassed. I did lie to you.”“That and we were basically courting through text. Quite the scandal.” Megan laughed in a fit to reduce how awkward she suddenly felt around Rhode.“I would like transparency. Considering you’re going to be my queen.”“I didn’t say yes.”“You’re right, you didn’t. I’m being optimistic.”Truth was, she didn’t have a reason to refuse him. If anything, he just offered her what she had been silently wishing for the past three months.She wanted someone to save her and she communicated those feelings to Mason.She obviously didn’t expect that her Kingdom’s greatest rival was the cub she had been confiding in and here he was off
A year ago in the Western Empire, now the Western Kingdom.“With all due respect, your highness, all you have done is travel, travel and travel some more! We are yet to see the spoils of all your journeys!” Lord Randolph said.“That and the fact that you remain unmarried! How do you plan on ruling with a spouse?!” Marquise Highborn said.“My daughter, Mirabel, has been waiting for you to formally ask for her hand!” Said Duke Fulher.Rhode sat on his oddly soft chair while all the members of the court hauled questions at him.He had assumed the position of ruler of their clan after his family’s untimely demise.The only piece of his family left behind was Mirabel Fulher, his late brother’s widow. It was Michael supposed to be getting the ear full, not him. Rhode was on his many adventures far South when he got the news of the disease that was spreading in the palace. He brushed it off, believing they had enough resources to employ the
Rhode and Wales sat on his center table for what felt like hours plotting his infiltration of the great East.“I heard that it is the Luna who is responsible for their strong presence in the world right now.” Brian said.“How so?”“The Luna, Megan Brighton trained for the position since she was just five years old!”“So did most women who were betrothed from a young age.” Rhode replied, unsure of what Brian was getting at.“You don’t understand, Rhode. The reason the former Luna of the Jared clan picked Megan Brighton and not her niece was because Megan was an incredibly bright child!”“She was five and was reading and writing exceptionally! Acing everyone in her class and even her seniors! Word is, the Eastern empire transitioned into a kingdom so smoothly because of her.”“So Richardson is just a figurehead.” Rhode said.“A dumb one, at that! Some of my men in the East reported that Richardson and Aspen Bridget, Megan’s child
Rhode remembered watching her retreat. She walked so light on her steps you could hardly hear her foot steps. Her scent was caught up in his nose. He had had enough of the castle for the day.When the coast looked clear enough, he returned back to the hole he used to get into the garden. He headed right back to him and Brian’s rendezvous point.“Rhode?!” Brian asked, shocked that he was back so early. Rhode transformed back to his human form and wore his trouser and his tunic.“That was really fast. Did something happen?!”Rhode shook his head. Brian would definitely have a field day if he said the reason he returned so early was because he was stunned by the Luna’s beauty.Brian had put so much emphasis on her brains and genius and didn’t once mention how beautiful she was. In a captivating way that felt good.What shook Rhode was the fact that he was never moved by women in particular. So much so that the rumor among members of his council was that he secretly liked men. Rhode never
Chapter 23The rest of the week went by quickly. Megan and Rhode didn’t see much of themselves that week. Megan was busy finishing up what was left of her duties and Luna. Rhode was communicating with his clan who were on his neck about returning and marrying Mirabel Fulher.Megan still had not told Brianna or Rosetta about her plans to marry Rhode Wales and leave the East. The only people who knew she was leaving were her parents and brother who were in great support despite what people would surely think and say.Megan was sitting in her greenhouse for the last time. It had been years of her life pouring into her kingdom, her people, her husband.It was all taken from her and by the man she loved the most. She hated that she never had a choice in the matter.She would’ve done anything for Richardson. Anything. Her dream of a happily ever after now felt like a fool’s dream.She was grateful for Rhode Wales and he picked her interest a lot, however, he wasn’t the one she had spent her
Megan and Richardson got married in the summer, some five years ago. As soon as they got married they were thrusted into a world of political and kingdom duties, something they trained for, yes but their extensive classes did not compare to the weight of their new lives. The young couple felt the heat to say the least. Young Richardson speed-walked through the halls, heading for his usual stop, Megan’s office. It was a place he retreated to quite often, and by often; everyday. The young king and new alpha found solace in the arms of his wife and Luna, Megan.Though trained for his position since his birth, the sudden death of his father the king and former alpha of his pack threw him head first into a tub of responsibilities he only knew of in theory. Megan, however, handled it like a natural. She blended right into her new position and took the bull by it’s horn, shocking her subordinates and members of the court.None of the past lunas were ever involved in official duties, all the
Megan was quiet as she stared at the bustling around her. She was quiet as Rhonda checked her baby and her vitals to ensure her stability, she was quiet as she was forced to drink a kind of medicinal broth, and she was quiet as Rhode walked in hours later.“How long has she been like this?” She heard Rhode ask, and what sounded like Rhonda answered.“I don't think she has moved at all since I came in here to personally monitor her vitals.” She answered, her professional tone broken down by concern.“What is going on? Is she alright?” Rhode asked again, a deep kind of worry coating his voice, and Megan bit her tongue to keep the bitterness inside.“Physically she's alright. So it's definitely a mental problem.” Rhonda reported again, before she turned reproachful eyes to Rhode who leaned back defensively.“What did I do?” He asked even before she could speak, and Megan heard her sigh, before she hit Rhode with what sounded like a stack of papers.“Hey!” He yelled out at the act, but th
Ugh! Megan could not help the little frustration in her belly from bubbling out. Once more Aspen and Richardson had put her in a really sticky situation, and she was pissed off. They had successfully driven a wedge in her life again from such a distance too!“Well?” Rhode asked her, his eyes firm and steady, assuring her that he would back her up no matter what path she chooses.“Speak up. We don't have all day!” Lord Fuhler interrupted her rudely, and before Megan could condition the atmosphere, Rhode was already out of his chair and had one hand around Fuhler's throat as he pinned him to one of the pillars that scattered around the council room , and Megan sighed.Stand down.She mindlinked Rhode, but judging from the stubborn tilt of his chin, he was not planning on standing down anytime soon. She could not blame him for finally losing his composure though. It was clearly what Fuhler was after, after all.Pressing his fingers deep into the struggling Fuhler's throat, Rhode tightene
The room instantly became quiet when the door swung open to reveal Megan standing at the entrance. She tried her best to appear brave and unafraid, but it was not an easy task.The disdainful eyes of Lord Fuhler bore down on her in supreme distaste and the cunning eyes of Lord Aldrien look at her from beneath his lashes. She noticed that Geoffrey was back and from the look on Rhode's face he was clearly not happy with it, and that made Megan furious as she vowed to get to the bottom of the problems she was seeing so clearly on the surface.“You summoned me, alpha?” She asked with a curtsy and Lord Aldrien snorted at the act as he stared at her with his beady eyes.“Oh look, her royal highness understands basic courtesy after all.” He exclaimed with a snide edge to his tone, and she could Rhode gripping his chair in anger.No! Wait! She commanded him with the mindlink and he looked at her speculatively before sighing and relaxing..“I'm sorry I barged in here last time.” She apologized
“So, you are getting married?” Rosetta asked with incredulity and Megan chuckled, yeah she could not blame her ladies for not believing their ears. A few days before she had made a whole ass deal out of getting married and now she was accepting it? She could tell they were confused. But she was never going to go back on her Decision.“Yes Rosetta, I already answered this.” Megan laughed in faux exasperating and Rosetta shook her head in amusement.“Well, my word. What do you think, Bri?” She asked the silent Brianna, and Megan turned as well. She was also interested, Brianna had been strangely quiet and she was really worried. She hoped it was nothing serious at all. But to her relief, Brianna gave a faux sigh.“Oh nothing, I was just jealous is all.” She finally confessed, and Megan exchanged amused looks with Rosetta before turning to give her attention to Brianna.“Well jealous of what?” She asked, and Brianna sighed, and nodded at the ring on her finger, causing Megan's eyes to wi
Moving stealthily, he gestured for Aspen to follow him and she did. They were both being careful of course. A single step on the wrong branch could alert the growling villagers that she was right there.Funny how she came to end a threat, but was instead now in a situation where she was actually in danger. She shook her head to remove the little moisture from her eyes. She could not afford to fall in fear now. She could do this. She would go home with her baby intact.“Keep up!” Rudolph snapped, his eyes already yellow, showing that he was already healing. And Aspen sighed in relief. She had no need for a weak wolf, ignoring the fact that she was the one to have put him in the position in the first place.“Alright, fine.” She snapped back, her back bent as she made sure she was concealed by the thick undergrowth of the forest.Together they traveled fast, and soon the woods around Aspen were a blur, and she turned her face to sniff the air. She could smell the smoke of the city. They
Aspen is famously known for her very special ability to make the worst of things. Now she did not do that on purpose, but for some reason it always happens. She was reckless, unthoughtful, and impulsive, and all those things in the worst ways.But as she backed away from these people with the strange eyes that gleamed with feral hunger, she knew that she had made the worst decision yet. Shrinking back, she tried to ignore the stares that Insisted on following her. The ones that cried that she did not belong there with her shiny and fancy clothes. She could see children, wild-eyed and hungry, baring their teeth at her as they let out growls made vicious by the fear of starvation. The public well to her left creaked as a small looking woman with darting eyes drew it open, before flexing a sympathetic yet annoyed gaze on Aspen, and she moved back, desperately searching for her carriage.It seemed her driver had slinked off and left Aspen to her fate, and the thought sent a bitter tast
For the umpteenth time, he imagined marching over to the kingdom of that weakling and stampeding on his throat, ripping out his teeth and claws, and breaking his legs..He was sure that if it ever came to it, he would take Richardson easily. The male had been timid when Rhode entered his Kingdom for the first time. When he had been introduced and stepped up to Richardson, he had realized his aura. He did it subtly, so that everyone in the room would not know what hit them, and for that brief moment where he studied Richardson, he could see the wolf king groan and bared his neck in a show of instant submission, and Rhode could not help the disdain that ran through him.But Megan had been perfect, she had stared straight at him beside her husband, her eyes flashing in warning, and even then he could understand them perfectly. Retreat. Her gaze told him, and he could not help the smile that covered his face after that. Lunas should not have the power to resist a fraction of an alpha's p
Due to the recent announcement and the recent self-consciousness she had developed about her person, Megan did all she could to avoid Rhode, and for a while it was working.She ate with the servants in the kitchen with the excuse of bonding and they adored her for it, proclaiming her the perfect Luna. She memorized Rhode's routine and perfected the art of avoiding him. She was on a roll, really.But that all changed when she bounced out of her bedroom, cradling her heavy stomach still carefully concealed with her heavy brocaded gown, and was suddenly accosted along the forest path by her lovely future husband. And Megan could not help the flush that colored her cheeks as he held her hands and his eyes glowed in triumph.“W_what are you doing?” Megan stammered as she glared up at him. Or at least she wanted to glare but she was intimidated by the animated purple eyes that stared back at her.“Megan!” He exclaimed with a small teasing smile.*So you are still alive! I had no idea!” He l
Aspen felt her world shifting. She had thought, for some reason, that he was only visible to her eyes on the unfortunate days he decided to grace her with his magnanimous presence: note the sarcasm. But she really had not thought that other people saw him. The idea came to her that morning, and despite the doubts, she had wanted to see if she was right at all, and it turned out that she was. Ah hell.“T_the camera! You know him!” She exclaimed triumphantly as she stared at the cook with a disturbing gleam in her eyes. She wanted to go to Richardson the next moment and demanded the head of the cook for being an accomplice in an elaborate conspiracy.“I don't know what you are thinking, young missy. But I do not know that man.” The cook quickly defended, as she stared at the grin on Aspen's face with maximum distrust. But Aspen could handle a little hate. She was not there to make friends after all.If the way to make this strange reporter silent was to silence this cook, then so be it.