WHO KILLED LUCAS

MAYA

Lucas’s death made me realize that the walls in this palace have ears and that even my bedroom is not safe. Maria is a very dangerous woman, and I must be careful. Making her head spin is not enough to destroy her; I must figure out a way to completely strip her of her power before she strikes again.

Lucas had a befitting royal burial, even though he had served as a maid under Maria for years. Edward mourned him like a true brother, standing over the dark grave with heavy eyes and a broken spirit. Watching Edward grieve made me wonder why Lucas had believed his brother hated him so much for what his mother had done. Edward’s sorrow was real, and it hurt my heart to see how deeply the loss tore into him.

On the night after the funeral, I stayed locked in my room. I was not allowed to attend the ceremony because I was pregnant. In this pack, it is believed that bad spirits roam around during funeral ceremonies, so elders strictly forbid pregnant women from stepping near the burial grounds to protect the unborn child.

Later that evening, when everyone returned from the graveyard, I stood near my door and overheard the kitchen maids discussing the service in hushed whispers.

"Luna Maria cried the most out of everyone," one maid whispered, her voice full of pity. "She fell to her knees at the grave and wept until her throat was raw."

I clenched my fists in the dark, my blood running cold. Oh, what a cruel world, I thought to myself. She had poisoned the poor boy to protect her evil secrets, yet she put on the grandest performance of sorrow in front of the entire pack.

Later that night, the iron latch on my door clicked open softly.

Edward stepped into the quiet room, completely drained from the funeral. He didn't say a word as he shed his dark robes, standing fully naked in the dim moonlight filtering through the window. He climbed onto my bed, his large, warm body sliding under the covers behind me. He wrapped his strong arms around my waist, pulling me tight against his chest, and gently inserted his dick inside my vagina from behind.

I closed my eyes, letting out a soft sigh as his warmth filled me.

"The wedding is tomorrow," Edward announced softly against my ear, his hips beginning a slow, steady rhythm. "No more obstacles, Maya. Nothing is going to stop you from taking your place."

I knew deep in my heart that Lucas was never an obstacle to begin with. He was just a pawn caught in a deadly storm.

"Oh, Edward..." I moaned softly to the deep pleasure he was giving me, resting my hand over his on my stomach. But even in the heat of the moment, I felt the need to defend the boy who had died trying to break free. "Lucas was not a bad person, Edward. He didn't deserve to die like that."

Edward paused his movements for a brief second. He slowly turned my body around on the mattress so I was lying flat on my back, facing him. As he shifted his hips, his penis slipped out from my vagina. He didn't bother to put it back in right away. Instead, he leaned down, framing my face with his large hands, and began kissing me deeply. His lips were tender, taste of sorrow still lingering on them, yet full of a deep, possessive affection.

He pulled back just an inch, his amber eyes looking straight into mine in the moonlight.

"I don't care about the lies he told you, Maya," Edward whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "Just get ready to become my Luna tomorrow."

He smiled down at me, a soft, rare expression that softened his hard features. This time, he lowered his hips again and gently put his dick back inside my waiting vagina.

The entry was so smooth and deep that a gasp of sweet pleasure escaped my throat. He began to move inside me with slow, powerful thrusts that sent waves of heat coursing from my core straight to my toes. The rhythmic friction was everything sweet, wrapping us both in a world away from the death and betrayal outside the door.

"I love you, Maya," Edward breathed into the space between our lips, holding me tightly against his beating heart.

"I love you too, my Edward," I replied softly, wrapping my legs around his waist to draw him even closer.

Just then, while my head was rested back against the pillow, my eyes casually shifted toward the high glass window across the room.

My heart instantly stopped dead in my chest.

Standing right outside on the narrow stone ledge, her face pressed flat against the glass, was Maria. Her dark hair was wildly disheveled, floating in the night wind like black snakes, and her eyes were glowing bright red through the dark glass, staring straight at the two of us on the bed.

How did Edward know about my discussion with Lucas?