Megan 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 picWhat?”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 snapped out of her thoughts when she heard a knock on her door. The three women snapped their heads towards the door. "Who could it be?" Brianna asked. No one knocked on the queen's door except Richardson and he didn't wait before he entered. Could it be? Megan got up and hurried for the door yanking it open to reveal Aspen leaning on the door frame. "Hi!" Aspen said in a very fake high pitched voice. Megan heard her ladies gasping rather dramatically behind her, "what do you want, Aspen?" Megan asked her ex bestfriend, patience already thin. Aspen smiled, "Did you hear? I'm now in a room quite close to yours! Does it not bring back fond memories?" a sour taste formed in Megan's mouth but she ignored it. Megan gave her a small smile, "of course. I'm sure our play room is still standing back at my family house." Her response visibly shocked Aspen. Aspen was never good at hiding her emotions unlike Megan who had every reason to lash out, show her justified rage and anger. H
Richardson could not help but gloat at the sight of the left state counselor's triumphant face. The man believed he had won, believing that with a few well placed strikes he had managed to disarm Richardson, which almost caused the alpha to gloat at his beady face.“We are going to squash the Faes!” Right stare counselor yelled, his eyes alight with a fierce light, and Richardson could not help but grin at the sight before him.He knew why they were so happy, knew that it had nothing to do with submerging the Faes and everything to do with the planned coup they planned on carrying out against him, and he could not help but grin bitterly.“Alpha, this could only mean one thing.” His trusted advisor Roderick murmured in his ear. But Richardson was unmoved, Roderick was not telling him anything he did not already know, so it kind of dampened the whole dramatics.“It will be alright.” Richardson shrugged, his expression carefully blank, trying to give nothing away.He knew that any slight
It felt like Aspen had been travelling on the rocky roads for days. Some days they strayed towards civilization, but her scruffy companion for some reason insisted that they kept closer to the swamp. A fact that never failed to rouse Aspen’s ire. She was with child, and more filthy and disgusting than she had ever been, and what was worse? She was expected to be okay with it! She had once tried to voice her concerns, but her scruffy companion simply stared at her with beady unsympathetic eyes that were void of any true desire to make her life more comfortable.“Wait! Slow down you bumble head!” Aspen yelled out raspily. Her voice was gone from serious dehydration. At this point she was seriously beginning to fear for the health of her poor baby.“Look, you could dawdle here all you want and wait for our captors to catch up with you, but I'm not going to do that with you, so I think we should part ways here.” Rudolph said firmly, his eyes unwavering, and Aspen gulped. She had no idea
Megan watched as Rhode and his army of about five hundred soldiers mount their horses they were intending to ride to the west. A lot of petitions were made for him to increase the number of warriors going with him, especially from Megan herself, but he did not take heed. Megan knew he did not wish to leave her defenseless so he was going without the appropriate amount of protection, and her love for him grew.Be safe out there.She nodded as he turned to find her in the crowd, he heard her, and he showed her by returning her firm nod.I will.It was an exchange of trust, so Megan tried to bite down on her anxiety as she wished she was not pregnant at the moment. It rendered her vulnerable, and Vulnerability was not entertained in the East.“He is really leaving.” Brianna whispered from where she stood behind Megan, and Rosetta nodded, her face lacking its usual cheer and awash with somberity.Megan could not help but wonder what caused such expression to overcome someone like Rosetta
Rhode glanced at Brian sideways, and he was immediately suspicious. There was a grin his friend was now sporting a glow that he did not have on a few hours ago. But he could say the same thing for himself, he thought, as he looked at Megan standing beside him, her back straight and her eyes firmly set on the Council members below. He could not be sure if he was putting her at risk by doing what he was doing, but he knew that it was a risk he had to take. He could not leave her and the rest of his family powerless. He had to protect Brianna as well, Brian was counting on him, so Rhode straightened his back as well.“As you all were previously informed, Lord Rosebud is going to be acting as regent in my absence, but there have been a few changes.” Rhode announced, and the entire council shuffled, not liking what they were hearing, but he couldn't care less. Rosebud was on board and that was all that mattered to Rhode.“What's this change about, alpha?” Lord Aldrien asked, his eyes shi
Aspen frowned as she was led outside to do her routine for the thousandth time since her kidnapping. It was the baby pressing on her bladder, and she tried to make that fact known, but they were not only not listening but were also rapidly losing patience with her.“May I request a female guard?” She murmured for the hundredth time since she got into their capture. She knew they had female guards, but for some reason she was constantly surrounded by males.“No. Move.” Was the eloquent reply she got as she was roughly prodded forward from behind, and Aspen frowned. She could not believe she was being forced to endure such indignities during her pregnancy with an Alpha.“I can take it from here.” Aspen muttered stiffly as they neared the approaching bush. She had to swallow down the approaching bile down her throat.“She said she'll take it from here.” The pack leader grunted, and Aspen turned her nose forward as she marched towards the bush with all the dignity she could muster.As soo
Brian hurried through the palace in his futile search for Brianna, but no matter how much he tried, he just could not find her. She was not with Megan in the sun drawing room, nor was she with Rosetta as he watched the bubbly woman interact with some maids, not even caring that they were below her station. The sight almost made him smile before he cleared his throat abruptly, and the room full of women turned towards him. Immediately he could see them straighten out their hair and clothes, and a few even did a quick swipe of lipstick across their lips at the sight of him, and Brian frowned as he wondered if they found his presence that imposing and unpleasant, so he hurried towards Rosetta.“I need to talk to you.” He told her urgently, before spurning on his heels to stride out, but as he left, he heard what sounded like protests behind and frowned. Women, he just could not understand them.“Sir Brian?” Rosetta gasped as she finally caught up to his uneasy figure pacing underneath
“Why did you take this decision without informing me about it?” Brian asked angrily as he bursted into Rhode's office, his wolf almost rising to the surface as he snarled, but Rhode simply smiled. He was expecting Brian after all, he knew that after his announcement in the council meeting about his decision to personally oversee the mission to the west, Brian would barge in on him, demanding an explanation.Everyone had been shocked when he dropped the bomb and announced his decision to follow the soldiers to the rescue of his rival, the western alpha, but he was determined.He knew the council were trying to domesticate him, he could sense it in the way they tried their best to put a stop to every and any activity that warranted leaving the four walls of his kingdom. They were trying to drive him insane with longing and rage, then introduce Lord Fuhler to him as a savior. He could see right through them that it was almost hilarious. Almost.But he would not be Rhode If he allowed t
“My lady! My lady!” Rosetta yelled as she burst through the drawing room to where Megan was seating with a book in her hands, the bold words Theories Of The Master Tactician written on the front.Startled, Megan glanced up, her hands resting as usual on her stomach, and her eyes sparkling with joy at the sight of the impromptu visitor.“Rosetta. Why have you come?” Megan asked with a smile, knowing well that Rosetta was supposed to be secluded with the other ladies in waiting as they went through the monthly attendance report, it was a compulsory thing in the palace, something she wished she had thought to implement in her former Kingdom. It would definitely have made things run more smoothly, but oh well. Anyways, her eyes narrowed at the breathless Rosetta. She could afford to let her slack off. If her attendance was not up to par, and she might even be taken away from her, the thought sent an unpleasant shiver through Megan's spine.“I needed to see you urgently!” Rosetta gasped o
Aspen could not even breathe at that point. Hell, she had not been breathing for several days already, and it was beginning to get real old, but what was she to do? If she actively breathed in the corrupt air filled with fine dust, then who knew the horrible effect it would have on her skin!So she tried to take in as little air as possible through her mouth, which resulted in an incredibly grating sound, and judging by the looks on Rudolph's face, he was beginning to find her just as irritating as the dust she was trying to avoid.But as usual, Aspen could not even be bothered to give a fig about another person's feelings, in fact, she was positively glowering at him as she tried to stay as silent as possible in the holding shed the leader and his group of malnourished hunting crew had led them to.In fact, she was not at peace with the way she was leered at by some of the villagers that had stopped by to peer into the shed. They had looked at her like a tasty morsel of food they cou