The Luna Choosing Game by Jane Above Story

It had been three days since Boss made his proposition: either I sleep with him or I get fired.

I needed one more day’s pay to cover Elva’s most recent bill. Once I had that, I could resign and hopefully find something else.

Boss trailed his eyes down the length of my body. Staring openly at my breasts, he licked his lips. “Don’t think I won’t, Piper. I’ll be waiting for you.”

In the restaurant, all of the female patrons talked excitedly about the selection. To cater to them, Boss turned all of the televisions on the walls to the royal consort ceremony broadcast.

“Which one do you think is the most handsome?” asked one patron to her friends.

They’d ordered a plate of loaded nachos to share. I carefully placed it in the center of their table.

Another girl spoke quickly. “Are you kidding? The others are cute, sure, but Nicholas is obviously the hottest.”

The other girls quickly agreed.

Startled, I hovered at their table. They were right, of course. Nicholas was the most objectively attractive, but to hear people talk about him so casually still surprised me.

For three days, I’d tried to reconcile in my mind that the Nicholas I had known was also the eldest prince of the kingdom. But I still couldn’t quite manage it.

Nicholas had always been proper. But a prince?

“Piper, is it?” one of the girls at the table asked me. I jumped, realizing I was still standing there. Yet before I could apologize, she asked me, “Which one do you think is the most handsome?”

“Nicholas,” came my automatic answer. “Excuse me.”

Embarrassed at having been caught daydreaming, I forced myself to focus on work. And I succeeded – until I heard Nicholas’ voice come from the speakers.

“The kind of woman I’d prefer?” Nicholas said. “Someone loyal. Strong. Even tempered. And she has to like to children.”

“Check, check, and check,” came a voice from the table of girls. “He’s describing me! It’s meant to be.”

“Dream on. He’s clearly describing me.”

“You don’t even like kids!”

make it

interviewer. “Children, hm? Does that mean we can expect you to have a big

He gave a small smile, but his eyes were guarded. “It’s my duty as a prince

in delight. “He’d make such a good

it seemed as if he was staring straight

My heart ached.

glanced off to the side again, looking at the interviewer, and immediately, I felt foolish. Of

probably hadn’t thought of me at all since the

heart, hoping to soothe away the

hung up on him. Sure, I hadn’t dated anyone else since, but that didn’t mean anything. I’d been too

and I had Anna.

it. When I returned to the dining room, Nicholas was still on the screen, but

the utmost seriousness. This illegal trade

of food in

once,

“The weakening of any one wolf, weakens the whole

waitresses hissed at me,

“I’m sorry.” I quickly set to cleaning it. As I did, I cursed myself so loudly in my thoughts, I couldn’t hear any more of Nicholas’

and exhausted. After my accident, I pushed myself as hard as I could, focusing solely on work and forgetting

lift my eyes to the television again, not even when the table of girls bemoaned their

be on the list.

particularly stubborn clump of food from a plate, I noticed how quiet it was

he was the last to leave at

had said they would clean the dining room.

I was alone.

hot air brushed the back of my exposed neck. The stench of alcohol permeated

the plate I’d been cleaning, I immediately swung around, ready to knock Boss over

too late. Boss

knocked the plate onto the floor,

he pressed his hips hard

I was trapped.

shirt, revealing my lacey white bra. He pressed his palm

swelling within me, I struggled against him. He only

didn’t have the strength to

shy, wolf-less.” Boss pressed his nose to my cheek. I felt him smile