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!”

well, we’ll see which of us make it through

“Children, hm? Does that mean we can expect you

back to Nicholas. He gave a small smile, but his eyes were guarded. “It’s my duty as a prince to continue the lineage. But,

in delight. “He’d

glanced at the camera, and for a moment, it seemed as if he was staring straight through it. I froze

My heart ached.

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

thought of me at all since

my hand over my heart, hoping to soothe away the touch of pain

We hadn’t seen each other in three years. I couldn’t still be hung up on him. Sure, I

had Elva, and I had Anna. I didn’t need romance to be

I went back to retrieve it. When I returned to the dining room, Nicholas

This illegal trade of wolves and their gifts is

dropped the plate of food

once, all eyes

weakening of any one wolf, weakens

one of the other waitresses hissed at

it. As I did, I cursed myself so loudly in

my accident, I pushed myself as hard as I could, focusing solely

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

hadn’t applied. I wouldn’t be on the list. Why

stubborn clump of food from

the cook had to clean the stove, or prep for tomorrow. Almost always, he was the last to leave at night. But he was

said they would clean the dining room. The

I was alone.

the back of my

I’d been cleaning, I immediately swung around, ready to

too late.

plate onto the floor, where it smashed

his hips hard to mine, wedging

I was trapped.

shirt, revealing my lacey

me go.” Panic swelling within me, I struggled against him. He only held

I didn’t have the strength to

cheek. I felt him smile against my