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!”

which of us make it through

Does that mean we can expect you to have a big family, Prince

to Nicholas. He gave a small smile, but his eyes were guarded. “It’s my duty as a prince to continue the lineage. But, yes, I’d like to have a large

squealed in delight. “He’d make such a good

he was

My heart ached.

again, looking at the interviewer, and immediately, I

me at all since

heart, hoping to soothe away the

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

wasn’t lonely. I had Elva, and I had Anna. I didn’t need

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

This illegal trade of wolves and their gifts is dangerous for

of food

once, all eyes on

weakening of any one wolf, weakens the whole pack. We cannot let

the other waitresses hissed at me, waking 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

shift, I was worn down and exhausted. After my accident, I

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

applied. I wouldn’t be on the

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

clean the stove, or prep for tomorrow. Almost always, he was

said they would clean the dining room. The lights in

I was alone.

the back of my exposed neck. The stench of alcohol permeated the

to

was a moment too late. Boss had been expecting

the floor, where it smashed to

pressed his hips hard to mine, wedging me against

I was trapped.

buttons of my shirt, revealing my lacey white bra. He pressed his

him. He only held tighter, rougher, fingers biting into my

have the

be shy, wolf-less.” Boss pressed his nose to my cheek. I felt him smile against my jaw. “You have a child, after all. I know you