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 through the preliminary

screen showed the interviewer. “Children, hm? Does that mean we can

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 make such a

it seemed as if he was staring straight through it. I froze in place, like he could see

My heart ached.

again, looking at the interviewer, and immediately, I felt foolish. Of course, he couldn’t see

of me at all since

pressed my hand over my heart, hoping to soothe away the

I couldn’t still be hung up on him. Sure,

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

signaling a meal was ready. I went back to retrieve it. When I returned to the dining

This illegal trade of wolves and their gifts is dangerous for every

the plate of food in my

once, all

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

one of the other waitresses hissed at me, waking me

food. “I’m sorry.” I quickly set to cleaning it. As I did, I cursed myself so loudly in my thoughts,

the end of my shift, I was worn down and exhausted. After my accident, I pushed myself

television again, not even when the table of girls bemoaned their disappointment with the selection

I wouldn’t be on the list. Why even

particularly stubborn clump of food from a plate, I

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

would clean the dining

I was alone.

the back of my exposed neck. The stench

immediately swung around, ready to knock Boss over the head with it.

was a moment too late. Boss had been expecting

the plate onto the floor, where it smashed

my waist, he pressed his hips hard to mine, wedging me against the

I was trapped.

shirt, revealing

Panic swelling within me, I struggled against him. He only held tighter, rougher,

I didn’t have

smile against my jaw. “You have a child, after