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!”

see which of us make it through the preliminary selection. Then

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

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

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

for a moment, it seemed as if he was staring

My heart ached.

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

me at all

my heart, hoping to soothe away the touch of

seen each other in three years. I couldn’t still be hung up on him. Sure, I hadn’t dated anyone else since, but that didn’t mean anything. I’d been too

Elva, and I had

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

the utmost seriousness. This illegal trade of wolves and their gifts is dangerous for every

of food in my

once, all

wolf, weakens the whole

hissed at me, waking me from my

to cleaning it. As I did, I cursed myself so

was worn down and exhausted. After my accident, I pushed myself as hard as I could, focusing solely on

not even

applied. I wouldn’t be on the list. Why even bother

the sink. After washing away a particularly stubborn clump

or prep for tomorrow. Almost always, he was the last to leave at night.

clean

I was alone.

of my exposed neck. The

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

was a moment too late. Boss

the floor,

hard to mine, wedging me against

I was trapped.

my shirt, revealing my lacey

go.” Panic swelling within me, I struggled against him. He only held tighter, rougher, fingers biting into my

my wolf, I didn’t have the

to my cheek. I felt him smile against my jaw. “You have a child, after all. I