The Luna Choosing Game



"You're going to try to steal my wolf again," I said, realizing.

*Not try. We are going to take your wolf and your bear, and then I'm going to kill you," Jane said. "My greatest error in the past was letting you live. I will not be making that same mistake again."

I swallowed thickly. "I don't have a bear."

Jane smiled a little, the edges of her mouth lifting up, even as her brow lowered. "You're lying. You can feel it inside of you, can't you? Maybe your wolf hasn't told you, but you feel the presence of... another. You can't lie. Even when I harbored your wolf, I could feel something else, even if it was dormant at the time."

Miracle had been silent for a while. This would explain that, as well as the other presence I felt inside of me. Yes, I knew deep in my heart that her words were true.

I didn't understand how it could be, but I knew that it was.

Jane and I were the missing bear princesses, and deep inside of me, a bear lay sleeping.

Not wanting to give Jane the satisfaction of an answer, I slid my gaze to Hawk instead.

*And what is his role in all this?" I asked. "Surely the underground organization doesn't want to help you because it's the right thing to do."

"No," Hawk said. His voice was low and deep, sinister in its smooth coldness. The simple word sent a shiver up my spine.

*Hawk and the others will be my advisors," Jane said.

*Ah. So they will be the ones actually running both of the kingdoms," I said. "You'll be just a pawn."

"I will be Queen," Jane said, more forcefully.

"Don't lie to yourself, Jane. You know he's only lifting you so that he can gain his own power. He's supporting you to use you.

Jane narrowed her eyes at me. She slid her gaze to Hawk for just a moment, before looking back to me. Hawk didn't acknowledge her glance at all.

"Hawk and I have an understanding," Jane said.

"Well, you have no such understanding with me," Joyce said. "I never agreed to any of this."

*You will make the correct choice when the time comes," Jane told him.

"You can't make me."

"Oh, can't I?" Jane said, lifting her brow. "Perhaps you'd like to be tortured again. We can make it worse, you know. We can get into your head and play around. You always scream so sweetly when we do that."

Joyce immediately coiled into himself.

*Jane," I snapped.

"Stay quiet, Piper," Jane snarled at me next. "Or you'll be in the torture chair right after him. We were planning on just killing you after taking your wolf and bear, but we could always have our fun first."

I closed my mouth, but I glared as hard as I could.

She wasn't intimidated by me. Behind bars as I was, I doubted I made for a threatening figure.

"We must prepare," Hawk said.

Jane nodded and turned to follow him toward the exit. "Don't get too comfortable, Piper. You'll be leaving soonConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

enough."

She laughed all the way to the door, then slammed it closed behind her, leaving Joyce and I in sudden eerie silence.

In his cell, Joyce began to softly cry.

I pretended not to hear it. Nothing I could say would provide him any comfort now.

Slumping down in my own cell, I wallowed in my own self-pity, the direness of the situation sinking in.

God, I missed Nicholas. My heart ached for him, longing in a way that physically hurt.

He was so far away, I knew that with certainty. As if a string separated that distance and tugged at my heart.

A sting that bond me and Nicholas together?

That sounded like... a mating bond.