The Hidden Luna Queen 2

Maeve POV

The moment I entered the room, everyone's eyes were suddenly on me.

It almost felt like another scene from one of those romantic fairytales I liked to read, where everyone turned to gawk at the newcomer princess who wore the most beautiful dress in the entire castle.

Perhaps if I had more confidence in myself, I would share that feeling. Or perhaps if I were modeling the dress for Xaden alone, I would feel worthy of being called his princess.

But it was hard to feel beautiful when the room was half-filled with critical stares.

There was no room for error here. I was summoned so the royal family could see just what sort of woman Xaden entangled himself with. But, upon glancing at him, I saw nothing but relief and adoration written across his face.

He believed in me right now... and that gave me the little courage I needed.

I took a shaky deep breath, curtseying as best I could. "Y-Your Majesty..." I greeted, soft but clear. "I'm honored to meet you."

This was my first time meeting Alpha King Arlan, and as I took him in for the first time, I understood perfectly how he earned the title. Father used to always sing his praises about the greatness of our king, whether it be in the heat of battle or the calm of diplomacy, and how he always commanded the room, no matter what he did. All King Arlan did was sit in his chair in that conference room and I was shaking where I stood.

"So," the king muttered, scanning me over with green eyes similar to Xaden's. "The girl of the hour finally arrives."

I blushed. What did he mean by that?

Xaden quickly approached me and rested his hand, warm and

comforting, on the small of my back. And I felt like, with him beside me, I could conquer anything. "This is Maeve," he said without wavering, “my future Luna."

I smiled politely, but it quickly dropped when the king's stare intensified." I have heard many things about you over the last hour," he said, taking on a cold, calculated tone that chilled me. “Much of it has not been good."

My stomach plummeted. What could he have heard about me?

"I-Is there something I can-?"

"Indeed!" Isabelle spoke up, suddenly making her presence known, and I stiffened. "Now that she's here, she can demonstrate for herself the extent of her etiquette skills. That will show if she's worthy of the title of Luna or not." Xaden attempted to protest. "Isabelle-"

"When answering palace summons," she began, intent on testing how deeply she could humiliate me, "is it preferred to show up early or prompt and on time?"

Nervously, I bit my lip. Maggie hadn't covered that in her impromptu lesson. "Um... early...?”

Isabelle smirked. "That's incorrect. You should never show up earlier

than you are asked to. That's considered disrespectful of the other party's time."

The king huffed in a show of blatant disapproval, making me sink into myself.

Xaden tightened his hold on me. "Isabelle, that's-"

But she ignored him, continuing to ask questions that only one would know if they truly had the knowledge or etiquette experience. She knew better than anyone else here how little I was able to attend such grand events, and she took advantage of that. With every question she asked, she only proved her point, showing just how incapable I was.

I would only embarrass Xaden if I became his Luna.

Humiliated tears prickled in my eyes as I dug my fingers into the skirt of my dress.

"Isabelle, that's enough!" Xaden roared from beside me.

Unfazed, she shrugged. "I've made my point. I'm only looking out for you, dear-you should find someone who actually knows a thing or two about etiquette."

A loud huff from Charlotte surprised the room. "Honestly, Isabelle," she scolded. "You're one to talk about etiquette."

Isabelle dared to look affronted. "Excuse me?"

Briskly, Charlotte left the room for a few seconds and returned with my stomped-on dress in hand, and upon seeing the dress, Isabelle turned ashen. "I found this girl, anxiety-ridden and moments away from tears, wearing this mess of a dress in the bathroom," she confronted. "Is that what you would call 'etiquette?"

The revelation seemed to have further infuriated Xaden. I could feel his anger roll off him in hot waves, but I latched onto his arm, both to keep him close and to calm him down.

Isabelle stuck her chin up, trying to put on a brave face. "Are you trying to say that I somehow am at fault for ruining that dress? It's just dirt."

Charlotte held up the dress to show off the shoe prints more closely, where upon closer inspection, faint heart-shaped soles could be seen in the dirt patterns. "Nobody else in the palace wears high heels with heart-shaped soles patterns like this. At least, no one but you."

That stunned Isabelle into silence.

I couldn't help but feel impressed by how observant Princess Charlotte was. Even I had no idea her shoes left such a mark.