The Hidden Luna Queen 2

I refused to contribute to or worsen those fears in any way. So when I'd promised her that we would wait, I meant it.

And I had absolutely no intention whatsoever of breaking that promise.

But-oh... how it hurt.

Every drop of my alpha blood cried out with the primal urge to claim my mate. I needed the entire world to see who she belonged to, that she was mine in every possible way. But I kept myself in check... for her.

I would do anything for her. Anything to see her smile and live her life in peace.

My father, on the other hand, never asked for this out of the kindness or purity of his heart.

Although he'd promised he would give Maeve a chance, I was fully aware that he was taking advantage of her reserved nature to keep her in the dark as much as possible for his selfish gain. Because of that, I had half a mind to tell him off. But I couldn't. Not when I promised Maeve.

"I get it," I ultimately snapped, ignoring the blatant offense that spread over my father's face. "Anything about Maeve and the baby is to be kept under lock and key. I don't understand why everyone feels the need to remind me every day." His eyes narrowed. "Maybe it's because everyone knows you so well," he jabbed not so kindly, making me bristle. "Maybe everyone knows just how impulsive and stubborn you get when it comes to things you think you want."

My nostrils flared. I didn't need to take any of this from him. I prepared to square up to him, until-

"Xaden-please," my mother suddenly intervened, making me stall.

I was taken aback. She was... on his side?

Stunned, I turned my attention over to her, where she sat on the lounge. There was a yearning, imploring tinge to her face as she gazed at me, which helped ebb away my growing irritation. She was not one to condescend like my father. If she ever had something to say, it was always in earnest.

"We're being serious," she said. "Please tell us you have been waiting to share your relationship with Maeve."

I frowned, suddenly becoming heavy with a bad feeling. "What's going on?"

Father cleared his throat. "Perhaps this will be sufficient explanation enough," he muttered, gesturing to the television.

Frowning, I turned my attention toward the television. Onscreen was Royal Beta Samson, who appeared to be in the middle of holding a press conference. Momentarily, I was puzzled. He was quite excellent when it came to addressing and handling the press, so I wasn't sure why this one was so important.

But my confusion was short-lived.

"Beta Samson, is it true that Prince Xaden's mystery girl is for hire? Is that why the royal family refuses to acknowledge her?"

My heart dropped. Whether they knew her name or not, this press conference was about Maeve.

As the minutes ticked by, I watched furiously as reporters spewed more and more of their crude questions and assumptions, calling her a gold digger and a prostitute, among other things, and calling into question the true nature of our involvement. Now I understood what Henry meant all that time ago.

Hearing these people talk about Maeve like this made my blood boil.

"Now, Xaden," Father spoke up, snapping me back to the harsh reality I found myself in. His prominent presence stood mere feet away from me as he carefully examined my reaction. "Do you understand the gravity of the situation?"

For a moment, I was at a loss for words. My mind and body were torn with conflicting feelings of fury and the desire to rush to Maeve's side and protect her.

All of a sudden, it all seemed to make sense now, and I wanted to chastise myself for being so blind and stupid and reckless.

I had never really given a damn what the press said about me before-l could handle whatever gossip or speculation they decided to throw at me. I knew what was fact from fiction, and had a lifetime of training myself how to navigate annoying paparazzi. But Maeve never asked for any of this. She was not yet acclimated to this sort of life like I was, but was willingly stepping into the wolves' den so we could be together. And this was not limited to two people gossiping amongst themselves in a park anymore; she was beginning to capture national attention.

It was easier to control a few ignorant gossipers. It was... not so easy when the entire f*****g press was involved.

Of course, Maeve must be fucking terrified. No wonder she wanted to wait.

Guilt gnawed at me. How could I have been so selfish?

Swallowing back my nerves and my pride, I let my gaze flicker over the concerned face of my mother before I finally locked eyes with my father. "I ... I understand completely," I said softly. "No one will know about Maeve before the mating ceremony." "Do I have your word on that?" Father held his hand out expectantly.

I knew very well he only asked this to keep our reputation clean and honorable. He didn't care about Maeve's well-being one way or the other, but that didn't matter to me at that moment.

Setting my jaw, I nodded, taking him firmly by the hand. "On my honor as an alpha."

MAEVE POV

"Ooh-" Charlotte, still under the guise of Cora, gazed thoughtfully yet excitedly at the building we currently found ourselves in front of. "I've

never been able to try this place. Can we stop here?"

After another hour or so of exploring the various shops along Mona Road, the three of us agreed unanimously that we could all use a break to catch a bite to eat. Food, I thought, was not a bad idea and was

something I was quickly becoming spoiled with. After a life of surviving off little more than scraps and leftovers in Moonstone, I found myself surrounded by more food than I ever thought possible.

Ordinarily, I would have been a little taken aback by that sudden change, but right now, it was one I gladly welcomed, thanks to my sudden increased appetite.

It turned out that growing a baby required more energy than I'd realized.

So, here we were, in front of a quaint, little brick-house café that appeared to offer both indoor and outside seating.

"It's adorable," I commented with a curious grin. "I'm okay with it, as long as you two are."

Maggie nodded emphatically. "Then it's settled. Let's get you ladies fed."

Much to my hungry delight, once we were seated at an outdoor table with a lovely view of both the bustling street and a nearby park, one quick glance over the menu showed me that this place offered a little bit of everything. I was not the type of girl who had any particular preferences when it came to food-with the exception, of course, of raw meat and fish -so I was more than alright to try anything at least once.

Ultimately, I decided on a grilled cheese sandwich with a side of creamy tomato soup, while Charlotte ordered a garden salad, and Maggie settled for a small slice of banana bread and a cup of coffee.

Our conversation flowed with ease as we ate our food in peaceful

contentment.

After we gushed about all the lovely outfits purchased from today's shopping venture, Charlotte proceeded to fill in Maggie about the

happenings of our last banquet. This included the sudden involvement of a certain blonde alpha and the subsequent cover story she assigned to me, which she spoke rather highly of-ever the humble princess.

Once Maggie recovered from her shock and expressed her understanding of the ruse, we then shifted gears toward what had happened immediately afterward.

Reliving those moments left me feeling sick to my stomach. I still wasn't sure which felt worse in hindsight-hearing that woman admit to being a former flame of Xaden's, or the cold shoulder treatment I had forced upon him afterward.

For a moment after I finished, Charlotte looked reluctant about

something before deciding to address me. "Can I... be frank with you?"

The serious look in her eyes made me feel a little nervous, but I felt comfortable enough with her to want to hear what she had to say. I knew she would not be hurtful. At least, not with cruel intent.

"Of course," I ultimately said.

"Before I say anything," she continued, pulling my hand into hers and gently squeezing in an attempt to reassure me, gazing at me earnestly, "I don't want you to think I'm invalidating your feelings because that's the furthest thing from the truth. I just want to understand your thoughts better."

The soft tone of her voice resonated deep within me, shaking me to my core. It was a reasonable request, I thought. Pressing my lips together, I nodded.

"I can't imagine that anyone would want to hear about their mate's... colorful past, let alone meet them, and I'm sorry that his reaction was so... brash." Her forehead wrinkled with chagrin, the mere idea seeming to cause immense discomfort for her. "But I can't help but wonder... why did it bother you so much?"

I blinked. Why?

Wasn't it normal to feel jealous about such things? Suddenly, I weighed with guilt, like I was the one in the wrong, especially since it was Charlotte who was questioning me.

Had I... been wrong in feeling that way?

Maggie leaned forward. "May I speak freely?"

The question took me by surprise. I still had to get used to being treated like an up-and-coming Luna. "Yes, please," I implored, gesturing for her to speak. "You don't need to ask."

She gave me a small smile before proceeding to speak. "What I think...' Cora' means to point out," she helpfully chimed in, "is that it is glaringly obvious to us all how devoted and dedicated Hi-your fiancé is to you. He may have his history, but that's all it is, miss." "Exactly. Thank you, Maggie," Charlotte grinned before turning back to me. "You know he cares deeply about you, right?"

I nodded, glancing downwards. I knew he cared. He always made sure to show me and tell me just how much he cared.

And that was what made this newfound jealousy so difficult to navigate.

I... supposed I hadn't really delved into those feelings yet.

Just thinking about Xaden interacting with that woman-or any other woman who could've been in the running to become his Luna in the past- twisted my heart so painfully and nauseated me so intensely that I had to force myself to stop. It felt deeper than mere jealousy. This felt... all-consuming.

There had been some dark, uncharted side of me that I'd never known existed that wanted to mark him when it happened, which brought a flustered heat to my face. Never in my life had I ever felt such a powerful urge to claim something-or someone-like I did then. I'd never even sought Father's love and attention so fervently as a child.