Playlist: He wasn't man enough - Toni Braxton
King Magnus sighed and rubbed his temples, suddenly looking more tired than regal. "There isn't time," he said. "I know it's not ideal. But we're not in a place for ideals right now. The borders are under threat. The nobles are uneasy. She needs to be married, and she needs to be married now before everything goes to shit."
Damien glanced back toward Luna. The bond in his blood pulled toward her, humming louder every time she was near. She was his. And if he didn't say something, she would be sealed off from him forever.
Luna would likely claw his eyes out if he said anything. He had to speak with her and sort this nonsense out. Either she told everyone or he would.
*****
Kyllian hated this. There were a lot of things he'd rather be doing. But this? Wooing women? He didn't do that. Women fell at his feet on a daily basis craving his attention. It had always been that way since before he became alpha.
Wooing Princess Luna… The very embodiment of beauty with brains. She was the only woman who didn't seem remotely impressed by him. Any attempt at charm would yield the wrong results.
Luna scowled when she spotted him approaching.
Well. So much for a soft opening.
"What do you want?" she snapped, arms folded.
Kyllian replied dryly, "Will you please pretend to enjoy my company? Just for a few minutes. This isn't fun for either of us, but as you can see, I am here under duress, too."
Luna raised an eyebrow, visibly amused by his bluntness. She gave him a long, slow once-over. Then, without a word, she flicked her fingers. Her maids, scattered at once, retreating a couple steps back.
Kyllian took a seat beside her with a sigh, his elbows resting loosely on his knees. "So… what's with you and Mr. Cold Dead Heart over there?" He nodded subtly in Damien's direction, who stood by King Magnus.
Luna stiffened. "What? I don't understand."
Kyllian tilted his head. "I don't know. Something is just off."
"There's nothing," Luna replied too quickly, eyes darting back toward the guards. "We've barely spoken."
"Let's talk about the marriage arrangement instead. It's… not looking like we can get out of it."
Luna turned her face to him, slowly, her eyes sharp. "Don't pretend like you're not thrilled about the 'arrangement,' as you so kindly put it." Her voice was quiet but sharp enough to slice skin. "Who wouldn't want to be the princess's husband? Future heir to the throne? Son-in-law to the king? Come on, Alpha Kyllian…I'm not dumb."
Kyllian's jaw flexed. He hated being misunderstood, and even more than that, he hated people assuming he wanted power. Sure, he liked winning fights. But titles? Palace life? A marriage based on politics instead of choice? That wasn't him.
"If you think the only thing going for you, Luna, is the fact that you're a princess," he growled, trying to keep his voice level despite the bubbling frustration, "then I must have seriously over-thought your self-worth. I thought you were more than just the heir to a shiny throne. I thought you rose above that. That you were the kind of leader your people could rally behind."
Luna's eyes narrowed dangerously, her posture stiff as if ready to leap across the stone bench and maul him. "You're the same person who called me spoilt. Remember that?"
"Actually," Kyllian said with an exaggerated sigh, rubbing his temples, "I said what I said to provoke you. I figured if I made you mad enough, you'd stand up to your parents. I thought maybe, just maybe, it would light a fire under your tail. Because the kingdom doesn't need a pampered royal right now, Luna. It needs a fighter. Your people need you to make a choice that isn't just about what's easy or expected."
Luna's scowl didn't disappear, but her lips parted slightly, her gaze dropping from his face to the ground. For a moment, she looked very small.
"As much as I don't want to be thrown into a political marriage," Luna began. "I honestly don't know what to do."
Kyllian looked at her now and for once saw the weight she carried. The expectations, the fear, the invisible chains of duty.
"My parents make valid points," she continued. "Our borders are in danger. Those rogue vampires aren't just feral, they're coordinated. Ferocious. I could have died…"
"Uh… hold up. Excuse me? I lost you… You could have what? When exactly did you run into rogue vampires?"
Luna's mouth opened and closed. She bit her bottom lip then looked up at him, all wide eyes and mock innocence. "Oops."
"Oops?" Kyllian nearly choked. "Oops? Is this funny to you? You are our heir. When was this?" Kyllian's voice was sharp, a note of command laced with very little patience.
"It's nothing, Alpha Kyllian," Luna had said, far too casually for someone who had just confessed to nearly becoming vampire chow.
"Start talking!" he snapped, pointing a finger so aggressively it might've launched from his hand if it had been a weapon.
Luna arched a perfect brow and leaned back with all the haughty grace of a woman born to wear a crown and also annoy the hell out of him. "I'm not your servant. You don't order me around."
Oh, she was going to make him bald before the so called wedding. Kyllian stared at her, momentarily imagining what it would feel like to strangle the sass right out of her. Just gently. Just one satisfying squeeze to silence that smart mouth.
"If you found rogue vampires in werewolf territory, why hasn't this been brought to the king's attention? And they attacked you?"
She smirked, eyes gleaming like the troublemaker she truly was. "Awww… I didn't know you cared."
Kyllian looked heavenward and prayed for patience or maybe a tranquilizer dart. "Luna, stop messing around. This is serious. You're serious. You're supposed to be the next queen, not some tragic campfire story."
Luna tilted her head, studying him. "Do you know that, aside from close relatives, you're the only one with the guts to call me Luna? Not 'Your Highness', not 'Princess', not 'My Lady.' Just Luna. Like I'm… normal."
"Luna?" he wasn't falling for her deflection tactic.