The Luna Cure

THIRTY-THREE

"I can't believe you two are mates." Max finally said, ending the absolute silence that had descended over the table after Dante's departure.

I huffed, agreeing with that statement. But I knew, had it not been true, I wouldn't be here. But Max didn't need to know that.

"If you're mates with the prince, why aren't you princess?" Venice asked quietly. I peeked one eye open to look down at her. She looked absolutely curious, those big eyes open even wider.

"Because..." I breathed out a sigh. "I told him I don't want to be."

"Yeah, we all saw that." Max replied. I shot him a glare.

"No, I've been telling him I don't want to be princess. It's... complicated." I wracked my brain for ways to make them understand without having to tell them everything, and this was the best option.

"You don't want to be princess to him, or princess at all?" Max inquired. He leaned forward on the table.

"At all. It's truly not him." Dante is wonderful, and I'm sure had we been stuck in a normal situation, I couldn't have dreamed of a better mate. But he's going to be king, and I'm me, and that just is not going to work out.

"So you like him. Other than his title."

I opened my mouth to reply, but stopped myself. "Stop quizzing me. That question will get me in trouble no matter which way I answer it."

Max grinned, that same boyish grin from eleven years ago. "Only because the answer is yes."

"No." I defended, feeling my cheeks heat up. His grin widened at this.

"You do. I know I should be rather upset by this whole mate thing, because you promised you wouldn't get near boys until you're at least forty, but Dante is a good guy. Obviously, you agree."

I buried my face in my hands, really just to hide my blush. Why was Max talking about mates with me? This was so weird.

"Fuck, and I guessed you were his girlfriend. That was horribly rude. I'm surprised your wolf didn't go off." At the mention of my wolf, my entire mood deflated again. Although it's not like I had been in a super positive mood.

"Mommy doesn't like the swears, Daddy." Venice chirped, and Max let out a laugh at that.

"I think Mommy would make an exception for this. Actually, Mommy would be swearing too."

"Oh." Venice replied.

Max dropped his hands back onto the table. "Florence, where have you been? How did Dante get to you but we couldn't?"

"Dante didn't get to me. I got to him." The words rushed out of my mouth. "It's stupid and confusing and irrelevant, okay?''

He rolled his eyes. "Well, seeing as Dante left you with me, we're going to have a lot of time to cover all the 'irrelevant' stuff. Actually, he probably left knowing this was a perfect time to clear the air. He's too damn smart about these things."

Oh, Goddess. I felt horrible. I shouldn't have said that to Dante.

"Am I allowed any questions?" Max inquired.

"No."

"So we're just going to sit here and pretend like you didn't just disappear for eleven years and that everything is okay."

"Yep."

"I disagree."

"Okay."

"Okay as in you'll answer my questions or okay as in okay?" He asked.