The Royal Luna (Book 1)

3

I make a swift U-turn and start driving to my best friend's house, Cassandra.

The streets of London are congested with heavy traffic, adding to my frustration. Despite living in the city for some time now, I had been unaware of a major revelation that seemed to have circulated among everyone except me.

When I first arrived in London, my top priorities were finding a job and a place to stay. However, things didn't go smoothly. In the initial weeks, I had to resort to sleeping in my car at various parking lots. Complicating matters, I couldn't access my bank account due to Jacob's actions, and I didn't want to burden my brothers with my troubles. Whenever they called, I managed to convince them that everything was fine and that I had found a place to stay. Eventually, luck turned in my favor, and I secured a cheap apartment close to a flower shop where I found employment. It was at this flower shop that I met Zion.

As my situation became more pressing, I realized I had to confide in my brothers and seek legal help to regain control of my bank account. That's when I met Cassandra. Who better to assist me than the esteemed royal lawyer herself?
Despite Cassandra being already overwhelmed with her workload, she empathized with my plight and decided to help me. From that point on, we became inseparable. Cassandra was prepared to take Jake to the royal court, as rejecting a mate was not only illegal but the significant amount of wolfsbane in my body could have led to a death sentence if the king had discovered it.

However, despite my lingering affection for him, I was relieved that Jake didn't change his mind and took me back.
When I finally arrived at Cassandra's place and walked through the door, I noticed her eating a bowl of ice cream on the couch. She glanced up, surprised to see me, as I proceeded to help myself to a spoonful of her ice cream. In her high-pitched voice, she exclaimed, "Shouldn't you be heading to the cafe? And can you not steal ice cream from a pregnant woman?" I shook my head, not in the mood to explain my frustrations.

"Did everyone fucking know except for me? Was I that fucking stupid?" I vented, my words carrying the weight of betrayal. Cassandra understood the nature of my grievances without me explicitly mentioning them, and her expression conveyed her understanding. I couldn't hold back the tears any longer. Feeling betrayed and foolish, I cried silently, my voice trembling.
She stood up to get me a glass of water, and as I drank it down in one go, the tears continued to flow. "Careful now, don't drown yourself in a glass of water," she remarked, attempting to lighten the mood. I managed a giggle, but the fact that Zion had kept such an important secret from me, enforcing a royal command to ensure my ignorance, shattered my trust and left me wondering what else he might be hiding.

I felt a surge of anger, fueled by the sense of betrayal and the realization that I had been kept in the dark all this time. The weight of the secret, combined with the magnitude of the lie, threatened to suffocate me. My mind raced, trying to process the implications of what Cassandra had just revealed. How could Zion have orchestrated such an elaborate deception? The shock and disbelief coursed through me like an electric current, leaving me feeling numb and disoriented. "Does he love me?" I asked, my voice shaky and my hands trembling. I was afraid of the answer, realizing that if he could command everyone to keep this secret, he could have easily commanded other things too. "Don't answer that. He most likely commanded other things too."
"No! Look, I'm not trying to justify his actions, but you were also oblivious, Kal. There were so many signs, and you either refused to see them or your human side made you blind," Cassandra said, her words carrying a sting of truth. Her comment hurt, but deep down, I knew she had a point. I had ignored or misinterpreted many signs along the way. "How did you find out?" She asked, and I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself before responding. "Where did you see it?"

I stared at the floor, biting my lip to hold back more tears. "On a billboard by Blood Avenue," I replied, still avoiding eye contact. "It's everywhere. I can't believe I didn't see it before."

"Well, for starters, you never inquired much about him and his past. Whenever you did, he would effortlessly divert the conversation back to you. He played his cards well, Kal, and you were head over heels for him. He didn't have to do much," Cassandra explained, and I couldn't help but agree, recalling all the times I had asked about Zion and how he always shifted the focus.But then the thought struck me—how could Zion be next in line for the throne if his mother was just a florist? "Is Sophie really his mom?" I asked Cassandra, my apprehension evident. She nodded slowly, confirming my suspicions. I hoped that he hadn't lied to me about this crucial detail.

"She didn't want to be queen. However, she knew that for the kingdom to thrive, we needed a queen. So she rejected the king. But, she was already pregnant with Zion. Rumors have it that she wants to be queen now, but it's too late. There is already a new queen, and with Zion taking up his responsibility soon..." Cassandra's voice trailed off, her unspoken words hanging heavy in the air. I took a deep breath, sensing what she was about to say, and prepared myself for the revelation.

"I'm next in line. I'm the future queen," I stated, feeling the weight of responsibility settle upon my shoulders. Cassandra nodded, and I released a breath I didn't realize I had been holding, resting my head against the couch. Everything felt so overwhelming. What else was Zion hiding from me? Why couldn't he have simply told me the truth and spared both of us from this ordeal?

"There is one more thing you should know," Cassandra interjected, and I looked at her expectantly, a mix of impatience and curiosity in my eyes. "Zion has already been crowned king... about seven years ago." I cocked my head to the side, processing this revelation. "This is your coronation, not his."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I exclaimed, the weight of the situation crashing down upon me.

The weight of the crown that I hadn't even known was destined for me felt heavy upon my brow. The responsibility of ruling a kingdom, of filling a role I had never asked for, threatened to overwhelm me. The future that had seemed so certain and bright now stretched before me, shrouded in uncertainty and doubt.

At that moment, as the room echoed with the weight of my exclamation, I felt a mixture of anger, confusion, and a profound sense of loss. The ground beneath me had shifted, and I was left standing on shaky foundations, trying to make sense of a reality that seemed more like a nightmare.

With each passing second, the realization that there might be more hidden truths waiting to be unveiled intensified the ache in my chest. Fear coiled around my heart, whispering that I may never truly know the extent of the deceptions that had been woven around me as I struggled to steady my breathing, my mind raced with the implications of Cassandra's revelation.

Merry Christmas loviieess🎄🎄✨✨❤❤