Moon Born

Chapter 22

He pulled Harmony back toward where his father stood as she continued to grumble.

"I knew it!" Queen Amelia exclaimed, clasping her hands together. "I knew it!"

"Congratulations, my boy! Well done. I knew you would find someone special."

"Thanks, Dad," Edmond said to his father.

"Ellie! Oh, my Goddess! The Prince is your mate!" Ashley squealed.

"That smell I've been smelling...it's been him."

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah. He's been smelling me too."

"And neither of you actually met. Oh, my Goddess that is so romantic!"

"Congratulations," Alastair said, bowing to us both.

"Thank you."

"Ellie, dear! I am so happy for you!" mom said, embracing me. "We have to plan the ceremony immediately! I can't believe I'm planning two! What if Alex and Harmony combined their ceremony with yours?"

"Wait. What?" Ashley looked at my mother like she had three heads. "You're kidding right? You saw what she just did right?"

"Absolutely not!" I said. "No. That's not happening."

"I appreciate that, Catherine. Unfortunately, we have very strict rituals and rules within the royal family. My parents will handle all of the arrangements. You get to just relax and enjoy the evening."

"Oh. What abou..."

"No, Catherine. The royal family will handle Elanor's ceremony. You focus on Harmony and Alex."

She pouted and nodded her head. "Fine. Fine."

Dad turned to me with a smile on his face. "I knew you were destined for something far greater than Luna of Moon Mist."

"Thanks, old wolf."

He hugged me tightly. "My pup."

Edmond grasped my hand and led me about the room to well-wishers and congratulaters.

"I am so happy that you found your mate, your grace. Ellie is an absolute gem," Beta Marsha said, dipping into a curtsey. "How do you feel?"

"Peaceful. Nervous. Excited. It's like every emotion I've ever had all at the same time."

She laughed lightly. "That sounds about right."

"I need a drink, do you dear?" Edmond asked.

It felt like an entire fleet of butterflies took off in my stomach at once hearing him say that.

I glanced up into his beautiful icy blue eyes. He flashed his gleaming white teeth in a perfect smile as his sandy hair fell into his face. He pushed my own hair out of my eyes and kissed my forehead.

"Yeahuh." I followed as he took me to a bar on the far side of the room.

Everyone stared at us as he ordered us glasses of wine.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah. I'm honestly perfect. This is just...really crazy."

"You're telling me. I thought I was going to be stuck with that psycho forever. Who would have guessed that you would just walk right in at the last moment."

"Honestly, I'm kind of glad that Alex wasn't my mate now."

"Alex? That wimpy kid from Moon Mist?"

I laughed lightly. Compared to Edmond, Alex looked like a small child. Edmond stood tall and confident while I now noticed how much Alex slouched and was just not as well defined as the other leaders..

"We dated throughout high school. He, myself, and my twin sister Harmony turned 18 on the same day."

"That screeching harpy is your twin?"

"Yeah. Unfortunately. We used to be close."

"What happened?"

"Well, she and Alex mated. He marked her at our birthday party."

"Oh, yeah." Edmond cringed at the thought. "I remember that mess. That was so inappropriate."

"I know."

"Why is your mom throwing them a ceremony if they're already marked?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Just another reason to throw Harmony a party? Make her feel important still?"

"She seems kind of mad that you won't be her subject."

I nodded at that. "She probably is. She is extremely bossy and likes to be the one in control. I guess this is one thing she can't control."

"Are you still planning on helping your dad?"

"Huh?"

"With the creatures? I know that you have been helping with the investigation."

"Oh, yeah. I do."

"Okay. Do you, uh, need help?"

"What?" I asked.

"Help? Do you need help?" He looked down at his hands, almost embarrassed. "I could help you."

"Yeah. I would like that a lot. There's a lot for me and Ashley to go through. Having more help would be great."

He looked up at me with a wide grin. "Great!"

I reached up and cupped the side of his face in my hand. "This sounds and should be really crazy to say, but I love you."

"It's not crazy. We were literally born for each other. We've known each other since before we existed."

"When you put it like that, maybe not so crazy."

"I love you too," Edmond said.

"There is something I need to tell you."

"What, my love?"

"Not here," I said. "I've only told one other person. It really is something unbelievable."

"What?"

I pushed my hair to the side so he could see my mark. "It's about how I really got this."