The Vampire's Luna
Chapter 22: Martina McBride - Independence Day

Chapter 22: Martina McBride - Independence Day

Lucivar quickly inserted himself. "Let’s just take it one step at a time, alright? Everyone breathe. Let’s not start a cross-species war in the throne room."

Luna wasn’t breathing. Her lungs were working, sure, but her chest felt like a battlefield. This wasn’t a throne room anymore, it was a courtroom where she stood trial for her own damn life.

She was done.

Done watching grown men decide her fate. Done listening to arguments.

The room blurred as frustration built up inside her. She had lost control the moment she kept her mouth shut at the Blood Moon Festival. That silence had grown teeth and now it was biting her right in the soul.

Damien, King of Drama didn’t think of any other way to handle this except crashing the most expensive wedding of the year. Maybe he thought he was being romantic, but to Luna, he was just being an arsehole.

And Kyllian... sweet, Kyllian. The kind of man who didn’t demand. He waited. He trusted. He believed in her. She had never felt more like a villain than when she looked into his eyes and saw her betrayal reflected back at her. It was the kind of guilt that crept into your bones and made a home.

Luna didn’t wait for permission.

With a dramatic rustle of tulle and satin, she gripped the layers of her wedding gown in two frustrated fists, lifted it, and spun on her heels toward the door. free we\bnove(l).com

"Where are you going?" King Magnus demanded, half-rising from his throne.

"I need a minute, Father," she tossed over her shoulder, not breaking stride. "The testosterone in the room is suffocating me."

The giant throne room door slammed shut behind her with a thunderous boom.

King Magnus rubbed his temples. Then, after a long, deliberate sigh, he turned to the one remaining werewolf still looking halfway composed.

"You have been quiet, Alpha Kyllian," he noted, a statement and a question all in one.

Kyllian straightened, his posture dignified and devastated. His eyes betrayed him.

"There is nothing to say, Your Highness," he replied. "I have followed through with my duty. I must admit this..." he motioned toward Damien with a sweeping gesture that oozed disdain, "...is disappointing. But whatever the crown commands me to, I will."

His words were obedient. Somewhere underneath the polished surface was a storm waiting for a forest to burn through.

"I apologise for this catastrophic embarrassment," Magnus said. "I do hope you do not give up on her."

Kyllian gave a sharp, respectful nod. "If I may be excused, Your Highness," he said. "I do think this attire is not needed anymore today, and I would like to take it off."

No one objected. Honestly, no one had the energy left to stop him. The man had just been emotionally roundhouse-kicked in front of two kings and a vampire prince. He deserved pants. Or pajamas. Or a bottle of whiskey.

He bowed, turned, and walked out of the throne room, his departure silent but somehow louder than any explosion.

King Magnus turned slowly to Damien.

"This is a mess, Prince Damien. A very big mess that could have been avoided. Did you have to choose today to come forward?"

Damien, still standing near the back of the room raised his brows. "Your Highness, I tried to respect the princess’s wishes. I truly did. But I underestimated the strength of the bond."

"And now everyone has to suffer," Magnus muttered, mostly to himself.

He exhaled through his nose. "Get it out of your system in the days that follow. A room will be assigned to you in the castle. I know my daughter and she is not going to change her mind. Two weeks from now, your bond will be severed. I hope you do respect that then."

Damien didn’t respond. He looked... tired and unsure.

"Two weeks," he murmured. "Right."

Lucivar sighed, his ancient shoulders slumping in frustration.

"I need you to reconsider, Magnus," Lucivar began. "A vampire prince denied his mate is useless to the kingdom."

King Magnus stood from his throne. "I also have a kingdom to consider," he retorted, stepping closer to Damien. "Prince Damien can have a child to take over your kingdom. I have just my daughter to continue my lineage."

He leaned in, his eyes narrowing. "If you impregnate my daughter, I will kill you. Allies or not." The threat was clear.

Without waiting for a response, Magnus strode out of the throne room. The heavy doors closed behind him with a resounding thud.

In a blur of movement, Lucivar appeared beside Damien and delivered a swift smack to the back of his son’s head. .com

"Werewolf friend? You are an idiot!" he exclaimed.

"I’m sorry," Damien muttered, rubbing the back of his head. "I didn’t think it would get to this."

"You weren’t thinking at all, you fool," Lucivar snapped. "Embarrassing me like that!" He continued to mutter various curses and insults as he followed Magnus out of the throne room, leaving Damien alone with his thoughts.

*****

Queen Ravena was on the verge of a meltdown. Her usually composed demeanor was replaced with a whirlwind of emotions, her hands gesturing wildly as she confronted her husband.

"What are you saying, Magnus? Luna, our Luna is mated to the vampire prince? And you agreed that she could spend time with him?"

"Rave... it’s the law," Magnus replied, attempting to placate her.

"Oh my God! Oh my God! You are out of your damn mind," Ravena screamed. "You are the king! One of your job descriptions is to change the laws as you see fit." Her eyes blazed with determination, the fire of a mother protecting her child.

Magnus sighed, realizing that the battle within his own family might be the most challenging one yet. The throne room’s earlier chaos seemed almost tame compared to the storm brewing in his own chambers.

"One of my principles is also never to abuse my power," Magnus said through clenched teeth. "I can’t change centuries-old laws just because my daughter is having a romance crisis!"

"What if he sleeps with her?" she shrieked, gesturing wildly as though waving away the scandal itself. "We still hand her off to Kyllian, knowing she’s been with another man? Or worse, worse, what if in this two weeks she gets pregnant with a VAMPIRE BABY?"

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