The Hidden Luna Queen 2
Chapter 44

Suddenly, I wanted nothing more than to be swallowed whole by the earth. "I-I don't-"

"It's only natural," she tried to assure me. "You have feelings for him."

My heart pounded frantically against my ribcage. This would be the first time I'd ever say such things out loud. "I do..."

"That's a relief to hear," Luna Queen Leonora said, teasing me lightly." And certainly, it will help your marriage in more ways than one."

Her response was unexpected. "You aren't bothered with this...?" I questioned.

"How do you mean, dear?"

"Are you... really alright with me mating with your son?"

She smiled at me with what appeared to be her whole heart. "I've seen how he looks at you, and how you look at him. Those emotions are impossible to fake. How could I possibly hold anything against the woman who makes my son happy?" I was at a loss for words.

The queen did not have any reason to be this kind to me, regardless if I was marrying her son or carrying her grandchild. I stumbled into this family because of a drug, not that she was necessarily aware of that yet, and my pregnancy. Nothing about my first meeting with Xaden had been planned or done with the royal family's approval.

My own family even wanted to throw me to the curb like trash when they found out I'd slept with a stranger.

But she... didn't seem to care about any of that. She was ready and willing to accept me as her own, flaws and all because of her unconditional love for her child. I could never envision Victoria behaving in such a way if Sarah ever tried to befriend me despite the circumstances of my birth.

More than likely, Victoria would have done everything in her power to change Sarah's mind. Or, in any other case, she would have treated me even worse behind the scenes for stealing and brainwashing her daughter.

Was this what a mother was supposed to be like...?

The queen's eyes widened. "Dear, why are you crying?"

I blinked, wiping my eyes, where I indeed felt tears. "It's alright..." I said dismissively. "I just wasn't expect-"

All of a sudden, she pulled me in for a warm embrace. I froze, unsure what to do. "You will always be welcome here," she swore fervently, catching me by surprise and eliciting more tears to fall. "No matter what happens, you are family. Do you understand?" I'd... never gotten a hug like this before. It felt like home and smelled like love.

With a slow nod, I melted into the queen's arms, letting myself be surrounded by the love of a mother for the first time in my life.

After that wonderful morning came to an end, I got the approval to go home. Admittedly, part of me wished to stay a bit longer and speak more with her, but I understood she had other duties to attend to. I didn't doubt she had many things to push aside in order t make this time for me.

I was grateful, regardless. Besides, I still had tomorrow.

Maggie's new identity card had yet to arrive, so I had no choice but to navigate the palace alone to make my way home. That begged the question: which way was the-? "Hello there!"

The sudden voice calling out to me was unexpected. Startled, I spun around to see who it was when I finally caught sight of the Fourth Alpha Prince-Lucas-jogging his way over to me. Yesterday's meeting with the Alpha King was the first and only time I'd met him thus far, but my instincts told me he was a good, reliable person.

After the way he was quick to help Princess Charlotte defend me, I felt like I could lower my guard a bit with him.

"Good afternoon, Your High-"

He held up a hand to stop me. "There's no need to use formalities with me. After all, we are going to be in-laws soon, are we not?" he said, his smile bright and encouraging, and I could see so much of Xaden's kindness in him. "That makes you my sister." I... supposed that was true.

The moment I'd decided to lower my guard with him, he was quick to throw me off and take me by pleasant surprise. I'd never had a brother before... and the thought that I might be able to gain one through my future mate filled me with tentative excitement. It brought an unconscious smile to my lips unbidden.

My morning with the queen had indeed done a great deal to soften me up. "Y-Yes, I suppose it does," I said shyly.

"What brings you to the palace?"

"I was-"

"What do we have here?” A masculine voice abruptly spoke up, startling me with a jolt. Prince Lucas's face fell a bit as he seemed to register who the voice belonged to. “A meeting in the hallway?”

Quickly, I whirled around and came face to face with Alpha Prince Henry, the eldest child of Alpha King Arlan and Luna Queen Leonora.