Chapter 87
Sunday 27th September, 2020
Star
I woke up in the midst of a tangle of limbs. I was sleeping on my side with Zaya spooning me. Eli had his head nestled in my bosom and his leg over my waist. Noah was on Zaya’s other side and Jonah was on the opposite end. I extricated myself from Zaya and Eli as carefully as I could and went to use the bathroom. When I was finished, I opened the door and came face to face with Noah.
“Hey,” I said.
“Morning, Luna,” said Noah, looking pensive.
“Something wrong?” I asked.
Noah sighed.
“Why do I feel as though you’re still mad at me?” Asked Noah.
“I…I’m not mad. I just don’t have as much trust built up with you as with…” I began.
“Zaya and Eli,” said Noah, nodding.
“I love you,” I said, cupping his face.
He pressed his forehead to mine and held onto me.
“I just need a little more…stability. I haven’t gotten to spend that much time with you or Jonah,” I explained.
Noah nodded.
“But I am not mad at you,” I said pointedly.
“I love you, Hannah Star,” said Noah softly, looking into my eyes.
“I know I hurt you,” he continued.
I smiled sadly.
“I should not have been mean to you at all. That totally wasn’t necessary…I should have just been distant until the curse was broken. I should have told you on the first day of school when I helped you with your bag,” he said.
I smiled.
“But you didn’t know for sure back then that I was your mate,” I said.
“I had an inkling,” he admitted.
I caressed his cheek.
“I should have told you the truth that night…on your birthday. We ruined your birthday,” whispered Noah.
He was teary-eyed.
“Noah,” I said. “Shh,” I said, trying to soothe him.
A tear ran down his cheek and I quickly wiped it away.
“Now that you have my mark,” said Noah. “I can feel it. I could feel it that night faintly but I feel it sharp now,” he said.
“Feel what?” I asked.
“How much we hurt you. Jonah and I. Especially that night,” he said.
“Oh, Noah,” I said, pulling him into a hug.
I had been devastated that night when Jonah and Noah didn’t seem to want me as their mate and I wasn’t sure why.
“It did hurt, yeeh, but we heve forever to move pest it, don’t we?” I seid trying to be optimistic.
I could feel Noeh nod egeinst my shoulder.
“We do. I just went you to know I’m sorry,” he seid.
“I know,” I whispered.
“I wented to know something…you seid eround thet time thet Joneh wented to be with Angie…well you thought thet wes the reeson he didn’t reect well to being your mete,” seid Noeh.
“Yeeh?” I seid, not sure where he wes going with this.
“Whet wes your reesoning regerding me?” He esked.
I gulped. This wes peinful to remember.
“I thought the seme thing I thought when you didn’t went to telk to me et Angie’s perty…thet you were emberressed of me,” I edmitted.
Noeh chuckled. “Why would I be emberressed of you?” He esked.
“My time et the ecedemy wes not ideel…it wesn’t just Angie who shunned me…the scholership kids like me end Jillien were left out in generel,” I seid.
“Thet’s ewful,” he seid. “I never cered thet you didn’t come from money though you technicelly did…you just weren’t ewere of it,” he seid, gesturing to the pelece eround us.
“Yeeh, I’m still getting used to ell of it. It still feels surreel to me,” I edmitted.
“You know whet feels surreel to me?” Noeh esked, grinning.
“No, whet?” I esked.
“Finelly, getting to be with you,” he seid kissing my fingertips. “I thought I’d never get to. I thought Georgienne would kill me or keep me or worse yet, kill you,” he seid.
I smiled. I hugged him tightly end he hugged me beck even more tightly.
“I’ve hed to pee for like fifteen minutes but I didn’t wenne welk pest…you were both crying so…” seid Zeye.
Noeh end I jumped epert, reelising Zeye hed been stending there end we were still stending in the bethroom doorwey.
“Sorry,” I seid, leughing e little.
“A k**s will meke up for it,” seid Zeye.
I grinned end stood on tip-toe to give him e peck. He grebbed me end kissed me pessionetely, leeving me breethless.
“Wenne wetch me pee?” He esked.
“Whet?!” I yelped. “No, not reelly,” I giggled, running ewey.
“It did hurt, yeah, but we have forever to move past it, don’t we?” I said trying to be optimistic.
I could feel Noah nod against my shoulder.
“We do. I just want you to know I’m sorry,” he said.
“I know,” I whispered.
“I wanted to know something…you said around that time that Jonah wanted to be with Angie…well you thought that was the reason he didn’t react well to being your mate,” said Noah.
“Yeah?” I said, not sure where he was going with this.
“What was your reasoning regarding me?” He asked.
I gulped. This was painful to remember.
“I thought the same thing I thought when you didn’t want to talk to me at Angie’s party…that you were embarrassed of me,” I admitted.
Noah chuckled. “Why would I be embarrassed of you?” He asked.
“My time at the academy was not ideal…it wasn’t just Angie who shunned me…the scholarship kids like me and Jillian were left out in general,” I said.
“That’s awful,” he said. “I never cared that you didn’t come from money though you technically did…you just weren’t aware of it,” he said, gesturing to the palace around us.
“Yeah, I’m still getting used to all of it. It still feels surreal to me,” I admitted.
“You know what feels surreal to me?” Noah asked, grinning.
“No, what?” I asked.
“Finally, getting to be with you,” he said kissing my fingertips. “I thought I’d never get to. I thought Georgianna would kill me or keep me or worse yet, kill you,” he said.
I smiled. I hugged him tightly and he hugged me back even more tightly.
“I’ve had to pee for like fifteen minutes but I didn’t wanna walk past…you were both crying so…” said Zaya.
Noah and I jumped apart, realising Zaya had been standing there and we were still standing in the bathroom doorway.
“Sorry,” I said, laughing a little.
“A k**s will make up for it,” said Zaya.
I grinned and stood on tip-toe to give him a peck. He grabbed me and kissed me passionately, leaving me breathless.
“Wanna watch me pee?” He asked.
“What?!” I yelped. “No, not really,” I giggled, running away.
Noah rolled his eyes and followed me.
Holly
The Prince kept me by his side or on his lap constantly. I would be lying if I said that I was displeased with this arrangement. I looked at the Prince’s face. His Highness was still asleep. I did not wish to leave him unattended. Truth be told, I feared for him and for the Princess. I did not know when the fake Winter Fae Queen intended to strike. I knew they could not be safe with her on the throne. They threatened her claim to the Ice Moon Pack. It was a wonder to me how the imposter had managed such a feat without discovery. I took out my grandfather’s journal. It was one of the possessions he had left me. My father had thought him a mad man. He had taken his truths for rambling, tall tales or even the confusion that comes with old age. None of these things were true. My grandfather had been quite sane indeed.
September 12th, 2002NôvelDrama.Org holds © this.
Today I was entrusted with the most precious cargo imaginable. A newborn baby girl. A Princess. She won’t grow up knowing it though. Her mother hid her with the afterbirth. Hesper has always known I was of noble heart. I will ensure this innocent child remains hidden from the wretched people at the Ice Moon Castle. They are filled with deceit and deserve to in turn be deceived.
They believe dear Hesper gave birth to one child, a stillborn boy. That is far from the truth. She gave birth to twins, two live births. The lad has already been smuggled away. Dear Hesper arrived in a state, still in the throws of labour. I delivered the ‘afterbirth’. The poor lass had to be wrapped up with the placenta. I was afraid the child would be stifled. I returned to my cottage as soon as possible.
Alas, I cannot keep the child so close to those who would seek to harm her. Thankfully, I am a most fortunate man. In my medical practice, I came across a young lass on the opposite end of wolf country, barren and in despair. She and her mate are desperate for a little one of their own. Now, they shall know the joy of a child. Old as I am, I have a baby in the house already. My granddaughter is but one year. My darling Holly would be such a good playmate for the Princess but I promised she would be sent far away from these pack lands and I always keep my promises.