Luna Lucky

12

The gates opened to reveal an estate that could only be described as a palace. Tall, elegant spires rose against the sky, illuminated by soft golden lights that made the entire structure seem almost ethereal. The grounds stretched for miles, perfectly manicured gardens flanking the long driveway.

“This can’t be real,” I murmured, more to myself than to anyone else.

General Thorn opened the door, stepping out before turning to offer his hand. I hesitated before taking it, my legs shaky as I stepped onto the cobblestone driveway.

“This way,” he said, gesturing toward the grand entrance. Two lines of guards flanked the path, their uniforms pristine as they bowed their heads in unison.

I walked in a daze, my steps unsteady as I tried to process the surreal scene unfolding around me. Every fiber of my being screamed that this wasn’t real, that it couldn’t be. But the warmth of the guards’ torches and the solid ground beneath my feet told me otherwise.

When we reached the towering doors, they swung open to reveal an ornate hall bathed in golden light. At the center of it all stood a figure I recognized instantly, though the sight of him here, in this place, made my heart stop.

“Will?” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

He turned, his mismatched eyes locking onto mine. But this wasn’t the man I thought I knew. Gone was the casual warmth, the cheesy grin that had disarmed me so many times before. In their place was something regal, commanding—a presence that filled the room and left no doubt as to who he was.

“Thank the moon, my life is finally going to be filled with luck again,” I stayed still as I could hear my Will speaking to me again.

He tried to walk to me, but I took a step back, stopping him. As he used to, with a frightened and sad expression, he rose his hands in defeat and said in a broken voice:

“I will not move an inch, pun intended.”

His lame joke made me break into a small giggle until a man walked in and spoke, “Your ma—”

A growl erupted in the room that made me snap into looking at Will, who looked like he wanted to murder the man.

Will walked to a now-terrified man, and without hesitation, Will grabbed the man by his neck and ran into the room beside him. Panic set in my body, and I tried to move back to leave, but instead, I heard the voice of General Thorn.

“Miss Berry, please calm down. His Majesty means no harm to you.”

I snapped my head toward him and stuttered as I tried to speak. “Why is he—how did he suddenly—” I stopped talking when I heard a loud thud coming from the room where Will had gone with the man who was simply trying to deliver a message.

Staring at the door in panic, I saw Will walk out, looking annoyed at everyone around him. With his commanding voice, he shouted:

“Everyone but your Queen, leave this room now!”

In a matter of seconds, everyone left the room, leaving me alone with Will. Everything started to feel like a horror movie until I heard Will begin to sing:

“Hey, Lucky, stop running, slow down.

Life’s a little stormy, but there’s no need to frown.

When you’re spinning, I’m grinning, I’ll hold you still.

You’ve got all the luck you need, and it’s right here, Will…”

His words from when we were in our old apartment caught me off guard, and I felt the fear slowly leave. I could finally see my Will again. However, I still felt like I was being deceived by him, but he simply kept singing, and it helped me build up my bravery.

Will extended his hand, and with his muscular chest rising, he sang to me as if waiting for me to take his hand.

“Will you believe me, Lucky, when I say,

You’re my anchor, my light, the break in the gray?

Through the ups and the downs, the skies rough or clear,

I’ll be your Will, if you’ll be my dear…”

With each verse, the fear eased, replaced by something warm and unfamiliar. He wasn’t just singing to calm me. He was singing to love me.

“You’re the luck in my name, the beat in my heart.

No matter the odds, we’ll never be apart…”

His words took me back to a time when I could be free with him by my side. In a moment of weakness, I moved without thinking and took his hand. He started to kiss it and held it gently with both hands, as if he were holding a fragile crystal that could break at any moment, leaving me breathless in his embrace.

Wanting to believe him was becoming harder, but I was even more afraid of never being with him again. Torn between the desire to have him and the right to not be deceived, Will gently placed my hand on his chest, right over his heart.

I could feel it pounding beneath my palm, strong and erratic, as if it mirrored my own conflicting emotions. My gaze slowly lifted from his chest to meet his eyes—eyes that held a silent plea, a need so raw it pierced through me. A need I desperately wanted to understand. With a swirl of emotions, I asked timidly:

“Our song… you remembered our song?”

His eyes glistened, and for a moment, I thought he might cry. His voice, when he spoke, was broken, fragile, yet filled with a longing that made my heart ache.

“Having my life ruined is living it without you. I have no luck—nothing but pain. But having you back in it… that would make me the luckiest man alive. Only if you’re willing to have me again, Lucky. If I can’t have you, I’ll die.”

His words hit me like a wave, each syllable sinking into my chest, unraveling the walls I had built to protect myself. I was already sold to Will again, no matter how much I tried to fight it. I couldn’t stop myself from feeling everything he was saying, every ounce of his pain and hope.

In a moment of weakness—no, perhaps strength—I let go of the fear and slowly pushed myself up, closing the space between us. My trembling lips brushed against his, tentative at first, and then with a deep, desperate hunger, as though he were my anchor in a storm I had been lost in for far too long.

Will deepened our kiss, his hands moving to cradle my cheeks, holding us both firmly in place. As he shifted slightly to meet me at the perfect angle, his lips pressed against mine with a passion I had missed more than I realized. With every kiss, I felt myself losing every shred of fear I had clung to. A dizzy warmth overtook me, and just as I thought I might melt into him completely, Will broke the kiss—only to pepper soft kisses across my lips, giving me a moment to catch my breath from the intensity of his embrace.

Feeling the solid strength of him holding me, I instinctively rested against his chest, my hands coming together on his abdomen as if to ground myself. Will’s touch remained gentle but steady, and when he cupped my cheeks again, he lifted my face, forcing me to meet his eyes. The devastation in his expression stopped my breath, and then he spoke, his voice raw with emotion.

“Lucky Berry,” he began, his tone both pleading and reverent, “you deserve to be treated with nothing less than the respect of a Queen. I don’t have a single clue how you feel, my firefly, but there’s something I need to tell you—something important. You deserve the truth about everything.”

His words carried an urgency that left a small knot of nerves tightening in my stomach, but as I remained in his embrace, his warmth and sincerity kept me grounded. Despite my apprehension, I felt safe enough to let him continue.

I wanted my Will back, the man I had loved, the man who could make me feel alive with just one look. And no matter how much fear or doubt lingered, I could at least give him the chance to explain.