Give My Quadruplets Back, My Luna!

CHAPTER 5

~Junia~

Xaphen’s countenance fell, frozen in shock as the king’s words settled into the room. It was clear from the sudden tension in his body that he wasn’t expecting this. His jaw clenched, and his hands formed fists at his sides. I could feel the heat of frustration vibrating off his body. 

“What?” Xaphen questioned. “You can’t be serious, Father. I’ve only just met her. This is absurd!”

The king, still lying weak in bed, gave a soft cough. Even with the raspiness of his voice, it carried authority. “Xaphen, we made this promise years ago. Your marriage to Junia will be your last respect to me as your father and king.”

Xaphen turned his back on the bed, running a hand through his hair in annoyance. It was clear he wasn’t going to argue anymore, but the anger remained written all over his face.

“I already have a girlfriend, Father,” Xaphen said at last, his tone more controlled but still sharp. His eyes flickered over to me for a second, and I could see the strain in them.

A small silence settled in the room.

The king let out a deep sigh, “If that’s true, then you’ve made a poor choice,” he quietly responded, “You’ll marry Junia. Or you can forget about any inheritance. You know what’s at stake here, Xaphen.”

My throat felt parched as if a desert wind had swept through it. 

I didn’t know Xaphen, but from what I could see, he didn’t seem like someone who would treat me with kindness or care. If anything, his obvious disdain toward this arrangement only made me feel more uneasy.

The trauma of my last marriage clawed at the back of my mind. I hadn’t even healed from Derrick’s betrayal, and now I was standing in front of another man who looked at me as if I was just another obstacle in his way. 

But before I could drown in my panic, my wolf rang out in alarm. 

‘Xaphen is our mate, Junia.’ 

I froze. ‘What? That’s not possible, stop playing silly games with me.’ 

‘Can’t you feel the pull towards him? And his scent…He’s our second chance. You need to accept this.’

After everything I’d gone through with Derrick, the thought of having a second mate seemed impossible. But my wolf didn’t waver. She pushed against my hesitation, insisting that this was fate giving me another chance at love, another chance at a future where I wouldn’t be hurt again.

I still didn’t want to believe it till his scent whiffed into my nose, making it harder to back away. 

I was so caught up in processing our mate bond that I didn’t notice the king’s adviser stepping forward until he spoke directly to me. “Luna Junia, will you accept the proposal or not?”

I blinked, snapping back to the situation at hand. 

All eyes were on me. My heart thumped even faster. How was I supposed to make such a serious decision on the spot? My entire life could change in an instant, and I wasn’t sure if I was ready for it.

The king, sensing my hesitation, gave me a small, kind smile. “You don’t have to decide right away, my dear. I understand this is sudden. You may take some time to think it through.”

But before I could take a breath of relief, the adviser cleared his throat. “The sooner, the better, Luna. The king’s health is failing, and it would be best if he could attend the wedding. A quick decision would be wise.”

The room went silent again, all waiting for my response. My wolf nudged me again, her voice insistent. ‘This is your second chance. Take it.’

Still, in disbelief, I opened my mouth, the words tasting strange as they left my lips. “I... I’ll accept.”

The king’s eyes brightened, and he smiled weakly. “Thank you, child. You’ve made an old man very happy today.”

The adviser clapped his hands together, clearly satisfied. “Excellent. We will begin preparing the arrangements for a private feast to celebrate the union. The king will need his rest, but this is a day for celebration.”

Xaphen’s jaw clenched again, his anger and disappointment visible in his eyes as he turned and stormed out of the room without another word. The tension he left behind felt like strangling me. 

The king noticed my concern and gave me an assuring look. “He’ll grow to love you, Junia. He just needs time.”

I wasn’t so sure. Xaphen’s reaction had been anything but welcoming, and it would be a mockery from the goddess if he turned out to be another replica of Derrick. But what choice did I have? This kingdom was offering me safety, and a higher status of living, and my wolf had confirmed that Xaphen was my mate. Could I really turn away from that?

The king and I exchanged a few more pleasantries, him asking about my well-being and telling me stories about my father’s loyalty. It was strange, hearing so much about a man I barely remembered, but it filled the void that hung over the years. 

Eventually, the doctor came in, politely asking me to leave so the king could rest. I bowed and left the room, my mind still roaming from everything that had just happened.

As I walked down the hallway toward my room, I heard voices coming from around the corner. It was Xaphen, speaking in a hushed, angry tone to someone.

“I can’t believe this. Forced into marriage like this is the 16th century.” 

“Come on, Xaphen,” the other voice—one of his friends, I assumed—said. “It’s not like you haven’t been dodging the responsibility for years. You knew this was coming.”

“I don’t care. I didn’t sign up for this,” Xaphen snapped. “Marrying someone I don’t know, just to keep the throne? It’s insane!”

I stopped in my tracks, my heart sinking. He didn’t want this any more than I did. And now I was starting to second-guess my decision. Would I be trapped in another loveless marriage, another prison of someone else’s making?

I swallowed hard and continued walking, wondering if he also knew that we were mates and if he would divorce me right after gaining his inheritance.