The Flight of the Coveted Luna : The Scion Book 2

Chapter 5

Gia

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I stepped into the spacious shower; it could easily accommodate five people and had a range of fancy and complicated dials and showerheads. Royals definitely didn’t do things halfway. I chose the simplest setting, and soon the steaming water loosened the knots of tension in my shoulders. I exhaled, resting my forehead against the cold tiles.

Davin’s room, our room, was more like a suite. The sleeping area was dominated by an enormous four-poster bed; I couldn’t help but picture some cuffs around the posts. In another corner was an entire sitting area that could seat six people comfortably. It had coffee and side tables, everything that a living room would have. The couch faced one of the two sets of french doors which led to a terrace.

Another corner held a large desk, one suited to a CEO’s office although it seemed that Davin preferred to use his official home office when he needed to work, so the desk was littered with my meager bits and pieces. The space and furniture was modern, with clean lines and mostly in shades of gray.

Davin had already left for training by the time I woke up. I wondered if my decision to settle in first before training was good; my body wasn’t happy. I’d always had a strenuous physical regime, and the stress of pack politics and Davin’s family wasn’t helping either. I needed the outlet; I decided to start training the next day.

Davin’s mother and grandfather were great, but his grandmother was a snake waiting to strike. I was wary of her and felt like I had to be particularly guarded around her. His father had moved to the outskirts of the pack; they’d fought even before the war, and they were both stubborn. Although I could see that the distance affected his mother, she seemed happier than when I first met her; she’d blossomed.

I scrubbed my skin and shampooed my hair. Scarlett and I would tour the pack and discuss my duties going forward. I hoped it wasn’t just mundane kitchen duties.

I dried myself quickly, sure that Scarlett was waiting at the breakfast table already. I walked into the spacious closet Davin and I shared, one side lined with shelves and the other hanging space with a combination of his suits and my dresses, dresses I didn’t have before I came here. I wasn’t sure being queen suited me; I was a warrior first and foremost, and being prim and proper all the time took some getting used to.

A flat black box sitting on the daybed in the back caught my attention, a gift bag on the floor next to it. I walked over; a note lay on top of the box.

Gia,

Please join me for dinner this evening. I’ll meet you here at 7 pm.

Love always,

Davin

A smile tugged at my lips. I didn’t peg Davin as the romantic type; perhaps I didn’t know him as well as I thought.

I opened the box and lifted a long dress from it, black satin with a matching eye-mask that would act as a blindfold. I brushed the fabric across my cheek; it felt cool and soft. I carefully replaced the dress and checked the gift bag—a pair of black stiletto heels with red soles.

My cheeks heated as my excitement rose. The dress and shoes were simple but classy, and I could tell it wasn’t cheap. But it was the mask that intrigued me; where were we going?

I would have to try not to obsess about it all day; I needed to focus. It had only been a couple of weeks since the war, but the sooner I settled into my new duties and my new life, the better. I grabbed a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, throwing them on hurriedly, and walked to the dresser. Grabbing a brush, I ran it through my hair, then tied it up. For a moment, I wondered if I was supposed to dress more formally but then brushed the thought aside; I was already late.

I walked in and found Scarlett at the head table. Noah was already out at Heidrun’s cottage; well, it was more of a greenhouse. He’d found a few old worn-out books at her place and spent much of his time pouring through them to find anything that could tell him more about their kind. He must have felt so alone, and finding and losing Heidrun so quickly was a tragedy.

Still, she left him something he never had before.

Hope.

Now he knew he wasn’t alone, and maybe he could locate some more of them. I would certainly do whatever I could to help him; I owed him a great debt.

The room bustled as I sat down. I had to admit; it wasn’t my favorite room. Everything was dark, dark wooden floors, dark wood-paneled walls, heavy dark wood furniture. It felt like a tavern from the eighteen-hundreds. Thank goodness for the large windows that let in plenty of light, or I might have felt I’d time-traveled to the past.

“Good morning, Luna,” Scarlett said, smiling.

She knew I hated it when she called me Luna but insisted that it was necessary and the only thing she could rightfully call me. Wolves and their hierarchy.

“Good morning, Scarlett.” I returned her smile. “So, where do we start?” I asked, rubbing my hands together.

Scarlett laughed.

“I’m not sure the previous Luna’s duties will be stimulating enough for you, but let’s do the tour anyway. If you can’t see yourself doing something, I suggest finding someone to delegate it to,” she explained.

That sounded ominous. She’d basically said it was boring; my spirits sank a bit. Why did people want to be royals anyway; why did they envy them? It just seemed like a whole lot of thankless responsibility. I nodded; there was no way around it.

A waiter brought some bacon, scrambled eggs, and toast, my standing order. He greeted me politely and served my food, then returned with a steaming pot of coffee, filling my waiting cup. This part of being Queen I did enjoy, not so much the servitude but the fact that I didn’t have to make the food or coffee, and it was always fresh and delicious.

Scarlett picked at her food as I dug in heartily. Davin had kept me busy till the early hours of the morning; his appetite for my body seemed insatiable. I wasn’t complaining; it was the best s*x of my life, and I got it often. The emotions between us made it so much better than my previous sterile encounters, and every time we were intimate with each other, our connection deepened.

“Everything okay?” I asked Scarlett, who seemed deep in thought. She looked up at me and nodded.

“Just not feeling the best today.”

“I see. I can ask someone else to take me around if you prefer?” I asked.

She looked a little rough around the edges, and I didn’t want to make it worse. She needed to rest. She shook her head.

“No, I’ll be okay. I want to show you around, and I doubt anyone else would be as honest as I will. You need to see things as they really are, not sugarcoated.”

That was a little surprising; what was going on in this pack that they’d want to sugarcoat? I nodded.

“Okay, if you insist. But we’ll take it easy and have regular breaks,” I insisted.

Scarlett gave me a lop-sided smile.

“Yes, Mom,” she replied.

I carried on eating, savoring the expertly prepared food and losing myself in thought. My life had changed so much in the last two months. In such a short time, I had started a job at RAD, completed my first mission, gained powers, a mate and friends, lost family and friends, and won a war.

No. The shadow wolf’s last words echoed in my ears. We had won a battle, not the war. Deep down, I was certain there would be more. That wasn’t the end of it. His glowing red eyes flashed in front of me as they sometimes did, haunting me. He would be back.

“Gia.” Scarlett’s voice broke through my reverie.

“Yes?” I answered.

“Are you okay? That’s the fifth time I called you.”

Fifth? Damn.

“I’m fine,” I said. “I was just thinking of everything that happened over the last while. It’s a lot to process.”

She nodded. I guessed it was the same for her. All our lives had changed irrevocably when we met.

“Well, I’m ready when you are,” she said, half of her food untouched on her plate. She sipped at her coffee slowly, almost cautiously.

“Scarlett,” I said, waiting for her to look at me. “Do you think… could you be pregnant?”

A girl at the RAD training academy had once been the same at breakfast for weeks. Later we heard that she’d left because she was pregnant and wouldn’t name the father. It had been the hot gossip for months. Personally, I just felt sorry for her; not naming the father meant that he wasn’t interested or was not available, either married, mated, or an instructor who wasn’t allowed to fraternize with students.

Her eyes widened, and her cheeks flushed.

“I… I… maybe,” she sputtered.

I smiled, suddenly excited.

“Why don’t you get tested today? We can start our tour after that.”

“Er, okay,” she said, flustered, looking down at her plate.

I took her hand.

“Would it be a problem if you were?” I asked. “I’m sure Noah would be ecstatic.”

She looked up at me, her expression a jumble of emotions. Then it cleared, and she smiled shyly.

“I guess it wouldn’t be. I don’t really know how Noah would react; we haven’t spoken about having a family.” The uncertainty returned.

I squeezed her hand.

“Noah is a good man. Scarlett. He’ll make a wonderful father, and you’ll be an incredible mother.”

My grin deepened.

“And I’ll be the best Aunt ever; don’t blame me for spoiling my mini Scarlett or Noah.”

Scarlett giggled, her face lighting up.

“Oh Gods, I’m excited already,” I said, laughing. “Come on, let’s go.”

We left the breakfast room with an air of anticipation. If positive, this would change Scarlett and Noah’s lives, and mine to a lesser extent. It would bring a whole new person into the picture, the first of a new generation.

“The hospital was already on our list to visit. You don’t have any duties there, but I thought it would be good to see it anyway. We’ll go there first, and I’ll get tested.” Scarlett said as we drove.

I’d been there before when Davin insisted that I get checked out after the battle with Fenrir and his minions. I was just going through the motions at the time, really just to set Davin at ease. I was fine and just itching to get out of there.

The hospital was small, quaint but big enough to serve its purpose. It had the typical white walls and characterless atmosphere, the air misted with antiseptic and disinfectant smells. The staff was all business with very few smiles. They were almost mechanical, just plodding along.

As with most places in the pack, the mix of blue and red auras was unsettling. Why was half the pack so angry with me? Most of them hadn’t even met me or interacted with me at all. Why were they harboring such ill feelings towards me?

Scarlett spoke to a nurse and was peeing on a stick before we knew it. She came out of the stall holding it in a tissue, gingerly, as if it would break or bite her at any moment. I’d never seen her so unsure, almost terrified.

We stood in the sterile bathroom, waiting, until two solid lines appeared on the test.

I squealed, overcome with joy for my friend. Scarlett looked at me, her eyes misting up. And then tears streamed down her face.

I grabbed her and hugged her tightly.

“It’s going to be okay,” I promised and broke the hug, looking at her.

“I… I don’t even know what I’m feeling,” she said. “I’m excited and terrified at the same time. What if I’m not a good mother? What if Noah isn’t happy?” she rambled on.

“Hey,” I stopped her. “You’re an amazing person and friend. You supported me through some of the most difficult times in my life, and you did it effortlessly. This kid is lucky; you’ll be the best mother, and I’m sure Noah will be ecstatic. And even if he isn’t, which is highly unlikely, I’ll be there with you every step of the way.”

I meant every word. Scarlett had been a rock, offering me unfailing support. I would be there for her whenever she needed me, no matter what.

Scarlett sobbed, and I hugged her again.

“Thank you, Gia,” she said, her words muffled on my shoulder. “You don’t realize the light you have brought to our pack. Just your presence brings hope, especially to the females here. Your support means the world to me and having you with me on this journey makes me feel so much better.”

It was so unusual to see her cry; she was always calm and composed. The pregnancy hormones must already have had her in its grip, but I guessed the responsibility of bringing a child into the world was also heavy and jarring.

“I’m with you, Scarlett. Always,” I promised. “Now, let’s go give your man the good news.”

“Now?” she replied, eyes wide.

“Yes, now. Clearly, you’re concerned about his reaction. Let’s get it over with, and then you’ll have one less thing to worry about. Stress isn’t good for the baby,” I announced and grinned.