THE REBELLIOUS LUNA

THE SUBSTITUTE BRIDE

As was agreed, the next morning, Lora, the daughter of a wealthy Gamma Wolf, wedded the prince, George. Most of the citizens attended, more out of fear than to celebrate the union. Nobody asked if Lora was George's mate or not. Arranged marriages were the norm for the royal blood.

When it was time for the groom's entrance, George was rolled into his wheelchair. He had a sad, uninterested disposition, which the coordinating priest tried to cover with loud bluff.

After an hour, it was all done and a meal was served.

Their honeymoon, according to tradition, lasted for seven days. After that, George said to his bride:

"Lora, our time of leisure has expired, it's time to take up your bridal duties and offer your valuable quota to the royal house."

Lora didn't spare him a look. She was peering into her phone. George chose to buy time by climbing into his wheelchair. Maybe she hadn't heard him.

"Lora, I said —"

"I heard you, all right!" she snapped. "I'm thinking about it."

"This isn't the first time I've told you this; I don't even see the need to think—."

"Let me be, I am trying to recover. I don't want your stress now."

Quietly, he rolled into the bathroom, shaking his head in anger: Lora was a spoilt brat, who had nothing good except bed skills.

When he shut the door and closed the blinds, he stood from the wheelchair and walked to the mirror to examine his face.

The period of his "curse" wasn't over yet, but...

Well, he was a werewolf with incredible strength and ability. If he showed the world all of him, he wouldn't have marched on his wicked uncle, the Monarch.

The former ruler, George's father, was said to have died by natural causes, but George knew who his killer was. He was there that night, when he was still fourteen, hiding behind a curtain as Dorack conversed with the assassins.

With this childhood trauma, George vowed to avenge his father's death. But he lacked sufficient resources. Dorack was constantly surrounded by a wall of defense that George hadn't figured out how to break through. He needed someone he could trust. He had no friends. And...

Something struck him.

That face again.

Diane Roy had called her. Was she his mate? Furos growled excitedly. Well, George thought, I'll find you, girl, and chase this b***h out.

George had no idea he had spent so much time in the bathroom. When he sat back in his make-believe wheelchair and went out, Lora was staring at him, holding a printed paper in her hand.

"You took a lot of time," she said.

"We have separate bathrooms, I believe."

"Anyway, here's a paper for you to sign."

"What's that?"

"A document to allow me to go shopping with my assigned credit card."

George scoffed and, without reading the contents, signed his name and put his royal stamp. He didn't notice the dark smile that flashed on Lola's face.

***

A week later, Lora's negligence got worse. She became insulted, questioned everyone and everything, refusing to attend business meetings with her husband. It wasn't long after this that it got the Monarch's attention, and he called her one day to his chambers.

"Listen, girl," he said, "I don't know the drums that beat the tune you're dancing to, but if this nonsense I've been hearing continues, you'll regret that your father presented you to me as a bride for my prince. Now leave."

Lora laughed when she was out of the door. These people have no idea who I am, she thought. To think I'm afraid of threats. Stupid.

As the weeks turned into months, things got worse. The monarch, and even the Prince, sent messages to her family, saying that they'd run into trouble if Lora kept defaulting in her bridal duties.

On many occasions, Lora's father had called her and said, "I don't think you have any idea where you are. These people are the most powerful people you'll ever know. So I —"

"They're not powerful to me," Lora cut in, leaving her father speechless. Whatever laid behind Lora's boldness wasn't something she was ready to divulge.

"See," he continued, "I have thought about this, and I decided that you won't bring me, or this family, death. Your sister shall stand in for you."

Lora's eyes narrowed. "What did you say, Dad?"

"I asked what's going to happen."

Gilda was instructed to call Diane about the development.

"Mom, I had no idea Lora was married in the first place," Diane said. Her voice sounded betrayed. "How am I to do this?"

"Please, Diane," Gilda prayed. "We have no choice. The monarch vows to put us to death if something isn't done."

"And I am the solution?"

"Remember how your father died —"

"Mom, that's enough. I will come next month."

"Make it next week, please."

Diane groaned.

"How are your studies going?" Gilda asked.

"It's about to be cut short by this," Diane said.

"I'm sorry."

Diane's tired sigh ended the call.

***

Diane shuffled her feet to the cupboard to find some snacks to stuff into her mouth. If there were no snacks there, her anger would skyrocket and she might decide not to grant her mother's request.

Gratefully, she found a bag of chips and a half can of yogurt. Her roommate, Shakira, had spared these ones.

As she sat to eat, a thought hit her. Her mother had said Lora was married to a prince. Diane didn't even know the city had a prince worthy enough to be married to. All she'd heard about was a crippled Prince George. She had only seen him once, during a ceremony.

So, was it Prince George Lora was married to? Diane shivered at the possibility of standing in as the bride of a cripple royal.

"Hey, what's eating you up, bro?" Shakira said, bustling into the room. A black American with low-cut hair.

"I am a proper woman, not a lesbian like you," Diane's voice was devoid of any emotions.

"Easy there. Your face looks like shit." She glanced at the phone. "Bad call?"

"Uh-huh. I'm about to be a substitute bride for my stepsister."

Shakira frowned. "When's that s**t become a norm?"

Diane shrugged. "From where I come from it is. I'll leave next week."

"Okay. Good luck. Want a smoke?"

Diane stared at the white stick in Shakira's hand with longing in her eyes, but she declined. Her morality wasn't that deteriorated.

The days hurtled on and before she knew it, the appointed day had come. She left school after completing the necessary protocols. Shakira cried and tried to kiss her on the lips.

The train journey was monotonous and less colorful. When they arrived at the station, she recalled the attack, and a dampness took over her.

She smiled when she saw Roy and Gilda standing beside a car. To Diane's surprise, her stepfather was there, too.

"You make me proud," he said to her as they drove home.

Diane was given some hours to rest, and when it was 8 pm, she refreshed and changed into a dashing purple dress.

Her family took her to the palace, to meet Prince George.

An unsettling surprise stood in for Diane there, and her emotional strength wasn't at all ready for it.