The Luna Choosing Game

Chapter 0643Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

In a war between the wolves and the bears, only the lost bear princess will be able to stop this fighting. Else, the bears will continue to fight themselves to exhaustion or to death.

"It's up to you," Nicholas said. "I believe in you. You can do this."

I closed my eyes. Miracle was still exhausted, but I begged for her.

*People could die, Miracle. We have to find a way to stop this fighting." We both knew the only answer would be to shift.

Miracle and I were not weak-willed. For too long, we'd been the victims of this plight. First being kidnapped, then everything with the underground organization, and now a war?

I, for one, was done standing by letting other people save me. This time, I would be the one to stop this war and save everyone else.

Miracle's determination matched mine. I gave her what strength I could, and together, we brought the wolf forward. I shifted.

Nicholas, seeing me as a wolf, shifted to, into his much larger Alpha wolf form.

Then, he threw back his head and howled. Pulled in my strength of his howl, I too pulled my head back and did the same.

Soon, all of the wolves across the battlefield did likewise, joining in an eerie chorus of wolf cries and howls.

The bears, still shifted, seemed startled. They looked toward us, standing up high near the entrance to what I could see now was a castle of some kind.

The fighting, for now, had ceased. But with the bears unsure, the peace wouldn't last. The bears needed their own hope. Their own reason to give up the fight.

And I had it.

"Now, Miracle," I said in my mind. Together, we gathered our remaining strength and pushed our bear form to the front.

Again, I shifted from wolf to bear. Somehow, I was still smaller than Nicholas's Alpha wolf form, but I didn't mind. Besides, that wasn't my purpose here.

My purpose?

I sucked in a heavy breath and then I roared.

The bears startled and then did the same. Some lifted up onto their hind legs. Others jumped in small circles, too excited to contain themselves.

Then, with the peace restored, both wolves and bears began to shift back to their human form.

"Our princess!" one of the bear shifters cried out. "She's returned?"

"A wolf and a bear in one!" said one of the wolves. "And Prince Nicholas's fiancé besides!"

Rushing toward us, I recognized a familiar pair: Julian and Veronica.

Julian smirked. "Does this mean the war is off?"

I was relieved to see them both, and wanted to tell them so. So I shifted back into human form. Nicholas quickly shifted as well, next to me. He reached out as I stumbled, suddenly exhausted, and caught me against him.

Julian and Veronica hurried the rest of the way up to us.

"You okay?" Julian asked.

*Tired," I admitted.

"I believe that," Julian said. "Not many people can shift from a wolf to a bear and back again. In fact, I don't know anyone else who can do that." Julian glanced to the other side of me, where Joyce stood awkwardly. "And you found our errant brother. Good job."

When I was steady enough to stand on my own, Veronica stepped forward and pulled me into a quick embrace. "I was worried," she said.

"Me, too," I admitted. I pulled back enough to look at her. "Nicholas said you followed the teleportation magic?" "It wasn't easy," Veronica said. "I wasn't sure it was even possible, but I couldn't give up. We'd lost Jane to Hawk, but I wouldn't lose you. The book from the merpeople held many secrets. It helped."

I hugged her again.

As we stood there, reunited and tired and relieved, we were joined by another - an official looking man wearing the colors of the bear kingdom.

"My princess," he said, bowing low.

"Oh. None of that please," I said at once, motioning for him to stand.

He seemed surprised at first, but obeyed. Then he cleared his throat, "If you would permit me, my princess, your parents wish for you to be returned to the palace as soon as possible. A reunion is long overdue."

"My... parents?" With everything going on, I hadn't really even considered that side of it. Yesterday, I thought I was an orphan. Today, I have parents and a kingdom of my own?

I looked at Nicholas. He met my gaze with one of his own. His face with a blank slate but concern weighed heavy in his eyes.

"That is your rightful home," he said. His voice was carefully neutral. He would not sway me one way or another. A kindness. But unnecessary.

"I want to see Elva," I said. Elva and Nicholas were my true home. "Once we're safely together, then I can decide what to do next."

Nicholas's lip twitched, a small smile. It dimmed when he looked at the bear captain. "You heard your princess. She will be returning with us for the time being, but she will be in contact."

"But, my lady," the bear captain insisted. "Surely you would feel safer among your own kind..."

"Don't forget I am also a wolf," I reminded him. Seeing his distress though, I softened my tone. "I'm not disappearing again, I swear. I just need time to wrap my mind around all this. And to recover."

"A princess's request should be honored, yes?" Julian chimed in. "Usually that's how things are done, if I'm not mistaken."

The bear captain looked stricken as he lowered his head. "Yes, my lady. Of course."

With that resolved, I looked at Nicholas.

"I want to go home now," I told him.

His arms wrapped around me. "Gladly."

We rode in a car to the train station, and then took a train back towards the palace. It was a long route, an overnight trip, but I was relieved to be able to slide up against Nicholas in a darkened, private sleeper car, and hold him well into the night.

We hadn't done anything but hold each other, but I've never felt so content in my entire life. It was as if, now that we've admitted and accepted the bond between us, simply being near one another was enough to keep us contented.

It wasn't all that I wanted, of course. I wanted Nicholas heart, body, and soul, and when I gathered a bit more strength, I had every intention of exploring that body part to the fullest.

But for now, holding Nicholas close and being held, was enough to ease my frazzled nerves and heal my wounded heart.

Nicholas gently traced his hand up and down my spine. The ministrations were relaxing and my eyelids were growing heavy.

But then, he leaned in, kissed my forehead, and said, "You have so much to think about, and so many decisions to make."

I supposed I did, but they could wait. The important ones were already covered. I was here with Nicholas, on my way back to my daughter. The war was over, and though messy right now, I had a glimpse of a happy future.

"I'll understand," Nicholas began, voice suddenly deathly quiet, "if you wish to break our engagement."