The Lunar Queen Chapter 23

Lyric POV

I open my eyes and see Cole sitting in the chair next to my bed, looking so calm and reading a book. The sight of him there should feel strange, but it doesn’t. If anything, it settles something in me before I even realize it.

“You know, I only know of one Cole who would be here this weekend of all weekends, and that is Cole Blackwood, Alpha King, Alpha of The Hidden Moon Pack,” I say with a lot of sass.

“Is that so?” he asks, raising a brow.

That look alone makes it obvious he already knows exactly what I’m doing, and somehow that only makes me want to push more.

“Yes, so your highness, do you sit at teenage she-wolves’ hospital bedsides often?” I ask, raising my own brow.

He chuckles, and it sends shivers down my spine.

Not fear. Not nerves. Something warmer. Something I’m not ready to name yet.

“No, this is actually a first for me. I don’t tend to like being around teen she-wolves; they’re pretty bratty,” he says, amusement in his voice.

“Well, that’s one thing I’ve never been called—I’m the opposite of bratty, literally,” I say, rolling my eyes.

“Seriously, why are you here?” I ask.

Because teasing him is one thing. Actually knowing why the Alpha King keeps showing up at my bedside is something else entirely.

“Do you want me to tell you the truth, or the reason I gave your Alpha and dad?” he asks, looking up from his book to meet my gaze.

Something in that question makes my heart jump.

The way he asks it makes it feel important. Dangerous, even. Like whatever comes next is going to change something.

“Both,” I say, my heart beating faster and scared for his answer for some reason.

“I told your Alpha it was because your application for the program impressed me, and since I was coming for the ball, I figured why not meet you? The real reason I was even here two days early is because I’m your second chance mate,” he says.

Time seems to freeze.

Not in some cute, dramatic way. In a real way. In the kind of way where everything in me just… stops.

Second chance mate—I haven’t even felt the bond of my first mate, and here’s my second chance.

“How do you know?” I ask.

My voice comes out quieter than I mean for it to, because this feels too big to say too loudly.

“The Moon Goddess told me,” he says seriously.

“Why would she do that?” I ask.

“Because I’m blessed, and my wolf is one of her first wolves, so he’s special to her,” he replies.

“Wow, this is wild. My second chance mate is the Alpha King,” I say shock.

It sounds ridiculous even coming out of my own mouth, like this has to be somebody else’s life and not mine.

“You’re taking this well,” he says.

“Well, I know blessed wolves exist, and some have a closer link to the goddess than others. As for you being my mate, I already know I’m going to reject Mason. I’ve known since the moment they grabbed me. If I made it to 18,” I say, the words tasting bitter even though I’ve already accepted them.

“I’ve been through so much for the sake of loving him, even as a pup when it was just innocent young love. Now I’m his mate, and I don’t even know if she knows that yet. I will always love Mason. He was a bright light in a very dark time in my life, but I can’t be his mate. No amount of love or bond will change what has happened, and I can’t forget that,” I say.

And saying it out loud makes it feel more final than it did in my head. He isn’t just the boy I loved anymore. He’s tied to every piece of pain I’m trying to survive.

“I can’t believe I’m going to be a Queen,” I say.

“I’m certain you will make an amazing Luna Queen,” he replies.

“I used to dream of green eyes, since I was a pup, and I never knew what it meant. One day the goddess told me it was the eyes of my mate,” he explains.

“When my Beta brought me your application and I looked at your picture, my wolf went crazy in my head yelling Mate. I would recognize those eyes anywhere—they are locked in my memory,” he says, looking at me, causing my breath to catch.

The way he says it doesn’t feel like flirting. It feels like truth. Steady, certain truth—and that somehow hits harder.

“So, why aren’t you getting ready for the ball?” I ask, trying to change the subject because I am overwhelmed with the feelings he’s giving me.

He looks at me for a second before laughing.

Oh goddess, his laugh.

Warm, deep, easy. The kind of sound that makes it way too easy to forget I’m in a hospital bed talking about second chance mates like it’s normal.

“Because I already found my mate, and I would rather not have she-wolves throwing themselves at me, trying to get me to take them as a chosen mate,” he says.

That earns a growl from deep in my chest, and I cover my mouth.

“I don’t know where that came from,” I say.

Liar. I know exactly where it came from, and that only makes heat creep up my neck faster.

“Don’t worry, my Queen. Even though right now you are not mine, I am only yours,” he says, looking me in the eyes.

That should be too much. Too smooth. Too intense. But instead, it lands somewhere deep in me and stays there.

“Omg Lyric, you’re up,” Winter says, walking in with a man who has just as many tattoos as Cole.

She stops and looks between me and Cole.

“Did we interrupt something?” she asks, eyebrow raised.

“What, no,” I say too quickly.

Way too quickly. And judging by her face, she knows it.

She gives me the yeah right, bitch face.

“We were just getting to know each other,” I say, heat creeping up my neck.

“Yeah, whatever,” she says, sitting on my bed.

“Lyric, I have something to tell you,” she says, grabbing my hand.

“Um, okay, you are scaring me,” I say.

“Don’t be, it’s not bad news,” she says.

“Um, Dominic here is my mate,” she continues, and I choke on my saliva.

Cole is up, handing me water and rubbing my back as I drink.

He moves fast, natural, like helping me is already instinct for him.

“What, seriously?” I ask, looking at Cole, and he is just grinning like a Cheshire cat.

“You knew?” I ask him.

He shrugs.

“You never asked about anybody else,” he says, smirking.

“Well, that is interesting, considering our king here just told me he is my second chance mate,” I conclude say.

The scream that leaves her mouth is ear-piercing.

I should probably be more bothered by it, but the look on her face is too good.

“You are going to be Queen,” she yells.

“Oh, Summer is going to be so jealous. She thought she was doing something by keeping Mason from you, and you are going to be so much more. Oh, I can’t wait to see the look on her face next year,” she says mischievously.

“I have to tell you one more thing, princess,” he says.

“Oh, gods, what else?” I say smiling.

At this point I’m almost scared to ask, because every answer feels like it comes with another life-changing twist attached to it.

“You are going to be a handful, aren’t you?” he asks, smiling at me.

“Oh, you have no idea, Your Highness,” Winter says, laughing.

“My brother Elias said Summer is his mate,” he states.

“WHAT!” Winter and I exclaim simultaneously.

“Yeah, to say he isn’t happy is an understatement. Even his wolf is disgusted,” he reports.

“Wow, she’s been chasing Mason all these years and doing all of this, and her fated mate is a crown-fucking-prince,” Winter remarks.

“Well, that was not something I expected to hear,” I say.

Understatement of the year.

I finally turn to look at Winter.

“You look beautiful. I knew that dress would look good on you,” I say, smiling.

“It would be better if you were coming too,” she says.

“I know, but this time next year I will be. Go have fun with your mate. Next year, you will actually be able to feel the bond,” I reply.

“Are you sure?” she asks.

“Yes. Besides, Mr. Alpha King here already said he isn’t leaving, so I have pretty decent company. Jury’s still out on this one,” I say, winking at her.

I hear Cole chuckle beside me.

“Okay, but I will be first thing in the morning. I think the doc is going to let you leave,” she says, grabbing Dominic’s hand and walking out.

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” she yells over her shoulder.

“That’s not a long list of things,” I reply.

“Exactly,” she shouts.

Cole laughs.

“I like her. She’s definitely exactly what Dominic needed. He is always so serious,” he says, still laughing.

“And what about me?” I ask.

“Don’t know. Jury’s still out on that,” he says, winking at me.

“Touché, your Highness,” I say, laughing.

“Seriously, I can tell you’re very sassy and will challenge me, and I like that. I need that. Everything else I’ll learn,” he says, making my heart hammer.

He says things so directly, like he’s not scared of wanting what he wants. I don’t know whether that should comfort me or terrify me.

“He smells nice,” Nova softly says, making me jump.

“Oh my God, Nova, you’re back,” I say to her.

Relief hits so hard it almost makes me dizzy. I hadn’t realized how empty my head felt until she was suddenly there again.

“I’m still weak and need more rest, but I am here,” she says.

“I take it your wolf is back,” he says, smiling.

“Yes, she said she’s still weak, but she is here,” I say softly.

“Feels different when you can’t hear them. Once you can, doesn’t it?” he asks.

“Yeah, since I woke up, it’s just been too quiet in my head,” I say.

“So, can I ask you a question?” he asks.

“If what happened to you on Wednesday didn’t happen, would you still reject him?” he inquires.

There it is. The question I’ve been avoiding asking myself too directly because I already know it hurts.

“Honestly, I don’t know. When Nova and I first put it together, I panicked, and he calmed me. It felt too right. Then that morning, we had a moment and we kissed. It was my first kiss with the boy I loved my whole life—up close and from afar—who turned out to be my mate, and it was perfect. I thought maybe in that moment, but she walked in on us, and I knew I could never be happy with him as long as she was around. Then when they grabbed me, I knew it couldn’t ever be what I want it to be with him. It hurts because I know it’s not his fault, and I know he’s hurting because I can’t even physically be in a room with him without feeling like I’m back in that room, branded a freak,” I say, tears streaming down my face before I even realize it.

I don’t even feel them at first. I just feel the ache under everything—old love, new pain, and the kind of grief that doesn’t have a clean place to go.

Cole doesn’t hesitate to wipe them.

“It’s okay, don’t cry. I know this can’t be easy for you or him, which is why I don’t blame him for being upset when he sees me around you, because you are his mate but he is the reason for your pain,” he says.

“It’s a lot to deal with,” he adds, rubbing small circles on my hands.

His touch doesn’t demand anything. It just stays. Steady. Patient. And right now, that feels like more comfort than I know what to do with.

“Thank you for being here with me, thank you for finding me and anchoring me. I didn’t know who you were, but I heard your voice, and it helped,” I say softly.

“Anything for you, princess,” he replies, kissing my forehead.

That simple, easy answer does something dangerous to my heart.

We talk for a little longer before I drift off to sleep, not even realizing how tired I was.

And somewhere between his voice, Nova finally being back, and the way my body no longer feels like it’s fighting to survive every second, I realize something I’m not ready to say out loud yet—being with Cole feels easy.

And after everything I’ve lived through… that might be the most dangerous thing of all.