The Lunar Queen Chapter 30

Mason POV

I really didn’t think she would say yes, but she actually did.

The moment the word left her mouth through the link, it felt like something inside my chest snapped into place—like for the first time since everything went wrong, I wasn’t already losing her.

Now I need everything to be perfect.

Not good. Not decent. Perfect—because if anything goes wrong, I already know I won’t get another chance like this.

This is the only day I have with my mate before I leave for Alpha training.

“She said yes,” I say, turning to Hunter, and even saying it out loud still doesn’t feel real, like I’m waiting for something to come in and take it back.

“I’m happy for you, man, but we need to make sure your plan is foolproof. You know Summer expects you to take her as your date,” he says.

“I know, but I’ve got all of that planned. I convinced all the seniors to only take Juniors who aren’t friends with Summer or Savannah so she can relax and enjoy herself. I have Winter and our moms helping her get a dress—the pack seamstress is coming to mom’s office for that,” I say.

I’ve gone over every detail in my head a hundred times already, replaying it, fixing it, making sure there isn’t a single gap she can slip through.

“I made sure prom is off pack grounds, and only the seniors know where it is, thanks to Principal Jameson,” I add.

No pack territory. No easy access. No audience for Summer to perform in.

“I need this night with her,” I say.

Not just want—need, like something in me is clawing for one moment where she isn’t afraid of me.

“We get it, man. We all just want to make sure Lyric is safe. I know you’ve been talking, and I love that she’s giving you a chance, but Summer has been too quiet, and that isn’t good,” Hunter says.

“I know,” I say, and my jaw tightens because he’s right—quiet with Summer never means nothing, it means waiting.

“We’ll keep our eyes open. Come on, guys, please. I can’t pull this night off without your help,” I say.

“We got your back, Mase,” Lucas says.

“Mate is going to look so beautiful,” Kane says, his voice softer now, almost reverent, like he’s already seeing her.

“I know,” I reply, my chest tightening at the thought of her walking toward me, dressed up, choosing to be there with me.

“I can’t wait for prom next week.”

“So, what does this mean? Has she accepted you?” Micah asks.

“No, we’re just rebuilding our friendship,” I reply,

and even as I say it, something in me pushes back against the word just, because it feels bigger than that—fragile and heavy at the same time.

“I hope when we come back, things will be better between us,” I add,

holding onto that hope a little too tightly, because right now it’s the only thing keeping me steady.

Lyric POV

Winter screams through the link, “Wake up, sleepy head.”

“What do you want? It is Sunday,” I groan through the link, burying my face deeper into my pillow like I can hide from her voice.

“Yes, but today we are prom dress shopping.” She squeals through the link.

“Give me 30 minutes,” I link back.

“You have 15.”

She says, closing the link.

Of course she does. Of course she’s not giving me time to think this through.

Ugh, she is going to have me kill her one of these days.

I get up and jump in the shower.

The water hits my skin, and for a second, I just stand there, letting it ground me, because everything about this—prom, Mason, Cole—feels like too much all at once.

“Are you up?” Mason links.

Hearing his voice makes me smile.

It happens before I can stop it, soft and automatic, like my body still remembers him even when my mind is trying to be careful.

“Yes, your demon spawn of a sister woke me up talking about shopping,” I link back.

“Yes, I arranged for you to pick your dress in mom’s office, away from prying eyes.”

Of course he did. Of course he thought of that.

“That was sweet of you, Mason,” I link back,

and I mean it more than I want to admit.

“Anything for you, my sunflower,” he says.

“I can’t wait to see what dress you pick. I know you will look beautiful no matter what you choose,” he adds.

“I will see you from afar, my mate,” he says, closing the link.

From afar. Even now, even when we’re trying, there’s still distance.

“He is so thoughtful,” Nova says.

“He is. He is really trying to show me he can be a good mate. I don’t like sneaking around with him; it just feels wrong. He’s my mate,” I tell her,

and saying that still feels heavy, like something I haven’t fully figured out how to carry yet.

“I know, but that is for the best,” she replies.

I finish getting ready and head to the Luna’s office. I knock on the door, even though it is cracked open.

“Come in,” I hear the Luna say.

“Oh, Lyric, I am so happy you said yes to Mason,” she says the moment the door closes behind me.

Her happiness hits me immediately, warm and genuine—and it makes something twist in my chest because I don’t know if I’m supposed to feel the same way.

“He was so nervous you would say no. He put a lot into being able to take you to prom—planning with the principal, planning with the rest of the senior class. I am so proud of him,” she says.

My mom comes and wraps me in her arms.

“My sweet girl, I am so happy you are okay,” she says, kissing the top of my head.

“Me too, Mom,” I reply, leaning into her for just a second longer than I usually would.

“Now, let’s steal your alpha’s breath away with this dress,” she says, turning me toward the rack.

For the next hour, I try on dress after dress until we all settle on a beautiful, deep burgundy dress with thin spaghetti straps, a long slit up to the top of my thighs on both legs, and a deep scoop back that stops at the top of my butt, leaving my scars on full display. It hugs everything perfectly; it’s like a second skin.

“I love this,” I say, breathless, staring at myself in the mirror.

For once, I’m not looking at what’s wrong—I’m just… looking.

“You are stunning, my beautiful pup,” my mom says, tears in her eyes.

“Thank you, mom,” I say.

I hand Winter my phone. “Take a picture for me, please?”

“Anything for you, princess,” she says, grinning.

After she takes the picture, I send it to Cole.

My finger hovers for half a second before I hit send, like I know I’m crossing into something I don’t fully understand yet.

My phone pings with a notification for a text.

Cole: I’m in a meeting, and I got that picture on my phone. Are you trying to kill me, princess? You are stunning. Mason’s lucky. I’m so jealous he gets to see you in that dress all night on Friday.

My chest tightens at that—not from the compliment, but from the way he says Mason’s lucky.

Me: So, you like it? 😁

Cole: I love it. If only you knew. 🙈🙈

Me: Talk later?

Cole: Absolutely.

When I look up, Winter is grinning at me.

“How does it feel dating two wolves?” she asks.

“I am not dating two wolves, I am not dating anyone,” I reply, a little too fast, like saying it firmly enough will make it true.

“Yeah, tell that to the guy in your phone and the guy taking you to prom,” she laughs.

I run my hands down my face. “Ugh, this is too much,” I say,

because it is—too many feelings, too many directions, too many things that don’t fit neatly together.

She loops her arms through mine. “Let’s go watch a movie in my room, and we can talk more,” she suggests.

“An omega will bring your dress to your room, Lyric,” my mom says as we walk out of the Luna’s office.

When we get to her room.

“So, how’s Dominic?” I ask.

“Oh, he’s perfect. We talk every day, and we’re going to visit the palace when school’s over,” she responds.

“But don’t try to change the subject about your two boyfriends,” she adds.

“I don’t have two boyfriends. Technically, they’re both my mates, but only one is actually my mate right now,” I reply.

“How do you feel about them?” she inquires.

“I don’t know,” I say, because that’s the only honest answer I have.

“I love Mason. I’ve loved him my whole life. And Cole, he just sees me—everything. Even the parts of me I thought I hid well. And that’s without the bond, which scares me even more because it’s like my soul is calling out to him,” I explain.

“And Mason was my knight, and now he’s my mate. I’m just so conflicted,” I admit,

my chest tightening because no matter which way I turn, I feel like I’m going to hurt someone—including myself.

“Yeah, I know. It’s hard, especially with Summer lurking around,” she says.

“Yeah,” I say, my stomach dropping at just the thought of her.

“And I have this sense of dread just looming in my chest, and I can’t shake it. Every day, it gets stronger, especially since I said yes to Mason on Friday,” I confess.

“Do you think you shouldn’t go?” she asks.

“No,” I reply, even though that feeling doesn’t go away—it just sits there, heavier.

“He said he planned it out, so I will trust him on that and enjoy myself with him.”

I say it like it’s simple. Like it’s safe.

But deep down… something about this doesn’t feel like a night I’m just going to walk away from.