Moon Born

Chapter 24

My mind raced the rest of the night for so many reasons. I was about to become the princess of the entire wolf realm. King Orsand, Queen Amelia, and Edmond all knew my secret. I finally wasn't in this alone. In anything.

The aching I'd felt since Alex marked Harmony dissipated the moment I'd set eyes on Edmond. I almost felt bad for being so angry with them.

Almost. 

But then I remembered everything they had done in the weeks since. The way he marked her in public and I didn't feel so bad.

"Are you alright, my love?"

I smiled up at my betrothed. "I am. I'm just...this is a lot. You know?"

"Being with me?"

"No! No, my love. Being with you might be the only thing that actually makes sense right now. But becoming a princess? All of this business with these monsters. Artemis. It's just a lot to handle. Not to mention your psychotic ex. My psychotic ex and my psychotic sister."

"We don't have to worry about them." He grasped my hand and kissed the back of it lightly. "This is so weird to say to someone I just met, but I love you."

"I love you too."

"There is something I want to give you."

"Oh?"

"It has been in my family since the beginning and has been passed down for millennia. My father gave it to my mother and my mother gave it to me. All of the queens of our pack have worn it."

"What is it?" I asked.

He pulled a blue velvette box from his jacket pocket and opened it. Inside, rested a beautiful golden ring with a large sapphire surrounded by diamonds. The band was encrusted with alternating sapphire gems and diamonds. The largest stone in the center was engraved with a howling wolf within our Goddess holding her bow and arrow.

"Edmond..."

"Do you like it?"

"It's incredible," I said quietly, tracing my finger along the wolfs head. "Are you sure you want me to have it?"

He nodded. "Of course."

"Is your mother sure?"

He chuckled lightly. "She insisted."

"Why? I mean, she's the queen."

"Mother, she is something else and she really, really likes you. She has been saying that you will do great things as queen."

"She has more faith in me than my own mother," I mumbled.

He slipped the ring on my finger and kissed my forehead.

For a moment it felt too lose, but it seemed to form to my finger, shrinking to hug the digit.

"Odd."

"What is, my love?" Edmond asked.

"The ring, it...I think it shrank."

"What?"

"It felt a bit loose when you put it on and now it's snug."

"It is supposed to hold some magical powers."

"Hmm."

"What do you have there?" Ashley asked, coming up from behind me.

"Huh? Oh, Edmond gave me a ring."

"Let me see!" she said excitedly, grabbing my hand. "Oh, my God."

"Isn't it pretty?"

"It's gorgeous! We have to show everybody!"