Laurel wasn't the only one who was disappointed with how the wedding turned out. Delia was too, and it was all Laurel’s fault. She seethed at the thought of the strange girl in red, on the king’s arm, who had stolen everyone’s attention. She was supposed to be the most woman at the celebration. She was the bride, the prince’s wife! Everyone should have been overjoyed to bestow their blessings upon her and lavish her with attention. Sure, Laurel was younger and more beautiful, and the fact that she was on the king’s arm had certainly added to her allure, but it was Delia’s wedding day! No bride should be upstaged on her wedding day.When she arrived at the castle months ago, she had been enchanted by the luxury of the aristocratic life. The food was great; the dresses were beautiful, and all things she had never dreamed of owning were in her grasp. She figured out quickly that she would have all the luxury she wanted and all the power she needed to enjoy it so long as she became luna

The inn was nicer than Laurel imagined and cheap thanks to Eden’s conversation with the owner. It felt homey and comfortable like a great place for traveling families. “It’s not the palace,” the owner joked with a booming voice as he led them up the stairs. “But I imagine you’ll enjoy it all the same!”“We will,” Laurel said. “Thank you for your kindness.”The room was sparse. There were two beds in the room with a small table and several candles. It wasn’t much more than a room for them to share, and it was all they would need for now. As Sarah closed the door behind the owner, Laurel sighed at the pouch of money she had. There wasn’t much left, maybe enough for a few meals. Maybe she shouldn’t have been so staunch about making a clean break and grabbed a few pieces of jewelry to sell. Sarah sank onto her bed with a deep sigh. Laurel smiled at her nervously. “Let’s… get some rest for now. Hm?”Sarah nodded, wearily, “That sounds great, Miss… Laurel.”*******Laurel woke up determ

Laurel followed Eden to an inn, almost rushing him to get there. The inn was a little dirty and looked cheaper than the one she was staying in with Sarah. She was skeptical that they would stay in such a place, knowing what she knew of her parents. They had cared so much about their reputation and their appearance. They liked fancy rooms, money, and nice clothes more than anything in the world, and they were the alpha of the Emerald Twilight pack’s betas.Why would they ever stay in a place like this?Laurel and Eden approached the door of the inn as the door slammed open to reveal Laura’s parents. Henry and Collen Hamiltion looked older than she remembered. Their hair was unkempt; their shoes were scuffed. They were dressed in ordinary clothes, looking just like the roadside vendors or worse.She almost didn’t recognize them.“Hey—”Laurel pulled Eden back and around the corner of a nearby building to avoid them. She hadn’t been ready to see them yet, let alone in such a state. Had s

Laurel’s heart burned with anger though Alice whined about not going with Adolph. She had never been so angry with Adolph as she was then. It was almost hatred boiling in her blood and mingling with her hatred for Basil. Rude, unreasonable, arrogant, high-handed: they were just alike. Like father, like son.Allice was full-on upset as she got Eden back to the inn they were staying in. The day had started horrible and only seemed to get worse. First her parents, then Adolph of all people. She worried her lip thinking of Eden’s injuries.“I’m so sorry for dragging you into this and getting you hurt.” “What do you mean?”“It's because of me that you got hurt. Do you need to go to the doctor?”Eden shook his head, “I’ll be fine.”“But—”“I just need to rest for a while, and I’ll be fine,” he grinned. “I told you I’m tougher than you’d think.”She chuckled a little bit as they neared the inn. “…So, he's the king?”“Have you never seen him?” He shook his head, “He was never around when

*This has to be a mistake…*“But, Lynn—“Lynn smirked at her and bowed out of the room, closing the door behind her. She huffed at his hasty escape and turned to look around the room. She had once been the wife of a prince, and her office had not been this luxurious. It had been plainer than the office Adolph worked in. Maybe this was a part of the king’s office?Either way, she should leave and find somewhere else to work. She started to retreat, but her curiosity held her in place. Every gleam of gold trimming the windows and the desks twinkled and beckoned her to explore. The lush rug on the floor looked too expensive to walk across, yet she wanted to sink her feet into its fibers. In her past life, she had never been interested in the luxuries of life. Everything luxurious had a place and a reason for it in her life and helped her inhabit the position of luna. Now, she had no need for it, yet she was intrigued all the same. She crossed the room and felt how thick the rug was b