The Rejected Luna’s Prince By Aurora Archer
Chapter – 57 Two Rings
(Willa)
We rode back to Crescent Moon in another one of those ridiculous limos. I laid my head on his chest with his arm wrapped around me in comfortable silence. That weekend was a lot, and I don’t know if I needed to process it all or just not think at all. Either way, the drive back helped me decompress.
Caspien ran his finger over my knuckles before stopping to trace the outline of my ring, “I like this here,” He whispered, “Now all the humans know that you’re mine as well,”
“How antiquated,” I whispered back.
“I like to call it primal.” He growled for emphasis.
I settled into him, letting his scent wash over me as we pulled up to the packhouse.
“Let’s go get our boy,” Caspien brushed his lips over my forehead before helping me out of the car.
It felt so nice being back, putting that weekend behind me, and returning home.
Emmett rushed into my arms, and I settled my face into his soft hair, grabbing him close to me. Relief and love pulsed through me; knowing that Emmett got away from there before he was even born was a blessing I had never thought of before. It made it all worth it having Emmett safe from growing up in that environment.
Caspiens strong arms wrapped around us both in a warm embrace.
“We made the perfect airplane out of blue paper,” He pulled back excitedly and wiggled in my arms to get me to put him down before tugging on both of our hands and leading us into Rendell and Grace’s apartment.
“We heard we’re getting new neighbors,” Caspien’s dad said as we were dragged past him.
“We can’t wait. We’re going to stay the next few nights here to help them unpack and settle in.” Grace added.
Emmett stopped at the dining room table that was covered in paper.
“We’ve had a busy weekend,” Rendell said, stopping behind us as Emmett rummaged through the paper planes.
“This one!” He shouted, holding an airplane over his head triumphantly.
“That is a good one,” Caspien knelt next to him; Emmett handed him the airplane, and Caspien examined it, lifting part of the paper wing up.
“I have to say it might be one of the best, son,” Rendell knelt down and placed his hand on Caspien’s shoulder, “We made the weight a bit heavier.”
“But with the t.hrust? It seems too small,” Caspien replied.
“Try it for yourself,”
Caspien stood up and aimed the paper airplane back down the hallway. It glided with ease and fell to a soft landing.
“Wow,” Caspien whistled.
“I told you!” Emmett said, tugging him back down the hallway to retrieve it.
Grace looked at me and sighed, “It’s even worse with his grandson, I thought Caspien and him were bad, but I guess the whole apple and the tree thing or whatever people say,” She waved a hand, but her eyes were bright.
She turned to study me, “Can I get you anything? Some tea, maybe? I knew it was a long weekend.”
“It was,” I agreed, “Maybe later, thank you, I just want to unpack and change sweatpants and stare at a wall for a while,” I responded honestly, and Grace laughed louder than I’d ever heard her.
“I completely understand that,”
“We’ll see you tonight?” I asked, “My parents will be here after dinner if you’re still awake.”
“Willa, we’re honestly not old,” She scolded, and I covered my smile.
Her eyes widened, and she grabbed my hand.
I had already forgotten, the ring was part of me now, and nothing changed between Cas and me. It was just another outward show of our commitment.
“That is gorgeous; he has outdone himself,” She breathed, turning my hand over, “It looks even better than I imagined.” She said in awe, her eyes welling up.
She dropped my hand and pulled me into a tight hug.
“What is happening here?” Caspien said, eyeing us.
“We’re engaged,” I said as Grace let me go; she wiped her eyes.
“Are you crying, Mom?” Caspien looked taken aback.
“Yes,” Grace eyed her son, “There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“Congratulations,” Rendell boomed, clapping Caspien on the shoulder, “Let me see what you did with the family band,” I held my hand out to his, and mine was swallowed in his, “Very good, son.” He smiled proudly, “Fit for a princess.”
Rendell sounded serious, and I felt my cheeks flush a bit.
“What is it?” Emmett peered behind Caspien.
“I proposed to your Mama,” Caspien ruffled his hair, “Remember when I asked you if it was okay if I asked your mom to marry me?” Emmett nodded and walked up to me, looking at the ring.
“That’s nice, but wait until I show you this other airplane.” Emmett walked past me.
Caspien shook his head, smiling, “Grab the airplane, and let’s go home. We can order pizza if you want.”
“Yes!” Emmett cheered.
“More reaction for pizza than that diamond,” Caspien sighed.
“He doesn’t have your taste for the finer things,” I raised an eyebrow.
“He will come around,” Caspien wrapped an arm around me and grabbed Emmett’s hand in his.
____
It took all of five minutes before Cali and Holden barrel through the door with Loreli in tow. Loreli barreled over to Emmett and almost knocked him down.
“She has my grace,” Holden smiled at us.
“I have news,” Cali brushed past him and held out her hand. A ma*s*sive diamond with a halo of smaller ones that made it look like the sun sat on a diamond-studded gold band.
“It’s beautiful,” I breathed.
“A sunbeam for my ray of sunshine,” Holden came up and pulled Cali against his chest. Cali rolled her eyes but her smile didn’t waver.
“Well, congratulations,” Caspien said, nodding at them.
“That’s it? I just bared my soul to this woman and poured out more money than I thought a rock could cost,” Holden said, and Cali rolled her eyes, “And I get a terse congratulations?”
“Terse,” Caspein repeated.
“Congratulations,” I beamed at them, feeling a rush of happiness from my friend.
I knew this meant the world to Cali, she was just turned, and this meant more in her mind than a mark. I knew it went deeper than just the ring she wanted. This was a human version of a mark.
“Let me see it again,” I took her hand in mine as Cali’s smile widened, “He got Loreli a necklace that looks exactly like it, smaller of course, and she’s too small now, but,” She shrugged.
“We need to celebrate,” Holden said.
“With my wine, I’m a*s*suming,” Caspien said cooly, and Holden looked away guiltily, “That’s fine,” Caspien said and sighed, “Because we also have something to celebrate.”
“Oh, the weekend,” Cali raised an eyebrow, and her genuine smile was replaced with a wicked one, “I want all the details.”
“And you’ll get them, but I also asked Willa to marry me,” Caspien cut in; Holden and Cali looked at him, their eyes wide as if this was some sort of shock, “And she said yes,” Their eyes widened.
“What?” I asked them, “We’re already marked.”
“But marriage, Cas, it just seems so, I don’t know, sentimental.” Holden said, “Were werewolves,”
“I think it’s great,” Cali said, reaching for my hand now examining my ring, whistling lowly.
“Double wedding? We can both have babies after,” Holden suggested.
“No!” Cali and I shouted at the same time.
“Jeez, calm down,” Holden held his hands up, “I’ll keep my little swimmers to myself.”
“I swear,” Caspien shook his head.
“Let me get the kids some snacks, and I want to hear all about it,” I diverted the conversation.
__
“So, first we went on a helicopter ride over the city, and then he rented out this theater, I forget the name, not the big one,” Cali chewed her lip, looking away, “It doesn’t matter, but when we got there there wasn’t anyone, I thought we were going to see a show.” Holden placed his hand on hers.
“It was dark besides roses and hundreds of candles,”
“Thousands,” Holden corrected.
“Thousands of candles, and a band and orchestra band, string quartet? Whatever,” Cali waved her hand, “He brought me to the top of the stairs and proposed there in front of this huge window that overlooked a moonlight garden,” She sighed and looked up as if she could see it now, “Normally I would say it would be over the top and cheesy,” Cali gave me her wry smile, “But I deserve it.” She flipped her curls.
“That you do,” I smiled at her.
Her happiness was infectious. I saw a different side of her recently, one where her first instinct wasn’t to protect or defend.
“How did Caspien do it?” She turned her hazel eyes to me. They seemed almost gold under the dim kitchen light.
“Well, it was the last day, this morning, actually.” Goddess, was that only this morning? “And we were taking a walk through the woods, and then he proposed,” I said.
“Oh,” Cali said, expecting more.
“The princeling got dirt on his pressed pants?” Holden’s eyes widened in mock horror, “That is romantic,” He stared at Caspien, “For you at least.”
“I was going to do something else, but it felt right,” Caspien shrugged, ignoring his friend, “I can still do something more dramatic,” Caspien turned to me, but he wasn’t joking.
“No, no, please, once is enough,” I said, and Caspien’s eyes furrowed slightly, “No, I meant like it’s over; we don’t need to redo it.”
I was definitely not getting this out right.
“Sorry, wait. It was perfect; nothing could top it.” I looked at Caspien; I meant it. I didn’t want anything else.
Holden sucked in air through his teeth, and Cali looked away.
“Great save,” Caspien chuckled dryly but put an arm around me, smiling.
I mean it, it was perfect. Unexpected, everything I linked him
He kissed my forehead.
“Your parents are here,” He said, “Let’s show them the new place.”
I heard Caspien call Emmett to show his grandparents their new apartment. We did the same engagement story over again for them. More tears, more congratulations.
Neither of us even thought to tell anyone. Not out of disrespect for our friends or family, just because it felt so natural. This was the next step for us, not one that either of us had to think about.
It felt so normal, so natural; we didn’t think about it.
Once they were all settled, at least for the night, we left both of our sets of parents in their apartment to relax over a glass of wine.
__
Cali and I were leaning over the kitchen table, Emmett and Loreli were fast asleep, tiring themselves out from chasing each other around all afternoon.
Cali was twisting her ring, watching the reflection of the overhead lights.
“I never thought I would get this, you know,” Cali murmured, her voice soft.
“A ring or a wedding?” I asked.
“Either,” She shrugged no hint of playfulness in her voice, “I honestly never thought about it. It was something I saw too many people do just because they felt like they had to, that they were stuck, and it was a way out,” She laughed once, “It never was.”
“I didn’t think my life would take this turn, not the werewolf thing,” She looked up, throwing her ruby curls across her back, “That one wasn’t even in the cards, but to even carve out time in my life to date it seemed,” She shrugged.
I smiled at her. I got it, in a sense. I never thought of the possibility of a second chance. It wasn’t even on my radar as something that might happen. I was too engrossed in the steps I had to take to ensure Emmett had a good life. I didn’t think about a future for myself as well, outside of him.
“It’s funny how it happens, isn’t it?”
“People always say that when you meet the one you know,” Cali smiled, “I didn’t believe them, but the whole werewolf mate beacon electric buzz thing is something else.”
I shook my head, “It’s not because of the mate bond that you want your mate. It’s because of who they are. The mate bond just alerts us to our person we can cut the c.rap.”
“Never go on a bad date again,” Cali gave me a wry smile, “Seems like you guys have evolved past humans in that department.”
“Maybe,” I shrugged.
“But it is Holden, even without the electric shock to my c.oochie every time he touches me,” I closed my eyes and shook my head, suppressing a smile, “He balances me, and I think I don’t know if I deserve this. It doesn’t feel real. I felt like I got a get-out-of-jail-free card for no reason. Life isn’t supposed to be this easy.” She looked up at me, her eyes hard.
“But was it always this easy? I don’t think either of us had it very easy, at least not at times,” I shrugged, she still didn’t dive into her past with me, but I hoped she did with Holden.
Cali took a deep breath and placed her hands on the kitchen island, “You’re right.”
“I think this happy ending is d.amn well deserved,” I smiled at her channeling a bit of her energy.
“You’re right again,” She gave me a bit of a smile, “I just feel too young to get this. I thought I would be slaving away for decades before I got this sense of peace, of ease.” She shook her head.
“If you want, we can start at the diner again. Maybe I’ll get Caspien to charge us extortionate rent just so we have some of the crippling anxiety back,”
She gave me a genuine rare smile this time, “Crippling anxiety is a feeling I’m far more comfortable with than peace. Every day my body is confused; it feels like it’s missing something, that sense of dread, fear like something is off.”
“You’ll get used to it, I hope.” I shrugged, “Also, you kinda did that whole a*s*sa*s*sin thing, so I’m sure we can find something to keep that adrenaline up if you ever find yourself getting bored.”
“I did, didn’t I?” She crossed her arms and leaned back, “Maybe I do deserve this after all,” She stood up and brushed off her jeans, “I’m going to find my mate.”
“Everything good that comes is something you already deserve,” I turned as she passed me.
“What? Next you’re going to tell me to trust the universe or something,” She laughed once.
“I mean..” She rolled her eyes, flipped her hair over her shoulder, and went to the living room where Holden and Caspien were.
I followed her out, letting Caspien pull me into his lap and wrap his arms around me.
“What did we miss?” I nuzzled into his neck.
“We were talking about logistics of the challenge,” Caspien said.
“When are you going to challenge him?” My stomach dropped, and ice went through my veins as I asked. I didn’t want to think about that, not yet.
“Tomorrow,” Caspien said, and I froze, pulling back to look at him, “We don’t know what else he has in the works; I want to cut it off before things go any further.” Caspien’s eyes were like chips of ice.
“He might not even know The Silent a*s*sasin is dead,” I looked down, playing with the edge of the blanket.
“Griffen said that there has been talk, rumors at most, but I’m not taking any chances.” His jaw hardened.
“What about the baseball game? With my dad?” I was grasping at straws.
His eyes softened as they settled on me, “I’ll be back before then,” Caspien’s voice was gentle, and he took my hand, rubbing his thumb across my knuckles.
“I trust you,” I said.
I knew I couldn’t stop him, and I didn’t want to. I wanted to stop this challenge completely, wish it into existence, but we all knew this was the way we had to go forward. This was the exact moment that we had been working towards.
“Let’s put on a show then,” I sighed and tried to smile, but my shoulders sagged.
“Now, that I can do,” He tilted my chin up to face him, a broad smile spread across his face, but it didn’t reach his eyes, “I’m ready for this, Willa. I need to show him, show them all what will happen when someone tries to touch my family,” His eyes flashed black, and I placed my hand against his cheek. He leaned into it, shutting his eyes and visibly calming.
“Tomorrow, it will all be over tomorrow,” Caspien promised, his eyes locked on mine back to their icy blue.