Luna made a strangled noise. "I…Is this a real question? Is this where we are now?"
"It is exactly where we are. Because if you don't love him, you should at least try to not terrify him on your wedding night."
"I'd be doing him a favor," Luna grumbled. "If he survives me, he'll survive anything."
"I suppose we'll see what Alpha Kyllian has to say when he gets here."
Luna stared at the door. Because any second now, Kyllian was going to walk in and she would have to play "lovestruck bride-to-be" while hoping he didn't rat her out for the lie she just told.
"Gods help me," she muttered. "Maybe the sex lessons were the lesser evil."
A few minutes later, Alpha Kyllian strode into the grand living room of the royal wing only to stop dead in his tracks.
It was chaos.
Colorful ribbons, half-wrapped gifts, strands of pearl garlands, and decorative mementos were strewn across the room. In the middle of it all, Queen Ravena sat, looking calm and dignified.
Kyllian looked over the mess again, then took a few cautious steps forward, as if he feared something might explode. "Your Highness. You called."
Without preamble, Ravena nodded toward him. "Luna refuses to attend the Marriage Class."
Kyllian turned his head slowly to Luna, brows rising. She was sitting on the edge of a sofa, eyes wide, eyebrows lifted so high they were threatening to leave her face. She was flailing her eyes. Blinking, darting glances, eyebrows twitching like she was sending Morse code with her forehead.
He had no idea what she was trying to say.
"I see…" he said cautiously, hoping that was the right answer.
Queen Ravena leaned forward slightly, lacing her fingers. "The only way the class can be waived is if the both of you are in love. So…are you?"
Kyllian's mouth parted slightly. "Your Highness?"
"Are you both in love?" Ravena repeated, not blinking. "Because I am not going to send my daughter into a marriage when she knows nothing about how to please a man."
The words "please a man" hit Kyllian. He choked slightly, then straightened. He was Alpha of a powerful pack, used to managing territory disputes and training warriors, not… fielding surprise romance interrogations about theoretical bedroom activities with a princess.
Still stunned into silence, he turned toward Luna again just in time for her to practically leap to his side.
"I told Mother," Luna said, grabbing his arm and gripping it with the desperation of a woman hanging off a cliff, "that instead of attending the class, I would spend that time with you. You know. Because we are so in love." She smiled so wide Kyllian thought her face might crack. She even batted her lashes, adding a dramatic sigh for effect.
Kyllian blinked. "Oh… right! Uh, yes. Of course." He cleared his throat and stood straighter, going for that confident alpha tone. "Your Highness, as you know, I've known the Princess a long time. And over the years, well, it's only natural that… feelings may have developed."
He heard Luna exhale beside him, possibly in relief. He hoped he was saying what she wanted.
"But we haven't… um… had the opportunity to explore the physical angle," he finished, slightly awkwardly, gesturing vaguely between them.
Queen Ravena narrowed her eyes just a fraction. "No physical angle?"
Kyllian coughed into his hand. "None. Not yet. But I assure you, we are… emotionally aligned."
Luna gave him a sharp sideways glance. Emotionally aligned? That wasn't even romantic. It sounded like a business merger.
"I just want to spend time with him, Mother," Luna added quickly. "To, you know, really build our bond. In private. Without… diagrams and… demonstrations."
"I still think she should take the class," Queen Ravena insisted She folded her arms in that tight royal way, as if her sheer willpower could bend her daughter into submission.
Luna groaned inwardly. She was so close to escaping the mortifying ordeal of the Marriage Class. But of course, nothing ever went her way without strings, shackles, and a healthy dose of public humiliation.
"We can do both!" Kyllian interjected suddenly.
Her head snapped toward him, eyes wide in alarm.
"She can spend time with me at my pack and still attend the marriage class there," he added, as if he'd just solved world peace. "I can get her a private tutor."
"Wait… what?" Luna muttered under her breath, her words only loud enough for Kyllian to hear as she stared at him.
"Splendid!" Queen Ravena clapped her hands with delighted finality, turning toward a servant to bark new travel arrangements. "Oh, you two make such a lovely couple. This will be so good for you, Luna. Hands-on experience and professional instruction!"
Kyllian gave a deep bow, looking so pleased with himself Luna wanted to trip him with her shoe. "I will let you be now, Your Highness. I'll take Princess Luna along when I leave."
Luna's face was a tight mask of rage as she walked beside him, the image of royal grace until they cleared the grand hallway and the heavy double doors sealed behind them.
"What the hell was that?" she hissed, pinching him hard in the ribs with two sharp fingers.
Kyllian winced but didn't stop walking. "Ow! What are you? Princess Crab Claw? Calm down."
"What the fuck are you doing?" she barked in a whisper, throwing her hands in the air.
"I'm saving our asses!" he whispered back, throwing her a smug look. "You want out of the royal palace, right? Congratulations, I got you the keys. All you have to do is sit through a few lectures with someone explaining what a cock is."
"I am not attending a marriage class!" Luna fumed, planting her feet.
Kyllian turned to face her fully. "And I'm not spending the rest of my life with a woman who doesn't know how to fuck!"
Luna gasped so dramatically it echoed down the corridor. "I know how to fuck!" she hissed, glancing around to make sure no servants were nearby, cheeks flaming.
He raised an eyebrow. "Oh, do you now? I wonder… do your parents know that?" He tapped his chin mock-thoughtfully. "I could just march back in there right now, announce you're experienced, practiced, and perhaps even a little wild. Would save your mom the stress."