The Luna Trials

Chapter 47

Chapter 47 Savannah opened the door into the dark room, noticing at once that the curtains werestill closed despite it being well past noon.

Nothing changed in the last few weeks.

"Hey," she checked if the owner of the chambers was there, but no response followed.

However, she distinctly heard some movement inside.

“Elene,” Savvy decided to enter without invitation.

Kai told her to leave his sister alone, to give her the space she needed.

And as a result, Elene spent day after day alone in the darkness.

The news of Penelope’s death was devastating for her.

She found the northern Princess in the corner behind her bed.

Elene was sitting on the floor, hugging her knees, her golden hair undone and reaching theground.

The air in the room seemed stuffy.

"Did you eat anything today?" Savvy asked, and silence was her answer once again.

This was no way to go on.

She walked deeper into the room and slid down to the floor next to Elene.

One could hear a pin drop there.

The Northern Princess did not react, and they sat like this in complete silence for a while.

"Your brother is worried about you, you know." Savannah sighed and leaned her head against the cold wall.

“And he needs you.

Probably more than ever before.

Your country is falling apart, the war is on its doorstep, and enemies are all around us.” For a few moments, Elene said nothing, but then she asked, “Did shesuffer?" Her voice was trembling, and so was her small frame.

Savannah knew that she meant Penelope, and some part of her wanted to tell her the dead lycaness was never her friend in the first place.

Her speech right before her demise was horrible and cruel.

However, Savvy feared this would probably only break her almost sister-in-law irreparably.

“No,” she said honestly.

“Not really.

He snapped her neck; everything happened very fast.

I don't think she even had the time to process what was happening.” And now Savannah was the one being blamed for this.

After Bjorn mentioned that she had "slayed her competition", at least half of the Northern Lycan Kingdom started hating her instantlysince Penelope was the only one dead.

They got Bjorn’s little hint.

Everyone used to see Penelope as the North's sweetheart and the best candidate for the role of the Luna.

Her father was an Alpha of a prominent lycan pack, and he was fuming.

Things were bad.

"That's probably the best way, right?" Elene looked at her questioningly, and Savvy forced a little smile on her face, nodding.

“Her funeral was beautiful,” she added.

“Everyone was missing you.” “And I will miss her…

Pen was the only one who always was on my side.” This time, Savannah chose not to comment because tellingthe truth wasn't an option right now, considering how fragile the lycaness next to her was and lying to her face wasn't a good idea either.

“I saw her,” Elene said suddenly, wrinkling her nose.

“Who?” Savvy’s stomach churned.

"Gideon's wife." The northerner looked away, fidgeting with the edge of her long nightgown.

"I saw both of them through the window." She bit her lip almost to the point of bleeding and then exhaled heavily.

“She is so …

perfect." Savannah wondered if this was part of why the woman stayed in her room the whole time.

Not only had her so-called best friend just died, but the love of her life was also here with his beautiful, flawless mate.

The two always radiated happiness.

Savannah loved them both, but she knew how a person with a broken heart could feel nextto them.

It was a lot to take in for anyone.

“Yeah.

Riannon is amazing.

It's not always easy to be in the same room with her,” she admitted.

So many times after Zack's betrayal, she questioned herself, thinking that maybe it was her fault he couldn’t choose her over everything.

Perhaps, if she could be more like Ria, everything would have played out differently.

Only now, with Kai by her side, she knew her imperfections weren’t the problem.

He loved her the way she was.

He loved her for the way she was.

ELI "And it looked like he loves her a lot." Elene threw her head back and closed her eyes, swallowing a sob thatthreatened to escape her.

“He does.” Once again, Savvy chose not to lie.

"They are perfect for each other." For about a minute, none of them said a word.

“I’m sorry,” Elene tried to hold back her tears.

"I know you like her, and he's your brother- and they are mates.

He never looked at me like that.

Even when I thought he liked

me.

Of course, now I know he never did, and I imagined it all.

You probably think I'm a horrible pathetic person." "I think you’re a passionate person ready to do everything for the ones she loves.

That being said, you really did give me a hard time when I arrived.” Savvy let out a little laugh,and Elene smiled for the first time in forever.

"I did, didn't 1? I tried to push you away.

ignoring how much Kai was smitten with you.

I pushed Penelope into this competition and practically forced her to take part.

If not for me, she would probably be alive now!" That glimpse of that weak smile was gone again.

"You don't know that," Savannah tried to choose her words carefully.

"Penelope was a grown woman and had her own ambitions.

She did not give me the impression of someone who could be pushed around easily, so the decision was always hers.

All you did was give your best friend a helping hand when she needed it.” “Is he at least happy?” The northern Princess returnedto the previous topic spontaneously.

“Gideon looks really happy with her,” she muttered.

“Of course, they will be happy.

They are mates.

Who am I to question that?! What I feel is irrelevant-” “I’m not going to tell you that your feelings are irrelevant when I am deeply in love withyour brother, and I'm not his mate.

In fact, what I feel for him is much bigger and deeper than whatever I feltfor my own mate.

It can’t compare.”

Elene looked at her.

For the first time, she really looked at her and then nodded slightly, brushing her hair with her fingers as if she had just rememberedwho she was and what she probably looked like today.

“I’ll get over it,” she promised quietly.

“I already did once.

It just…

wasn't the best time to see them." "Good," Savannah found her hand on the floor and gave it a little squeeze.

"Kai is worried sick about you, and he has a lot on his plate right now.” “You said thathe needs my help," Elene straightened her back like a true royal should.

"How can I be of assistance to him?" "He needs your help with what you can do best.” Savvy furrowed her brows, playing with her NorthStar necklace.

"Darius Bjorn has made a speech, undermining Kai after everything that happened at the Luna Trials.

Unfortunately, it's working in his favour, and many in the media are on his side now.

Their loyalties are shifting.

It looks terrible, if I am honest." "What about the twins7″ Elene’s whole expression changed.

Now she looked collected, un just as Savvy used to see her when she arrived in the North.

"Surprisingly, they don't speak much about it," the Westerner admitted.

"I see," Ellene stood up and went to her walk-in closet, going through the racks with clothes.

"This will not do." Savannah followed her, impressed by the sudden change.

She figured out in the very beginning that the Princess was the one to control Chloe and Claude.

At the same time, the famous siblings controlled the voice of the nation.

They could bend the narrative any way they liked.

"What are you going to do?" Savvy wondered, leaning against the door frame and watching the girl in front of herpicking a beautiful white tweed dress with pearls.

"I am going to remind them that the show must go on,” Elene clenched her lips, but slowly, they curled into a vague smile.

"After all, we haven't aired the last episode of The Luna Trials yet.

We can still turn everything around!" Savvy left her room in relief, hoping Elene would do everything she promised.

"How did it go?" Kyle caught her on the way back.

"Better than I expected," Savannah smirked and jabbed him with her elbow slightly.

"And how lovely it is to see you!" Kyle's house arrest may have been over, but he still spent most ofhis time in Evelyn's room.

"We saw each other yesterday!" The guy rolled his eyes as he went down the longcorridor.

“That was the day before yesterday!” She retorted.

"Seriously, what are you doing there?!" A smug expression appeared on his face and she ran her palm over her face.

"Wait! Don't tell me!" "What can I say, we clicked like two pieces of a puzzle, like Yin and Yang, like…”Kyle was listing the things he probably considered poetic.

“Yeah, got the idea!” Savvy let out a laugh.

"You finally have a girlfriend!" "Look who's talking!" He teased her and then mimicked her voice, “I only come to the North forthe alliance! I will never love again! Blah-blah-blah!" Savvy narrowed her eyes at him, "And you are going to be Petra's step-daddy!" She cackled menacingly, and Kyle had to give up.

"Anyway, what do you need from me now?" Kyle asked.

"Lynn and I will do anything to help." "Lynn and I,” Savannah tasted the words on her tongue.

"Gosh, K, you are seriously in love!" "Shh!" He placed his finger to his lips.

"Not so loud! So, what do you need?" "Alot, Kyle.

A lot!” she admitted easily.

"We have a lot of work to do before the big announcement in a week.” “Everything has to be perfect!” Elene was checking everyone in line as ifthey were her troops.

"We need to perform as a united front! This is the only way!” She glanced at Gideon, andhe nodded politely, keeping his beautiful wife, in an elegant golden dress, close.

Riannon was glowing.

"We will do our best." She assured the Northern Princess, and Elene forced a smile.

It was still slightly awkward, but they were getting there.

"Are we really doing this?" Savannah asked, and Kai entwined their fingers together as he held her hand.

She looked radiant today in a dress one of the best Northern designers was ordered to make for the occasion byElene.

The delicate pale lilac colour wasn't the regal purple just yet, but it hinted that the crown would adorn this woman’s head verysoon.

The embroidery shimmered in intricate traditional Northern patterns, and the North Star necklace sparkled on herneck.

This was an off-shoulder gown with long flared sleeves, and Savvy had her hair down, only two diamond hairpins keeping her locks in placeon the right side of her head - one in the shape of the Northern Star and the other - a crescent.

Elene was the first to walk out to the oversized balcony, where they would address people.

In the square below, thousands of Northerners gathered to glimpse not just one but two royal families.

Something so rare that most people travelled from afar to witness it.

The security had to be tripled, and Kai let Western warriors join them.

Gideon and Riannon followed Elene, greeted by the people with loud, joyous screams.

It was announced just one day before that the Lycan King of the Western Kingdom arrived here with his Queen, which could only mean one thing.

They weren’t enemies anymore.

Although hostility was in both countries' history for centuries, it was exhausting.

And in the modern world, people have desired peace for quite some time.

Not to mention, there were bigger threats over there.

"Of course, we are doing this," Kai smiled at his future bride.

“In fact, I can’t wait anymore.

So, shall we?" "Yes, we shall!" Savvy took a deep breath, and they walked out in the open.

The light of 5/9 the Northern sky blinded them temporarily, and immediately a drone flew to film them from up close.

They waved at the people, and Savannah tried to look confident despite being nervous.

The stress of the past weeks was finally catching up with her.

Kai didn't let go of her hand the whole time, which helped her a lot.

She could feel his support; she knew he was there for her despite everything.

He would get her through this day.

About a week before, Chloe and Claude started stage one of their plan.

The footage of Bjorn running around the maze and away from lycan warriors, hiding underground when he could and making his people do thesame, was released.

With the twins commenting mercilessly on all that, of course.

That video was followed by footage of Savannah getting out of the silver pit by literally leaving her mark onit.

But the cherry on the cake was Mikaela’s interview.

The cat did not want to owe anything to the lycaness, so she made it very clear that Savvy defeated her in the Trials butthen made sure to come back to get her out when the explosions started, probably saving her life.

The Truthteller also helped, posting a few "candid" images of Elene and Savannah very comfortable in each other’s company and claiming that.

And then a few more of

Savannah with Kai.

It did not convince everyone that she was the best Luna for the North, but the mood shifted slightly in her favour.

After all, she did prove herself as a true warrior.

The announcement today was the second part of their plan.

They waited some more, and the remaining contenders joined them as their esteemed guests.

Astrid, Petra, Naya, Inga, Celia, Brigit and Mikaela stood in a line behind them.

"I heard you are from the Southern Republic, Astrid," Riannon smiled at the girl right next to her.

"That's a long way!" "It is, Your Majesty," the she-wolf lowered her head slightly.

"It's one of the reasons ! was happy to participate in the Trials.

The opportunity to travel here was priceless, and I would hardly get a second chance like this.” “We should fix that, don’t you think?”Ria said with her lips curled into a smile.

"The Southern Republic has a lot of common history with Western and Northern Lycan kingdoms.

I am about to open a student exchange program for young shifters.

Maybe you could help me to contact someone in the Republic about that? This could be beneficial to all ofus." "I think my father would be particularly interested in something like this," Astrid looked excited.

"He is actually a big fan of yours." "He is a fan of my wife?” Now Gideon joined their quiet conversation.

“Of her reforms,” Astrid chuckled understandingly.

"I am his only daughter, and what your wife did for women’s rights is amazing.

My father uses her as an example now, and I hope to follow in her footsteps.” “News sure travelsfast!" Naya snorted.

"Good to see you here, Naya." Gideon greeted the werecat, and she stretched her lips into an uncomfortable smile.

"Your mother and I will have a nice chat when I get home.” “To thank her for all the help Naya offered Savvy here?”Petra interjected, forgetting the protocol.

No one could speak to any of the kings unless they addressed them, but Petra was…

Petra.

“Sure,” Gideon’s eyes gleamed menacingly.

"Let's call it that." "It was my pleasure!" Naya sneered.

She knew very well that the cats won't be praised for withholding vital information, but she also knew that her mother was aware of what she wasdoing and how to fix possible problems.

After all, everything done here was for the greater good of the whole Western Kingdom, and cats were a partof that.

Although the King wouldn't be happy and some form of punishment would follow, he had to see that only good came out of this decision.

And the proof was right before their eyes now.

Kai and Savannah were done waving, and the King of the North raised his hand, demanding silence from his subjects.

"Thank you, everyone, for sharing this glorious day with us!" Kai spoke as thousands of eyes were on him.

"From the beginning of The Luna Trials, there was only one woman! saw as my perfect match.

She amazed me time after time and earned my trust, not to mention capturing my heart.

As I hope I did hers.

Savannah Stormhold, the Princess of the Western Lycan Kingdom, sister of King Gideon Stormhold, arrived at the North as someone no one wanted to see.

Everything and everyone was against her, but she managed to quickly prove her worth and wisdom.

Her fighting skills and inner strength are something for everyone to strive for, She even made more friends arnong the contenders than anyone else.

Savannah did not come here to win, and I was not looking for love either.

But just as it doesn't matter if we seek the North Star in the sky or not, it shines brightly upon our heads anyway.

So did our feelings for each other.

It is my luck that the woman I am in love with is also the best Lycan Queen candidatewe could ask for! The North will only accept the Luna that is worthy.

And I am proud to say that Savannah meets all criteria! I am happy to announce that this remarkable woman has just agreed to become my wife,Queen and one and only Luna oł the North!" The crowds burst into applause and cheers, chanting their names.

Savannah was slightly astonished at how easy it was to change their opinions of her.

She managed to do it in such a short time, with the help of a few articles, photos and videos.

She wanted the best for the country, but it was scary how effortlessly one could manipulate people.

Elene stepped close to the couple with a white velvet cushion in her hands and bowed to the two of them as she was supposed to.

"Thank you, sister," Kai smiled at her as he took their mother’s engagement ring.

"Shaped as the North Star," corners of Savannah's lips tugged slightly upwards in excitement.

"Why am I not surprised?" "You see, Savvy," Kai took her hand into his and lifted it to his lips, kissing it gently before sliding the preciousantique diamond ring onto her finger and then brushing his fingers over the necklace on her neck.

“They come together.

You get one; you are definitely getting the other.

You were my Luna from the moment I put this around your neck.” “Cheeky!” She tried not to roll her eyesas all the cameras were on them.

The crowd exploded for the two of them.

They liked what they saw.

And when Kai pulled his now-bride-to-be into his embrace to cover her lips with a modest kiss, the people in thesquare lost it completely, screaming and clapping.

"I think this went well," Savannah whispered, and Kai captured her lips quickly again because he couldn’thelp himself.

Official events were challenging as they had to behave in a certain way to play the expected roles.

They turned to the people, and, once again, the Northern King raised his hand to get the silence he needed to continuewith the speeches.

Now it was Savvy’s turn to speak.

"People of the North," she started, scanning the faces below with a warm expression.

"I am most grateful for the chance to become your future Luna.

I hope to bring peace and prosperity to these lands, and I swear to fight for you until the dayI die.

I am in love with not only your king but with the North itself! This is a land of proudwarriors, beautiful legends and wonderful traditions.

I hope to be deserving of the honour to lead you together with your King, andI pray that you accept me in my new role." "Our marking ceremony will take place tomorrow!" Kai chimed in, taking the weight of responsibility off her.

"And our wedding and coronation are scheduled in accordance with our traditions and Fenrir’s will – on the firstnight of Aurora!" More cheers followed.

It was considered good luck for the King and the Queen to get married on early Aurora nights.

Kai and Savannah needed all the luck they could get.

Because the celebratory part of the speech was over, and the most important part was about to begin.

"As you probably understand, these weren't just empty words about peace and prosperity.

Savannah helped me and her brother, King Gideon, to form an alliance between our Kingdoms! We are committed to protecting our countries together from the common threat! If, of course,one can say that about the bears and foxes.

Darius Bjorn has made some serious claims recently, especially for a man who likes to hide in the sewers and ancient people’s graves.

I challenged him to a real fight many times, and each time he ran! This time, all he did was destroy an old, empty city and kill onegirl, while blaming another for her death! If he thinks this is the king that the North needs, he needs to think again!" Shouts of approval supported him, and a drone flew in for a closer shot.

Kai looked into the camera, saying the following words.