Samantha's whimpering reduced till it stopped totally.
'You are really incredible, do you know that?' I asked, filled with genuine admiration for her
'How so?' she asked wiping her eyes, and sneezing into the handkerchief I pulled from my bed drawer and gave to her.
'You were suffering such pain and you gave nobody any indication of what you had been through? You went about smiling and trying to make me feel happy and well', I said.
'But you are also, incredible', she said smiling at me tremulously. 'You endured what you did from a very young age, and didn't even let on'.
'I have apologised, Samantha', I said, sorrowfully.
'I'm not complaining. Far from it! I'm just stating a fact', she said
'Which is?' I asked, sceptically.
'That we're one of a kind. We are brave and woe betide anyone who messes with us!' she said, with an attempt at a joke and we both burst out laughing, hugging and crying all at the same time.
'Okay, enough about me and sad tales', she said wiping her eyes again. 'You have really come a long way from princess to maid and now to Luna'.
'I am not the Luna yet', I protested.
'But you will!' she insisted. 'You have a problem of choice here as I see it. For how long will you keep the both of them fighting over you?' she joked.
'You know that's not it. I would choose Alpha Christopher in an instant but there are alot of things involved.', I said, not knowing to put my feelings into words.
'What things are you talking about?' she asked narrowing her eyes at me. 'Don't tell me you're in love with both of them?'
'Has it not been known to happen?' I asked seriously.
'What?'
'I was pulling your leg. Seriously, I do not feel for Alpha Sylvester what I feel for Alpha Christopher. They look so alike but they are very different!' I said.
'Then it should be easy to make your choice and tell them about it!'
'The council of elders said one of the mates would have to die for the other to live with me and that is why I am hesitant'.
'You must love Sylvester', she said.
'Why do you say that?' I asked amused.
'You claim you want vengeance on Alpha Sylvester and you discover an easy way to make him pay and yet you hesitate!'
'I know if I announced that my choice was Christopher, based on their beliefs, Sylvester would die but I do not want to get my vengeance that way. He has wronged me so much in the past but I do not want to kill him in cold blood!' I do not know if I want to kill him at all. I want to teach him an unforgettable lesson, what lesson, I do not know yet but I surely will', I said and paused for a while. 'Also, I keep having this feeling that I might choose Alpha Christopher and it is he instead of Alpha Sylvester that dies!'
'How can that be? Are you afraid Alpha Sylvester would kill his own brother to be with you?' she asked.
'I am not saying that but fate can be very funny and yes, I wouldn't put it pass Sylvester to do that. Not because of any special feelings he has for me but for his ego!' I said.
'You have decided not to believe that Alpha Sylvester has feelings for you and nothing I say will make you believe', she said resignedly. 'I know that your eyes will soon be opened to the truth of my words'.
'If I didn't know better, I'd say you were in love with Alpha Sylvester', I said, laughing at the incredulous idea.
Samantha was quiet for a while.
'Are you in love with Alpha Sylvester?' I asked, not wanting to believe what her silence was indicating.
She suddenly started laughing. She laughed long and hard and I kept looking at her incredulously. What was so funny?
'Oh, Millicent', she said wiping tears from her eyes, and trying to stop laughing. 'I am a broken bereaved woman and you think I already fell in love with your Alpha?' she asked.
'I do not know what to think', I said.
'Would you be jealous if I were?' she asked suddenly.
'That's a rhetorical question. You're not in love with him and that is that. No need to ask if I'd be jealous when you know I won't be!' I said.
'Ate you sure?'
'I don't have such feelings for him!' I said.
'You know, when we were here, before I met my mate, I had a crush on him, much like almost all the girls, except for you of course', she said. 'And it was the one lady who hated his guts, that he got mated to. Irony of fate! And now, he has fallen in love with that same lady'.
'You are incorrigible', I laughed at her persistence. 'Okay, you'll believe what you will and I'll believe what I will'.
'Will your feelings for him change if he were indeed in love with you?' she asked and I was not sure I liked the question.
'What do you mean?' I asked frowning.
'Will you start liking him at least if his feelings of love for you turns out to be sincere?'
'No!' I said strongly. 'And Samantha, could we drop this topic?'. I felt uneasy and did not know why.
A knock on the door interrupted us.
'Who is it?' I asked, a little harshly.
'Breakfast is served, my Luna - to - be', a maid poked her head in and announced.
'Thank you', I said more gently. There was no need to take out my anger and frustration on her. 'We shall soon be down.
'The Alphas said, they would not start until you joined them', she said.
'We'll be there in no time', I assured the maid, smiling at her, to take the sting from any stinging response I may have given her.
'Time to get out of bed', Samantha said as soon as the maid was gone.
I heaved myself out of bed and we went into the bathroom to clean up quickly, and descended the stairs to have our breakfast.
