The Hidden Luna Queen 2

MAEVE POV

I felt warm.

Uncharacteristically warm. It was nothing like the boiling heat of a fever, but rather the warmth of a new day, shining down

on me.

My body creaked and groaned like worn wood as I rolled flat onto my back. I didn't recall going to sleep with such discomfort... I must've slept in an odd position.

I rubbed my eyes, still bleary and clouded with thick layers of sleep. When I opened my eyes this time, wincing with the shining of the bright sun, I lifted a hand to block the light. And, slowly, everything came into focus.

I was, indeed, no longer in my bedroom, but a small, private grassy field, beautifully decorated with well-groomed flowers and shapely shrubbery. And there, just behind the flora, was an all too familiar greystone mansion. I was in the gardens behind our home. When did I get here?

This couldn't have been one of those dreams. The few times I'd experienced them were distinct, down to the 't. Without fail, I would always awaken in that field of purple wildflowers, soaking in their sweet scent... and I would always find myself in the company of-it. That voice.

Omniscient and terrifying and, yet, brimming with a sort of warmth and tenderness that I'd never felt from anyone else. Everything and nothing like Xaden all at once.

I waited, almost painstakingly, for the voice to show up, to make its presence known once again to me. To say something... anything... to me, omens or kind thoughts, so long as I could relish in the sweet sound of it wrapping around me like a distant memory. It never came.

Not a word, nor a whisper, or even a breath to show that I was not alone here, in this dreamlike world that we had come to share.

What's going on...? I thought to myself, rolling my hand over my stomach-

-only to instead land on soft, flat flesh. A faint yet familiar echo of the body I used to have, though considerably more fed than before... and very much void of the growing baby that resided there.

My heart dropped with a sickening thud, searching for any hint of the bump I used to have. But it wasn't there.

Where... where's my baby?

This was a dream. It had to be, though the thought did nothing to alleviate my panic.

I needed to find someone. Anyone.

I hurried to my feet, recovering quickly when I almost stumbled in the grass, and ran to the mansion's back door. The grass felt wonderful beneath my bare feet, fresh and cool despite the sun's warmth, and the breeze felt like heaven against my skin, but I couldn't stop.

I had just reached the door, breathless and desperate, my hand just inches away from the handle, when the door suddenly swung open.

And there he was.

Xaden, in all his beautiful, magnificent glory, strode out of the door, looking every bit as regal and confident as ever.

And the moment his eyes landed on me, brilliant and green like the world around us, any fears or confusion I had vanished from my system.To access the complete chapters for free, visit Jo b ni b.com. "It's you..." I breathed.

"There's my Luna." The dashing grin he wore shined bright like the sun that beamed down on us through the canopy of trees.

"We were just on our way to find you."

We...?

And that was when I realized he was not alone.

Any words I wanted to say stalled in my throat, as well as any chance for breathing I might have had, as my gaze honed in on something huddled against his chest... a vision I hadn't expected to see. Cradled securely against his warm, broad chest, was a small bundle of innocent joy babbling in the safety of my mate's arms.

"My baby..." I whispered, the words slipping past my lips before I could comprehend them.

All I knew, and all I could see was him. My gaze greedily took in every little detail I could find. If there was any part of him that looked like me, or if he was all Xaden.

But... I saw nothing. Just blurred outlines of his features. I didn't know if he had Xaden's eyes or mine, if he had a button nose, or if he had his father's charming smile. Still, in the end, none of that mattered right now.

This was my little boy. I could feel it deep in my soul, even without seeing his face. He was here-in my dream.

Xaden bounced the child in his arms, gently and with adoring eyes, covering the small expanse of his back with just one hand. "He had enough of his bed and wanted to explore the gardens... I didn't have the heart to deny him."

At that, I couldn't stop the grin that stretched my face. "Wrapped around his little finger, are you?"

"Tight like a coil." He didn't even try to deny it.

Not that I could either. One glance and my heart was his.

I felt Xaden's gaze wash over me. "Here-" he murmured, adjusting our wriggling baby in his arms, "he wants you."

My eyes widened, flitting between him and our son. Anxiety prickled at me.

I'd never held a baby before. Every chance I might've had in the past was quickly thwarted by Father and Victoria-that I would befoul the baby with my impurity, or drop the baby because of how weak I was. Although, I now suspected it was to kill off any hopes of marrying out and leaving the family.

I was nervous... but my desire to hold him close was stronger than any fears I had.

Xaden expertly guided me as he put our child in my open arms, telling me where to put my hands and where he needed the most support.

He was lighter than I'd expected. Couldn't have been more than ten... twelve pounds. A comfortable sort of weight that was both addicting and dangerous... because that meant I would only have that much more trouble letting him go.

He was small. He was a figment of my imagination.

But he felt like home. He smelled like love.

And he was mine.