Chapter 9

Luna woke up feeling like she'd participated in an extreme CrossFit competition while drunk. Everything hurt. She had scratches in places she didn't know could get scratched, and she was pretty sure there was actual dirt in her mouth. Somehow there was a twig poking her in the back through the sheets, which made no sense because they'd definitely showered before bed.

"Why do I smell like wet dog?" she groaned into her pillow.

"Because you are a wet dog," Alexander mumbled back. "We both are. It rained at like 3 AM."

"That explains why my hair feels like I stuck it in a cotton candy machine." Luna tried to lift her head and immediately regretted it. "Did I actually try to catch a squirrel or was that a weird dream?"

"You tried to catch three squirrels. And a very judgmental raccoon." Alexander's voice was muffled by what appeared to be every pillow they owned. "I have video evidence."

"You did not take videos."

"Victoria did. For 'historical documentation purposes.'"

Luna grabbed the nearest pillow and tried to smother him with it, but her arms felt like overcooked spaghetti and she mostly just ended up flopping on top of him instead. He made a noise like a deflating balloon.

"Everything hurts," she whined.

"That's because someone thought parkour was an appropriate werewolf activity."

"The rabbit started it."

"The rabbit was minding its own business until you tried to recreate that scene from Point Break."

"I stuck the landing!"

"You landed in a bush. Face first. While making a noise like a squeaky toy being murdered."

Luna tried to argue but was interrupted by Victoria's arrival, which was heralded by the smell of coffee and the sound of judgmental heel-clicking against marble floors.

"Oh good, you're awake." Victoria's voice dripped with the kind of sweetness that meant they were in trouble. "I have so many fun videos to show the Council."

"You wouldn't," Luna said, finally managing to lift her head.

Victoria just smiled and held up her phone. On the screen, a distinctly soggy-looking golden wolf was attempting what appeared to be a backflip off a fallen log. It did not end well.

"To be fair," Alexander said diplomatically, "that log was very slippery."

"The log is not the problem." Victoria turned the phone to show another clip - this time of a large black wolf getting his tail stuck in what appeared to be some kind of thorny vine while trying to show off. "The problem is that I now have to somehow convince the Trade Council that you're both dignified rulers and not overgrown puppies with impulse control issues."

"We could cancel?" Luna suggested hopefully.

"The Swedish ambassador specifically requested your presence. And your cookies." Victoria's smile turned shark-like. "Speaking of which, Mrs. Chen wants to know if you're still capable of operating an oven or if the raccoon incident gave you permanent brain damage."

"It was a very aggressive raccoon," Luna muttered.

"It was eating garbage," Alexander pointed out. "Until you tried to make friends with it."

"It looked lonely!"

Victoria pinched the bridge of her nose. "Ninety minutes. I need you both showered, dressed, and looking like actual functioning members of society in ninety minutes. There's coffee, painkillers, and what Mrs. Chen calls her 'I made bad life choices' breakfast special. Please don't make me show these videos to your brothers."

"You're evil," Luna told her.

"I'm efficient." Victoria dropped a garment bag on the bed. "Shower. Now. You still have leaves in places I don't want to think about."

The next hour was a blur of hot water, coffee, and Victoria's increasingly creative threats. Luna discovered muscles she didn't know she had, all of them screaming. The breakfast helped - Mrs. Chen had included her famous hangover hash browns and enough bacon to feed a small army.

"I can't believe you're making me wear heels," Luna complained as Victoria attacked her hair with various implements of torture. "I can barely walk in slippers right now."

"The Trade Council expects a queen," Victoria said firmly. "Not someone who spent last night trying to start a dance party with local wildlife."

"That deer was totally vibing with me."

"That deer was trying to escape."

Alexander looked unfairly put together when Luna finally emerged, though she noticed he was walking like someone had replaced his spine with rusty pipe cleaners. Someone had managed to tame his hair into submission, though there was still a suspicious leaf behind his ear.

"You look beautiful," he said softly.

Luna smoothed down her dress, feeling weirdly shy despite having spent the previous night rolling in actual mud with him. "You clean up okay yourself. Even with the leaf."

He reached up to touch his ear, looking betrayed. Victoria slapped his hand away before he could mess up his hair.

"Seven minutes," she announced. "And if either of you mentions the raccoon incident during trade negotiations, I'm releasing the blooper reel."

But her expression softened when Alexander offered Luna his arm, both of them moving like slightly concussed penguins.

"For what it's worth," Victoria said quietly, "you make a good pair. Even when you're trying to start dance parties with deer."

"That deer had rhythm," Luna insisted.

"Do not make me show the video."

The Trade Council meeting was actually not terrible, though Luna had to sit on a cushion because apparently doing action movie stunts in wolf form left interesting bruises. The Swedish ambassador did indeed request her cookies, and only Victoria's death glare kept Luna from mentioning that they were technically inspired by a very judgmental raccoon.

"Did you really have to tell him they're called Moon Madness Cookies?" she asked later as they finally, finally changed into sweatpants.

"Victoria's idea." Alexander pulled her close, both of them wincing. "Something about branding. Also, you still have a leaf in your hair."

"How? I showered twice!"

"Nature finds a way." He kissed her forehead. "Think anyone noticed you sitting on that cushion?"

"Think anyone noticed you walking like a malfunctioning robot?"

"You still have better moves than that deer."

Luna smiled against his chest, breathing in the familiar scent of his laundry detergent mixed with what was definitely still wet dog despite multiple showers. "My hero."

They were still debating the deer's dancing abilities when Mrs. Chen sent up lunch, complete with more bacon and a note that said "Next time wear kneepads. And maybe a helmet."

Luna looked at Alexander, his perfect suit wrinkled and his hair already escaping its styling. She thought about last night - the failed parkour attempts and the judgmental raccoon and the way he'd helped her get unstuck from no less than three different bushes without laughing (much). She thought about this morning, about muscle aches and coffee and Victoria's blackmail material.

"I love you," she said, because it was true and because she could. "Even when you're denying that deer's obvious dance talent."

"I love you too." He pulled her closer, careful of their various bruises. "Even when you're trying to befriend garbage-eating raccoons."

"It was a very charming raccoon."

He kissed her quiet, tasting like coffee and bacon and home.

Sometimes that was everything.

Especially when Victoria promised to only show the raccoon video at their anniversary party.