Heading outside we went into the garden as I heard Maria sighing.
"I'm sorry I got snippy with you," I apologize since I felt guilty. Since I knew in my heart what she was saying is all true. Ugh! No, I don't wanna admit this!
"It's fine, Sally," Maria said accepting my apology. "Now are you going to stop denying what we both already know?"
I couldn't help but laugh this time at her nagging persistence.
"I told you I feel nothing for him. Nor do I want him and I am genuinely happier when he isn't around."
Now Maria lost it even louder as we walked around the garden flowers.
"Now that's not what I heard," Maria playfully mocked me.
"Oh," I played along and asked. "And what did you hear?"
Maria laughed and said. "Come on now, Sally! Men talk like us ladies too. The topics might be different but they still talk. Before coming to your room when I was getting Samuel ready to head down. I overheard Cory tell my husband, JJ, and Jay that he felt bad that he never informed you about how his daily routine typically goes. He said he could tell you needed him and he knew you felt lonely."
"What made him think he is even reading me correctly," I mumbled sarcastically.
Maria laughed and said. "Well, let's see here. Because they're trained and can read anyone! He'll know if your hiding something or lying."
"Well, he's just wishful thinking. I didn't need him. I only wanted to know how long he'd be gone. So I knew how long I'd enjoy my alone time without him home." I stubbornly said.
"Ah, but yet he said you got so dazed by him that you tripped over the coffee table!" Maria cracked up insanely.
I knew now, I was beaming cherry red like these lovely flowers we just passed.
Yet, I couldn't help but laugh with her.
"I can see why Cory formed an imprint on you," Maria claimed teasingly. "You are quite stubborn like him."
Goodness, I couldn't stop laughing with her. Maria was too sweet to keep my stubbornness up.
"Ok, fine!" I gave in and confessed. "Maybe I noticed some changes but it still doesn't mean I love him nor do I wanna marry him!"
Maria said smiling at my confession. "It's ok, Sally. Just let the bond take its course. It takes longer for us to connect with the bond but before you know it. You'll fall in love with him. The moon phase will only bring out the bond more. After the moon phase, you'll start denying it less. The moon phase will help form the imprint between you too. During it, you'll crave him badly to have his baby. It will be quite miserable for you."
Yet, I said feeling disappointed. "I wish this wasn't happening. Like how I wish men could have heat cycles. This way I wouldn't have to face it. I don't wanna marry a man I don't love nor did I want any of this."
Maria genuinely smiled and said. "The bond takes time to form with us. Men are pathetic they can't ever stop thinking about sex. Whereas most women could care less. That's why they don't go into heat cycles. It starts at age fifteen for males is when their hormones go off. Then at fifty their testosterone spike even higher. Which can make an older teenage boy very edgy and moody. I even noticed a change in Jake. He's been on the moody side lately. I'm sure before too long he'll start fighting over girls. And will cause some trouble around here."
"Yes, I knew that about men and teenage boys," I exclaimed.
"Let's take a right turn here on this pathway," Directed Maria to change the topic. "Then will hike the trails in the woods."
I barely nod and we turned to our right and entered the trail inside the woods and started following it.
"So tell me how did it go with you and Cory yesterday?" Maria asked me as we hiked along the trails and ran into a few girls playing with some wolf pups that stood no higher than your knee. "I heard you and Cory were both hitting it off."
"Well, besides the fact he was annoying," I began. "It wasn't too bad we walked the woods, I meet the wolf pack, and then we stayed up late." I shared.
"Is that it?" Maria asked giggling.
"Well, he confessed his feelings toward me but I'll admit. I was trying to convince him to take Rachel as a Primary Queen instead of me." I honestly shared with her.
But her eyes and mouth gaped widely. "Sally, you didn't! Maria said shocked as ever.
But I rolled my eyes and asked. "Wouldn't you think she'd be more qualified to be a Primary Queen over me?"
"No, Sally she wouldn't," Maria said being quite serious. "Rachel is a horrible wicked hybrid woman!"
"I knew she was insane but how bad is she?" I asked feeling a bit confused.
"Look, Sally, I didn't wanna say anything before but I think you need to know this. Within the past couple of years, Cory let Rachel take over like she was going to be our Primary Queen. He even allowed her to stay in his spare rooms. It's usually what a Royal will do if he debating on marrying a certain Princess. These spare rooms are considered the rooms where Kings or the Head King will allow the Princess to stay. If he's debating or planning on marrying her. If he decides to marry her she'll stay in that room after the engagement too."
"Oh, sure! I said interpreting. "But I'm the one forced to share his actual room!"
"Sally that isn't the point here!" Maria asserted trying to make me listen.
"Ok, Continue," I said.
"Anyways, most of us got worried about it. She started bossing her authority over us. And I even lost my first pureblood friend named Miranda. Rachel divided us up between, Purebloods, formal slaves, and tubebabies. Once we were all friends but now we are like rivals and constantly bickering with each other. And neither Cory nor the Primaries did anything to correct it. They allowed the cunning woman to take control. Rachel hates tubebaby women because we don't have a bloodline and disliked any formal slaves marrying the Highest-ranked men. Rachel isn't loving like Amelia, Cory's sisters, or the other Queens, and Elder Queens who cared about everyone equally."
"I can't believe that," I said trying to hide my heartbreak. "He was going to marry her." I felt hurt to hear he lied to me yesterday about his feelings for Rachel and he allowed this to happen.