Abbi and I arrived at the castle gates, both of us looking as gorgeous as ever. The guards at the door take our papers and let us in.

       “You know, I'd be down to just settle with one of these guards,” Abbi bluntly joked - a thing she does whenever she's really nervous.

        I don't blame her. The whole castle and the build-up anticipation of seeing the prince were extremely nerve-wracking.

      We entered the Great Hall to see hundreds and thousands of more beautiful girls excitedly chattering in small clusters. Abbi and I stood near the back, not wanting to draw the attention of the obviously rich girls.

     A bell chimed and a voice rang out, making every girl in here jump. “Alright, ladies. We will begin now. When I call your name, just walk up, bow, and introduce yourself personally to His Highness. Thank you. ”

     Names started to ring out one by one, while I stood there, remembering the most insignificant details from earlier - like how the guards were not accepting anyone who's dresses or whole look that was not 'proper enough'.

     They had no right to do that !!! Those poor girls' dresses were perfectly fine! ARGH! They could have just let them in! Liars !!! If only-

     Abbi shook me, stopping me mid-thought. “Vera! Vera !!! They called your name !!! ”

        “Oh.” I said.

      I started to walk up, still fuming with the anger and pity for those girls which made me walk confidently, head held up high. I marched towards the front and slipped through the curtains and to the other side. Let's see what kind of an idiot and cruel of a prince lets his guards rate the 'properness' of dresses! They're guys, for God's sake !!!

       A maid stopped me a foot away from the rolled out carpet that led to the steps and then to the throne. I curtsied, averting my eyes to the ground, afraid that my anger would get the best of me too soon.

      “Miss Estienne, you know you can look at the Prince now. He won't eat you. ” The announcer chuckled.

       “I'm not afraid of the Pri-” I cut myself short as I raised my head and looked at the Prince. Cold sweat started to trail down my back as I gulped down hard.

        I stared horridly at the Prince. “Y-your Highness.” I curtsied again.

      “Pleasure to meet again, Miss.” Knox said, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “I am Prince Theodore Knox Aldridge, as you know. And you are? ”

       “I am Vera Mae Estienne.”

       “How old are you?” He bluntly asked.

       “Oh, um, seventeen, Your Highness.”

      The longer I looked into his eyes, the more I found myself unable to look away. It was scary. There was something about him that called to me spiritually - like I found my other half. My soul.

       I gasped, my eyes wide. My soulmate.

    Knox coldly smirked, even though his body was relaxed, dismissive but also dominant. “Well, a pleasure to know your name, Vera.”

       “Thank you, Your Highness.”

       I curtsied again and almost turned around when the maid stopped me. I looked to see Knox talking to the announcer quietly.

       The announcer nodded and whispered to another guard.

      The guard bowed and walked towards me. He ushered me out of the room and down to a narrow hallway. “Excuse me, sir, would you mind telling me where we are headed?”

       The guard was silent, giving me the cold shoulder.

       Oh, I see how it is. I glared at him instead.

       We passed by many people who gasped at me, making me fidget with my dress.

     Was something wrong? What if I misinterpreted the feeling of Knox being my soulmate? What if I was wrong and now they're going to get rid of me because I smiled at the Prince! Me, an unmarried girl, smiled at the Prince!!! What a humiliating thing to do!!! Argh!!! Oh, they're SO going to kill me!!! I sharply sighed, seeing that the guard was leading me to more narrow, more dark, and less populated hallways.

       He soon shoved me into a pitch-black room, where I was robbed of my senses, and it was extremely cold. My eyes adjusted a little but I still had a hard time trying to get my eyes to see.

        A door clicked open, after a minute or two. “Hello?”

      A low growl came from the door area. I barely had time to see that it was a huge wolf before it walked and circled me.

      I was stuck in the middle of the room, frozen. Suddenly a chill went up my spine as I felt a tail flicker at my fingertips. 

       I became dizzy as I felt some liquid drip down my fingertips. . .

       It bit me. . .b-but how? I didn't even feel anything. . .