I gazed at the mirror profoundly as my eyelashes batted in astonishment. Never in my whole life, did I ever imagine that I would wear such a pretty dress. I savoured the moment, as my eyes trailed on every edges of the laced dress.
"Is she ready? My stepmother suddenly flung the door open revealing her cunningly face. The maids by my side nodded her head, agitated by Gina's presence. She did a coutsey, bowing slightly but
stepmother ignored her.
squinting her eyes Gina fixed her gazed on me. "What is this? I said to dress her up, I didn't tell you to make her
look gorgeous." She said and lurched to where I stood erect. She allowed her hands to trail on the diamond necklace on my neck, my muscles stiffened up as I was suddenly griped with fear.
"What do we have here? She said and yanked the diamond necklace from my neck and it snapped.
"No! My lips quivered as I reached out to the necklace in her hand but sheheld my wrist and spun me around, I tripped and landed on my kneel. My eyes were filled with tears as I gazed at the precious necklace my mother had given me before she died. "You ungrateful brat! Gina shrilled as she raised
her hand to strike me across my face and I shut my eyes instinctively awaiting the raw pain of her hands lashing at my cheeks, but I felt nothing.
I slowly fluttered my eyes open and saw that her hand hung in the air. Her fist clenched as she slowly brought her hand down, while gritting her teeth. "You should thank your stars that today is Tara's birthday party, I would have made sure you payed for this." She threatened and then gazing at
the necklace in her hand she flung it away and it landed abrasively on the floor.
"Makes sure you don't mess this up, be a good girl today, and perhaps for the first time in a while you might eat dinner." She said dusting her hand on her red glamorous gown. She hated the fact that she had
touched my mother's necklace...she acted as though it was some diseased animal.
The trumpet sounded audibly, signifying it was time for Tara to make an entrance. Gina swiftly turned around and made for the door.
"Oh dear Tara is not ready yet! I heard her mutter under her breath while she
glided towards the door majestically.
I picked myself up from the floor, staring down at the necklace on the floor,tears whelmed up in my eyes.
"You can do this Jasmine, be strong." I consoled myself and quickly wiped the tears away from my eyes. I inhaled sharply and started making my way to the door, slow and steady just the way the maid had taught me. I must be conscious of my step at all times.
That was the rule attached to
royalty. I was just in time to see Tara gliding down from one of the double staircase leading to the interior part of the mansion. Her tiara rested on her head as she used her hand to raise her dress up a slightly
while her gown bellowded her from behind. This should be me, I should be the one wearing that dress, I should be the one getting all this attention but my case was contrary.
I can't believe father lied to Alpha Graham and told everyone that Tara was his eldest daughter. He was ashamed of me, ashamed of the person I had become. My fate was sealed the very day I couldn't shape shift into a werewolf on my 18th birthday. My eyes locked with that of Tara and she gave me a sly smirk, then flashed a quick smile at the crowd while waving her hand curtly.
"This is my beloved daughter Tara," Father announced while stretching out his hand, Tara placed her lean hands on his and did a quick courtesy. "Is that a sapphire diamond necklace! A woman beside me gushed with bulging eyes. The necklace Tara was wearing was radiating with perfection
under the grandeur of the party. It sparkled under the glittering chandelier, and was drawing attention
.
Alpha Graham was coming all the way from SilverCrust pack to choose a Luna who will rule by his side as queen. He had specifically told father that he wanted his eldest daughter, the one next in
line to the throne, and that was me. But Tara snatched everything away from me, my happiness, my peace and know my right to become a bride.
"Let the party begin! Father's voice echoed across the halls and immediately there was revelling and cheerful clinging of glasses filled the air.
I felt uneasy and decided to help myself to a glass of juice. The aura in the room was so
overwhelming, all the Alpha from each prominent pack in the capital was present today....all except one. Alpha Graham...his name rang in my ear. He was portrayed as some kind of demigod.
Unable to register how it would actually feel to see him face to face, I glided down the hall and made my way to a servant serving the guest drinks.
My lean fingers wrapped around a glass of wine as I took it from the golden tray a maid was holding. Just as I was about to take a step forward, I heard something shredding from behind me. I paused in my tracks as fear embroided my whole being. Cocking my head a little I glanced at the blue gown I was wearing and saw that it was torn from my feet up to my thighs!
I was now panting, as my eyes blinked in shock. I saw a pair of leg quickly retrieving and I traced it up only to meet the venomous gaze of Tara.
She smirked stealthily and slowly trotted away to meet her circle of friends chatting at a corner. I placed my hand on my mouth to expressed how shocked I was as I slowly began to take some steps backward, silently hoping that no one had seen the shredded gown.
I was in a dilemma, surrounded by guest from all angles I panicked and quickly retrieved my steps.
quickly made my way to my room unnoticed. of course I wouldn't be noticed I am like a forgotten princess. Nobody is aware of my existence, to them my father only had one daughter and that was Tara.
On getting to my room I got in and quickly slammed the door behind me, I blinked away the tears that had been threatening to gush out.
There it goes, my last ticket to ever impressing father. Maybe if I could just get him to love me the way he loved Tara things will take a favourable turn. I picked up the maid uniform that was hanged on a nail in the wall. This was the only dress I could boast off, it had been washed so many times that it was having different shades of colour. I wasn't much of a knitter, father stripped me of my freedom and the only thing that kept me company, and that was reading books.
I changed back into my maids uniform and slowly dragged myself out of the room. I was sure this was what Tara wanted, she wanted everyone in the pack to view me from her perspective....a maid....a lowly omega servant...a wolfless princess working in her own kingdom.
I went straight to the kitchen and saw some maid filing out with a tray containing glasses of wine. I followed suit and soon I found myself serving drinks to the guest.
"Now you know your place." A voice from behind me said with disdain. I didn't even bother to spare her a glance, her voice irked me. "Hey I am talking to you! Tara fumed and spun me around to face her and immediately she threw the wine in the glass she was holding directly at my face and it dripped slowly down my neck, and also stained my maid uniform.
I shut my eyes in anguish as I let the rivulet of the drink trail down my face, I clenched my fist in anger. I felt like dropping the tray of drinks in my hand on her head and watch her fume with anger.
"When you see your Luna talking to you, you pay attention! She shrilled and I could hear giggling from a distance away. I knew it was her friends, they must have plotted this and conspired against me. I flattered my eyes open and the first thing I saw was father lurching towards me, his face was swollen with exasperation.
"Jamine what are you wearing? His voice was firm and barely audible. He looked around and tried to
keep a distance away from me, it was awkward for a Alpha of his class to be conversing with a maid.
B"Father I tried to warn her but she won't listen she is bent on ruining our families reputation. What will Alpha Graham say when he sees your daughter dressed as a maid? Tara was whining like a child and it was pissing me off. "It's really is such a shame, Jasmine at least have some dignity! She ranted on arching her brows.
"Father you have to believe me, Tara purposely stepped on my dress and it was ruined, I am only dressed like this because of her." I was trying to explain things to him but the man before me was gazing at me with contempt.
"How treacherous of you to accuse your sister of such a disdainful thing, Jasmine have you no shame." Gina chipped in as she took a stance beside Father who was still shooting daggers at me with his penetrating gaze.
"There is no way Alpha Graham will choose you over me. Taking your place was the best idea." Tara mocked. I felt like slapping her across her face but I was helpless....too helpless to lift a finger.
"That's enough." Father said raising his hand to signify silence, I looked around and saw that we haven't been noticed by anyone yet. Tara rolled her eyes and walked away, her pink flower gown kissing the floor. "I give you five minutes to go back to your room and put on something appropriate
or else....." He didn't finish his last sentence before walking away gallantly.
I placed my hand on my chest and could hear the violent throbbing of my heart against my chest. I was overwhelmed with fear....I was afraid of my own father. Just then a maid walked up to me.
"Jasmine a ball gown has been made ready for you in your room." Immediately she said before slowly taking her leave.
I hastily went to the kitchen and dropped the tray of if drinks I was holding then quickly made my way to my room. I nudged the door open but it won't budge.
"What! I hissed under my breath when I realized that the door was locked. I felt fed up just by staring at the locked door. I knew who did this...If there was anyone capable of doing something so abysmal it was Tara. Turning swiftly I quickly made my way to the party arena. My eagle gaze
sweeped through the crowd before finally resting firmly on Tara who was chatting with some ladies by a corner.
she plastered an addictive smile on her lips and feigned innocence. I walked up to where she stood.... gazing at her. "Tara please hand over the keys, father is going to kill me if Alpha Graham See's me like this." I was trying to explain things to her, maybe she still had some emotions deep down in her stone heart.
"But that's exactly what I want." Her words baffled me and I was taken aback by her cruelty. "It's not such a bad thing for Alpha Graham to see you for who you really are, is it? Her red lustrous lips curved into a stealthy smile.
"Tara please don't so this, stepmother will ruin my life if I mess this up, for goodness sake just handover the keys." I requested with a pleading gaze but her sinister aura stood unswervingly draining my pleas. "Don't you get it you pathetic fool, why don't you just leave? Leave and never
return!
She was eyeing me scornfully. Just then I started hearing murmuring coming from the crowd. "He is here! Some screamed with delight.
All of a sudden the dominating aura of every other Alpha in the room was reduced to Zero. I shifted my gaze from Tara and languishly rested it on a figure in a tailored black suit, his hands was crossed
behind his back and there were ten bodyguards standing behind him.
"Alpha Graham!