Leah and Jewel help me out of my second bath today, and when I’m dry, I walk into my room and sit on my bed
‘Arms up!’ Jewels instruct, and I throw my hands into the air.
Leah and Jewel pull a cream corset down my arms, over my head, and down past my underarms.
‘Hands on your hips, Miss Maia,’ Jewel instructs as she and Leah stand behind me. They work their way up from the top of my backside and slowly upward, pulling at every piece of string, trying to kill me. The corset is tight, my ribs are being forced inward, and I can’t breathe.
‘Are you trying to kill me?’ I ask, melodramatically, gasping for air and holding my sternum, feeling winded. Jewel and Leah laugh in hysterics at my reaction to the corset.
‘Beauty is pain, Miss Maia,’ Jewel says, her face reddened with laughter.
They tie the strings in a double knot at the top of the corset and tuck them into the corset, hidden away.
‘What’s next? The dress, right?’ I ask, knowing it has to be the dress.
‘No, Miss. Your petticoat,’ they say, and I roll my eyes and would rather be duelling on the training fields with Sir Hugo than endure any more of this domestic dressing.
‘Arms up,’ Jewel says, and they throw a sleeveless, foot-length, white petticoat down my arms and over my head before I wriggle my arms through the armholes and exhale as best I can.
They fling the olive-green dress with gold embroidery over my head, and I wrangle my arms into the sleeves.
Finally, my dress brushes the floor. I stand in front of the mirror and admire myself.
Jewel smiles before asking me to sit down on the stool in front of the dressing table so she can do my hair. She spends the next forty-five minutes backcombing my hair and covering it in a strong-smelling lacquer.
‘What is this?’ I ask.
‘This is hair lacquer, Miss,’ Jewel says, her fingers oily from it, as she teases my hair into an absolute mess.
Just when I think my hairstyle will be ridiculous, she pats down my hair, in sections, before sleeking them back with her lacquered hands into a very voluminous bun.
She finishes off her handiwork with an enormous diamond swan hairpiece, which she jabs into my hair underneath the bun on the side. She sticks two long white feathers behind the swan and pins their stems into my hair with the same weapon-like pins she used this morning. It does look pretty.
Jewel asks me to sit on the bed, and I stand and go over to her and sit on the bed. She slips olive-green, satin ball shoes onto my feet and then stands up and wonders what I think.
I go over to the mirror and look at my reflection again, and I don’t recognise myself. I look amazing, and I only wish Damon could see me dressed like this, looking so royal. I look like a queen.
Alpha King Damon
The next day, we leave the tavern and walk around the village, searching for a tailor. Troy, Zayden and I browse the breeches, coats, cloaks, and tunics while the girls browse the ball gowns.
‘Good day, gentleman. How can I help you?’ An older man says. He is around 5’2, balding, tan-skinned, with a
big nose, and a small chin and jaw.
‘We are going to the ball at West Wallow Castle tonight,’ I explain, and he nods.
‘Zayden, what sort of outfit would you like to wear?’ I ask him.
‘I’d like a dark blue velvet coat, with a frilly collar, like a lizard,’ he says, grinning.
‘And plain black breeches?’ I ask him, and he nods. The tailor has listened to our exchange, and he disappears for a few moments before returning with everything Zayden described.
‘I hear it’s a masquerade ball?’ he smiles.
‘It is indeed. Do you have masks?’ I ask him.
‘Yes, I have masks,’ he says as he retrieves a bundle for us to look through. I choose a black mask that covers all of my forehead and my nose. It covers enough of my face that no one will be able to recognize me.
Zayden comes out of another room to show us his outfit. He looks amazing.
‘Alright. We will take those, and he will need boots,’ I say, looking at his bare feet.
‘I have just the ones to match,’ the tailor replies and leaves us momentarily.
He returns with leather boots with three silver buckles on the side.
‘Wow – they’re awesome.’ Zayden says.
The Tailor gives Troy a few outfits to try on.
Troy returns and smiles, happy with one of the outfits.
‘Yes. I’m happy to go with this,’ he says, looking up and down in the mirror.
‘I’ll have the same as my friend, but maybe I’ll go with an olive-green velvet coat,’ I say to the tailor. He gathers all the pieces for my outfit and brings them to me.
‘How do I look?’ I ask Troy and Zayden, standing in front of the mirror in the store.
‘Like you always do when we have a ball,’ Troy says, and they laugh. I adjust my clothes, turning this way and that way to inspect it from all angles. Vivian and the girls have chosen their gowns and accessories.
Vivian has chosen a floor-length, long-sleeved, emerald-blue dress in satin. Ella and Grace both chose long-sleeved, floor-length pale pink satin dresses. I leave the store five hundred gold coins poorer.
We return to the tavern.
‘Girls. Zayden. Troy and I have something to tell you,’ Vivian says, her hands clasped in her lap. The girls and Zayden look up and listen.
‘Troy and I have decided that we are going to be together. We are going to be your mother and father for all three of you,’ Vivian says, beaming with happiness.
‘Really?’ The girls squeal and run up to Troy and hug him.
‘This means you’re our new father?’ They chime, and
Troy chuckles.
‘It does indeed,’ he says, hugging them both.
‘Congratulations,’ I say and shake his hand.
Zayden runs into Vivian’s arm, and they lovingly embrace each other.
‘Thanks,’ Troy says, and I don’t think they could be happier.
‘Right. We’re all dressed and ready?’ Vivian says to the kids, helping Zayden with the last buckle on his boot.
‘Yep!’ Zayden says, standing up and running down the tavern stairs after the girls, who are well ahead of him.
Arriving on the castle grounds, Vivian loops her arm through Troy’s and takes in everything around us. There are lanterns lit every metre, and musicians play a symphony at the top of the stairs.
‘Split up and mind-link each other if we see her,’ I say.
After familiarising ourselves with our surroundings, I still hadn’t seen Maia yet. I kept making my way through the crowd of people and looked around for her.
Any signs of her yet, Troy? I mind-link.
Sorry Alpha, not yet. Troy replies.
The ball is only just beginning, so she may not be here yet. Plus, I haven’t seen King Fenris yet either. I link back.
Walking across the room, I lean my back against a pillar. Many women are giving me seductive looks and slowly approaching me. I roll my eyes and sigh. The women are giggling and fanning their faces. They attempt to hook their arms in mine.
‘Well, hello, handsome.’ One woman says. She stares into my eyes with a flirtatious look in her eyes.
I clear my throat, ‘I’m not interested, lady,’ I say.
She huffs and walks away, upset. The other women chase after her and comfort her from my rejection.
‘Quiet! Quiet! The King and his royal guest have arrived,’ the castle crier announces in his loudest voice. Everyone looks to the main doorway, where King Fenris and Maia appear, as King Fenris guides her into the room.
‘As you all know, we have a very special guest, blessing us with her presence, at West Wallow Castle this evening,’ the King says, and everyone cheers and claps. Then, King Fenris motions for everyone’s silence, and his guests go quiet again.
‘Many of you have yet to meet the Forest Princess. I introduce to you all, my love, Princess Maia, the Forest Princess,’ the King says, holding her hand in the air.
I’m angry at his words referring to my mate as his love.
Everyone is wild, with cheer and applause. My mouth drops at the full sight of Maia, wearing a stunning, olive-green, satin ball gown. The feathers and diamond swan in her hair make her look like the absolute royalty that she is. She smiles and works the room in that magical way of hers. I want to run to her and smash my lips on hers. My wolf is stirring and becoming angry at the way King Fenris is gazing into Maia’s eyes as they walk down the grand stairs. My chest is hurting, and I can feel my claws trying to morph through my fingers.
Struggling to control myself, I knew I had to get out of here. So I walk out of the castle and over to the nearby lake. Troy and Vivian, and the children follow me.
‘I don’t understand. Maia doesn’t seem to be held here against her will. She also seems happy,’ I say sadly. Troy puts his hand on my shoulder.
‘I know it doesn’t look good, but there’s an explanation, I’m sure. We need to go back in there and see if we can talk to her and hope an opportunity arises for us to take her back to Moon Crest Valley.’ Troy says.
‘You’re right. There has to be an explanation, Vivian? Do you think you can lure her away from the ball briefly?’ I ask.
‘I will most definitely try Damon,’ she says.
Now composed, I take a deep breath, ‘Okay, time to go back inside,’ I say.
King Fenris and Maia are dancing the waltz amongst other couples dancing with their partners. King Fenris pecks Maia on the cheek, and she looks uncomfortable.
My wolf wants to growl and tear his face off. I can feel myself sweating as I try to control my wolf again.
Once the dance is finished, other men and women approach Maia, complimenting her eyes and beauty. King Fenris has his hand on her waist and follows her around as if she is some kind of prize he has won.
Other men ask Maia for a dance with the approval of King Fenris. Of course, as much as I don’t like other men dancing with her, she was very good at it and very graceful in her movements.
I have to have her. I need to hold her, to touch her. I need my mate back. As soon as she finished the dance with the second man, I approach her and bow and reach my hand out to take hers.
‘Shall I have this dance, Princess?’ I ask. Maia smiles and takes my hand. She flinches back from the touch of sparks.
I quickly take her hand before she can pull away again and pull her closer to me, she lets out a small gasp, and we waltz. Her eyes glisten from the tears forming in her eyes. She knows it’s me.
‘Damon,’ she whispers.
‘Yes, it’s me, Maia. I have been so worried about you.’ I whisper back.
‘What are you doing here?’ She whispers and looks over to see King Fenris is busy talking to his Commander and General.
‘I’ve come here to save you, to bring you back home where you belong,’ I whispered back.
Maia’s breathing is now heavy. ‘Maia, what’s wrong? I don’t understand. What has King Fenris done to you?’ I ask desperately.
‘Do you truly love me, or do you only plan to use me to win the war?’ She asks, holding back the tears.
‘Maia, that’s not true. It’s King Fenris that is going to use you. You have to believe me?’ I say to her.
I stare into her eyes and see she wants to believe me. I am running out of time. The dance is about to end.
‘Maia, Vivian is here. She knows we aren’t the enemy, and you need to talk to her, please?’ I beg.
Maia gives me a small nod as we part. King Fenris is approaching, and Maia smiles. I try to slip away unnoticed into the crowd.
As King Fenris approaches Maia, his smile changes into confusion at Maia’s teary eyes.
‘Is everything ok, my love?’ He asks.
Maia nods and looks down away from King Fenris.
‘Yes, of course, I’m fine,’ she says.
‘Good.’ He smiles.
