1 ○Chapter 1

I smiled as I saw my friends laugh at Samantha's joke. Their eye were lit like fireworks on new year's eve. The clashing of red lipstick tained wine glasses echoed within our small little group as they cheered. She's always known to be the jokester of the bunch. Always cracking jokes and the clumsy too.

Quirky is also one of her best traits that described her perfectly. No wonder she catches anyone eyes by her amazing personality and incredible looks. Tonight she wore a simple silver ballgown with specks of gold embroidered on. The dress made her jet black her stand out. Her hairstyle too complimented her dress, slick back ponytail with some ornaments on to give it yhe shine it needed.

I looked around the ball room. Glasses of champagne and wine filled to the tear. Giggles, chuckles you name them,had filled the ever so lavishly decorated ballroom. Coloured with gold from the walls to the ceiling, floor and the chandlers. Aesthetic worthy. Its what most people would glorify it. Its probably worth more than these measly descriptions because this is far from reality its like a fantasy.

The night had reached its peak yet the people have not. Dancing till their hearts

content. Lively as ever. The stench of sweet mixed with perfume had become a norm. It was suffocated with joyous laughter. Riches portrayed in their clothing. Ballgowns worth thousands of dollars yet treated like ordinary rags. Another norm, very common with the higher class.Leaving a a content full sigh to escape my mouth, satisfied with joyous atmosphere.

The hardwork and late nights of the seamstress were seen as ordinary rags, even to a blind man could see that how less valued they are. To the rich these dresses and suites were another outfit their wardrobe. Yet to a poor man. One suit is worth a entire month worth of groceries, probably even more.

I look up to samantha who seam worried. Her blue eyes painted with fear. Her red plum lips slightly open. Opening and shutting every once in. while. She looked pale. I asked her what was wrong. Biting her lip she simply mumbling ignorant words, my ears could not hear.

The light and fluttering atmosphere half turned rather dull. I sighed , asking once mors, worry more evident in my voice. She was frozen, as statue. Following where her attention was focused on. I saw him. The only man in this kingdom who could reduce the entire room to nothing but gasping fish by his presence alone. With his platinum blonde and honey brown eyes, he look ethereal in his royal attire. We all knew who he was and what he was capable of.

Do not be fooled by his appearance because beneath that handsome prince charming was something far more worse than your deepest darkest fears. Death himself would be afraid of this man. No body wanted to him to be here, okay maybe I did not him here. Where ever he goes destruction,pain and misery follow as his pesents. Nobody has been with him without suffering the dire consequences.

He was wallking towards us with each step he took my heart broke. It shattered. He steps echoed within the ballroom. Loud,dominant and purposeful. He had an agenda with long strides. I stumbled backwards. Trying to create as much space as I possibly could between him and I. I wanted to cry out for help. We all know how fruitless that would be.

A loud crash,my wine glass fell to the floor. Spilling some of it on my black silk mermaid dress. I turned my head frantically looking for a way I could escape. Then I felt it. The small lulling pain at the back of my head, with it came a wave of unwanted emotions seeping out of my body none of which could over power my fear for what was about to happen.

I knew it was my beast trying to control the fear that resides within me. It was the first time in a long time. I felt her within me. The first time in two years. The gestures was quite small but enough to increase my fear. I never wanted to her to resurface.

"Elizabeth" I heard the prince of destruction yell out my name. His face void of any emotion. I heard the threat hidden underneath his voice as he yelled out my name. I knew, if I tried to escape. I would suffer the consequences for such an act. I should, I stay and wait for this horrible man to have his way with or should I fight my out of this. With whatever dignity I may still have. Pondering on this two options felt like a waste of time even though he was still walking towards my direction.

I took my shoes, grabbing in one my hand. I'm glad I chose to wear a dress with a slit cut. I ran towards the hallway near the other end of the ballroom.

I ran through the hallway takinh as mang turn I could into different parts of the palace. I hope the guards would get confused by this. It was a stupid idea but an idea nonetheless. I was never the brightest of the bunch nor did I try to make up for. I just lived life the I could. With a smile and postive outlook on everything. This situation does not count and certainly that man too.

"I think, I saw go this was!" I heard one the guards bellow out, followed by three pairs of feet heading in my direction.

I hissed, frustrated that I could not shake them of my trail. And this dress is beginning to annoy the hell out of me. So I tore off the bottom part. It was never my dress anyway. I'll pay samantha back for the damages I had caused to her dress.

Its a good thing that it was easy for me tear off. I doubt it was of silk but who am i to judge. Oh right the guards. I threw the material of the dress I tore at the other end of a different hallway while I ran the opposite direction.

This better work. I ran downstairs. The further I ran the darker it became. The light were dim for some reason. I ran and I ran till I reach a large wooden door. I pushed the door open. It was heavier than it looked. With all my might I opened the door. I was met with the stench of rotting corpses ,urine and faeces. Better nothing. I hope this can over power my scent.

Shit my scent. The gaurds will find because of it. So in the end the decoy dress fabric won't work if they were smart enough to have memorized my scent, to be able to track. Of course they would have. The palace guards are known for their amazing tracking abilities. They wouldn't be palace guards if they could not capture a simple maiden.

I walked further into the room. I might as well hide in here for the night, hopefully. They don't find me. Hope thats all I'm hanging onto. Dread filled me the brink. I messed up. I saw cages the further I walk into the room. Some had corpses within them, some unconscious wolves covered in their own urine and some had wolves who were withering in silver chains or from the their untreated wounds. Their whimpers echoed in this room. What is this place?