Chapter 1

"To avoid the king's gaze," Althea mumbled to herself in her soft voice, her eyes on the cover of the thin black book she had just picked during her search for romance novels.

They said they had done it, so it wouldn't be that hard for her to do it.

Right?

In the kingdom of Elodonia, in the library of a little village called Trixies, sat Althea running her hands through the lines and weavings of the book. Her hair plaited in a braid behind her head. Her gray dress seemed old and worn from too much washing. The creaking of the library gave it a creepy scene as if someone was walking down the paths.

Unfortunately, it was just her in the library.

It was that time of the year once again. The one where the King of Elodonia goes around looking for a bride to be his chosen queen. He had gone from village to village and now her village is next.

How did the process go? He comes and takes six girls, one was to be chosen to be his bride. They go through a vigorous selection process in the castle. Where they were to practice being queen and strong enough to maintain the pressures of the crown.

Though if none was chosen they were all sent back.

But the thing is, they looked like vegetables. Saggy, weak and have sudden amnesia.

They look like blank slates when they arrive back in the village as if they had been completely wiped clean of their memory. Most people say the king uses them or tortures them. No one knows but it's a bit scary.

The book was fairly covered in dust, making the letters on it a little unreadable.

She went down the ladder, then blew the dust off the book which made her cough lightly.

She mumbled the title of the book to herself and instantly shook her head.

This book would be of no help because the author ended up being chosen as a bride.

Leslie was the daughter of one of the farmers in one of the ten villages that made up the mighty Kingdom of Elodonia, which was ruled by the dreaded Lycan King.

When Leslie was 18, she had participated in the Mating ball as the rules had demanded, and had somehow, been lucky enough not to be chosen. It was amazing.

That was when she had written this book.

But then again, her tricks didn't work for her. One could say you can only get lucky twice.

Leslie was among the brides that had been chosen the last two years. Everyone had thought she would be the last bride, hoping that she would become the new queen since she was the only one that stayed the longest during the selection period.

But something went wrong.

Something unknown had gone awfully wrong as it always does, she was sent back among other girls and now she looked like a vegetable. Didn't talk, nor eat or behave. No one knows exactly what type of torture she must have been through to end up in the dreaded state.

Now, it was the next village's turn to produce a bride. The last village in Elodonia, the one Althea lived in.

Althea couldn't help but wonder what would happen if at the end of the day, no bride was chosen from her own village. Would the king throw a tantrum and decide to kill all girls or would the process begin all over again?

Althea climbed up the ladder and put the book back in its place. She got down and then continued her search for other interesting books to take home.

She looked through the shelf, reading each romance titles but nothing interesting. So her mind wandered back to the impending doom.

The mating ball had been in existence for as long as she could remember. Each year, every lady between the ages of 18 and 25, who was neither married nor pregnant was presented during the ball. They would all be presented to the king, dressed in white and he would choose the one he likes the most and take them with him.

Many people fear him, as he would look at you with his dark dangerous eyes. People do say he was not even human. Some said he was the last breathing Lycan there is but when he comes to the ball he wears the body of a human.

Baseless rumors as it was unheard of. Lycans have gone extinct and the only ones that remain were werewolves. But no one knows, the king knows how to keep his secrets and they always seem to be dark and dangerous.

Althea held the same belief, that this king that rules us is not human, not werewolf like the rest of them. Just a very dangerous creature.

She suddenly stopped and looked around the library. The sun was no longer brightly peeping through the window, but it was now golden, signifying the setting of the sun.

She sighed heavily, her legs already getting tired from all the searching, her eyes watering from lack of sleep.

She needed to rest but she couldn't.

How could she when she had a wedding to prepare for?

Not the wedding with the Lycan king but with her fiancé.

Everyone in Trixies was scared right now except her. She was happy. Happy to have a man who would take her off the market.

Many people wish they would be in her situation or perhaps they would run away from the village with their families but they couldn't. The King's guards would hunt them down and drag them back here.

Not many people are allowed to leave Elodonia. Even if you do, you are seen as a traitor, a rouge.

Althea sat down in a chair, feeling absolutely exhausted. She brought out her baked cookies and started to munch on one.

In just two days it would happen. Her wedding would be held, same day as the mating ball.

They would be signing their name in the council and be called husband and wife.

She smiled to herself, humming the sweet tone of wedding music.

Soon she would get married to her love. Caleb.

Caleb was the perfect man in Trixies and the one everyone wanted.

He was that perfect man. Everyone wanted to be with him. To be under him. To touch him but they can't because he only belongs to her.

He was humble, handsome, and every other thing anyone could ever want in a man. He was also the first son of the Village Head and a great business man during the night market.

In fact, sometimes, she wondered why he had picked her.

Caleb was a wonderful man, she had nothing but respect and love for him. So much respect and love that she adored the ground he walked upon.

She, on the other hand, felt out of place most of the time. That kid that no one seems to understand their ideology.

Althea normally had her black hair packed into a ponytail or braid. Only daughter of the Kensington family which had been a family of omegas since her ancestors were born.

She was slim, curvy, with pale skin, average height with a small, pointed nose, a big bust, and electrifying violet eyes.

She stood up, ready to leave. She got to the door quickly, the library wasn't a large one.

"Hello love," The old lady behind the counter said smiling.

Althea smiled back. "Good evening, ma'am"

"You were back there for a while…all is well?"

Althea turned and smiled at the old lady, who was sitting at his table, a lantern on it and a book in her hand.

"Yes, everything is fine. I just couldn't find a good romance book" She said.

"Oh well we are low on stocks now darling. Perhaps next week, you could find one to read"

"Well then I would be here next week. Thank you so much. Would you be coming to my wedding?"

The lady nodded. "Yes, your mother had given me an invitation card. Congratulations dear"

Althea smiled. "Thanks and goodnight ma'am."

"Goodnight love"

Althea smiled one last time before pushing the door open and stepping out.

The full moon hung in the sky like a glowing orb, casting an ethereal light on the world below. Its silvery rays illuminated the night, casting long shadows across the ground and creating a sense of otherworldly beauty. The air was cool and crisp, carrying the scent of damp earth and freshly fallen leaves. The rustling of the trees and the occasional hoot of an owl were the only sounds that broke the stillness of the night.

As Althea made her way through the streets of Trixies, the atmosphere was alive with the hustle and bustle of activity. The aroma of freshly baked bread, roasting meats, and exotic spices filled the air, making her mouth water. Vendors shouted out their wares, trying to attract customers with promises of the best deals and the freshest produce.

The night town was as busy as ever.

People jostled each other, haggling over prices and chatting animatedly, their laughter and chatter filling the air with a lively buzz. It was a world away from the quiet stillness of the night, and Althea enjoyed the energy and excitement of the night market.

Althea bought some fruits, vegetables and spices which she would be using to prepare dinner at her boyfriend place.

The sky rumbled and the cloud became pregnant with water.

As lightning slashed across the sky, Althea clung tightly to her paper bag, a surge of urgency propelling her towards her boyfriend's home. Heart pounding, she rapped on the door, but the silence that followed sent chills down her spine. Strange. He was never absent at this hour. Summoning her courage, she reached for the doorknob and, to her astonishment, it yielded beneath her touch. Unlocked. That was odd, considering his meticulous nature when it came to security.

A sense of foreboding enveloped her as she stepped into the darkened sitting room. The air hung heavy with an eerie stillness, broken only by a sliver of yellow light seeping through the keyhole of the adjacent room. A flicker of curiosity mingled with unease, urging her to investigate.

And then, the sounds began.

Soft at first, like distant whispers carried on a phantom breeze, but they grew steadily louder. Muffled moans, punctuated by grunts of a man and high-pitched exclamations that defied explanation. Althea's palms grew clammy, her heart racing, as she strained to make sense of the cacophony. It was only when she concentrated, her pulse pounding in her ears, that the chilling realization struck her like a bolt of lightning.

They weren't just mindless cries.

They were words.

Hee boyfriend's name, to be precise. Whispered with an urgency that sent shivers cascading down her spine.

She gasped, her breath catching in her throat as she struggled to process the scene before her. Her mind reeled, desperately attempting to reconcile the unthinkable. The room fell into an eerie stillness, broken only by the rhythmic moans that echoed through the air, a haunting symphony of betrayal.

The sight etched itself into her consciousness with searing intensity. Two figures intertwined, their bodies glistening in the dim light, tangled in a passionate frenzy upon her own bed. The shock immobilized her, her trembling hands barely able to keep the door ajar.

Her sanctuary had been violated. The sacred space she had shared with her beloved had been desecrated by an unthinkable act of infidelity. Each moan, each movement cut through her like a jagged knife, carving deep wounds of anguish and betrayal into her soul.

The silence thickened, engulfing the room in a suffocating embrace. Althea's mind swirled with a whirlwind of emotions—pain, anger, disbelief, and a profound sense of loss. Her trembling lips quivered, unable to form coherent words. Time seemed to stand still as the weight of the truth bore down upon her, shattering the fragile illusion of trust she had cherished.

In that moment, the world around her faded into insignificance, leaving only the devastating revelation and the searing pain of a heart irreparably broken.