ARIANNE (Age 8, 13 years ago)

The wind howled gently against our window as I sat still by the fire place while Rissa, my step sister played with her dolls. Our nanny, Cruzita, a middle aged woman in her forties sat on the rocking chair with a knitting kit on her lap.

"I'm bored" Rissa suddenly announced throwing her doll on the floor.

"You can play with any of your toys" Cruzita said without looking up from her kit.

Rissa let out an exasperated sigh, "I'm telling you I'm bored because I don't want to play with them."

"Then play with Arianne" Cruzita calmly suggested.

I froze at the mention of my name. I looked up to stare at Rissa and Cruzita through the curtain of my hair.

"Arianne, you've been reading that book for long, come now" Cruzita cooed at me, "Come sit beside Rissa."

I closed my book and hugged it close to my chest. I then stood up and gently walked towards where Rissa was sitting. Her face contorts in a way that made it seem as if she tasted something sour as I sat next to her. Rissa didn't like me and she doesn't hide it. Ever since her mother, Christine, married my father, the both of them automatically deemed I was threat and maltreated me when my dad wasn't looking of course.

They made sure I never got anything of good quality whereas Rissa got the best of everything. My clothes was always second graded and always slightly bigger. Sometimes, when it's washed, the threads start to fall apart which made me get very good at sewing.

When Rissa arrived, I had to give up my room for her. Dad had asked me to switch with her because he wanted her to be more comfortable, which is why my room was at the visitor's room which wasn't anything much. The only thing that I still got was food and that was the most important of all.

"Hey" Rissa's voice startled me because I'm actually surprised she could talk to me, "What are you reading this time freak? Dark arts?" She sneered at me and Cruzita gasped.

"Apologize to your sister now" Cruzita orders, but I know better than to expect an apology from Rissa because she was right, I was a freak.

The thing is, I was born a little different. I was born with a red hair that had white steaks at the side. No one could really explain the hair, it wasn't hereditary too and it didn't help I was the only one in town with red hair. For some reason, I just had that kind of hair.

Another different thing were my eyes, one was light brown and the other was green, I couldn't explain that either. The only thing I've been told I inherited from my mother were the dust of freckles on my nose.

Everyone teased me because of how I looked and people around town called me a Strega, a witch. Others seemed to think I was a bastard, even some of my dad's family member, it didn't matter that the every tests claimed I had my father's blood running in my veins.

"Sorry" Rissa apologized but it was more to her dolls than me, I didn't care though.

I was about to continue reading when the door burst open allowing the cold in. My dad stood at the doorway dressed in his heavy woolen coat that had bits of snowflakes on it.

"Daddy" Rissa screamed as she ran towards my dad who bundled her in his arms.

"How's my little girl doing?" His little girl, not me, even though Rissa is two years older than I am. But I still smiled from where I was sitting.

"Oh hey Ari, you are still up I see?" Dad said still carrying Rissa whose face was buried in his neck.

I nodded my head at him, "Yes papa."

"Guess we should tuck you both in" My dad said.

Rissa nodded her head in agreement, her blond curls bouncing up and down as she did so, "Read me a bed time story papa."

"Of course anything for my princess" Dad cooed at Rissa.

"Wave goodbye to Cruzita and Ari" He said as he carried Rissa up the stairs to her room.

Rissa waved goodbye to Cruzita and me, but with a look of triumph on her face. I kept my head down till I could hear the chatter between her and my father from the hallways. I bent down to pick the dolls Rissa played with and cleared them from the floor and when I was done, I picked up my book holding it close to me.

I heard Cruzita let out a sigh as I climbed up the stairs, "Want me to read you a book before you fall asleep?"

"No thanks," I shook my head at her, "Think I've already read enough book for tonight."

I knew she was only saying it out of pity for me, pity because of my father who fails to always see me and instead places his focus on Rissa who had him wrapped around her little finger ever since she moved in with her mother.

"Fine, how about I tell you a story then?" Cruzita offered and I turned to look at her a big smile on my face which made her let out a chuckle, "I see you'd like that?"

I nodded my head eagerly at that while she smiled, "Alright now let's get you to bed" Cruzita says as she heaves herself from the rocking chair and held my hand. Together we walked upstairs to my room which was at the end of the hall.

I opened the door to my room and I put on the light. I walked towards the shelf where I kept my books and placed them there. Then, I went towards my single bed and pulled open the blanket. I tucked myself in while Cruzita made herself comfortable as she prepared to tell the story.

"Long ago" She began, "There was a time when humans worshipped the moon. It was always a festive period during the full moon. People from all over the country came and when they do, they come bearing gifts for the moon goddess. Everyone was always so happy then, and the moon goddess blesses them with a bountiful harvest and long life. Everything was good until one day the King got jealous of the moon, why should we always look up to the sky to worship the moon when they should always worship me, I am king after all he says.

Then he gathered all members of the court and he told them about it and they agreed with him. The king then built a golden statue in his own image and instructed everyone to worship that instead of the moon. The people followed the King's orders and worshipped the statue instead of the moon. That of course made the moon goddess very angry, very" Cruzita emphasized.

"And then what happened?" I asked clutching my blanket.

"She placed a curse on them" Cruzita's voice fell on a eerie whisper, "Turned them into beasts with long claws and long teeth, with eyes that glow in the dark. This made the people scared and at once they cried out to the moon goddess to save them."

"So did she?" I interrupted her.

Cruzita chuckled at that, "Yes, she did eventually. The moon goddess took mercy upon them and reversed the curse but she made it so they were able to transform back to their human form but the beast still lives within them, native folks call them the cursed one, because of the beasts in them. The beasts were grateful for the moon goddess magnanimity and they went back to worshipping her which is now every now and then during the full moon. Legend has it that if you listen closely, you can hear the sound of the cursed ones singing praises to their moon goddess" Cruzita finished the story with a smile on her face and I grinned back at her.

"I feel sorry for the beasts though" I said still clutching my blanket.

Cruzita looked up at me with a warm smile on her face, "And why is that child?"

"Oh well, they were punished for something their King forced them to do, it's not like they had any choice" I huffed folding my arms up on top of my blanket.

"Anyway the deed is done" Cruzita informed me and I chewed my lips nervously which Cruzita noticed, "What is it dear?"

"Are...are they all evil? The beasts?" I asked her.

"Well I've come across some good beasts in the past" Cruzita said thoughtfully and my ears perked up at that, "But make no mistake little one, whenever you come across a beast you run!" Cruzita said looking at me dead in the eye and making sure I understood the message.

"Do you understand me?"

I nodded my head eagerly and she let out a sigh when she saw that I understood the message.

"Alright dear, time for you to sleep" Cruzita stood up from the chair, "Goodnight little one" She said as she went out of the room after switching off the lights while I closed my eyes and got comfortable under my blanket.

I was still in my haze of sleep when I heard a loud shout. I woke up and looked around the room, it was still dark out and the soft glow of the moon illuminated my room. I heard another shout followed by yells and gunshots. That woke me up and I became even more alert at that.

I threw my covers away from me as I put on my flip flops and hurried to my window to see what was going on. A soft gasp escaped me when I saw what was right outside the window. There was fire everywhere and people were running around with guns in their hands. Shocked, I staggered backwards and looked at my door.

I could see people moving about from the tiny space underneath my door. Without another thought I grabbed my red cloak from the hanger and went outside. I walked down the hall, then went downstairs where I heard people talking.

I hid behind the stairs so I could listen go what they have to say. I could see my dad from where I was, just his back view. I could also see he had some other guests who I recognized as my uncles, uncle Gerald and uncle Leonardo. I also noticed both of them looked worried and there was one other guy with them. All of them were also carrying guns, I wonder why.

"Are you sure Gabriel?" My dad asked a man who nodded his head eagerly.

"Yes Massimo, I saw the beasts come here" Gabriel confirmed but I only grasped one word that sent fear to my body.

Beasts! The beasts were here!

~~~

Hey guys, my name is Aloera and this is a new book I'm writing titled 'HIS CHOSEN MATE.' I really hope you guys enjoy this as much as I enjoy writing it because I've got so many ideas in my head and I'm excited to share it all with you! I look forward to reading your comments, so please guys give me a like and a comment!

Thanks for reading!