Kiara looked at her reflection in the mirror, scanning the pink dress as intensely as her eyes could allow. Her face had worn a slight frown—the type only she noticed. It was a little protest now and then. The thoughts she didn't dare voice.You get tired of being criticised and ridiculed at some point.

"The dress is beautiful," her aunt said to the modiste with a bright smile.

"It's a bit ill-fitting," Kiara muttered silently.

Aunt Lydia sighed before she spoke. "Jacques es un sastre ocupado. Intenta all memos parecer agradecido!" ("Jaques is a busy tailor. Try to at least appear grateful!" )

Kiara pulled her face into her legendary fake smile as Aunt Lydia's fingers patted her back.

Kiara tried to move herself in the dress, but to no avail.

"Apenas puedo respirar'' (I can barely breathe), she complained in Spanish.

"Kiara,just thank the tailor; we don't have all day."

Jaques eyed Kiara's face to catch her expression.He must have been hoping for an intruiging sight so he had his own story to tell about the time he meant the legendary Kiara Whitman.

"Thank you, Jaques," Kiara replied sqeetly,a solid taste of sarcasm lingered defiantly in her tongue,but it wasnt enough for a good story.

He decided to taunt her a bit.

"I think the only reason the dress doesn't fit is because you are...fat."

Kiara stared at him through the mirror.Her light frown turned deep and her her mouth parted to say something she would regret.

Then all of the sudden ,she stepped off the pedestal with a wide smile as she walked past them chanting a "Not today Satan."mantra as she went to the changing room.

Carlotta gave Kiara a sad look before she started helping her loosen the strings of the dress.

"What did they do to you?"

"Dear old auntie prefers that I die in a beautiful tight dress Jaques made than look comfortable and good in something I made." She complained. "Jaques said the reason I can't fit is because I'm fat.In the normal world his actual response should have been..I'm sorry Princess,I should have paid attention to your messaurememts."

Carlotta stuggled with the ropes.

"You know he's just trying to get on your nerves,right?"

"Yes,and its working."

Carlotta paused to look at Kiara's face. "Don't faze,don't give him the pleasure of seeing you crack."

That was Carlotta's way of reminding Kiara to be a respectful Princess.Not that the respect will ever be reciprocated but the fault shouldn't be from her side--ever.

"Jaques does has a reputation .We cant afford to upset him,right?"

Kiara's eyes narrowed at her lady-in-waiting, and she watched Carlotta try to suppress her laughter.She was literally mimicking Aunt Lydia at this point.

"How is that even amusing to you? Whose side are you on?"

Carlotta chuckled merrily in the mature and ladylike way that she does.

"It's not the joke,its the faces you make."

Kiara sighed and sat in front of the mirror to let Carlotta restyle her hair. The hair got messy just because they tried to remove what Aunt Lydia described as a perfectly fitting dress over her head.

Luckily, Carlotta's infinite skills swelled in that aspect too. But even the swift workmanship of Carlotta couldn't prevent her intrusive thoughts from creeping in.

Heres the context :For the first time since her existence, she was invited to 'The Grand Courtier's Ball'.

You might now know it now but it's a big deal and you had to be an elite of the elite to get an invitation.

The usual attendees were the filthy rich royals, the councilmen, the generals, their sons and daughters..basically everyone with a name and a title.

All except her, and never in history has someone decided to willingly disgrace themselves by going there uninvited. Except for her, of course. It had happened five years ago, and she had assumed the reason she hadn't gotten her invitation was because there was a mistake, not because she was a hybrid.

She was a filthy rich royal, a Whitman, for that matter—one of the highest orders of the Werewolf Royalty—and was at the right age too.

Long story short, she was denied entry and labeled a desperate outsider who wanted to force her way into nobility.

"This is going to be me at eighteen all over again. I can just hear them chanting how shameless I am.That Im an outsider.." She mumbled the last word under her breath. The name was pretty much her nickname for years.

She still never understood how it faded away. Or if it faded away in the first place.

"That was five years ago;"Carlotta said yanking her hair as a method of pulling her to reality.

"Times change; you changed... It's a new dawn. Stop dwelling in the past."Carlotta said running the comb through her hair.

"Although, for the sake of pride and dignity, I will advise you to stay home this year."

"That's even more pathetic," Kiara said, letting out a sad laugh.

But Carlotta wasn't all wrong. This time she was invited, but she had this unnerving feeling that it was going to be a deja vu scenario and she would be denied again. And to make it worse, the humiliation may come to her in a vibrant pink dress that is so tight that it could rearrange her internal organs. That would make a good addition to the gossip article for sure.

Her aunt happily encourages her to go because she might find a suitor.After so many mating seasons it was clear as day that Kiara Whitman did not have a mate.

That's another thing to add to her countless flaws because obviously it's her fault the Moon Goddess forgot to grant her a mate.

The clock was ticking. If her answer isn't given by the next sunrise, her invitation will be canceled.There was no right answer in this situation.

"I will consider all possibilities first; I can't be too hasty with it."

Carlotta perched the diamond tiara over the French twist and stood back to admire her work.

Her face beamed with satisfaction and she went to wipe her hands.

"Okay Kiara,let's look at this rationally.Why now?"

"Why not now?"Kiara replied. "I'm a Princess,I'm of age,it's tradition."

"You were all those things last year.You didn't get an invitation then,did you?"

Kiara pouted and moved her eyes around as if searching for the answer written somewhere in the room.

A loud knock hit the door before Kiara could speak.It was the three-one knock.Code for an emergency.

They exchanged silent glances before heading out of the room, only to be startled by Shadrach, the ex-royal wizard.

"Princess Kiara,The King wants to see you,"he said breathlessly.

His presence caused an unpleasant stir. He was supposed to be one of the King's escorts in a 24-hour sermon done before the Grand Courtier's Ball.

Another annual event to ensure that the Kingdoms were at complete peace and there would be no bloodshed at such a fabulous event. The twenty-four hours is supposed to be ongoing right now.

Kiara rushed to her father's quarters and immediately furrowed her eyebrows when she saw how calm her father looked as he drank his whiskey.

"Bella," he called, extending his arms.

"Why aren't you at the conference?" she asked, walking to give him his hug anyway.

"I was there," he said, breaking the hug. "Did you miss me?'

"Why aren't you there now?"She asked, still perplexed.

"Kiara, one might think you are not happy to see me home."

"I am always happy to have you here,its just weird that you are here.i thought the meeting ends tonight."

Denzel Whitman became stern quickly.

"Fine,There's trouble.Your friend..Reya?"

"Yes?"

"She killed Lilith and then killed herself."

Kiara blinked rapidly as her knees grew weak.

"Lilith and Reya went swimming,there was some rampage or something but General Xhao was pretty angry about it."

"That cant be true."whispered as the emotions plagued her chest. Reya was her business partner turned friend.She wasn't capable of such.

She had opened an institution for rejected hybrids and convinced her to be a partner.

Lilith was the rebel daughter of a great vampire general who donated a portion of her inherited lands to the Hybrids Foundation. They were all good friends; the whole story made no sense.

"Her siren side took over and she had no self-control; it was an accident, but Lilith's father has concluded that such is the behavior of all hybrids and therefore shouldn't be nurtured. He plans to take back the land his daughter donated and get rid of the children." Denzel sighed sadly.

"And you spoke against it, and so they asked you to leave."Kiara wrongly assumed.

"Not exactly" The Alpha walked majestically to his office desk and sat, leaving Kiara watching him with perplexity . He heightened the suspense even further as he poured himself a drink and drowned it in one gulp.

Kiara walked over to the desk "Dad,why did you leave then?"

He gave a pained chuckle before he spoke.

"They wanted me to give up Mount Isabel if I wanted to save the Hybrid Foundation."

"And you refused!!" Kaira asked, her voice getting high-pitched.

"Don't make it sound like that, Isabel-" He choked before he resumed in a more solemn tone."Your mother was beheaded on that mountain for our love."

"And hundreds of children are going to be beheaded if you don't give up the damn mountain; it was vampire territory in the first place." Kiara fought back tears as she spoke.

"Those children are--"

"Dangerous?" Kiara asked.

"Maybe, I don't even know them." Denzel shrugged poured himself another glass and braced himself for his daughter's comeback.

"Wow," Kiara gasped and paced around the room. "All those children, all those hybrids—those children are me, dad. Me, but without a king to protect me. Do you think this is what my mother would have wanted? Mass murder of children like me."

Denzel shrugged. "Kiara, I'm not debating this any further."

"You know this is all a set-up.Do you really believe that I may attack you?"

"If you keep on missing your medication, yes."

"I missed three days of healing sessions. It's not like I have lost control."

"Yes, but you may lose control and end up like Reya."

Kiara scoffed lightly and rubbed her forehead. "Reya did not do it,they are framing her."

"You're not a child anymore, Kiara."

"I'm not-" Kiara repeated as she was about to argue but stopped mid-sentence, suddenly realizing that Mount Isabel only belonged to her father until she turned eighteen. She wasn't a kid anymore; she was twenty-three years old. Mount Isabel legally belonged to her. She could give it away if it pleases her.

She regulated her breathing and adjusted her tiara that had fallen an inch or two out of place when she was arguing .

"Excuse me," she said politely, and she left the room.

Carlotta stood right outside the room with pale eyes.She had obviously heard the yelling. She swallowed, looking worried.

"Is everything alright?"

"Yes, it looks like I'm going to the ball after all. I have business there."

* * *

"The reply came; she will be attending." Hendrix smiled. "She is a predictable one."

"They are all the same," Adriel said, gazing at the flames in the fireplace.

"Cheer up,our plan is in motion."

Adriel nodded, still gloomy and uninterested. He searched for his mother in the dimly lit room. She was facing the window, in silent tears. He cleared his throat at the realization that the scene was making him happy.

"The timing is perfect," he said before drinking the mix of blood and whiskey. "Let the games begin.'