Chapter 1.:

An Imperial city, the capital of the Allus Sierra kingdom. The place where the Lycan king lives, in his castle in the middle of the city. The last living heir of the Lycan bloodline.

Ariana has lived in the capital since she was born. Her family owns a small house in the middle of the street leading from the castle, close to downtown. Just down the street from the main square, where you can buy the sweetest cakes and the most delicious meat altogether.

She saw the procession many times, as families in the capital sent their daughters as offerings to the Lycan king, hoping he would choose a queen from among them. For the past years, all the girls had been unsuccessful in their tries. Some with tears, some with anger and resentment towards the Lycan king, but neither of them had ever chosen to be his soulmate, his only queen.

How many times did Ariana imagine herself being in their place? Sitting in one of those carriages, on her way up to that castle where the strongest ruler sat on his throne. She couldn’t help but feel curious about the mysterious man who refused all the brides. Ariana heard the stories about his handsomeness but also about his pickiness when it came to choosing the right queen. Neither of the girls was good enough for him, although she never understood why. Those girls from prominent families are all beautiful. Every single girl living in one of those high-class homes has the most expensive cosmetics and the most beautiful dresses in their hands. Yet, he never settled with any of the offered brides. For the past years, Ariana had secretly dreamed about herself being the chosen one. The one who would steal his heart and make him settle.

Destiny offered her a chance in the shape of a small envelope. On the day of Ariana’s eighteenth birthday, a courier delivered an invitation for the New Year’s Eve ball in the castle. The ball takes place at the same time every year. The only time when the Lycan king allows commoners to join his castle and every young girl from the capital has her chance to charm the king. Ariana isn’t an exception. Since this year she celebrates her eighteenth birthday, she gets her chance to visit the castle as a once upon a lifetime opportunity.

Ariana stares at the small envelope placed on the table, just beside the cake her mother made for her birthday. She was finally eighteen and eligible to enter the castle. The excitement she feels can’t be described by words. For the first time, she can finally attend the ball and get to see the big Lycan the whole capital talks about. She had always wished to see those blue eyes every girl in the capital had dreamed about. Maybe, just maybe, if she is a bit lucky, she might have a dance with him.

“Can we go to the ball? Please?” Ariana asked her mother, high hopes apparent in her voice. Daria looked at her daughter with a quandary in her eyes. She would love to fulfill her daughter’s wish but, at the same time, she knew the dangers the castle posed to young girls. The daughter desired to enter the castle, with the possibility of becoming a concubine or queen, but life wasn’t straightforward. Daria knew the pitfalls of life in the castle. She has worked there every day for the past several years. She knew the castle through and through and saw many broken hearts because of the big bad Lycan king.

“Father?” Ariana looks at her father with the huge doe eyes she makes whenever she wishes to entangle father around her finger. It works miraculously and always. Peter couldn't say no to his only child. Whenever Ariana wants something, he gets it for her.

“They sent us invitations. We can’t ignore it anyway.” Peter looked at his wife, worries written all over his face. He understands his wife’s concerns and would love to support her decision not to go, yet they have no other options but to oblige.

Daria knew this day would come. She endlessly pondered about her daughter’s presentation, wishing that Ariana would outgrow her childish emotions and grasp her mother’s protective intentions.

Daria prepared the dress for her daughter despite knowing Ariana would never agree to wear that old-fashioned one like that. She always wished to look the most beautiful in front of the king. Daria caught her daughter several times playing in front of the mirror, pretending to be the next queen. She can force her to wear something undesirable and old. Daria could literally force her only child to look like a typical small-town girl, so the king wouldn’t lay his eyes on her. But when she looked at her daughter’s hopeful eyes, she couldn’t bring herself to destroy Ariana’s dream.

“Can we? Really?” Ariana asks, jumping around while she can’t hide her excitement. Based on her father’s words, she can finally see the Lycan king up close. Like every other eighteen-year-old girl all over the capital, she has an opportunity to look into those icy blue eyes, hoping she can be the one to enchant him.

“Sure thing, darling.” Peter answers his daughter before he exchanges a worried gaze with his wife. Their only daughter is about to enter the palace in a few days, and they do not know what the future is going to bring for them. Yet neither of them could spoil the excitement their daughter showed during her birthday celebration. This is her day. The only day in a year which belongs only to her. For Ariana, the envelope which the courier brought earlier today was the best birthday present she could even wish for.

The days ran faster than Daria would have wished. Christmas passed and only a handful of days remained before the New Year’s Eve ball and with each passing day, her daughter looked prettier. Much prettier than Daria planned for her daughter to look while facing the Lycan king. It would be an honor for any family to have their daughter be chosen by the king, but not by Daria.

Ariana worked hard on her visage during the past few days. She chose the strapless vintage pink dress, hovering briefly above her curves while tightly embracing her chest. She has everything prepared.

“How do I look?” Ariana asks her father for approval when the work is done, after she returns home from downtown. She looks like a princess. The most beautiful girl in the capital. Her blonde hair curled firmly into a bun decorated with floral pearls. A strapless pink dress highlighted her curves. The makeup accentuates her blue-gray eyes, and the soft red lipstick plumbs her already full lips. She is ready.

Daria prepared for herself a simple pastel purple dress, matching the design of the dress her daughter chose. Peter chose the traditional black suit to accompany both of his girls to the ball.

As they approach the castle, Ariana notices how huge the place suddenly became. She always watched the castle from the window of their house, but they lived far from the castle. So, she never saw it up this close. The gate towers above the entrance as they pass the bridge leading to the main courtyard, where the carriages stop right in front of the castle’s main entrance. The guests poured into the castle one by one as the stewards helped them down the carriages and announced their presence.

Ariana sees her friends from school. Girls, who also reached their maturity this year, are attending the ball together with her.

“Behave yourself.” Daria scolds her daughter, seeing her lifted hand as she wants to wave to her friends. They were in the castle, not down in their street and Daria wanted to remain unnoticed for the rest of the evening. Whatever Ariana does should remain unseen by the public, so the king won’t pay attention to a little girl from a small house in the capital.

“Yes, mother.” Ariana sits comfortably in the carriage, placing her hands back on her lap. She didn’t get angry at her mother for scolding her. Ariana thought she did that to present her daughter in the best possible light. This is her evening. The only opportunity Ariana will have is to see the Lycan king. There won’t be any more balls for her. There won’t be any more chances than this one. Ariana is painfully aware of what is at stake. Her family isn’t influential. They aren’t rich, nor aristocratic, so this ball where the young girls are invited once a year is the only chance the Moon Goddess gave her in this life.

Their carriage reaches the entrance. The steward helps Ariana and Daria down the carriage before he directs them into the castle. Peter is leading both of his girls, offering his arms to support them as they are walking by his side.

The entire place screamed with money. The golden chandelier hanging from the ceilings illuminated the path to the main hall. Dozens of tapestries on the walls represent the success of the current ruling lineage. This place seemed to be from completely another world. Ariana never saw this much gold in her life. Before the marriage, her husband gave her mother a few gold pieces that had been passed down for generations. A small family heirloom which Ariana would one day inherit.

As they reach the main hall, Ariana feels slightly disappointed. The main hall is immense, but no one sits on the throne at the back of the room. The place where the Lycan king should sit is empty.