The Party

LAYLA 'S POV

My heart throbs harder as I watch my wristwatch count down the minutes towards midnight while I feel no sign that my body will shift into anything. Anxiety makes my intestines churn. It's my eighteenth birthday,I should be able to phase tonight.Otherwise I will be first wolf less she-wolf in our pack and in the whole of Silver Creek Kingdom.

Nothing would be more disgraceful than being wolfless when your father is the Beta of your pack and your step-sister is the chosen mate of our dashing and powerful angel Prince,Nate Rowan.

If you haven't heard about the golden winged angel of silver Creek, well ,he didn't exist twenty five years ago.Siver Creek was the largest kingdom ruled by an alpha King.It was also the only kingdom with both Grey werewolves and lycans within it's borders.

While all are werewolves ,each kind is a little too different from the other that they couldn't manage to peacefully coexist together.Each wanted to dominate the other at the time, feeling that they were 

too strong or powerful to submit to the other. War broke out and lasted so long that the weaker werewolves began to free the kingdom.

That's when our golden winged angel was born,to force harmony between the two races. He is a formidable being with great powers and dazzling beauty. Not that I have seen him,but I have heard those that have seen him talk about being stunned by his beauty. I am assuming he is more gorgeous than any of the men I have seen.

He was just one,but ended the war and took over the throne. He let his werewolf father become King while our Alphas were allowed to keep leading their small packs while staying loyal to him.The whole kingdom thrived under his care to the massive and wealthy kingdom we are in now.What's even more amazing is how the formerly incompatible races have been so at peace with each other in presence of more formidable race.

He sure has phenomenal powers, irresistible beauty and charm .But him and are alike in a few ways too He has a fated mate just like us even though he is yet to find her.

He is still the most adored being of our kingdom. You can always hear people whispering about his perfections now and then.That's why every unmated girl now wishes she is my step-sister,his chosen mate.

She isn't his true mate of course. They don't have a mate bond despite her being the only other person that phased into an angel. Her wings are white and she is powerless.She is just someone he chose to become his future wife since he is about to take over the throne and he has waited for his true mate far too long.

Being the most of all the living beings,his true mate was probably going to be another golden winged angel. But there hasn't been a new golden winged angel for a long as he has waited.It's understandable why he decided to quit waiting.

My step-sister phased into a white winged angel at seventeen and our father set up a big party to celebrate his step daughters special phasing.

That was also the day my life turned upside down.As a daughter of a lycan Beta ,I was supposed to get my wolf on my seventeen birthday ,but it never came.

My father was quite disappointed in me and began giving me less attention. He however didn't become a complete jerk until his step-daughter phased to an angel.

He has always been a man obsessed with fame and power. Her phasing gave him exactly that. I on the other hand have brought him shame. Because though some werewolves do phase later than others,it is not what is expected of a Beta's daughter.

I have been bullied and derided because of it. But hopefully that will stop after I phase later tonight.Midnight is only an hour away and the anticipation is Killing me.

There is an exquisite party that has been set in the hall downstairs and all the kingdom's royal and rich quests are in attendance. It's not to cerebrate my birthday through . Who would even remember that I exist on a day like this?

It's the first time prince Rowan is visiting our pack to get engaged to my step-sister .He was supposed to have arrived earlier but I heard people saying he had urgent issues to attend to.

I would have liked to see him for the first time.See if he is really what people say he is.But I don't wanna be here when I start to phase.I don't want to mess up anything especially when no one needs me here.

I feel like just phasing today will not win my father's love back. He will always prioritize my step-sister,the angel and Soon to be the princess of this kingdom.

I think the only way to find peace and my own happiness is if I leave, find myself a job in another kingdom.

I'm not counting on meeting my mate and having him save me from all this. I have had enough of being kind and trying to impress people only to get scorned and laughed at in return. Who said one cannot be happy alone?

"Layla!" I am startled by my step-mother 's stern stern voice and I shift my gaze from the clothes I was packing into a bag to wear after phasing and shifting back into human form. I cannot return here naked unless I want to get immediately kicked out. "What are you doing in there while everyone else is working? Get out,the kitchen needs cleaning!" The woman barks while banging on my bedroom door.

I finish packing the clothes and leave the bag to go face her. She is already fuming by the time I open the door. I just made her wait for a few seconds and that alone makes her angry. Can't wait to get out of her presence.

"Why am I the one to do that too? I haven't had a Break since morning. Why can't the maids do it?" I ask, ignoring her fury.

"They are already dressed in their white uniform and I don't want any of them to get dirty. They will be escorting princess Ava to the stage to Meet the price when he arrives." she answers with a proud smile.

I am tempted to remind her that her daughter is not yet a Princess .The Prince may have her because she was the only other angel but they are not yet married and they are not mates. Correcting her will however infuriate her more and she will most likely claim that I have disrespected her.

"I don't want to get dirty either. I am already dressed for the party." I reply.

She openly checks out my sky-blue dress with pursed lips and scoffs." You're not attending my daughter's party.Your father ordered that you stay away from the hall and anywhere near the guests. Don't you ever understand what a disgrace you are?"

Her words makes my jaws clench in anger. My father ordered that I stay away from the hall?! When did I become so detestable?Does he even remember there is still a chance that I will phase today? Or has he now disowned me completely?