PROLOGUE

Prince Joven's fast strides and heavy breathing could be heard in the dark passage of their palace. His sweat was flowing from his forehead as he kept looking back, fearful that the ones behind him had caught up with him.

When he heard the voices of the people chasing him, he raced even faster. He crept approached their castle's tower through a tunnel. A tall, spiral stairway appeared in front of him. He climbed it quickly but carefully till he reached a small room. When he entered, he instantly scanned the surroundings for a hiding spot, but the room was empty except for the big dusty bed.

His chest yanked when he heard a loud bang on his door. The door was almost smashed due to the intensity of the knock from whatever was behind it. He hastily slid beneath the bed and covered his mouth.

"I know you're in there, Prince Joven," a woman's voice said. "Why are you hiding from me since you said you wanted to marry me before?"

When the prince recognized the owner of the voice, he burst into tears.

(Flashback)

A masquerade party was held in Prince Joven's kingdom five days ago. For that momentous event, his father invited almost all of their kingdom's wealthy households.

While sitting on his throne, Prince Joven's attention was drawn to the wine he was drinking. He refused to choose a girl to dance with, no matter how much his King father insisted.

He spotted a woman wearing a long black cloak while observing the dancers in the pavilion's midst. Because of her huge veil, he couldn't see what the girl looked like. He gave her a brief smile, but she abruptly turned around and went away. His curiosity about the mystical woman looked piqued. He adjusted his mask and followed the damsel.

As the maiden made her way down the peaceful hallway, Prince Joven's footsteps became more abrupt. Even though he hadn't seen her face yet, he appeared confident that this was the woman he wanted to bring to his father as his wife.

"Wait, my lady!"

The woman came to a halt but did not return her gaze. "How can I help you, dear Prince?"

As he approached her slowly, Prince Joven flashed a smile. "I'm relieved to learn that you recognize me."

"Is there anything you want?" the woman said once more, her back facing him. She bent and covered her face with her cloak.

The prince stood in front of her. "What's your name?"

"It's Martha, my Lord."

Prince Joven nodded. "Martha... What a lovely name. Whose ancestry are you from?"

"I am one of your servants here in the kingdom."

The prince raised his brow and inspected Martha's physique with interest. Martha's body is in fine shape, so he doesn't mind if she's a slave.

The Prince stated emphatically, "I want you, Martha."

"But my Lord, I am only a humble servant."

Prince Joven moved closer to Martha. "It doesn't matter. Tomorrow morning I will let Father know that we're getting married next week..." He held Martha's hand.

Martha had a strange feeling in her heart. The loud beating of her chest and the warmth of her cheek were obvious. This is the first time she has heard a man profess his admiration for her, and she never thought it would come from such a handsome prince.

"Could you please show me your face right now? I'd want to see your majestic beauty."

Martha was obliged to remove her veil even though she feel uncomfortable with it. She gradually raised her head to meet the prince's gaze.

When Prince Joven saw Martha in her true form, he was taken aback. For him, everything he witnessed was a nightmare. Martha's face was almost completely covered in curly, long, and thick hair. She has thick eyebrows, blackened teeth, and rashes all over her face.

Prince Joven stared at Martha with disgust.

"What's that?! How can my Father like that nasty face?!?"

Martha's heart seemed to be ripped apart by the prince's words. She reached out to touch him, but he pushed her away and threw her to the ground.

Unbeknownst to Prince Joven, Martha is a witch.

As a result of the hurtful words he said carelessly, the girl grew resentful toward him.

(End of flashback)

The door to the room where Prince Joven was hiding suddenly fell on the floor, alarming him. One by one, several pairs of feet entered the room. He kept his mouth tightly shut to avoid making any noise.

But moments later, he shrieked when his foot was suddenly yanked out of his hiding place. His slaves appeared in front of him, who had been subjected to Martha's black sorcery.

"I found you."

Prince Joven flinched out of his stance when Martha suddenly appeared beside him and whispered to his ear.

"Aren't you delighted to see me again, my beloved Prince?" Martha asked in a seductive tone.

Prince Joven did not respond. He searched the area for a direction to flee.

"Don't waste your time looking for a way out; you'll never be able to get away from me," Martha whispered in a teasing manner. "I came here to find out when our wedding day is."

When Prince Joven felt Martha's warm breath on his skin, all of the hair on his body seemed to rise. As a result, he pushed her, causing her to become enraged.

Martha's overall appearance garnered Prince Joven's attention. His face expressed his absolute disgust. "I'd rather die than have to look at that face every day!"

Prince Joven climbed out of the enormous window without hesitation. He jumped out the window with his eyes closed.

As he awaited his demise, his heart almost stopped beating. But after a few seconds, he didn't feel anything. He slowly opened his eyes and found himself floating. When he looked down, he realized he was only a few feet from the ground.

He heard Martha scream, "Do you think I'll let you die so easily?"

Prince Joven looked at the window where he had fallen and saw Martha standing there. One of her hands was raised as she looked sharply at him. When she flapped her hand down, he fell flat on the ground. He screamed in fear when Martha suddenly jumped on top of him and pinned him to the ground.

Martha brought her face close to the trembling prince. She pressed her lips to his mouth and emitted a cloud of black smoke. She stood up and grinned when she was done. She was now staring at the prince, who was speechless.

"I hope you like my little gift for you, Your Majesty!" she wickedly laughed. "And may that gift be passed on to your descendants!" she added before disappearing into the darkness.

Prince Joven twisted on the ground a few moments later, complaining of extreme pain in his body. His scream became louder as he felt every bone in his body snap as if they were being deliberately molded into a new shape. As he watched his arm sprout white fur and his nails lengthen as if they were the nails of a wild beast, he was terrified. His exquisite face was also affected by the changes in his body. His handsome face had become disfigured. It steadily moves forward as it grows a snout. His teeth began to elongate when fangs began to burst through his gums.

The wretched prince's screams reverberated throughout the realm. As he stares at the moon, his cries grew louder and louder until they became a piercing howl.