A Cold Welcome

We drove through the wide-open gates of Sylvia where a towering mansion loomed over us.

Its walls were a dull gray, almost blending with the overcast sky. Thick vines of ivy clung to the stone, covering the windows like a green curtain. A faint scent of decay hung in the air, reminding me of the life I’d led back in Hybern. The life that left me broken and bruised.

My heart pounded in my chest as we stopped at the driveway. I clenched the bag in my lap so tightly that my knuckles turned white, trying to calm my racing pulse. What awaited me inside?

Unlike Hybern, where wolf guards crawled everywhere, the courtyard was silent and still. Barely any patrols roamed the ground. Did Sylvia not care about security? Or did they have something else protecting them?

Scanning the surroundings through the car windows, my eyes landed on a Bentley parked nearby. The driver was hysterically bowing and gesturing to someone who was still inside the vehicle.

Who was he so frantic about?

I leaned forward, trying to get a better look. The window on the opposite side suddenly lowered, revealing a man ensconced in shadows. His impeccably tailored suit hinted at his refined taste but I couldn't take my eyes off his face.

Half-hidden by shadows, his full lips curled as he muttered something under his breath. Piercing, icy blue eyes locked with mine, leaving me breathless, my gasp swallowed by the weight of his gaze.

He was stunning, like royalty even. Was he one of the princes of Sylvia? I had never seen them before, not even Prince Reginald, my future husband.

The man gazed at me with a bored expression as if I was beneath his notice. A sting of hurt jolted through me because he was right. I was worthless.

He muttered something to his driver. “Take me out of here now.” His voice was low and commanding.

The Bentley drove off, leaving me staring after him.

I remained in the car, with the driver, wiping my sweaty fingers on the skirt of my dress, unsure if I should go in right now.

The chauffeur abruptly jerked up as if realizing I was still in the car. “Miss Savannah, please get out of the car. The Luna is already waiting for you. Hurry up.”

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I patted off invincible dust from the best dress I owned, which was in fact torn in a few places, as I alighted from the vehicle.

We walked towards the castle which loomed over me like a dark fortress. It was nothing like the elegant palace at Hybern, with its marble columns and ledges. Here, fountains sprayed water from the mouths of giant wolves’ Statues, their eyes glowing red in the sunlight as the water splashed on the ground, creating a wet and slippery path.

I shivered as we stopped in front of the butler who took me in after shooting me a nonchalant glance.

The older man was silent as he led me through the lobby, my eyes darting around, taking in its splendor.

I paused when I caught sight of a girl in her twenties walking down the stairs, her fingers wrapped around the carved golden handrails. When she saw me, she narrowed her almond-colored eyes and curled her lip at me.

Dressed in a stunning gown that brushed her knees, she had quite fashionable brown curly hair that made her look very young. Her high heels stopped clacking as she looked at me with an upturned nose.

“You haven’t even gotten married to my brother and you are already so proud. How dare you keep us waiting for so long?” She snapped, every word dripping with disgust.

My mouth fell open as I looked at her. I had just arrived at Sylvia and it was six hours away from Hybern. No matter how heavy the traffic was, I didn’t delay that much. How could the lady have spent so much time waiting? She was clearly trying to humiliate me.

Smiling, I cleared my throat. “We were probably held up while passing through the city. I am sorry.”

The lady snorted coldly, turning away from me as she walked towards the main hall. I muttered a word of gratitude to the butler who had brought me in and followed behind her.

When I saw the elegantly dressed woman perched on the edge of the sofa, I immediately stepped forward and bowed. “Your Majesty, Good afternoon.”

It was as if I had spoken to the air because the older woman’s face remained stoic. Her eyes ran over my body, perusing until a frown appeared on her face. My heart fell. Did she see through my smile and sense my worthlessness?

The princess’s smile turned smug when she saw her mother’s reaction.

“Mother,” she said, tossing her hair over her shoulders and rolling her eyes. “I really don’t understand why Father would let this wild servant in! Countless women would kill to marry my brother! There are so many she-wolves better than her! I think the king’s old age is affecting his ability to make decisions now.”

The queen pursed her lips and took the princess’s hands. She led her away from the living room but not too far away that I couldn’t hear their words.

“I really don’t know your father’s intentions.” I heard her say, “The first daughter of the Hydroid pack is a better choice, not this useless servant.”

Standing alone in the living room as no one offered me a seat, I blinked back the tears that threatened to spill over. I didn’t expect rainbows and sunshine when I agreed to marry the prince but their plain hostility shocked me. Well, that didn’t matter. Nothing was going to make me go back to Hybern.

Eyes lowered, I stood in the hallway, waiting for them to return.

Soon, the duo reappeared and the air in the room became oppressive once more as if a layer of ice had formed. The princess’s eyes fell on me and something she saw seemed to irk her, and she became more agitated.

“Our family can’t be related to someone with your lowly status. When my brother returns, believe it or not, he’ll have you sent back to your pack right away!”

The thought sent shivers running down my spine but I hid my fear with a smile on my lips. “I’ll prove myself worthy of marrying Prince Reginald.”

The queen arched a brow, roving her eyes over me as if I was a piece of trash. “Savannah or whatever you are called, you are not worthy of my son.” She snarled, her voice dripping with contempt. “But I’m willing to give you a chance to prove yourself. While you’ll be here, I want you to tread carefully and don’t ruin my pack’s reputation.” She warned, her eyes flashing with menace.

Although I tried to keep my expression as calm as possible, the queen’s words brought back the painful memories I had kept buried. The mocking laughter of my pack-mates, the ill-treatment from my sister, the loneliness of being wolf-less. I felt a dull ache in my heart as if it was breaking all over again.

I nodded meekly, knowing they had no sympathy for me. "Yes, your highness, I understand."

The queen flicked her wrist. "Take her to the room she will stay in." She commanded the nearest maid.

The maid nodded and motioned for me to follow her. I clutched my bag and trailed behind her, feeling their icy glares on my back. Would they ever see me as family?

We walked through a maze of corridors and staircases until we reached a wooden door with a brass knob.

She opened it and nudged me inside. I gasped at the sight of the lavish and opulent chamber. A king-sized bed dominated the space, making me feel even smaller and more out of place.

The maid cleared her throat, her eyes warm with pity. "Miss Savannah, I'm sorry for the way Princess Amelia treated you. They are just not used to having outsiders in their pack." She took a breath and went on. “You'd meet the other members of the family pretty soon."

“Okay.”

“This is his room and you’ll be sharing it with him,” she said, giving me a key.” Here, you can lock the door if you want some privacy. But be careful not to anger the other princes or the princess. They might not like you being here."

 Then she paused, looking at me curiously, "Have you met your fiancé yet? Prince Reginald?"

I shook my head, feeling a knot of nervousness in my stomach.

She flashed a brief look of pity before hiding it. “Well, I hope you will get along with him.”

She turned to leave, but I stopped her. “Wait,” I said, clutching the key. “What do you mean by that? Why wouldn’t we get along?”

She looked at me with a mix of fear and sympathy. “You’ll find out soon enough.” She whispered, before scampering away.

I closed the door behind me, a chill of dread settling into my bones.

~**~

Plates and cutlery clattered in the kitchen as the sun set over the horizon. Hurrying to unpack my suitcase, I hung my few clothes beside the suits and male clothing that took up more than half of the closet. Shame burned in my cheeks as I saw the stark difference between our classes, my clothes looking like rags beside his.

A knock jolted me from my thoughts and I looked at the door. "Please come in," I called out.

The door opened slightly and the maid from earlier bowed. "Please join the royal family for dinner."

Oh wow, I had never eaten dinner without slaving away in the kitchen first.

"What is your name?" I asked, hoping to find a friendly face in this unfamiliar place.

“Bernice.”

I followed her to the dining hall, after changing into the evening dress she had brought along with some other clothes.

My mouth dropped open when I saw the long table covered with white linen and silverware. A dozen candles flickered in the center, casting a warm glow on the piles of dishes on the table.

How do they eat so much?

Grraah!

Oh god. My cheeks grew hot at the grumbling noise my stomach made on seeing the grilled steak. Amelia glared at me from a high-backed chair close to the end of the table.

Fudge, could the ground just open up and swallow me whole?

Once I lowered myself onto one of the chairs, Bernice stepped forward, intending to serve me a platter from the dishes when Amelia shrieked.

“Isn’t that my dress?”

I froze up, looking at Bernice for help.

She nodded firmly, “Yes, it is. The queen ordered me to give Miss Savannah some of your old clothes.”

“Mother!” She slammed her fist on the table, glaring at her queen who sat at the head of the table.

“You are not wearing them anymore baby girl,” the queen said softly, “Besides, I thought his majesty and your brothers would be joining us for dinner. You wouldn’t want him to lose his appetite when he sees her disgusting rags, would you?”

She hissed through her teeth and turned her glare on me, “You! You little bitch! I don’t want to eat anymore! I don’t want to eat in the same room as you! I can’t bring myself to swallow!”

With that, she stormed upstairs, tears sparkling in her eyes.

The queen’s expression grew livid as she watched her daughter stomp away. She had ordered the servants to prepare a lot of dishes but the men in the family hadn’t returned and now that her daughter had angrily left, she found it unappetizing to dine with this insignificant daughter-in-law-to-be.

Keeping my eyes on my plate, I tried to ignore the hostile glare from the queen until she loudly pulled her chair back and sauntered away from the huge dining room.

The steak was dry and bitter in my mouth as I forced it down my throat, tears splashing onto the plate.

I wasn’t crying because of their behavior. It was the tender steak that made my eyes burn. It reminded me of the happier times when my mom was still alive when she’d feed me and tell me I was her beautiful princess. But she was wrong. I was no princess…just a useless slave. I wondered if she would approve of my decision to marry Reginald.

My throat soon became too clogged for me to swallow as my chest tightened in pain. Setting down the cutleries, I returned to the room, wondering if I’ll meet Prince Reginald tonight and what’d happen if I did.

If I had waited a few more seconds, I’d have noticed the tall, straight figure that stood at the door, watching me with hooded eyes.