The Candidates

She sat on the couch beside the window while Nilenia followed her. Then she took the paper from her sister and took a deep breath. Her heart pounded as she slowly opened the list of candidates.

"So, who's first?" Nilenia asked.

She frowned. "Alpha Lucas of the Night Crawlers Pack. Do you know him?"

"Nope. But we can search online. I'm pretty sure there's some article about him." Nilenia answered while typing the name of Alpha Lucas.

"Online?"

"Dear sister, you were born in 2023 and that's when social media platforms were everywhere. Don't you know how to look for someone online?" Nilenia asked in disbelief.

She shook her head. "I'm not into modern technologies, you know that."

Nilenia sighed. "You're really something. I think you're the only one in your generation who doesn't have about social media accounts."

"I don't know. I feel like we don't need them. We're not Tellurians so I don't think we need to be like them." She said.

Tellurians or the mortals were the original inhabitants of Telluria. The dark and magical creatures were the secondary residents. They appeared a thousand years ago after the Moon Goddess Selene created the lycans. Then dark creatures appeared one after another.

Telluria had four hemispheres divided by each clans. Lycans owned the northern part of Telluria—its largest hemisphere.

The Vampire Clan, led by the vicious Klaus who lived in the eastern hemisphere, and the Dragon Clan, or the winged creatures ruled by their mighty king, Falcor, had a shared territory with the Vampires. Then the Demon Clan and its king, Amon, conquered the south—the smallest hemisphere.

The Tellurians who lived on the west side of Telluria were ruled by King Edward the sixteenth.

The clans had a treaty of peace between their kingdoms and lived in truce for almost a hundred years.

"You love the Tellurians. Even your best friend is a Tellurian, why do you hate their technology?" Nilenia asked while still searching for Alpha Lucas.

"I don't hate them. I just don't want to use them." She said.

"Found it!" Nilenia suddenly shouted which startled her.

She chuckled, but at the same time felt so excited to meet the first candidate.

"So hot!"

"What? Let me see." She said, curiosity piqued.

When Nilenia tilted the laptop to her side, she saw the most beautiful blue eyes. She was captivated.

"T-That's him?" She stuttered.

"What do you mean, that's him? He's hot. Are you blind?" Nilenia exclaimed.

"I know. I just couldn't believe that there was some guy who looks like that. I mean, look at him. He's too perfect like some idol of a boyband."

Nilenia laughed so hard with her reaction. But that was her first impression. The guy was a model and the photo was from an underwear magazine.

Lucas Timothy Ford—the current alpha of the Night Crawlers Pack. He had been the leader of his pack for two years now. A supermodel ranked first as the most handsome man in Telluria and one of the most sought-after bachelors this year.

"Get him out of my sight. I don't want to choose him because of his face. Who's next?" She said.

"You're so boring. You could at least compliment him."

"I am complimenting him. And I'm thankful that he's hot. But I need to know him. I need to know his motives."

"My dear little sister, let's admit. All the candidates have only one motive for now. It's Etholia's throne." Nilenia commented.

She sighed. "I know. And somehow I want to change that. They want the throne because of Etholia's power over all clans, but they do not have the heart to serve our people."

"Do you think you can change them? What about their hearts toward you? Do you want to change that, too?" Nilenia suddenly asked.

She was taken aback. Was she looking for love? Was that the reason she wanted to know them first? She thought to herself.

"I'm not sure Nilenia. I wanted a mate, a partner, that's for sure. But I'm doubting myself if that man would be the right one because it was not given by Selene. It would be my choice." She answered.

Nilenia smiled at her. They were fifty years apart so she understood that Natalia was somehow scared to be with someone she chose for herself.

"Fine. I don't want to put any more pressure on you. Let's see the rest of the candidates."

Natalia nodded.

"Hmm. This is interesting. Your Tellurian friend is second on the list."

"What? Aiden?"

"Yep! Prince Aiden—the next heir to the Kingdom of Terramir. You didn't know? I thought you both swear to no secrecy." Nilenia teased to annoy her.

She glared at her and rolled her eyes. "It was just announced this morning. So maybe he didn't have the time to tell me."

Aiden was her best friend so she knew there was a reason he was one of the candidates. He was a great guy and a good friend, but she couldn't see herself as Aiden's wife.

"I'll talk to him later. Let's move on." She said.

"As you wish." Nilenia paused. "Okay next is from the Demon Clan. Oh my! The son of the maou itself, the Demon Prince Kai."

She gulped. She had not seen him yet, but she heard a lot of stories about the Demon Prince. The rumor said that he was vicious and vile. No one had ever escaped from its territory once they set foot in the southern hemisphere.

The Demon King was in a bad shape after coming home from the Underworld, so his son became the regent for years now.

"Last but not least, the immortal prince." Nilenia smiled widely.

"Xander?" She pouted.

Alexander was the Vampire Prince who always teased her when she was young. Her father introduced her to some kids after ten years of isolation. Xander was one of them.

"That's your four prince charming. I heard a lot was interested, but father and the elders chose the best. So it's down to four. What can you say?"

She sighed. "I don't know. It's happening so fast." She sighed again.

They were startled when one of the servants rushed into Nilenia's bedroom.

"What's the rush, Lia?" Nilenia asked.

"The guests have arrived."

"Guests?" She frowned.

"The candidates for the selection of your husband, Princess!" Lia excitedly announced.