CHAPTER 2

The Shopping was finally over and I took a sigh of relief. Buying clothes or searching for some dress isn't my type of thing. 

"Why are you standing here? Let's go. Here take these." Lisa hands me her ten shopping bags over my one and I have a hard time holding onto all of them. Mom had given Lisa all the money to decide the dress for both of us. So Miss Generous was generous enough to get me one cheap evening gown. And she got herself the costliest one with a lot of accessories. Nothing is too much for her. 

"Come on you slut! I'm getting late! I have my parlour appointment." Lisa shouts from the outside. 

I slowly take a step, the bunch of bags almost covering my sight. One or two bags keep falling from my hands and I pick them up and stack them back again. After a few minutes, I finally get to see the sunlight and put the bags inside the car. 

"Get in." Lisa says and sits back on the driver's seat. 

I exhale and sit on the backseat. If I had known how to drive a car, then Lisa would have probably made me the driver. But since she needs to get to her parlour appointment and she needs someone to take care of her bags, she was considerate enough to let me sit in the car. 

An hour or so pases and Lisa walks out of the parlour with her almond brown hair glossy, her nails and eyebrows done. I look at my own reflection in the car mirror. My eyebrows were never considered from the time I was eighteen, nor my grooming. Since I am not their daughter. And she gets everything as now she is eighteen and ready for the marriage trials. Also, she is the perfect mate type because all she thinks about is marriage and spending the money of her husband. I don't fall into that. I wish I did though. Maybe then I wouldn't have got rejected by ten werewolves during my marriage trials. Lisa told me that I was ugly looking so nobody liked me. 

Lisa hops onto her seat and narrows her eyes at me. "You didn't touch or try to steal my dress did you?" 

I scoff. "Why would I do that?" 

"Because... you're a bitch who nobody likes. And like every other time, this time also some stupid werewolf will chose you and regret his decision. " She turns towards the road ahead. "Maybe you should start taking our house chores seriously. Someone will have you as a maid at least." 

I clench my fist and tears threaten to spill out of my eyes. I want to tell her that she is wrong. But I am helpless. My Uncle and Aunt's house is the only place I have in case no werewolf wants to marry me. Though I would get that bonding period where I have to stay in the house of a werewolf to bond with him, but every time I had high hopes, something wrong happened or I said something that pissed the werewolf and I was back to square one. 

Basically, the marriage trials is like a trial or better to say a chance given to the humans to prove themselves worthy. In the mating ball, the werewolves will be searching for their mates and if some human catches their eye, they will ask—correction—drag you or order you to stay with them for the bonding time which will be decided by them. If the person manages to seduce and impress the werewolf within that bonding time, they get married and hence secure their position in the society. The higher the rank, the more powerful and famous you are. Like a Socialite. 

The car parks in front of our house and I step out of the backseat, with the bags in my hand. Lisa is my younger sister when it comes to age, but according to the rules of the house, I don't think I am considered a daughter. I'm more like a maid. 

I get back to my room as Mom sets up the dinner table. Of course, I am not allowed to sit and eat with them. I'm basically living on the leftovers and if sometimes they are in a good mood, I can expect a full plate. I walk inside my room and put the bag on my bed. Lisa decided to buy the dress for me but I didn't check how it is. I don't want to. I will just wear it tomorrow and go to the ball. And hope that someone likes me enough this time to get married to me. 

My cell phone rings on the bed and I receive the call. 

"Hey girl. What's up?" Mazie says out from the caller's end. 

"Just usual. Went shopping with Lisa." I say in a small tone. Mazie sighs. 

"Let me guess...she literally made you carry her bags." 

"Bingo! But she got me a dress too." 

Mazie gasps. "She did? How is it?" 

"I don't know." I look at the bag. Mazie knows about my life and understands my condition. That's why she is the only friend I made in school who is still my friend even after I am not in college right now. My current parents didn't want to spend a penny on my future education and scholarships are for werewolves. " I didn't open it." 

"You gotta be kidding me! Open it girl!! And tell me how it is!!" 

"How about I wear it and show it to you tomorrow at the mating ball?" 

Mazie grunts. "Fine. But come an hour earlier " 

"Why?" 

"Because I will prepare you for the ball. You don't know a thing about makeup and this time it's serious. I won't leave my beautiful bestie who has the potential to get a werewolf of high rank crawling under the shadows! I would have told you to come to my house but your parents won't allow it, so come earlier to the ball and meet me at the back of the Acadia. 

"Okay. Thanks Mazie." 

"Zip that up!" 

"Okay." I roll my eyes. 

The next day, screams are heard from the Barnard house. Mom is literally running around the house and behind Lisa to prepare her for the ball. And why not? Her daughter has finally turned eighteen and is eligible to mate. I wish I had my mom to prepare me too. When I turned eighteen, I got nothing except threats and glares about how I should be behaving. Even my dresses were half as decent as Lisa's. 

I sigh and turn to my dress that lies on the bed. It's a light ombre peach evening gown with a small v-neckline and cheap glitters attached on the waist as a belt. Lisa has tried her best to make me look like a vagabond. Exhaling all my hesitations away, I put on the gown and look at the mirror. The dress fits me like a glove, and the peach colour does bring out my crystal blue eyes. So I guess that's a plus point. 

"Hopefully, some good man out there will look more just than my beauty." I mumble, but who am I kidding? The ten men I have been with only wanted me to look and behave a certain way. They didn't like me talking against them if they did something wrong. They didn't like me reading a book. They didn't like me dancing to music. They didn't like this,they didn't like that...In short, I was not meant to be a mate but a robot. And I hated it all! Sometimes I felt like taking my own life. I tried a few times too…

"HAZEL!!! Get down here!! We are getting late!" My mom screams and I close my eyes and sigh in defeat. 

Life is never going to be better for me. Why do I even hope? After a few minutes, I walk out of the house in my long gown, trying my best not to trip over the length. I have worn gowns a lot of times but never learnt how to walk in grace. Which Lisa did efficiently…

As planned, we reach the Acadia; the halls used for mating balls specifically , one hour earlier. I didn't even need to tell my parents because they wanted to give Lisa a grand entry. And so they needed time to check how everything is organised and make Lisa practice her grand entry. Sounds pretty pathetic. 

I step out of the car, holding my gown and start walking towards the left of the building. 

"Where are you going?!" My mom screams from behind and I turn around. 

"Umm... I'm going to check if the back is good for Lisa's entry. Back entrances are a trend these days." I scratch my nape while my mother eyes me. 

After a moment of scrutinizing me, she speaks. "Fine. But come back fast." 

I nod my head and walk as fast as I can towards the back of the building. Mazie stands in front of the door beside a huge window and waves at me. 

"Hey, great, you're on time. I thought your parents would get here late." She says, holding my hands and grinning. 

"They wanted to give Lisa a grand entry." I roll my eyes. 

"Ugh—that bitch." 

"No need to say that. She's my sister after all." 

"She doesn't behave like one." Mazie scoffs. 

"Leave. You look beautiful." I point at her maroon gown. It's a stunning fit with an off shoulder sweetheart neckline and her hair is kept open in smooy, brown curls that cascade on her bare shoulders. Unlike me, Mazie's parents are amazing. She is the same age as me but her parents didn't want her to get into the marriage trial shit so early. They made her pursue fashion designing and after she reaches twenty one, get her out in the werewolf world.

"Thank you very much. I like your dress too. But what's with those glitters on your waist?" She points at my dress and I smile. She rolls her eyes. "That bitch! Wait." Mazie opens her bag full of stuff and pulls out a maroon ribbon. "Let's give your dress some makeover." 

Half an hour later, I check out myself in the front camera of her phone and God, she did turn a cheap dress into a dazzling work of art. The glitter waist is hidden under the maroon ribbon twisted around my waist several times. My hair looks amazing with an updo and small blonde curls hanging in front of my face. 

"I'm a genius!" Mazie grins and I hug her. 

"Thank you so much! You're like my fairy Godmother!" 

"Isn't she like...too old?" She questions and then we laugh out. "Alright, I need to freshen up a bit before I make my grand entrance. Can you wait here?" 

"Yes, sure." 

Mazie walks away, leaving me alone in the storeroom of the Acadia. I look around the room. Old abandoned furniture, glass pieces, destroyed mirrors and some broken chandeliers. Wow. Maybe I should repair and sell them to get some money. Just then the sound of something breaking startles me and I look behind me. There's a huge red curtain spanning the breadth of the room. The sound of breaking glass came from behind it. 

Without a second thought, I involuntarily walk towards the curtain and open it to find a door behind it. A mystery door? Or is it just a door? Another sound of breaking glass comes from the door making me take a few steps back. No, this isn't a good idea. I should go back to the hall. But for some reason, I stand there and keep looking at the door. I wonder what's behind it. Curiosity takes the best of me as I walk towards the door and pull it open. My eyes fall on the huge corridor. 

Without a second thought ,my feet take me through the corridor, the sunlight falling from the huge glass windows. The small heel of my shoes click under the white marble floor with colourful intricate designs and a group of tables and black couches line against the wall. A few steps later I find a large oak double door with a golden dragon designed on either side standing in front of me. The sound stopped long ago and my surroundings remain deadly silent. Being the curious fool I am, I slowly push the door open. There's a massive white room with floral paintings on the wall. The place appears filled with royal furniture but not in an organised way. 

Just then, I feel someone's eyes on me and my entire body starts trembling in fear. Shit! What if it's an Alpha? Taking five deep breaths I slowly turn around to come face to face with a pair of dazzling green eyes boring into me and my heart skips a beat. 

"Mine."

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