Chapter 99

Varen made it seem so obvious and effortless, as if accepting it was the easiest thing in the world. But no matter how he framed it, I couldn't bring myself to think of myself as an equal to an Alpha. I could barely hold my own against a mixed-breed facing a pureblood supernatural felt like staring into the abyss. Still, Varen had a way of giving me courage, pushing me to confront my greatest enemy: my father.

After downing another bottle of Dom Pérignon, I could almost picture myself screaming at him, throwing all the anger and resentment of my miserable childhood straight at his terrifying Alpha face. Of course, that fleeting bravery vanished the moment morning arrived replaced by a pounding headache and regret.

When I finally opened my eyes, it felt like my brain was being tossed around on a rollercoaster. Luckily, the downsides of drinking didn't last long. My newly awakened genes kicked in, and my body quickly shifted into super-digestion mode, erasing the hangover almost instantly. Just as I was gathering the strength to get out of bed, a knock at the door startled me. Instinctively, I jumped up, falling into a defensive stance, my heart pounding.

"Who is it?" I called, eyes locked on the door.

"It's me, Freya," she answered, and I could practically hear the grin in her voice.

Relief hit me so hard I nearly collapsed. "Come in!" I said, already smiling.

She stepped inside, balancing a tray of breakfast—finally, something that didn't look like it had been left to rot.

"I was so happy you brought me here, Lady Thalassa," Freya said with a bright smile. "The castle was getting so boring without you."

I walked over to her, pulling her into a tight hug. I wanted to cry tears of joy. With Freya and Varen by my side, this place no longer felt so suffocating. It wasn't home, but it was bearable. We sat down, and as we ate, I filled her in on everything—my growing abilities, my position in the palace, and the ever-evolving chaos surrounding me. She hung onto every word, wide-eyed and cursing Hadrian for not making me queen already. I had expected that reaction; Freya was nothing if not blunt, even when it came to her king.

"So... what now?" she asked, her expression turning serious.

"I don’t know yet," I admitted. "Varen says I need to establish myself in semi-noble circles. Some might support me since I've proven my strength and have the Royal Army's backing. But earning their trust takes time. And to make matters worse, I live under the same roof as the person who wants me dead. Surviving day by day feels like a battle in itself." I offered a wry smile.

Freya sighed and squeezed my hand. "I'll do whatever I can to help. I’m strong, and His Majesty didn’t send me here unprotected. Four commoners and two mixed-breeds came with me—no one's going to mess with us," she said with conviction.

I nodded, feeling reassured. At least Hadrian had listened to me about that. Knowing Freya had backup eased a weight off my chest—I couldn’t forgive myself if I dragged her into danger unprepared.

As soon as breakfast was over, a wave of anxiety hit me. The celebration ball was only a few hours away, and I was far from ready. Standing before my wardrobe, I realized I didn’t have anything remotely appropriate for a royal event.

"Need help picking something out?" Freya asked, eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Honestly, I don't think I have anything fit for the occasion," I sighed.

"Oh, right! The ball!" she exclaimed with a grin. "Don't worry, it'll be taken care of in an hour." With that, she waltzed out of my chamber, leaving me thoroughly perplexed.

Instead of dwelling on it, I retreated to the bathroom, deciding to pamper myself. I soaked in a long, luxurious bath infused with rose petals and aromatic oils, something I'd never indulged in before. It was surprisingly relaxing. I applied a face mask and under-eye patches, determined to emerge looking refreshed and glowing. I had never spent this much time on self-care, but it was strangely therapeutic. For once, my mind was clear, focused on what needed to be done tonight.

Tonight was about more than appearances. I wanted Hadrian to notice me, to see me beyond Selene’s shadow—childish as it seemed, I couldn’t help it. More importantly, I needed to face my father with unwavering confidence and start gathering allies who could solidify my place in this ruthless vampire world.

Stepping out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel, feeling surprisingly composed, I nearly jumped out of my skin when a voice greeted me.

"Hello, beauty!" Penrose called out, lounging on my bed with an infuriating grin.

I gasped, clutching my chest. "D-don’t you know how to knock?!"

"Knock, knock," she said sweetly, her grin widening.

"Seriously? That’s not funny. What are you even doing here?" I grumbled, hastily reaching for a shirt.

She tapped a large garment bag beside her with a smug expression. "Brought you something."

I blinked. "What is it?"

"Your dress, silly." She laughed.

"You brought me a dress?" I stared in disbelief.

"Of course. I couldn’t trust some random maid to pick it out. The future queen can't be seen in rags." She chuckled.

I groaned. "Please don’t call me that. It only makes things more complicated."

Penrose softened and pulled me into a hug. "Sorry, sweetie. I just wanted you to know I’m on your side, no matter what my shithead brother does."

A grateful smile spread across my face. "Thank you."

She grinned mischievously, stepping back. "Now, let's see what you'll be wearing tonight."

Without waiting, she pulled out three dresses and assessed them with a calculating gaze before grabbing one and dashing to the closet, hiding it from view.

Sighing, I trailed after her. "At least let me see what you picked!"

“No! Don’t open it now! You’ll ruin the effect!” she warned, her voice firm with authority.

“But I need to know if it even fits, don’t I?” I argued, feeling her demands were a bit over the top.

“I have no doubt it’ll fit those gorgeous curves of yours,” she countered with a knowing smirk. “And I forbid you to wear it until your hair and makeup are done.”

I sighed in surrender. “Fine, I’ll trust you.”

“You’ll look absolutely breathtaking!” she sang, her excitement contagious.

Then, with a flourish, she pulled a small, elegant box from the pocket of the dress cover and placed it delicately on the table. It looked expensive, almost too grand for the occasion.

“This,” she declared with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes, “will be your weapon. Use it wisely.” A soft giggle escaped her lips. “It matches your eyes perfectly, but don’t even think about opening it until you’re in the dress.”

I had no idea why she was so giddy, but I went along with it. Her cunning smile lingered in my mind, stirring a sense of unease. Still, with no other outfit options, I had little choice but to trust her judgment.

“Well, I have to get ready for the ball myself,” she chimed, her voice laced with excitement.

Relief washed over me. “Good to know you’ll be there too.”

She looked at me incredulously. “Are you kidding? I wouldn’t miss the chance to see Selene lose her temper!” she laughed, the sound ringing through the room.

“Please don’t say that,” I muttered with a nervous smile. “I’d really like to survive this ball...”

“Don’t worry,” she reassured me with a pat on my shoulder. “Lucian won’t leave your side.”

I chuckled awkwardly, realizing Hadrian must have told him he’d be my partner for the night. “Actually... I wasn’t planning on going with Lucian,” I admitted hesitantly.

She narrowed her eyes in suspicion. “Really? You’re not cheating on my brother, are you?”

“No!” I blurted out, flustered. “I just... I wanted to go with a... friend.” A nervous laugh bubbled up.

Penrose’s gaze turned sharp, her curiosity piqued. “And you’re not going to tell me who he is, are you?”

“No,” I said firmly, meeting her stare. “You’ll find out when I walk in with him.”

She sighed dramatically, then shot me a lopsided smile. “Fine. I’ll tell Lucian he’s coming with me instead, but he’s not going to like it.”

“Thank you,” I grinned, batting my lashes. “For the dress, for caring, and... for taking Lucian off my hands.”

“I’ll forgive you, but only if you make that dress as sexy as I imagined.” With a wicked smirk, she left the room, leaving a shiver down my spine. Still, I felt comforted knowing I’d have another ally at the ball in case things took a turn for the worse.

After dinner, Freya helped me with my hair and applied just the right amount of makeup—not too heavy, but enough to make my skin look flawless, almost like porcelain. Staring at my reflection, I wondered why I didn’t indulge in beauty treatments more often.

“I’ll grab your dress,” Freya said, heading to the closet.

The moment she pulled it out, we both gasped.

It was breathtaking—a sleek black gown with fitted sleeves, a daring deep V-neckline, a cinched waist that hugged my figure perfectly, and a subtly flared skirt with a high slit that promised just enough allure. Simple, yet undeniably seductive.

But it wasn’t until I opened the jewelry box that the true magic unfolded.

“Wow...” My breath hitched as I gazed at the dazzling emeralds inside, their brilliance almost blinding.

Freya wasted no time, lifting the delicate silver necklace adorned with small, intricately set emeralds, culminating in a striking rhombus-shaped pendant that I instinctively knew would rest perfectly between my collarbones. Leave it to Penrose to ensure every detail was designed to perfection.

With the matching emerald earrings, the entire ensemble transformed me into something out of a fairy tale—an impossibly sultry Cinderella.

The final seal of approval came when Varen saw me.

“I must be the luckiest guy on the planet tonight,” he murmured, his eyes filled with admiration.

His grin never wavered as we made our way toward the main building, passing clusters of guests whose murmurs of “ooh” and “ahh” followed in our wake, fueling my confidence with every step.

Finally, the ballroom doors swung open before us.

Cinderella was ready to dance.