One

Something in the air made spring look more exquisite this morning. Perhaps Moon Goddess had decided to bless the weather in favor of Titan and Charlotte's anticipated new life.

But even the Moon Goddess would run out of patience in terms of waiting, and Charlotte had a reputation for keeping the world waiting as long as she enhanced her beauty to perfection.

"Charlotte!" Olivia called. "You are already so late! It doesn't pay to be tardy today of all days. The Lycan king might not tolerate such!"

There was no response, so after waiting for a few minutes, Olivia began her ascent upstairs. This was a marriage to the Lycan King and Alpha of the Silver Crest pack, Titan Black. Lateness was inevitably going to look like a bad impression, no matter what anyone else thought. A stain on their reputation.

Olivia raced upstairs as fast as she could in her usual frock and apron she wore for all her cooking and cleaning chores. Her padded feet echoed on the hard floors and she hoped Charlotte could hear her coming.

She reached Charlotte's door and opened it without so much as knocking. 

"Charlotte did you not hear me calling you…?" Olivia stopped her sentence midway, perplexed. Her big brown eyes widened. 

The room was empty. All that was left was the cream-colored floor-length dress and a note. The windows were wide open. Even as Olivia walked in, trepidation lodged in the pit of her stomach. Her trembling hands picked up the note. 

Dearest Mother 

By the time you read this, I would be long gone, united forever in the arms of my true mate, Baden. I know that you longed for me to marry the Alpha of our pack, Titan Black. But you would have condemned me to a life of misery and unhappiness. Not only do I not love the man, but you also would have kept me from my true mate. 

I hope you find it somewhere in your heart to forgive me. I also wish Titan the best of luck in finding his real true mate.

Love, Charlotte

Olivia's hands shook as she put down the note and the actualization of the true reality sunk into her psyche. Charlotte had run away. Charlotte had eloped on the morning of her wedding. Her knees felt weak and before they gave way, Olivia sat slowly on the bed. 

For a moment, she wondered why she should care about Penelope's downfall and incoming disgrace. After all, Penelope and her daughter had been anything but kind to her. They blamed her for whatever downfall befell them, left all the chores for her to do, alienated her from key decisions and conversations, and generally treated her with immense condescension.

She should rejoice.

Penelope's high-pitched feminine but commandeering voice boomed from below.

"Charlotte! How long is it going to take for you to get down here? The Lycan King will make his way down here to take you away at any minute and yet you keep wasting time!"

Olivia said nothing in response, and expectedly, Penelope yelled again.

"And you Olivia! How long will it take you to bring her down here? What is wrong with you? Must you always behave dumb? Can't you do anything right? Well, I don't blame you. It is my fault for putting myself in a position to be a part of your cursed, miserable existence!".

Olivia closed her eyes. This was her life, where every day was a barrage of verbal abuse. But she still managed to make excuses for Penelope. Her attitude notwithstanding she did not deserve what had just happened to her. Olivia was damned though, if she would race downstairs to give her the bad news. Penelope would have to come to find her.

And find her she did. Exasperated, the woman had finally come upstairs, fuming. 

"What the hell do you think you are doing?!" Penelope shouted at Olivia who was caressing the cream gown. "You came here to sit around? Are you kidding me? At this time? And where the hell is Charlotte? Charlotte!"

Silently, Olivia handed her the note.

Penelope gave her a dirty look but snatched it from her hands. Olivia watched her expression go from anger to shock, and then from shock to sadness.

"No," Penelope said slowly, shaking her head. "No this can't be. She is in here somewhere, no no!"

She was deflecting reality but it could not be so easily thwarted. Olivia felt sorry for her as she began to wail and cry. She stood up from the bed and stood silently on the other end of the room awaiting orders.

"How could you do this Charlotte?! How? You knew how much this meant to me! Did you choose your own happiness at the expense of bringing me such rotten disgrace? After all, I have sacrificed for you?" Penelope screamed to nothing but air. An unsatisfactory substitute for the true cause of her frustrations, who was absent. 

Olivia felt sorry for her at that moment. In the last few days, Penelope had walked around in a bubble of happiness. Charlotte too it seemed now had pretended to be happy with the plans to give her to Titan Black. Olivia knew this was not her business, because, after all, she was nothing but a slave. Penelope could deal with her mess all by herself. As she walked away she heard Penelope say sharply.

"And just where do you think you are going, Olivia?" 

Olivia turned around, surprised. "I was just going to-'"

"Please spare me! Do you think this is just my disgrace? That you won't at all be affected?"

"No, I-"

"Just shut up," Penelope said, tiredly. She threw the cream dress at Olivia who caught it reflexively. You and Charlotte are just around the same size, so that should fit."

"What? I…Excuse me?"

"Are you daft or deaf? Which is it? Change into that dress at once!"

Olivia owed this woman nothing. She looked at the dress helplessly and then looked up at Penelope attempting to speak.

"This is pure deception and I-"

"And what, Olivia? Huh? Do you think I need a lesson on moral ethics from you right now? Let me remind you how things work around here. I give the orders and you obey! Is that clear? And for your information, the Lycan King has never set his eyes on Charlotte. He was only going to meet her this morning."

That was news to Olivia. Still, the tables had changed too quickly for her. One minute she was nothing but a mute slave who worked deep in the trenches and had no say on anything in her environment and in a sudden twist of fate, she was now a substitute bride.

"Stop thinking so much and just wear the damn dress!" Penelope said impatiently. "Should this not be an honor? That a slave like you rises from the trenches to become the companion of the Lycan King. Who knows, Charlotte's treachery and deception came precisely at this time because your destiny is somehow interspersed in all of this."

Olivia found that hard to believe. What was clearly going on here was that Penelope was afraid, and she also could not bear to be disgraced by Titan Black himself and so she wanted to use her as a pawn in a game Olivia did not care for. And to justify it she was becoming quite philosophical. Fed up with the slave's quiet stubbornness, Penelope resorted to threats.

She came closer, locking her dangerous eyes with Olivia. 

"If by the time Titan Black gets here and you are not dressed, I swear that you will regret the hour you were born. You will curse it. I will make your life so miserable will become a complete living hell. Trust me, your life right now would be paradise compared to what you will go through if I start with you. It is your choice. Take it or leave it." Penelope said and stalked out of the room.

It was not the power Penelope had over her that often got her angry and miserable but the recklessness in the way she administered that power. The message was always the same: You don't matter. You are beneath me and I will always do anything I want with you. 

Perhaps in a way, she should be grateful that this might be an escape. The only problem was this was Titan Black. And every living soul far and wide knew the sordid tales about Titan Black. For the first time in a long time, she wanted to weep. She was used to masking her pain well. Concealing it beneath layers so deep it was never conspicuous, what she was going through. 

She sat at Charlotte's table full of cosmetics and started to enhance her features. A little mascara there, eyeliner here, eyeshadow, and some powder. Her long wavy brown hair with its streaks of white was already pulled back from her face. She left her pink lips and naturally well-arched brows bare, knowing she looked beautiful. Finally, she stepped into the dress. Just like Penelope predicted, it fit snugly like a glove, hugging her curves tightly. 

She looked beautiful. Perhaps the most beautiful she had ever looked all her life.

A loud car horn interrupted her thoughts. From the window, she watched a black luxurious car drive into the compound. Black like the man's soul.

"I hope you are damned forever in the fiery pit of Hades, Charlotte," Olivia cursed.

Being a slave to Penelope was terrible, yes. But after twenty-one years, she was fully accustomed to it after all she had never known anything else, but this.

"Charlotte!" Penelope called. "Get down here at once!"

Olivia took a deep breath and said a prayer for the trepidation that filled her heart.