2. The New Moon

SELENE

[7:51am]

[Carp Mansion]

It's a scar that will last me for the rest of my life. I gazed at my reflection in the mirror, honey eyes glazed with tears.

My right hand reached up and caressed the scar on my upper back, feeling how smooth it'd become. I remembered the day I acquired it vividly, as if it were yesterday.

A knock on the door startled me, and I hastily pulled the robe back over my body. "Come in," I called out, tying the knot.

In walked a short middle-aged woman, small in frame. She locked the door behind her, taking a moment to tuck a stray brown hair into her bun. "My dear, why are you not ready yet?" She queried, hurrying over to my chair. As she pointed to it, I walked over and sat down slowly. When I took my seat my aunt immediately went to work on my hair. "Sorry, my mind drifted off," I told her. Aunt Avery swiftly but carefully ran the comb through my black locks. Not that there was much left of it since I cut it last summer.

After she was done, Aunt Avery rested the comb on the dresser and used her cold fingers to lift my head up. "Look at you," she said. "Like a modern-day princess. Which you will be in a few hours."

"That is if Lucas will accept me," I replied, smiling. I looked at my reflection. Surely if Lucas had a problem with me he would have stated it a long time ago. So unless he changed his mind at the last minute, tonight I'll be acknowledged as a Lycan prince's mate.

I wouldn't call myself exceptionally beautiful, but I found myself satisfactory. I had a round nose and a face my grandparents said I never grew out of since childhood. Grandma, as well as my cousin, have been observing my diet since my preteens. Although I was a werewolf, my abilities never seemed capable of mending my broken metabolism. It took several pack physicians to find out the cause. Thankfully, it was no longer a problem.

I watched my movements with eyes so dark they reminded me of the sun in those science picture books.

The issue my aunt, grandma, cousins, and everyone else in my family had was my skin. According to them, members of the royal family preferred to take women with high-toned flesh. No matter what they did or how much they tried to tan my skin to a darker shade, something in me always rejected the change. So they had no choice but to accept that it would always be a pale colour.

"Don't be foolish." Her slim hands attached a small emerald earring into my right earlobe. "Lycans don't go back on their word."

I kept quiet.

"And no lessons after school, I informed the teacher, so I will know if you disobeyed me and headed to the studio."

I nodded again, taking time to draw on some eyeliner. After mentioning that my clothes were prepared on the bed, she turned to leave and I could once again relax.

Then I started smiling. I can't believe it, today was the day.

It took an extra ten minutes to dress myself and apply the rest of my makeup. I used my finger to spread the pale pink lipstick, and once that was done, I sealed the look with a cherry flavoured lipgloss. While checking out the end result I saw my father's picture on the chest of drawers. A smile graced my face. My hand reached for it and I looked down on Sebastian Carp's smiling face as he posed beside a grave at a funeral. "Don't worry, Daddy," I muttered. "Your daughter is going places."

I kissed his head, something I always did not matter how urgent it was that I had to leave. Spotting my backpack on the ground next to the chest of drawers, I swiftly picked it up and walked out the door.

Getting to school was easy. If my friend Talia wasn't there to drive me, another one of my friends would.

Talia wasn't driving this time. She jumped out of her sister's convertible and ran across the lawn to hug me. We squeezed each other and laughed as if we hadn't seen each other for centuries.

"Hi~" I exclaimed. Talia's sister, Margaret, checked her red-stained lips in the review mirror. "Come on, guys. I have shit to do so get in the car!" Margaret shouted.

Talia and I shrugged. We hopped in, me in the front seat and Talia in the back. She always preferred to sit there for some reason.

Just like her sister, Talia had light brown hair that went past her shoulders. Unlike her sis, hers was almost always styled down. This morning, she chose to accessorize it with a big baby blue bow that matched her doe eyes.

"Sorry," I said, setting my bag on my lap. "I didn't mean to hold you up."

"Yeah, yeah." Margaret shrugged. "This won't happen often so Talia better get her car fixed." The car reversed out of the driveway and down the road we went.

"Oh, stop whining so much!" Talia reached over to wrap my head in her arms from behind. "We're not even late."

I wanted to agree and add that we were in fact a little early, but I smelt something familiar.

Before I could say what it was, Talia's arms were pulled away from me and replaced with ones that carried that unmistakable scent. "You missed me, Beautiful?"

"Lucas!"

I allowed him to give me a kiss on the head as I grasped his arms. "Did you miss me, babe?" He asked.

A giggle slipped through my lips. "Always," I replied.

I didn't have much control over the things that went on in my life, but knowing that my future partner was such a nice person made things easier.

"Aw~" Talia gushed, squishing her cheeks. "You guys are so cute together! I can't believe two of my peeps are getting engaged tonight!"

"And under a new moon, too." Lucas brushed my cheek. "It's my brother's favourite moon phase. He's weird like that."

"The crown prince, huh?" Margaret poked her cheek with her tongue. "Will he come?"

I felt him shrug. "That ass never comes to anything. He's super stuck up." He turned his attention to me again. "But don't worry, Selene. I'll be there with you and make sure he's on his best behaviour if he does come."

I thanked him and changed the topic to something else. Lucas soon freed me from his hold, choosing to lean back into his seat.

My aunt's voice invaded my mind, telling me that I should appear more interested. But I shut it down, not letting it disturb one of the few peaceful moments I had with my friends.