Chapter Three

JUNE

THE DRIVER ARRIVED TOO EARLY.

I had said my goodbyes to Alpha Roger the night before but I wanted to talk to him again, just to upset the driver. All our pack members were here to see me leave. I could almost feel the joy dancing in their hearts.

“Come on.” Alpha Roger dragged me the last few feet.

My suitcase was now being stored in the back by the driver… though not before he searched it suspiciously. He would take us across seven settlements – a journey that would take many days, and then he would deliver me to my doom.

I examined the expensive car. I had never seen something as classy as it before, but then I hadn’t seen much of the world. Civilization never really got to this part of the world. It always ended somewhere and our pack was too small to garner any attention.

My escort was now busy talking to Alpha Roger and when he saw me looking, he beckoned me over. “Her name is Miss Fiona. The woman yesterday mentioned tat she will be escorting you to Warding.” I sighed. I hated it whenever he talked to me like I was stupid. He smirked at me. he was doing this on purpose.

Well, this was the last time I’ll be seeing him for a long time, I might as well forgive him. The woman did not smile as she walk up to me, nudging me forward till we bot climbed into the backseat. The car smelled like leather and scented candles.

I closed my eyes as the driver got in after us, not opening them until I the car jerked to life and wheeled us out of there. I tried to ignore the ache in my chest that I was leaving the only home I knew. The only family I had for goddess knows how long, but I couldn’t.

I should have at least told Alpa Roger I would write to him often even if it would be a lie, then I wouldn’t be feeling as if I left something behind. Everything was about to change now, whether for better or worse, only the goddess knew.

After remaining quiet for a total of fifteen minutes – the most I had gone without talking is ten minutes and that was because I had filled my mouth with too much food, I had to chew all of it before I could speak and then ended up choking – I couldn’t take the silence any longer. Not when I was about to enter a whole new world.

One that required me to compete from a prize I was not interested in.

I glanced at my escort. Miss Fiona was wat they would describe a proper lady to be. Neat auburn hair pulled into a tight bun. Minimal makeup, smoot face and skin. Neatly pressed dress without a spot of stain, back straight with perfectly manicured fingers clasped on top her knees.

A complete contrast to me with my wild curls, rumpled clothes and hands that could not stay in one place for the death of me. Despite her perfect appearance, I did not envy her. She was too perfect. Too robot-like.

“Tell me about The Selection. What should I expect?” I asked.

“During The Selection you will be tested in six phases each ending with an elimination. The first-round results in the biggest cut, were most of the contestants are sent home. the rest of the thirty-five girls will move to the next phase.”

“Hmmm.” I said. “So, I could just fail because many girls there will be better than me of course.”

“Not necessarily. But yes, your chances of making it to the next phase is slim mostly because of your background and total lack of enthusiasm. Most of the girls going there are nobles and you are a nobody. As expected, they have more advantage over you.”

Miss Fiona may have intended her honest opinion of my situation to hurt me but it does the exact opposite. I couldn’t wait to fail and get the hell out of that place. They had no idea what good they have done me.

I would start my world tour earlier than I planned but that’s still okay.

“What about the Lycan King? How is he?” I did not really know much about him. In fact, I knew nothing about him at all except that he recently took the throne after the death of his father, the previous Lycan King.

And the only reason I knew this small information about him was because Alpa Roger did not shut up about the Lycan King’s death and his son coronation for two weeks.

“He will be in attendance two time during the selection process. The first is to meet his harem and the second is just for formalities. He has no say in the process except he meets his mate through it or outside it. Apart from that, the council court are the ones who handles everything.”

I nodded. “I don’t envy him one bit.’

“I’m sure he does not envy you either.”

My brow furrowed. “Do you know him on a personal level?”

She shook her head. “Then you are not allowed to tell me what he envies and what he doesn’t. I’m sure if he lives one day in my shoes, he’ll fall in love with my life.”

She snorted – the most unladylike sound she’s ever made, to my knowledge – and looked me over. “Hardly.” She says nothing after that and goes back to facing forward.

“How long will it take for us to arrive at Warding?” I asked, not wanting us to go back to being silent.

“Well, we have six more settlements between us. We might spend the night on the road.”

The continuation of the journey to warding is uneventful.

My thoughts were the only thing that kept me out of jumping out of the moving car just to go find some entertainment. I tried to imagine all the ways I could make them throw me out of the selection. The mental images ranged from me breaking every law they set. Doing the exact opposite of everything they wanted until they sent me home.

By sunset, we’ve crossed three settlements, made a pit stop at one to get some food in our systems, then resumed the journey. Miss Fiona was unwilling to engage in any conversation and the driver treated me like I did not exist so I had noting to entertain myself with other than my own voice.

I hummed a tune, made all the animal sounds I knew, made small talk imagining I was a character in some TV show, and snickered when Fiona grunted her displeasure. I fell asleep hours later when I became bored of my noises.

I slept for a long time because by the time I woke up, three things had happened – Miss Fiona had bought my food, we were at the last settlement before we arrived Warding and the sun was high in the sky.

I yawned and stretched. Goddess, my body was sore all over but the smell of food made me forget all about that. “How long did I sleep?”

“Fifteen hours.”

“Wow. Why did you not wake me?”

“I wanted to enjoy some peace and quiet.” She answered.

Fair enough.