Chapter 1: A werewolf

"Scarlett come on, we need to return. Everyone will be looking for us."

Scarlett glanced down from the top of the tree branch she stood on. From that height, she could see the entirety of her father's kingdom, a vast land that stretched on for miles.

She smiled at her best friend, Leah, and waved. "Don't be such a killjoy, Leah. We are cooped up inside the castle all day. A little freedom does no harm."

"But we've been out here for hours." Leah complained, squinting up the tall tree. "Your mother entrusted you in my care. I have to take you back."

"We'll be fine, Lee." Scarlett insisted. "We're not really far from the castle. I want to climb to the tallest branch."

"A princess like you shouldn't be climbing trees. That's a boy's job."

"And what's my job?" Scarlett retorted. "Being dressed like a doll and drinking tea with the other ladies?"

"Well, yes." Leah said exasperatedly. "You're the princess. You're meant to carry yourself with grace and poise, and marry whom your father chooses."

Scarlett snorted in response and started to climb higher. "Marry who my father chooses? Be for real, Lee. An arranged marriage is the last thing I want."

"But it's inevitable." Leah argued. "The best alliance is always through a wedding. You'll most likely be married off to a prince from another kingdom. How romantic."

Scarlett looked down and sneered. "I'd rather eat nails than marry some prince who's a stranger. I want to fall in love, Lee."

She bunched up her gown and settled on the branch, dangling her feet. "I want to love and be loved in return. I want to be swept off my feet by my Prince Charming, then he would get down on one knee and propose to me. Not some stranger who was chosen for me because of an alliance."

"You need to get rid of those sentiments, Scar." Leah said. "As a princess, love doesn't come with marriage. You marry for the betterment of your kingdom."

"Then I'll be the first princess to marry for love." Scarlett said simply.

Leah sighed and gestured helplessly. "As you wish. Now come down. We need to return. It's way past noon."

"Why don't you head on back?" Scarlett suggested. "I'll be right behind you. I just need a minute."

"I can't leave you here." Leah protested. "Your mother would kill me."

"I said I'll be right behind you. Just go on. Besides, if the guards are really searching for me, seeing you would put them at ease. Now go, that's an order."

She smiled cheekily at Leah and the latter just shook her head and turned away.

"If you're not back in ten minutes, I'm bringing the guards." She muttered and walked off.

"Yes, ma'am." Scarlett grinned as she watched her friend leave. She and Leah were born on the same day, and they had been best of friends since they were five.

Leah's father was her father's right hand guard, so both girls basically grew up together in the castle.

Sighing softly, she leaned against the tree trunk and stared into the distance. She longed for something she couldn't name. Freedom? Love? Adventure? She wasn't sure.

Being a princess had a lot of limits.

But there was one thing she was sure of. Love. The stories she spent her childhood reading were stuck in her memory, stories about deep, intense love and love at first sight.

"I'm going to fall in love someday." She vowed to herself. "And I'm going to marry for love."

She remained perched on the branch for a long time, daydreaming about her perfect Prince Charming.

Then she quickly realized ten minutes had gone by. Her parents would really be worried.

Bunching her gown in one arm, she pushed off the tree branch and landed nimbly on the ground.

"This damn dress." She muttered, lifting the heavy skirt so she could walk properly. She was just a few minutes away from the kingdom.

Suddenly, the feeling of being watched came over her.

She paused and looked behind her, her eyes darting around as she searched the surrounding trees. She didn't see a thing, but the feeling grew stronger. Something was hidden in the bushes.

Not one to show fear, she started to back away, keeping her eyes trained on the thick cluster of bushes opposite her.

A twig snapped loudly, making her heart skip a beat. The urge to run hit her, but she forced herself to remain calm and continued backing away. Running would only make her a prey.

Suddenly a large black wolf burst out of the bushes.

She screamed as it bounded towards her, snarling menacingly.

She didn't run. She leaned down, lifted her gown and pulled out the dagger strapped to her thigh and unsheathed it.

As the wolf lunged and slammed into her, she struck out, stabbing the dagger into its shoulder.

The creature let out a howl and backed away, limping lightly.

Scarlett scooted backwards, her heart in her throat, her entire body shaking. Her legs refused to comply as she tried to stand up. Her body had completely frozen.

Then right before her eyes, something completely bizarre happened. The wolf started to transform.

Scarlett's eyes widened as dark fur disappeared. Bones popped loudly and reshaped, and the wolf slowly took the form of a man.

When the transformation completed, she stared in horror at the young man standing before her, clad in a pair of shorts and completely shirtless.

His eyes were unmistakable, a deep golden shade.

"A werewolf." She whispered as terror seized her. She had heard about them, how evil and ruthless they were, bloodthirsty creatures who killed with ease.

Never in her life did she think she would see one, so close to her father's kingdom.

Then the man moved. He grabbed the hilt of the dagger and pulled it out of his shoulder. His expression remained hard, with no sign of pain. Instantly, the wound healed up.

Wiping the blood on his shorts, he tossed the dagger towards her.

It landed beside her, and she grabbed it, holding it out to protect herself.

"Stay away." She said, struggling to her feet.

But the dark haired man with golden eyes just stared at her, silent, observing. He didn't make a move, and neither did she.

As she started to back away, she heard Leah call out her name.

She turned her head and spotted her coming up the path with two guards. But when she turned back, she gasped in surprise.

The man was gone. There was no sign that he was ever there.

She looked down at the dagger. Faint traces of blood remained on the blade, but other than that, there was no proof that a werewolf stood before her seconds ago.

"There you are." Leah said and walked up to her. "I gave you ten minutes. This is more than an hour."

Then she paused when she noticed the look on Scarlett's face.

"What happened?" She asked. She squinted her eyes and looked in the direction Scarlett was staring at. "Scar, what is it?"

"A... a werewolf." Scarlett whispered.

Leah gave her a skeptical look and shook her head. "You must have been dreaming. Did you hit your head coming down from the tree? Werewolves don't exist."

But as Scarlett followed Leah and the two guards back to the castle, she kept staring behind her.

Because she knew what she saw had been real.