Chapter 1 - Out To Marry An Alpha

Zainah, the chosen Gizli Princess of the North Turks Pack, stands tall in front of the mirror. She is beautiful in her white gown, dotted with colorful Swarovski pieces around, carefully fitting her slim curves. They glitters as she moves. Her saintly and innocent-looking face, paired with her fair complexion and smooth skin without any trace of scars, made her stand out from the rest of the she-wolves in their pack.

She smiled with a hint of mystery. There are so many secrets within her. Whoever would see her might judge that she is just a beautiful, weak princess and nothing more, but voila, beneath that innocent facade lies a strong, wise, and calculating young woman that anyone should fear.

 Today is the first time that she will be seeing the world outside of her mini-castle. After eighteen years of being hidden within the walls of this mini-castle, finally, she will be out to experience her freedom.

Suddenly, the Gizli Princess’s forehead crinkled. “Would I really have my freedom if I will be out into the world for the first time, with the Alpha King choosing a groom for me, and making sure that my bloodline would continue?”.

 She holds her breath and sighs.

 She then hears knocks on the door, and her middle-aged Nanny, Melby, who has taken good care of her since birth, emerges from the door.

“My Princess, it is time to see the world. The banquet is about to start,” Melby said. Her eyes sparkled with genuine gladness as they scanned the perfect appearance of the young woman she had taken care of since birth.

 Zainah, who was known more as the Gizli Princess, smiled thriftily and nodded. “Let’s go then Melby,” she replied without vigor.

 The middle-aged Nanny freezes as she looks at the young princess, her forehead furrowing. “I can sense that you are not that happy at all, my Princess. Why is that?”

 “Nothing. Maybe I am just nervous,” she instantly answered, a small smile thinning her lips.

 Melby reached for the Princess’s hands and held them gently for a while. “Relax, Princess. Everything will be alright. Tonight, you will be meeting your soon-to-be husband. I am sure the Alpha King will choose the best-suited Alpha for you.”

 Princess Zainah nodded and smiled a bit once more. “Right. Let’s go then.”

She put on her veil, which will hide her beautiful face from everyone.

 They walk out of the mini-castle, where a golden beetle-type car is waiting for them. They will be going to the Alpha King’s palace.

…

As they enter the palace’s grand hall, Zainah’s eyes linger around. She notices the crystal chandeliers that cast a warm glow on the assembled werewolves, who are already present. She is being guided by Melby, and two guards follow them as they walk to an elevated platform in front, where a golden Victorian-style chair is waiting for her. She walks with grace and style, something that she learned from the beauty queen and etiquette master, who was hired by the Alpha King to train her.

 The eyes of the werewolves around follow Zainah and her entourage as they walk the red-carpeted isle. Her gown, woven with pieces of Swarovski is like threads of moonlight, shimmering with her every subtle movement. The delicate veil that cascades from her crown, concealing her face yet hinting at the beauty beneath, brings more mystery, which everybody wanted to uncover. Tonight is her eighteenth birthday, the night of the En Son Dolunay Banquet, and the night her destiny would be decided.

  "Presenting Zainah, our Gizli Princess who was hidden from the world for eighteen years, and the last of the Primordial Wolves," the Master of the Ceremony announced, his voice echoing throughout the hall. "May the Moon Goddess bless her with a perfect groom tonight!"

 Zainah’s heart pounds against her ribs. Eighteen years. Yes, eighteen years of seclusion, of whispered stories about her lineage, of rigorous training and endless lessons that trained her mentally, emotionally, and most of all, physically. All of it led to this moment. 

 She is the Gizli Princess, hidden away and confined to that mini-castle until she reached adulthood. And, now she is to be presented to the Alpha King and the ten candidate Alphas who have sought her hand in marriage.

 A wave of nervousness washes over her as she scans the faces in the crowd. Standing in the front row of seats are Ten Alphas, each powerful and influential in their own right. They had traveled from across the werewolf realm just to be in this banquet to see her. She knew their names, their pack histories, their strengths and weaknesses, but she didn’t know their hearts.

She did not know if any of them could be her fated mate. Her lovely face turned gloomy. She knew very well that fated mate or not, once the Alpha King chose an Alpha to be her groom, she had no voice to decline, nor to resist.

Her eyes travel in each of the ten Alphas, trying to hint a connection as she looks at their eyes, and trying to hint a scent that would awaken her wolf, who seems to be still sleeping until this moment. Her frustration starts to grow.

"Why, none of them seems to be my mate. Oh, Moon Goddess, would you not want me to experience the real love with my fated mate?" she thought with a wave of sadness.

All ten Alphas are physically equally gorgeous and stunning. Any she-wolf who has no mate yet may find attraction to them. "Ahh, maybe any one of these Alphas would somehow be a great husband," she thought. 

She took a deep breath, resigned to the thought of marrying her mate. "Could I trust any of them? Who among them, the Alpha King, will choose as my groom?"