Chapter 5

Mia's POV

I wrung my hands in despair and paced around my room. On my bed were scattered assorted articles of clothing. I didn't know which to wear. All of them seemed too shabby to wear to the palace.

However, the clothes were only part of the problem. I was very excited yesterday when Hazel invited me to the palace. But after my visit to Xavier, I couldn't help but get nervous.

It suddenly dawned on me who Hazel really was. Of course, I had known he was the successor to the alpha, and the prince of our kingdom. But meeting him away from the palace, in my own environment, had somehow made it a distant knowledge. It was somewhere in the back of my mind, but never acknowledged.

And now I got the invitation and I'm forced to acknowledge it, I have lost my confidence. Was I worthy to be in the palace? Do I know how to act? Would the nobility there like me?

Such questions continued running through my mind throughout yesterday, which was the reason I didn't honor the invitation till today.

A knock sounded on my door. I threw a quick glance at the mess that was the room, and decided I had better meet whoever it was outside. Who knows, it could be Hazel.

It was my stepmother, which didn't make me any less nervous. She had a glower on her face.

"Well, what are you still doing here? Why are you not at the palace?" she snarled at me. It was obvious she was displeased. And it brought my already low mood even lower. From experience, I knew she was about to remind me how much of a disappointment I was.

"You're useless at everything that matters. You can't transform, you don't have good friends either, and you're not very strong. And now fate has decided to pity you and throw the prince in your laps, you want to throw away the opportunity?" she ranted.

I was right. I was always a disappointment to my family. Even through the feeling of despair, I felt a little anger and helplessness.

"That's not it, mother. It's just —"

"I don't want to hear whatever it is. I just need you in the palace within the next one hour. And you better make a good impression there," she told me angrily, casting a disgusted look at my unadorned face.

"Perhaps, you can use Penny's makeup. But only this once," she finally bit out with much difficulty. Then she turned and stormed away.

Few moments later, I was back in my room, and this time, there was a pile of makeup in the mess. I had never used makeup, and I didn't know what to do.

I glanced around the room, looked at the sun through the window and took a deep calming breath.

You got this. I thought to myself. The sun is already high in the sky. You've got to be at the palace before Hazel gets annoyed.

That did the trick. I didn't want Hazel to be annoyed with me. So I steeled myself, walked to the bed and picked out the nearest dress my hands could reach. I proceeded to try it on.

I didn't like my image in the mirror so much, so I tried another one.

"All worked up for your prince charming, I see," Xavier's voice came from the window.

I turned to see him hanging on the window, halfway in and halfway out. I gasped and looked around instinctively.

"My parents are around. They might see you," I whispered urgently.

"Yes, they might. But they won't, trust me," he smirked. "And besides, I would risk anything to make you happy,"

I smiled in appreciation. I didn't doubt that. Xavier has been such a help. But I doubt he can make me happy at the moment.

"Well, the right dress. That's what will make me happy," I told him. My voice was a little too forlorn, but I couldn't help it.

"Well then, a dress you shall have,"

He leaned down to pick something, then leaped into the room and what he was holding. It was the prettiest dress I have ever seen.

"A nice dress for our soon to be princess," he said, smiling in satisfaction at the shock on my face.

I blushed. "Oh, please! He only invited me to the palace!" I mumbled.

"You wouldn't mind being his princess?" he asked me with a raised eyebrow.

I could tell my cheeks were heating up more than was usual, so I hastily cast around for a change of topic.

"Right, the dress. Gimme, lemme look at it properly," I snatched the dress from his hands.

The next instant, my eyes widened as I held the dress up for inspection. It truly was the prettiest dress I have seen. It must have cost a fortune. I felt tears fill my eyes.

"How deep did you have to dip into your savings for this?" I asked him.

He shrugged. "I will let that insult pass because I can see you're all too excited and messed up,"

Warmth flowed into my heart. I threw my hands around him and kissed him on the cheek.

"Oh, Xavier. You have saved my day," I told him. Then I caught sight of the sun from outside the window. "Now, will this gentleman leave my room so I can dress?"

I shooed him to the window and hurriedly put on the dress. When I looked at myself in the mirror, I loved what I saw. But I noticed something was off.

My face was a little too dull. It needed some freshening up. I have never used makeup for as long as I can remember, so I don't even know where to rub which.

And of course, Xavier came to the rescue again.

"I don't know much about this stuff, but I guess we can try," he told me as he busily rubbed a shiny substance on my lips. When he was done, I looked in the mirror.

I couldn't resist throwing my hands around him in appreciation. Neither could I stop the tears that sprung to my eyes again.

Right at that moment, the door opened. And there stood Hazel in all his glory, watching me crying on Xavier's shoulders.