Chapter one

Viola gazed at the landscape from the tower balcony. The young woman had never left that room. For as long as she could remember, she had remained confined within those four walls. One of her greatest desires was to go outside, to run, to feel the earth beneath her feet, to stroll through the gardens her mother described to her at the palace. She had never seen them; she almost did when she planned her escape one midnight but she was caught before she made it out.

She longed to one day bathe and swim in a river, to ride a horse and gallop against the wind, to meet young people her own age, to attend dances, to make friends, and above all, to meet her father, whom she had never seen. She yearned with all her heart to leave that cold room and be free. And today, on her eighteenth birthday, the moment had finally arrived. She was going to be free for the first time.

Patricia had kept the promise she had made to her husband. She had hidden her last daughter in the old tower of the palace and kept her away from the life outside from the very moment of her birth, to protect her from the king and free her when she turned eighteen. From then on, she made sure to give her every comfort a princess deserved and provided her with the same education as her sisters.

Although the Luna Patricia traveled the entire world searching for a cure for Viola's eyes, she never found one and finally resigned herself to it. She understood that her daughter was the only woman on the entire continent with those strange colors in her eyes. She didn't know if it was an illness, a condition, or a curse. No one had been able to explain the origin of that trait.

Even so, the Alpha insisted that it was a curse, that it might leave her blind or bring misfortune to the pack, especially since she was defying the pack rules to be alive. Patricia, on the other hand, had come to understand that there was nothing wrong with her. To the Luna, her daughter was just uniquely beautiful.

The only people who knew her secret and had seen her without the mask were her sisters, her lady-in-waiting, and the Alpha, who had not seen his daughter since the day he had rejected her in disgust. The rest of the castle and the pack had never beheld the princess, although they knew that at eighteen she would be presented to society. Everyone awaited that moment with great anticipation and curiosity to know the reason for her seclusion.

The Luna was aware that, when that happened, the rumor about Viola's veiled face would become news throughout the continent. Even so, she would protect her as much as possible. She knew it would be terrible for her daughter, but she held onto the hope of finding her a good husband that would keep her secret. Although it would be a very difficult task for her.

"Mother," Viola called. She entered the room with short steps to get closer to her.

"I'm listening," replied Patricia, who was standing next to Rina, her maid. They were putting the finishing touches on the dress Viola would wear for the welcome ball tonight.

Viola stopped beside Rina and gazed at the dress. It was a beautiful long gown with long sleeves and a sweetheart neckline, in a delicate shade of purple.

"It's very beautiful, mother. I think..." Three gentle knocks on the door interrupted her words.

"Go and put on your mask, Viola," her mother ordered. "Just a moment, please!" she shouted afterward.

Viola turned around, picked up the mask from where it lay, and put it on, covering half of her face and eyes.

The doors swung open and a group of men entered carrying wooden crates. There were many, and Viola didn't understand why.

"My Luna," Patricia's butler greeted with a bow. Then he looked at Viola. "My princess," he added with a respectful nod.

"Are they all here?" Patricia asked as she watched the men finish entering.

"Yes, Luna. Seven hundred and eighty masks, perfectly crafted for the princess," the man reported.

"Very well. Put them over there," Patricia ordered, turning her attention back to the dress.

Viola remained still in her place, watching as they took masks of different colors from the boxes and arranged them on the shelves. There were many of them, all of the same design: the interior was padded and lined with soft fabric so as not to irritate her skin, and the eye part was covered with a black net.

Viola was a bit furious. She turned to her mother.

"I guess they're all for me," she said.

Patricia took her hands away from the dress and focused all her attention on her daughter.

"We need to talk about that," she replied in a serious voice.

"Does everyone outside wear masks like me?" Viola asked. "Why don't the people coming in here wear them? Why aren't you wearing them, or Rina, or my sisters? Or aunty Valka. That reminds me—I haven't seen her for a long time now."

Patricia looked at her and let out a sigh heavy with sadness. She took the princess's hands and stroked them gently. She was searching for the right words to speak to her daughter.

"Poor child," murmured Rina, approaching the Luna and princess. "The world will be cruel to this innocent and pure young woman." The woman shook her head slowly and reached for the mask Viola was wearing, then stroked the cold silver as if it were the young princess's skin. "You didn't prepare her for the horrible world out there." The woman withdrew her hand, gave Viola one last, very sad look, turned, and returned to her work.

Patricia lowered her gaze and observed her daughter's delicate and beautiful hands. They were slender, small, with pink, somewhat long nails.

"Come with me," Patricia said, taking her daughter's hand to lead her away.

Viola remained silent and followed her mother. She left the room. It was the first time she had seen the corridors. Iron lamps adorned the walls, illuminating the space. She looked around curiously. It took them an hour to descend the spiral staircase to reach the ground floor.

"It's huge," Viola told her mother, still staring at the place. She was amazed.

"It is," her mother added. "After tonight, you can wander the halls and gardens freely, whenever and wherever you like."

Viola didn't answer and continued looking around. From where she stood, she could hear the commotion and the musicians playing their instruments; she could hear the people inside enjoying themselves.

"Where's the dance, Mom?" Viola asked as she walked, turning her face to look at her mother for an answer.

"Right here, my dear," she announced. "Every daughter of the Alpha, upon coming of age, must be presented in that room. So look around and don't be nervous when the time comes," the Luna explained.