It was the night of the party.

Ella grimaced as she slid into the gown Braxton had the seamstress made for her.

The maids quickly finished her hair and with a huff Ella dismissed them. She looked at the dress in the full body mirror built in the centre of the wardrobe.

It was a brown colour with black leaf-like designs on it. The leaves covered the bust down to her mid-thigh. Where the dress frills out covered by a black veil with a few black flower designs. The back of the dress was low-cut leaving her back exposed; the leaves covered the area below her back.

Her hair was in a tight bun with two strands at the side and she was forced to wear black, three-inch stilettos. She was five feet eight inches and Braxton thought that the three inches would boost her to the right height.

Ella scrunched her nose as she looked at her face. It was covered in makeup, they applied foundation, powder, a Smokey eye look, red lip stick and blush to her face; to make her look presentable.

She groaned as she looked herself over. "I look like a doll."

"You look stunning!"

Ella whipped her head around to see an awestruck Braxton.

He was in a black suit with a red rose in his jacket pocket, his hair was as always gelled back, and he looked normal. Not much changed about him. Ella rolled her eyes at his comment. She was not once flattered nor did a blush creep on her face.

He walked over to her; she tensed and stiffened as he spun her around. Braxton placed a necklace around her neck and clasped it. The necklace was gold, the chain fine and the pendant was a red rose outlined by gold strips.

"It was my mother's, the Queen's," stated Braxton. "And now it's yours. Our future Queen."

He placed a kiss on her temple and she forced a smile. "It's lovely."

Ella dreaded Braxton but she couldn't avoid him. After all, he was going to be her King and she, his Queen but, she didn't love him and he was always irritated with the way she acted.

So, why would he want to wed her? She wasn't the most beautiful in the kingdom and she didn't show any intentions of becoming Queen.

So, why her?

"Are you ready?" he asked, she nodded and took her mask off the bed.

She placed the golden mask with black mesh sewn onto it on her face. Laced her arm with Braxton's, who was in a silver mask and walked out her room.

What was the sense of all that makeup if I was going to wear a mask? she thought as they walked down the hallway.

***

The party was boring as far as Ella could hear, there was classical music playing, people talking and blood being served, the aroma was strong in the room. Ella puts on a fake smile as she walked to the stairs. This was it she had to face those snobby vamps, have them look at her and judge her.

The room was gold with pillars all around and blue banners on the walls. There were engravings in the walls, a big buffet table at the far left, the band was to the right, there was a diamond chandelier on the ceiling, and vamps populated the blue tiled floors.

"Here we go," she sighed as Braxton squeezed her hand in a comforting manner. She scowled.

"Presenting His Highness Prince Braxton Highlard and his Princess Crisella King."

The eyes in the room travelled to them. Ella could see the grimaces on the maidens' faces as they saw her. They all wanted to marry that douchebag, sometimes she wished they could switch places and she would be rid of Braxton but alas...

They descended the stairs, Ella smiled at the vampires, and a few returned it, keeping it just as fake. This was going to be a long night.

The night was busy.

After a few dances with Braxton, talking to his uptight friends and dancing with a few of them. Ella was happy to get some time for herself. She signed as she snuck into a corner away from the limelight and mostly away from Braxton. If she wanted to escape the act of killing a werewolf tonight, she had to escape her own party. She knew it wouldn't be easy, Braxton would have planned on her skipping and would have some goons at the exits and windows.

She needed to sneak out undetected at least a few minutes before midnight. She looked up at the golden trimmed clock on the left wall. She sucked in a breath; it was five minutes to twelve. She watched as the golden minute hand moved once more. Four minutes.

She dashed from the corner towards the wine bowl to replenish her strength. She grabbed a glass and poured herself some blood. She needed all her strength if she planned to escape.

She put the glass to her lips and took a sip.

"Crisella!" Braxton's voice boomed.

She whipped her head to look at the obnoxious vampire on the podium where the musicians were. She swallowed cautiously.

"Come up here sweetheart," he smiled at her.

She nodded and forced a smile. Ella mentally scowled herself.

Caught while getting a drink; should have skipped it.

She sighed as she made her way to the podium. Braxton held out his hand and pulled her up. She faced the audience; they looked at her judging her, like always. Braxton placed his hand at the small of her back and began to speak.

"My friends, we are here to celebrate the one hundred and sixteenth birthday of our future Queen, my future beloved. This beautiful woman will wed me a week from now and take the throne by my side...but only if she completes her kill. Crisella on her birthday is required to kill a werewolf to prove her loyalty to us, as tradition."

Ella's stomach churned as he talked, she didn't want to marry him or rule the kingdom or kill a wolf.

"Now tonight she will be put to the test! Bring out the mutt!"

Ella watched as the ballroom doors flew open. Her heart thud against her ribs as she saw the wolf.

It had black fur with scars and deep wounds littering his body. Blood dripped from its body, flies flew around it infesting his wounds, and one of its ears clipped off. The wolf's left eye was bloody; it looked like it had been stabbed repeatedly.

Ella gagged as the wolf's scent hit her nostrils. The wolf reeked and smelt rotten.

Her eyes became glossy as she saw him. It was just a pup.

The guards threw it to the front of the podium and the vampires laughed at the wolf. Braxton grabbed a sword from the guard and placed into Ella's shaky hands.

"Tonight, we welcome a new Queen!" he shouted.

They all cheered. Ella was frozen she was watching the wolf with sorrowful eyes. Braxton leaned towards her ear, his breath tickling her neck. She shivered in disgust.

"Kill it."