15

" How do you feel today, My child." Number 2 asked Annabel while helping out with the preparation for the feast. Annabel's mood has being off lately, she was no longer the chatty girl she used to be, a lot had changed her.

" Humm, I feel okay Mamito." She responded to get Number 2's mind off worrying about her. Deep down she knew she felt worser than she felt the day before, everyday her heart acheness grew and her spirit faded.

" Oh Annabel! My poor little child! We both know feeling okay is not a thing. I understand how you feel." She said and moved closer to her.

Understand how she felt? How can she understand something she had never gone through? How can she understand loving someone you can never be with? No she never can.

" Hmmm hmm." She replied since she wasn't in the mood to talk.

" You will be fine, just hang in there." Number 2 assured her and stroked her hair gently.

She really hoped she could, wished she could hang in on that tiny breaking thread, one too skinny to carry her weight.

The whole house had being up even before the sun came out to prepare for the grand feast. Annabel was a little relieved that the grand feast wasn't the real wedding yet, it was just to inform both families of their decision. Annabel saw the house in a whole different way, filled up and decorated with high expensive items, looking like a Royal palace. Master Malburt had being so happy and smiling lately like an high school boy whom baged a scholarship, well maybe he did, he baged a scholarship to royalty.

" I am so happy for Master Mackie." Number 4 said as she happily picked out the red roses into the beautiful white jar, nodding her head in excitement.

" I wanna be a princess too, princesses are pretty." Number 3 added sharply, making Annabel sick from their low thinking.

" You don't have to be a princess to be pretty.' Annabel chirped in, ' You can be pretty by just being you." She added and watched the look of disapproval on their faces.

" If that's the way it is then why are we not pretty." Number 3 said sadly.

" We are pets, Number 3. We are not allowed to be pretty." Number 4 replied.

The whole talk was starting to annoy Anny. She wondered how stupid they could be to belittle themselves but maybe they were right. They were nothing but pet, looking ugly was their everyday expectation.

" Pet or not, we are all pretty." Annabel said, trying to make herself believe it even though she felt inferior to the princess whom snatched her love.

Maybe things would have been different if she was a princess too.

She thought.

Crown or not, you will always be your Daddy's little princess.

The voice told her.

Dad is gone, Voice. Now I am nobody's princess.

She replied and crawled into her Master's room, leaving them all to sort the chores out.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

New faces were all sitted across the room in every corner, it felt weird to see more of their kind.

More scary werewolves, more blood sucking monsters, more feast.

She thought.

She had seen enough of them to last her for a lifetime, seeing more made her want to puke or pass out. They were feasting on fresh blood from the animals the hunters had killed the night before specially for the feast.

Yuck! How on earth would anyone enjoy blood? Smelly sticky blood. Oh no! She was going to throw up.

Get your acts together girl, this isn't your first time here so move pass it.

Annabel sighted the king from afar with his effectious laughter, he acted and laughed like a man with a big heart. He was sitted at the biggest and most decorated table in the room alongside with the Princess, Master Malburt and Mackie.

Mackie had his head down and barely acted like he was in the room, he listened to his Uncle and the King chat. He could feel the Princess staring at him but he knew better than to bring his head up and look into her eyes. He wished he could say no to his Uncle and make him see reasons as to why he couldn't marry without love.

He loved Anny but it was impossible to be with her.

How would she be feeling right now? What would she think staring at him being bethroned to another? Had she being able to sleep or eat since she knew, cause he clearly hasn't been able to?.

Be a man Mackie, say no to him.

He told himself but quickly dispose the idea. He couldn't say no, this was a payback for his taking care of him since childhood. He owed him a lot and had to pay back, even at the expense of his happiness, of her happiness.

" Everybody gather near.' Master Malburt said as he got up, facing his people. He watched the noise reduced as the people settled. ' I want to say a big thank you to everyone for turning up, for being here, thank you. And I believe you all know who is sitted right next to me.' He cleared his throat as they murmured. ' Okay! Okay! I will probably introduce him to us. Sitted in our midst, gracing the occasion with his presence is King Arnold, the king of the wolves of Blood City, the most powerful of all rulers and the controller of all. I will love to publicly announce that the wedding of his only child, Princess and My son, Mackie will come up in five months time. Till then we will feast and dine with love." He concluded and raised his glass of wine up, which the others followed suit and they laughed.

Everyone was smiling except Mackie, he had his eyes on Annabel and could see the shock in her eyes at the realization that it all wasn't a dream. He didn't want to get married to a princess or anyone else.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Annabel laid at her usual spot like a stature. She had no strength left in her, all had being drained through the emotional traumas she had to witness.

What could Mackie be doing now? How would he be fairing? Could he be with her? Hugging or cuddling her maybe? Or worst part, sex?

Her heart broke.

No he couldn't? He wouldn't think of moving close to someone else. He loved her and she knew that. He couldn't but what if?.

She thought.

Calm down Anny, get your heart together.

The voice said.

" Are you okay pet? You have being quiet since morning. " Master Alac asked. He knew it was unlike her to be so quiet and uninterested in everything.

" Hmm hmm." Annabel replied.

Her Master had being nice to her ever since the incident on the bed, he had treated her more like a human than a pet, even though he still called her pet. She really wished, she could confide in him but that would be the most stupid thing to do.

Never trust someone who acts nice for a reason, they can always turn bad.

She reminded herself.

" Feel free to talk to me about anything okay." He couldn't believe his own words. He had really gotten soft, just like a bit of the man he hid had come peeping.

" Humm, humm." She avoided saying any real words, so as not to spill out the truth or cry out of grief.

She would probably confide in him someday but that day wasn't now nor was the problem a forbidden act.

" I will have to feed on you tomorrow instead, so get better and happier before then okay." He said and sent her a smile to lighten her mood and cool her off. He stated over his shoulder at her again then proceedes to lay on his bed.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~

Malburt sat on the sofa close to his pack of five well built powerful werewolves. His pack was one of the most feared packs in the town and now having the King on his side, gave him more powers just as he had planned it. They had gathered at Juwa's place to talk things out since his place was more quiet and reserved.

" So finally we have him in our grip." Paco, the one with the blue dressing said. He was known for his ruthlessness during battles and his fearlessness.

" Hmm hmm." Gaza replied and took another sip from his drink.

" So what plan do we have next.' Juwa said, ' we need to plan something huge and make good use of this opportunity. " He completed.

" Yes o. Since we had to give the position up for your son, we all know we did that cause you begged us to, now its time to prove your loyalty." Hoxa said.

Malburt taught about it for a while and decided that he had to plan something so huge.

" I have an idea." Malburt said and sketched something on the piece of paper he had found.

" Bring it on." Juwa said.

" Hummm I think it is time to contest for the head of all packs, it will surely be in our favour." Malburt said and watched them all nod in agreement, murmuring words to themselves.

" And so shall we do it.' Gaza said and brought his glass up, ' Toast to Victory. " He said and they all clicked their glasses to one another.

Vemon, the last one brought his glass close to his lips and sighed. He hadn't said a word since the beginning of the whole talk and he planned to keep it like that. He wasn't interested in their scheme to use the Royals in such unworthy manner but either was he bold enough to say it to their faces.

How on earth would be inhumane enough to use his Son as a bait for what he wanted? The main reason he had turned down the offer and Malburt had to take it up being the second one with a son while the others had daughters.

Malburt was happy at how well his plans were working and how good he was at coercering others to doing exactly what he wanted.

It was only a matter of time Malburt, soon you will be the most powerful and most dreaded in the whole of the blood city and then his pack would not exist.

" So when do you have the engagement planned for." Vemon asked.

" Five months from now." Malburt replied.

" Don't you think its too far?." Juwa asked in shock for how slightly he was taking the matter.

" Hummm I don't think so. Five months should be more than enough time to achieve our plans and don't go thinking they might back out on the marriage because they won't. It would come as a big stain on their name and besides the Princess personally requested for the Omigo Brothers." Malburt said proudly.

" All thanks to me." Hoza corrected. He had being the one who talked the Princess into believing the Omigos were the most suitable family for an alignment.

" Hmm hmm I know, I know but what we all know is that our good name made a way for us and no one can dispute that." Malburt said, disregarding what Hoza said. Help or not, he owed no one a ' thank you'.