Cursed Bond: Claimed By The Monstrous Alpha Prince [BL] Chapter 1: The Ballroom

Lilac

"You should have just stayed back at the palace instead. Now, because of you, my daughters are gonna be avoided by high ranking princes, thanks to your cursed presence." Tracy, my step mother whisper-shouted at , her eyes darting around to make sure none was currently listening in.

I exhaled sharply, reigning in my irritation. I wasn’t supposed to lose control of my emotions no matter what.

"Father gave permission to co along with the family." I responded monotonously, eying my gloved fingers like they were the most fascinating thing in the world right now. anwhile, what I was actually doing was trying to pretend I didn’t notice how people have been staring at since I arrived with the family, about thirty minutes ago.

We’re currently at Hellbrid kingdom, seeing as they’re the ones who’re hosting the Rousatos celebration this year. It occurs once in five years, and it’s a mixture of ten kingdoms coming together for it.

Five years ago, my father’s kingdom hosted it. In five years, a different kingdom is gonna host it. It’s a celebration of the day our ancestors defeated the vile supernatural creatures and completely got rid of them, many centuries ago. It’s also a celebration of power, heaven’s blessings, and a chance for the single youths of different kingdoms to et a lot of other equally single people, and hopefully find a match.

"Well, you better make yourself as scarce as possible! If you’re thinking of ruining Claudia and Aria’s chances of getting matched with the top princes in attendance tonight, then you had better end that delusion right now! You’re not even worthy of marrying a royal court mber, talk less of a prince." Her voice hardened this ti, the hate and disgust glistening in her eyes as she stared down.

She didn’t even need to say this, because I never intended to find a prince tonight, or anyone else for that matter. The only reason I was here tonight was to keep an eye on my two younger sisters, and make sure they were at their best. I might not be interested in anything tonight, but it doesn’t an I don’t want the best for my sisters.

I nodded stiffly at my stepmother. She scoffed hastily and threw one last, scalding look before whirling around and storming away. I exhaled once finally alone, because as usual, her presence was always stifling.

Hailey, my youngest sister- aged fourteen, was at my side in the next mont, asking if I was alright. I took a step back before she could touch .

"You aren’t supposed to interact with tonight, rember? You’ll ruin your chance of piquing the interest of one of the hot shots here tonight." I reminded her. But Hailey only scoffed and stepped closer, taking my hand.

"You know I don’t care about all that. I only care about you." She responded but I shook my head and pulled away again.

Hailey is young. Of course she didn’t care yet. But once she’s of age and everyone refuses to marry her because they believe my wretched curse might have tainted her, she might grow to resent - and I didn’t want that.

"Hailey, rember our agreent? You’ll take this seriously. You’ll be nice to anyone Father introduces you to. You’ll dance with them. And, you’ll keep a ntal list of the people you can imagine getting married to once you’re of age. Then we’ll have a list of interested suitors we can start working with," I rattled off, putting on my authoritative voice.

She let out a reluctant sigh and nodded, clearly not pleased.

"But, what about you? You won’t dance with anyone? And why isn’t father introducing you to anyone yet like he did with the rest of us." She inquired. Poor child, she’s as clueless as a baby chick.

"Father has his reasons, and I don’t wish to dance anyway." I responded calmly before urging her to return back to dancing, and I was glad she listened this ti.

A relieved sigh escaped my lips when soone- one of the younger princes from one of our neighboring kingdoms, instantly approached her for a dance. At least the fact that she just spoke to didn’t ruin anything for her tonight.

My eyes searched the dance floor for my second sister and I spotted her almost imdiately. Kira- she’s currently dancing with Prince Alexander, eldest Prince of the second most powerful kingdom of all ten kingdoms gathered tonight. Kira is almost sixteen, and is everything a princess should be- so it was no surprise she has managed to pull the attention of almost all the single most high-ranked princes tonight. That made a relieved sigh escape my lips.

My sisters would end up marrying well, to high ranking princes who’d end up becoming kings, which would make them queens. They deserve the best and it’s my duty as their eldest sibling and guardian to ensure they get it.

At the side of the ballroom, stood Tracy beside her two daughters. They were all glaring at Kira, jealousy starkly painted across their faces. That made scoff and roll my eyes. That’s the exact reason why Tracy and her daughters hate my sisters and myself so much.

Because my sisters were so pretty, they were often referred to as fallen angels by people.

I was almost as good looking as my sisters- after all, we all took after our mother. However, unlike them, I was an outcast. A pariah.

"We aren’t princesses, but we still have more people approaching us compared to the freak." A voice scorned beside along with responding giggles.

"I know, right? For a princess, she sure is living a pathetic life." Another one muttered and they all agreed and laughed again.

"At least her sisters have better fates than her." A third voice said and they all agreed again.

Having heard enough, I held my head high, lifted my white ball dress with my gloved hands and walked over to the refreshnt table. Of course, I manage to pull most of the attention. It was like so people attend gatherings like this just to stare at and have sothing to gossip about.

I could just imagine the field day everyone here would have should they discover the secret I’ve been keeping since I was born. How would they react if they find out that I’m not a princess? That this is all a facade?

Tracy was glaring at when our eyes t and I scoffed before turning away.

After my mother died during the birth of Hailey- Tracy instantly wanted to have us kicked out, and I know it still pains her that she wasn’t successful.

My father got married to Tracy, a month after I was born. I could rember the pain in my mother’s voice when she told everything once I was old enough to understand.

Apparently, my father told my mother it was because he was taking a new wife because he wanted a son.

anwhile, he previously had four sons, but after a prophecy ca from the kingdom’s soothsayer– that one of his growing sons, along with any son that gets born to him in that period, is gonna end up killing him just like he killed his own father, he ordered for all of them to be killed.

Out of the three wives my father had, my mother was the first wife, and his first love. But she was unable to take in, which was why the king took two more wives, and quickly they bore him two sons each. The two younger wives beca my father’s favorite, while my mother beca the cornered stone.

Coincidentally, my mother, who had been praying to the gods for a child for over ten years, finally took in and gave birth to that sa period my father received that prophecy.

My mother gave birth to a son.

A boy child.

A male.

Desperate to protect , and because she refused to lose her child whom she desperately longed for, she worked with her handmaiden, paid off the midwives, then lied to the king that I was a girl, and that was how I narrowly escaped death.

The two younger wives weren’t lucky. Their sons got killed, and that prompted the two wives to take their lives from that sorrowful loss, leaving my mother as the only wife of the king, and my mother didn’t take any chances. Which was why from birth, I was brought up as a girl- till this very mont.

That was a secret my mother made promise her I’d carry to my grave, right before she died. I was to never reveal that secret to anyone no matter what. Kira ended up finding out at one point when she had to take care of after I fell severely sick, and since she loved unconditionally, she swore to keep my secret.

Getting married would definitely blow up my cover. If anyone wedded thinking I’m a girl, on the wedding night, my cover would be blown- then I’d definitely be killed by the king. There was no escaping that.

I let my eyes wander around the bustling ball, pointedly ignoring people blatantly staring at and not bothering to hide the fact that they were gossiping about . n were approaching girls with white feathers in their hair- an indication that they were single, but to no one’s surprise, none was approaching . At this point, I was supposed to have been used to this, to being singled out in every gathering for being a cursed freak, but deep down, it still hurts so much.

Two girls roughly suddenly bumped into from nowhere and I stumbled back from the force of it, right into the long table of food and drinks.

"Oops." The second girl crooned.

At the sound of the loud crash, I wanted to faint from sha at once. My white dress was instantly ruined with the mixture of the food and drinks I had just fallen into, and as people began to laugh, tears pricked at my eyes but I forced the tears away and tried to stand up. But the floor was as slippery as my dress and I crashed into the ss again.

The girls who crashed into wore faux worried expressions as more people gathered.

"Oh my, are you hurt? We didn’t see you there!" The first girl cried out in an apologetic tone but the scorn was obvious in her voice. She offered a hand which I ignored. As I finally got to my feet, I stared at the two girls flatly. I want to call them out right now.

I recognized them. They’re friends of Claudia and Aria, my step sisters, and I was certain my step sisters and their mother asked them to do this. From the side of my eyes, I caught sight of the suspects subtly grinning proudly, but my father had a furious expression on as he stalked towards .

The crowd instantly parted in respect, and I wanted to bolt at once, because being faced with my father’s anger isn’t pleasant at all. Once he stopped in front of , before I could even try defending myself, he slapped hard across the face.

"Bringing sha to my na again? Are you not tired of being such an embarrassnt, Lilac?" He growled angrily just as silence fell over the ball. I could feel thousands of eyes digging into right now, and as tears fell down my face, I wish I could just die instead.

"You’re a princess, yet- you keep acting like a lowlife. Did you see how your sisters completely chard the princes they were introduced to? Even your step sisters- they’re doing just fine! But you? You’ve just brought sha on my family again." He lowered his voice this ti but it didn’t make any difference.

"I’m sorry, father." I whispered, eyes downcast and heart completely shattered. I caught sight of my two younger sisters who had been previously dancing with so royal princes before the music stopped after I crashed into a table. They had pitiful and sorry expressions on and I looked away, focusing on what my father was saying.

He ordered to get outside and clean myself up, then to wait in the family carriage.

Of course he wouldn’t want to return back here. But saying it before everyone? And hitting in public as well? It’s like he doesn’t even mind being perceived as a bad king, probably because it’s a known fact that he’s the most powerful and runs the most successful kingdom out of the ten kingdoms gathered tonight.

I bowed to him, and as he turned away, I fled out of the ballroom, running between the parted crowded, with everyone’s eyes trailing after till I exited the large doors. I didn’t bother checking for pity in any of their eyes- because I was certain all I’d find is scorn, satisfaction and amusent