The Alpha Princess Selection

Chapter 5

Charlotte’s POV

“Welcome and thank you all for making the trek to Royale City, I know it must have not been an easy journey taking into consideration that this may be the first time most of you are leaving your pack for an extended time, so thank you for choosing to take part in this wonderful event.” She said. She kept a constant smile on her face for the crowd that was enamoured by her. She had everyone’s attention, including mine, her presence was just that powerful.

“My name is Addison West-Burton. I am the Alpha King’s niece and a cousin to the Alpha Prince, the same Alpha Prince you all have travelled here to woo.” She paused as a murmur travelled through the group.

My eyes widened as I connected the dots about her identity. Everyone knew about Princess Addison. She is the only daughter of the Alpha King’s only brother. Although her father and mother had lived very far from the royal palace, after abdicating their right to the throne, she had grown up in the palace and was well-loved by the masses, even I looked up to her at one point because she had put the mate bond over everything else, which was what I had always been taught to do. She had given up her title for a chance at love with her human mate. At the time there were a lot of people who were against it because they didn’t want to lose the Princess that they had loved so much, but eventually, everyone supported her decision.

I frowned a little at the thought that my own chance at mating my fate mate was being taken from me, but quickly shook those thoughts away. I didn’t need to put myself into such a depressive headspace.

I looked back at Lady Addison and saw that she was wearing a confident smile on her face before she continued talking. “I have been tasked to host this event so I hope we will all get along so that choosing our future Alpha Queen becomes easy for us.” She clasped her hands in front of herself and I noted that she had a huge diamond on her ring finger. Werewolves rarely wore rings to symbolise their relationship status, since we could just mark each other, so I knew her human mate had to have given her that ring.

“I know you are all curious to see the man in question but today he is away fulfilling his duties and you will only get a chance to meet him tomorrow. We have a lot of activities planned for you during your stay and the schedule for such can be found in the pamphlet on your tables in your rooms. I trust the rules about cell phones have been discussed with you all and I thank you for your cooperation on that matter in advance.” She said before she pushed backwards in the chair that she had been seated in and stood up. All of the other girls in the room stood up and I joined in as well. “I don’t want to take up any more of your time so I will bid you adieu. Dinner will be served in your rooms tonight and I trust you will enjoy the welcome snacks we have prepared for you all.” She said pointing at the food on the table. “Please do help yourselves and I will see you all tomorrow morning for the commencement of our first task.”

Lady Addison then made her way toward the main door. To get to it she would have to pass behind me. All of the girls she passed behind gave her a soft bow which I found a bit odd because she was no longer a royal so why were people bowing to her like she was. I just assumed that people still treated her like a royal even after she gave up her title but I wouldn’t risk questioning it because it wasn’t my place and I knew that asking may dig up problems I didn’t want to deal with.

Lady Addison seemed to pay no mind to those bowing but instead kept her eyes on me as she approached where I was seated. She stopped for a beat and looked right at me in the same way that the man who had collected our phones had.

It was unnerving and I couldn’t help but wonder if this is how things were done in Royale City.

She let out a soft smile my way which I returned with a small bow of my head before she continued walking out of the room and once she was out I collapsed into my chair and immediately reached for another piece of the bread from another basket.

I took a bite and I was immediately happy when I discovered that this piece of bread had meat in its centre.

‘Do we know her?’ My wolf asked me curiously, no doubt that she had caught the way Lady Addison had looked at us.

‘No.’ I replied. I had never been to Royale City so there would be no way I would have met her but I couldn’t be certain that I hadn’t seen her back home when officials from the royal family visited our pack. ‘At least I don’t think so.’

‘But she looked at you like you were her close friend.’ My wolf noted.

‘This is our first time here, remember?’ I said. ‘Maybe she knows someone who looks like me.’

‘Maybe.’ My wolf said to me. I knew she still had her doubts, but there was no way she could pursue it further since I wasn’t too sure about it either.

I looked around me and saw that all of the other girls were putting the food from the trays and the baskets on the table onto their plates and decided to do the same. I would fill up my plate before I went up to my room so that I could eat it all later. I picked up different pieces of food from each plate. I couldn’t recognise most of the dishes but I had never been one to shy away from trying out new things.

I smiled slightly as I saw the small mountain of food that was on my plate. I would use this to make up for the meals I had missed during the day while I waited for dinner.

“Are you really going to eat all of that?” I heard a voice ask from opposite where I was sitting.

I looked up from my masterpiece and locked eyes with the owner of the voice. It was the girl I had been seated next to on the plane.

“Chloe, right?” I asked her. She nodded her head. “Yes, I am,” I replied confidently.

“Shouldn’t you be watching your weight?” She asked which made me want to roll my eyes but I decided to remain polite to her so that I wouldn’t burn any more bridges.

I shook my head. “What for? The consequences of this will probably burn off next time I shift anyway.”

“But we should all strive to look our best for Alpha Prince Royce.”

I cringed and looked back down at my plate. “I look my best right now and I will look better after my meal when I am full,” I said to her before I pushed my chair out so that I could stand up.

I looked back up at her when she didn’t respond and saw that her mouth was slack. I would have smiled if I wasn’t afraid that I had driven the wedge even deeper between us. I looked at Chloe’s sides and found that the girls were looking at me weirdly. This wasn’t the same weird look that Lady Addison and the servant had shot me but this look was definitely one of judgement.

I sighed.

If this was how they acted toward me and my love for food, which wasn’t that big of a deal then I knew that any action I took from here on out would be judged just as harshly.

I wanted to care but I couldn’t find it in myself to care. My parents hadn’t raised me to be self-conscious, they had raised me to be confident in my actions. I think I was starting to understand why I hadn’t made a friend yet, I didn’t care to change myself to fit their standards.

“I’ll be going back to my room now,” I said and picked up my plate to carry it out.

I couldn’t help but notice that in my wake all of the chatter had died down and all that was left was silence. I walked out of the room as fast as I could while making sure not to drop my food and reached the door without looking back once.

Once I had closed the door behind me I heard the chatter pick back up and I was sure that I was the topic of conversation.

‘It’s going to be hard for us to make friends.’ I said to my wolf.

‘It’s fine we have each other.’ My wolf replied which caused me to smile.

“Lady Charlotte Green?” A voice asked pulling me out of my conversation with my wolf. It was the same man who had taken our phones before.

“Yes,” I said. “May I have my phone back now?”

I saw the servant stifle a smile at my words. I know it wasn’t exactly polite but I sometimes found it hard to control my impulses. My behaviour was endearing to some while others found it overbearing, I guess the servant was one of the former.

“Actually, I’ve been asked to escort you somewhere.” He replied.

“Will I be getting my phone back?” I asked him.

This time he couldn’t stop the chuckle that left his mouth. “Yes, I’ll deliver it personally to your room.”

“Cool, can you also deliver this to my room as well?” I said passing the plate of food to him. He looked a bit taken aback by my request but took the plate from my hands anyway. “Lead the way.”

He looked at me oddly but I think he decided not to question my behaviour but proceeded to walk in front of me with me following behind him.

By now the light from outside was no longer as bright as it had been when we had entered the hall, showing that the time was now going towards the evening.

“Where are you taking me?” I asked him.

“A senior member of the royal family asked to see you.”

“Why me?”

“I don’t know.” He replied before opening a door and standing in front of it. “I’m sure your question will be answered once you enter.”

I had more questions but I had a feeling that he wouldn’t be so open to answering them so I simply nodded at him and entered the room.