From Now On, I’m My Own Princess

Chapter 3

On the night of the family dinner, Lily changed outfits 3 times.

At last, she walked into the living room wearing the dress Mom had chosen. The relatives quickly gathered around to admire the ring on her hand.

"The next time we see you, we'll have to call you Luna," my aunt said with a laugh.

Lily smiled and drew back her hand. "Oh, don't tease me."

Another aunt leaned closer. "Your cousin wants to join the pack patrol, but he failed his last assessment. Could you ask Aiden to let him try again?"

"Can he retake it after failing?" my younger cousin asked.

His mother smiled. "Why not? Lily is the future Luna. All she has to do is put in a word."

Mom took Lily's hand. "We're all family. Of course she'll help wherever she can."

Lily nodded. "I'll mention it to Aiden."

I was standing in the kitchen, but even over the running water, I could hear my aunt happily thanking Lily.

Mom carried in several used plates and set them beside the sink.

"Wash these too. We'll need them for the fruit later."

"We're out of dish soap."

"There's more in the storeroom." She was already walking away. "Hurry. The guests are waiting."

I dried my hands. As I passed through the living room, I saw Lily showing the relatives a wooden box.

It was mine. Inside was the gold medal I had won at the werewolf academy's combat tournament—the same tournament where Aiden and I first met.

"Where did that come from?" my younger cousin asked, peering over.

"I don't know. I found it while we were clearing out Erin's room."

"It's pretty heavy. She probably bought a fake from some street stall."

"Give it to me."

I walked over and held out my hand.

Lily looked up at me. The box slid from her lap.

The glass cover shattered against the marble floor, and the medal broke free from its mount and struck the leg of the coffee table.

A low growl was already rumbling in my throat before I realized it.

Mom yanked Lily behind her.

"Erin, put your claws away!"

I looked down and saw that the hand I had extended was already shifting.

Lily tucked her feet beneath her and whispered, "I lost my grip."

I pulled back my hand and clenched the fabric of my skirt.

By the time my fingers returned to normal, Mom had finished checking Lily's leg. She turned to me.

"How much did it cost? I'll buy you a new one."

"I won it in a tournament."

She paused.

Dad set down his wineglass.

"She already said it was an accident. Clean that up before one of our guests gets hurt."

My aunt sat Lily down and asked about the engagement party. Mom smoothed Lily's skirt, and the conversation quickly resumed.

I crouched and retrieved the medal from beside the coffee table.

There was a dent in its edge, and shards of glass were embedded in the ribbon.

As I pulled the ribbon free, a shard sliced my fingertip. Blood dripped onto the satin.

My cousin smelled it and glanced at my hand. Mom turned too.

"Be careful."

My hand stilled.

"Don't drip blood on the carpet."

I pressed a tissue to the cut and wrapped up the medal.

As I stood, Dad pointed at the broken glass.

"What about that?"

"I'm going back to my room."

"Erin!"

My steps slowed, but I didn't stop.

"You haven't cut the fruit yet," Mom called after me. Then she laughed apologetically at the relatives. "That girl gets more disobedient every year."

Back in the guest room, I washed the blood from my hand.

The cut had already healed, but no matter what I did, I couldn't clean the small stain from the ribbon.

Afraid of damaging it further, I stopped rubbing and laid it out on the table. Then I picked out the remaining glass shards one by one.

My phone chimed.

Aiden: Have you finished packing?

I looked at the medal on the table and sent him a photo.

Erin: Lily dropped it.

Aiden: Is your hand all right?

Erin: I cut it, but it's already healed.

It took him a moment to reply.

Aiden: This will never happen again. I won't let them hurt you again.