Betrayed By The Vampire Prince

Where is he?

“Lala!”

I turn at the sound of the familiar voice. It was nearing dusk, and I'm just close to home. None of the Beta I placed a bet with were at the edge of the forest when I exited.

Turns out they have already determined the outcome of the dare. Pfft. I can't wait to see the expressions on their faces when they see me.

Hilda hurries towards me, with an expression that clearly shows her worries. She looks like a mother who has been crying over a child she lost.

Her black hair, which she always leaves up in a neat bun, is let down for the first time since I knew her. She's putting on a black gown, which is so unlike Hilda, who loves colourful dresses.

“Lala!” She closes the distance between us and envelops me in a warm, bone-crushing hug. Shocks rack through her body as she hugged me with all her strength.

I gave her a pat on the back, “what are you doing out here? It's too dangerous to be far from the pack.”

“Shut up!” She breaks from the hug and faces me. Her tear-stained face was the first thing I noticed.

“Why are you crying, Hilda? Did any of those fools bully you?” I grit my teeth, feeling rather protective of my friend, who's more like a sister to me.

“You are the cause! Where have you been? I thought… I.” Her words hitch in her throat. She stared at me with eyes so red, it showed how long she had been crying.

“I went out on a dare, I'm back now. You don't have to worry about me.” I gently ruffle her hair.

“You went to the forbidden forest, didn't you?” She accuses, looking like she isn't convinced that I'm the one standing in front of her.

“Did those Betas tell you that?” I rolled my eyes at her as I slung a hand over get shoulder. “How can you believe me over there? I lied to them about going into the forest. Believe me, I didn't step a foot in there.” I lie through my teeth, making sure to keep my face as straight as I could.

Hilda always catches me whenever I lie. I'm only hoping she doesn't see my eyebrow twitch. This way, she won't know that I lie.

She glances up, her golden eyes searching mine, looking for a sign of a blink or a twitch of my eyebrow.

She sighed. “I'm just worried about you, Lala.”

“Oh, don't.” I glance up at the sky, which is now pitch black. Though it's night, we can still perfectly see it as if it's in the morning. “What do you say, we race home?”

“No, we walk.” She takes my hand in hers and starts dragging me back. “You don't know how worried I was when David told me that you went into the forbidden forest. How can you be so stupid to play with them?” She murmurs, still angry at what I did.

I roll my eyes at her. “They are my gang. Of course, I will play with them.” I try not to sound like a spoiled child.

“You are no longer a child, Lala. You are a woman! And you need to act like one. Soon, you will be married off to an Alpha —”

“I'm not getting married.” I cut her words short.

“La—”

I remove my hand from her grip. “Race you home!” I change into my wolf and dash down the lane that led to our pack.

I don't need to turn to know she's close by. Despite her refusal to change into her wolf, she did it, to keep up with me.

Compared to her wolf, mine is as white as snow, while hers is as black as the night. Mother —the current Luna— always jokes about how the moon goddess switched our wolves.

Her black fits my temperament more than my white does.

I froze when I perceived the new scent among the pines. We were halfway home and across the spring of the pack.

I immediately stopped, prompting Hilda to do the same. I sniff the air, only to realize that the new wolf that's closer to us is none other than my father.

Hilda didn't make a sound as we stood our ground, awaiting the presence of an Alpha, who didn't waste any time at all in showing himself.

Father immediately changed into his human form the moment he stopped in front of us. His eyes scanned our faces before they stopped on me.

“Where have you been, Star?” His questions send shivers down my spine. I swallowed, not ready to explain anything to my father, who looked like he was moments from tearing me limp my limp.

“I went on a dare with the Betas.” I changed into my human form, knowing how much father hates it when we speak to him in our wolf form.

“Dare?!”

His voice reverberates in the cold forest. Hilda, who was next to me, whimpered, feeling the power of an Alpha wash through her.

“It was a harmless trifle.” I gulped, perfectly hiding the amount of fear I got just from standing in front of my father, the great Alpha of the pack.

His golden eyes locked me in place. Father is one of the most handsome men I have ever had the opportunity of meeting. With golden hair as long as that of a woman, and equally golden eyes, with a height of 6'3 (1.91 m), he looks younger than most men in the pack. However, he lacked gentleness.

It's one of his flaws.

I didn't stare into his eyes. I turned my face to the side. It was a good thing that I had a bath at the brook in the forest. Else, they would have perceived the smell of a bloodsucker on me. I got clothes from the hut I left Lux in.

“Return home.” He said before he turned and headed south.

Hilda released a breath the moment he left. “I don't think I will ever get used to your father's presence.” She shivered.

“Well, he's my father. That's why I'm used to him. Let's go, mother will be waiting for me.”

****

I didn't go to the forest the next day, to avoid any suspicion from my father, who has been watching my every movement like a hawk. He even sent my elder brother to watch over me.

Imagine. Well, to cut a long story short, I managed to avoid their suspicion by being the best daughter these two days. I didn't go out with my gang like I normally do. I stayed indoors until they got tired of me.

Hell, I was kind and receptive to the Alpha my father brought a day ago. That was how I was able to get them off my case.

I glance behind me to be certain there wasn't anyone following me. I won't put it past those Betas to do something like that.

When I was certain the coast was clear, I hurry towards the hut I built back in the days when I started my rebellious phase. I'm glad I didn't show Hilda this place. Else, she might come over any time she doesn't see me in the pack.

The hut came into focus the moment I passed the large tree. It's perfectly hidden, to avoid detection.

I stop next to the tree and ran a hand through my hair before I glanced down at my gown.

I'm putting on a gown for the first time since I entered my rebellious phase. My mother was surprised when she saw me tying my hair up in a tight ponytail. Well, I had to be presentable when visiting the bloodsucker, right?

I can't have him thinking werewolves are dirty creatures. With one last look at my clothes, I carry my basket and head towards the hut.

“Lux?” I knock on the closed door but got no reply. I furrowed my brows as I knocked again. When I didn't get any reply, I open the door, to see an empty hut.

Aside from his bloody clothes by the corner, there is no sign of the bloodsucker.