The Disastrous Luna

The Engagement

CHARLOTTE'S POV

I sit in front of the mirror, feeling both excited and nervous. It's my eighteenth birthday and I am about to be engaged to the most powerful and stunning prince. I can already hear the sound of music and laughter drifting up from the hall below.

It's the most important day of my life, yet all I can think about is how much easier it would be if angels also phase at eighteen.

Werewolves are the only beings that phase at the age of eighteen, and then they choose their mate and settle into their new life. I can't help but envy them. I wish I can phase early too, so Hayden and I can finally have a mate bond and I can stop worrying about competing with other girls for his attention.

But Angels don't phase until they are nineteen, so I will have to wait yet another year before I can even consider marrying my beloved prince since he made it clear we won't get married until I phase. It is frustrating to have to wait that long for something I want so badly. But what other option do It have?

My maids bustle around me, helping me get ready for the big party. One works on my hair, carefully braiding it into an intricate style, while the others applies my make up.

Another maid enters the room, carrying a long blue dress with golden and silver beads. My eyes widen with delight as I look at the dress in her arms.

"Oh my goodness, it's beautiful!" I exclaim, standing up so I can get a better look. The other maids crowd around the dress, admiring it with envy.

"Where did it come from?" I ask the maid who has brought it.

"It's a gift from the queen, your Highness," the maid answers with a gentle smile.

I feel a warm glow of appreciation for my mother-in-law. Hayden's mother had been working tirelessly to make sure that everything was perfect for my engagement day. And now, with this stunning dress, I already feel like a a future Queen.

The maids helps me into the dress, and as I look at myself in the mirror, I can't help but feel like the luckiest girl in the world. I twirl around, the skirts of the dress swishing around me, and my maids clap and cheer.

"You look absolutely beautiful, Your Highness," one of them says.

There is a sudden gentle knock on the door and the queen's maid peeps in.

"Your highness, the party has started. They are waiting for you." She informs and I take a deep breath and smoothen out the folds of the elegant dress.

"Thank you," I say, offering the maid a smile. "I'll be down in just a moment."

The maid nods and steps aside, allowing my maids to form a line behind me. They carefully hold the tail of my dress, ensuring that it won't drag on the floor as I walk towards the door.

As we descend the stairs, I feel a sense of anticipation building within me. This is the day I have been waiting for. I can't wait to see my prince and start the next chapter of my life as his fiance.

We enter the hall and all eyes turn towards me. Prince Hayden stands at the center of the room, looking dashing in a royal attire. He gives me a warm smile, and I feel a rush of affection towards him.

The guests begin to applaud as I approach him. He places a kiss on my forehead before turning to face the crowd.

"Dear friends," he says, his voice reverberating across the room. "I am honored to announce that Princess Charlotte has agreed to be my future bride."

The room erupts into cheers and applause, but instead of feeling happiness wash over me I feel this strange feeling.

*********

ISSABELLE'S POV

"Alright, the king's office is just down the hallway on the floor above." I say handing Mandy a crowbar.

"Are you sure this is a good idea? Breaking into the king's office?" Lauren asks in a frightened tone. "What if we break in and can't find the records? What then?"

"We will find them. The king keep important documents are in his royal safe and I know for a fact that the records we need are in there." I say in a calm reassuring tone.

"And what if we get caught? We can be executed for this." Lauren says and I clearly sense the fear in her voice.

"That's why we need to be quick while everyone is at the party. As soon as we get the records, we'll be out of here. No one will even know we were the ones there." I point out.

"It's alright, Lauren." Mandy says placing a comforting hand on laureen's shoulder. "You don't have to come if you don't want to. Issabelle and I can handle this."

Lauren nods, visibly relieved.

"Just keep an eye here and on the hallway, incase someone comes around." I say and turns to Mandy, who is now holding the crowbar, and nods at her.

"Let's go," I say, leading the way out of the room and down the empty hallway.

We make our way to the end of the hallway and take the stairs up where

we find a heavy wooden door. I nod at Mandy, who hands me the crowbar.

I set to work, using the crowbar to pry it open. It is a tense few moments as I struggle with the lock, but finally, it gives way with a satisfying click.

The room is dark, and it takes a moment for our eyes to adjust to the dim light. But soon, we make out the shape of the safe at the corner of the room.

***********

CHARLOTTE'S POV

I try to brush off the strange sensations I am feeling, blaming it on the excitement of the party and the warm, crowded room. But as the prince leads me towards the royal table, I feel my heart race pick up and my head start spin. I can't ignore the feeling that something is very wrong.

The prince turns to face me, his expression filled with worry. "Are you alright?" he asks, his hand tightening around mine. He must have noticed I am a little dazed.

I try to nod and smile, but the energy inside me is building, threatening to burst forth.

"What the hell is happening." I clutch Hayden's arm tightly. Some guests notice something is wrong and Starts to whispers. But even as their voices of confusion grow, my own senses become sharper and more acute.

I can now hear their whispers of the from across the room, and even the distant murmurings of prince Hayden's parents. Suddenly a sharp pain shots through my back, I gasps and stumbles away from the prince.

"Charlotte!" he says shocked.

I am not supposed to phase until I'm nineteen, so why do I feel like my bones are rearranging now?

The prince tries to reach out to me, but I shake my head and run out of the ballroom, holding up my dress. I can hear the gasps and shouts of the guests behind me, but I don't stop, driven by an overwhelming urge to get away.

"What's happening to me?" I cry out, my voice filled with fear and confusion as I run down the hallway towards my room.

I can feel my body changing even more rapidly now, my bones cracking and shifting. I run past a servant who is standing in the hallway and she gives me a confused look as she stumbles out of my way. What is she even doing around royal residents when everyone is at the hall?

I stumble into my room, my body wracking with pain as the transformation continues. I try to make it to my bed, hoping that I will be able to ride out the change safely, but before I can reach it another sharp pain shots through my back.

I cry out in agony, falling to my knees on the cold floor as the pain grows more and more intense. My body contorts and twist beneath my skin. I lay on the cold ground, writhing in pain as black fur sprouts all over my skin.

What is happening to me? They foretold that I am destined to become an angel, a being of pure light and goodness, but now I am transforming into a wolf! It doesn't make any sense.

My beautiful fingers turn into ugly claws and my canines lengthen.

I lay there, whimpering in agony. I wonder what the prince will think of me now. I am definitely not his mate.

We have been betrothed since we were young and I have always imagined that we would rule the kingdom together as a pair of benevolent angels. But now, with this unexpected transformation, I fear the worst. I must get up before the prince or anyone else comes after me.

Just as the pain begins to subside and my body settles into its new disgusting form, the door bursts open and the maid I passed by in the hallway peeps in, her expression immediately turns from curiosity to shock.

I glare at her, my eyes glowing with fury and her eyes widen in fear. She turns and runs off.

Her unexpected appearance has now ruined any chance of keeping my transformation a secret, and I know that she will spread the news like wildfire throughout the palace.

My attention is immediately drawn to the bread knife laying on a plate at the side of the bed. I have never been a violent or aggressive person, but now I feel a primal urge to lash out. I reach for the knife, my fingers closing around the handle. I know that there is no going back. I am a werewolf now, and there is nothing I can do to change that but I can make sure no one will know.