Claire's POV
Over the next few days, Louis kept himself busy searching for Luna Diana. But each time he returned, his face looked heavier, and I could tell that the chances of finding Luna Diana alive were getting slimmer.
Maybe to distract himself or because the return ball was approaching, Louis didn't let himself dwell on his mother's death. He got back to teaching me Luna lessons and even started teaching me how to dance again.
Under his guidance, my dancing skills improved quickly. As the night of Louis's return ball drew closer, my nerves were getting more and more on edge.
...
The night of the ball arrived.
"Oh, I finally finished this dance, Louis!" I gasped, catching my breath after a dance.
"You did great, Claire," I reassured him.
"But according to the lesson plan, I still need to practice for another 30 minutes tonight. I want every step I take at the ball to be perfect and elegant. I don't want people laughing at me because of my dancing."
Louis grinned, shrugging. "Don't stress, dear. It's just a ball, not our wedding."
"You're a prince, so a ball is a piece of cake for you."
I put my hand on Louis's shoulder and kept dancing, focusing on nailing my steps.
"But for me, it's different. Even though my dad's an Alpha, he only cared about Cathy. He hardly ever took me to parties. And my stepmom, Rachel, would rather I be a nobody to make Cathy look better. She never taught me anything about parties."
I rambled on, oblivious to the sadness in Louis's eyes.
"Well," Louis interrupted suddenly, his tone serious. "About the ball, wanna hear my advice?"
"Sure!" I perked up. "Lay it on me!"
"My advice is... There are no rules at the ball."
I looked up, confused. "But Mrs. Smith told me..."
"Forget everything they said. Truth is, there are no rules here. If there's any rule, it's simple: winners take it all."
"I'm getting mixed messages," I frowned, getting back into my dance steps. "So, are there rules or not?"
"If you want there to be, there are. If you don't, there aren't. In short, it's your ball, my dear mate. You're the one in charge."
I pondered for a moment but shook my head skeptically. "Not sure I buy it, Louis. Sounds too good to be true. This is a royal ball!"
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Submitting to My Lycan Prince Mate
WerewolfAt a party, everyone sees Claire's joke. His fiance, chosen mate, walks past her with the ring and gets down on one knee in front of her stepsister. What the hell is going on here? "Joe and I are together now. Because we are each other's fated mates...