The Werewolf Prince's Selection.

Chapter nine

(Hello people of the Internet! Valentine's Day is coming soon AKA Single's Awareness Day!!! Yyyyyaaaaaaayyyyyyy!!!!! I don't know about you guys but I have a great Valentine! And their name is food!! XD hope all you lovely people have a nice Valentine's Day.)

I hate salad. I really really really don't like salad. So when the butler put a plate of it in front of me, I wanted to get up and bail the whole dinner, regardless of the Royal family so close by. I glare at the pile of lettuce I was supposed to eat. I am a wolf. I like meat. So why. . . WHY the heck, would they expect a wolf to eat rabbit food?!? Pushing it around with my fork, I try to hide my disgust. The blonde next to me was laughing and chomping on lettuce leaves as she talked to the prince. Well, she talked, he. . . Actually I don't really know what he was doing.

He kept looking up and down the table, fidgeting. He seemed restless. Raven kept struggling for control, but I wouldn't let her. Finally, she gave up, defeated, and retreated to the back of my mind. "So then I said, no way you blind bat, as if I'd mix plaid and stripes!" The blonde shrieked and then laughed loudly. "Uh huh." Loëk said, fidgeting with the table cloth. A white gloved hand, (a butler's) picked up my salad plate and replaced it with a bowl of soup. I perked up at the prospect of food I'd actually like.

The soup was a clear broth with a slice of french bread on the side. Dipping my spoon in the steaming hot liquid, I brought it up to my mouth and swallowed. It was chicken broth. Yum. I hungrily devoured the soup, ignoring the noise around me. "Artemis, was it?" A voice said making me snap my head up. A pair of icy blue eyes met mine, sending sparks throughout my body. Oh goddess, please no. Ugh stupid mate bond. Hmm maybe I can piss him off enough too send me home. It's a possibility. . . I'm capable of annoying someone that much.

I don't respond but instead take a big bite of bread, staring him directly in the eye. A look of slight bafflement crossed his face as I now slowly chewed to prolong not answering his question. After about a minute, I swallowed and said a simple, "Yes" before stuffing the last of the bread in my mouth. He frowned at my reaction to him, but then set his sights on the girl to my right. "Your Rosette?" He asked, reading her name tag. Dana nodded. "So Rosette, how do you like the castle so far?" "Oh it's gorgeous." She said and gave a smile. He smiled back. "I'm Desiree." The blond piped up with a high voice. Loëk looked at her and gave a forced smile.

"Nice to meet you Desiree."

"Oh the pleasure is mine, your highness." She purred, leaning forward.

"Uh ha. . ." He coughed into his fist, clearly uncomfortable. I rolled my eyes. He's a big boy. He can handle a horny blond. The next course was a well-done roast with potatoes and buttered carrots. I hungrily dug in. I hadn't eaten in hours and I was starving. Trying to ignore the constant chatters of the other girls, my mind wandered off into space as I ate.

Suddenly one of the girls down the table stood up, chair scraping loudly against the floor. Everyone was silent as they watched her. "I-I'm sorry your majesties. B-bu-but there is something I must say!" She stammered, face red. She took a deep breath. "I'm not interested in guys!" Oh snap. I thought, mildly amused. The king gave a warm smile towards the girl. "That is ok dear. You may go back home." He said and waved a maid forward. "Please pack Miss Fawn's bags and call a driver to take her home." The maid nodded, took Fawn's arm, and left.

"Well that was interesting." Dana mumbled. I snicker and go back to eating my food. "One down, forty-nine to go." Loëk murmured to himself and then kept looking up and down the table. The rest of the dinner went by uneventfully and as soon as the king said we were excused, I booked it, trying to put as far a distance between me and the prince as I can.

Sadly, I got lost trying to find my room and am now wandering the massive halls. And did I mention that some of these halls were poorly lit? Well they were. So now instead of just being lost in a hallway, I am lost in a dark hallway were in horror movies monsters always pop out. Yay. After running into a third dead end, I finally give up and try to find a maid or butler. "Hello? Anyone here?" I call out, my voice echoing off the walls. Hearing footsteps, I look over my shoulder but see no one there. Ok, I'm out of here! I don't want to be killed today! Nah aw! No thank you!

I turn and sprint away from where I was previously standing. I didn't stop running until I reached a well lit room. I sigh in relief at finally being out of the dark but then realized that I had absolutely NO CLUE WHERE I WAS. AGAIN. This just keeps getting better and better. "You lost?" A voice asked. Wait a sec, I recognize that voice. Groaning inwardly, I slowly turn to see, yep you guessed it, the one, the only, Prince Loëk. I am officially screwed. "No." I lie and turn to leave. "Hey, your uh Artemis right?" I offer no recognition that he said anything and continue heading out the door. "Are you uninterested in guys as well?"

I spin around and give him a hard glare. "What, just because I'm not falling for your majesty's charm, that automatically makes me gay?!? Is that it?!" I growl and stomp my foot too empathize. He gaped at me, eyes wide and then cleared his throat.

"I never said that you were gay. I was simply asking."

"What, so now being gay is an insult?"

"What? No!"

"Then why did you say "gay" like it was an insult?"

"I didn't!" He shot back angrily, obviously getting fed up with me. Well good. Maybe he'll send me home if I annoy him. He seemed to realize his emotions and took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. I smirk to myself, applauding my mini victory. "Are you lost?" He repeated, through gritted teeth. I hesitate to answer. Yes I was lost, but I didn't want to be near Loëk any longer then I had too. If I do, then he might find out that I was Winter. And I CANNOT let him find out.

"If it takes you that long to answer, I'm assuming you are." I still don't answer him and grumble under my breath. I hear him sigh. "If you keep walking down the corridor and make a left then you'll find the guest rooms where your staying." I begin moving to leave but pause when I remember something my mother told me. "Always say thank you." I groan inwardly, not wanting to say anything at ALL to him but not wanting to shame my mother as well. "Thanks." I mumble under my breath. "What?"

"I SAID- ugh. I said. . . Thanks." Not waiting for him to answer, I run out of the room, heart pounding.