Born Of Ashes

Chapter Two

                                                Chapter Two: A Lonely Girl

 The silhouette of the castle grew closer with each passing minute and with it, Harper's excitement grew and so did my nervousness. I tried to study the grounds, however they were in smothered with utter darkness, but the castle, however, loomed ever close: a towering mass of inky turrets and stone, coal black against the velvety sky, but here and there you could see the odd window a lit with amber light above us like eyes watching us get closer and closer to it.

 I gulped back the hard lump in my throat as we pulled up in front of stone steps leading up to the grand oak double doors. My door opened and a hand appeared in front of my face.

 "Miss," the voice greeted in a flat tone, as I took their cool hand in my sweaty one.

I smiled up at the young man as I stepped out of my car. "Thank you" I said, standing waiting for the rest of my party to join me.

 "Come, Iris," My Father ordered, with Harper taking his right arm. I took his left and he led us into the grand entrance hall.

 The hall was lit with glittering candles and the echoing of heels as guests crossed the cool marble floor and through the golden double doors to the right, leading to the Ballroom and to the Unmated Ball, my doom. I tried to gulp down my fear as Harper quickly tried straightening her hair and ask for about millionth time if she looked okay, which I and my Father said she was fine.

 "Names?" a man dressed in all black said with a stern expression and slicked back blond hair.

"Iris and Harper of the Iron Wolf Pack" my Father announced. I watched the man's ash eyes flicker over his clip board and then to Harper and I's pack mark. This was like a tattoo that sat at the base of our necks. Mine and Harpers were both wolves surrounded by chains.

"Yes, you're here" he nodded. "Let them in" he waved to two other men holding the handles of the doors which they opened.

 "Thank you," Harper and I said in unison as our Father led us in.

The ballroom was made from pure cream marble and the ceiling was painted with golden edging. The room had high, tall windows in which you could catch a glimpse of the starless, jet black sky. Glittering candles sat in chandeliers of diamond, illuminating the guests who were dotted around the hall.

The hall was packed with colourful dresses and their owners chatting eagerly amongst each other, talking about the prince, shouting greetings to their friends from other packs and eyeing each other's dresses.  I noticed as I walked, a group of gossiping she-wolves were staring at me, well, my eyes, then they put their heads together to whisper as I walked past. I gritted my teeth and tried to act as though I neither noticed nor cared but I couldn't stop the pain in my chest. I bowed my head in shame. Why was I born a freak?

Harper drifted away, her sugar pink dress gliding with her as she joined a group of gossiping werewolves. I sighed, following my Father as he was hailed by some fellow fathers sitting at one of the round tables that had been covered in a white pearly table cloth. I drew a seat out for myself and sunk down, breathing deep. I only had to stay for an hour and then I can leave I reminded myself. It wasn't long...

  "John," one of the fathers greeted mine with a clap of the shoulder.

 "Mark good to see you," My father copied.  "Have you met my daughter, Iris?"  Mark greeted me with a smiled.

 "Nice to meet you, Iris" He nodded. "These are my daughters Jenner and Lucy," He nodded to two young girls in bright coloured dress. The two greeted me with an overly-friendly almost too airy greeting which had me thinking, had they just stopped talking about me a split second before I had taken a seat? However, I had more important things to worry about: I need to get out of this ball alive and without falling over. I looked to the front of the hall where there sat two chairs raised above everyone else. The chairs where made from pure gold with engravings carved into the metal work. I squinted but I still couldn't make what they were out.