Luna Queen

Chapter 4: The Invite

                     Cassandra Stewart did not often doubt herself. She believed in brain over heart and always thought well before she acted. Every action has a consequence and she had learnt early on that they were not offered the luxury of being wrong. But for one whole day, she had been beating herself up for what happened.

"I don't know how and why, okay? It just happened. Besides, he initiated it. Not me."

"You kissed him back though. Didn't you?"

"I did. But only for a second."

Cassandra and Alice were sitting in the safety of Alice's room and talking about the incident of the previous night in complete detail. Cassandra had learnt that the Queen and the Prince had both dined in the manor, before the Prince excused himself to leave, never to return. The Queen, however, sat with Mrs Newman for an hour after that, talking about old times. Now, Alice was learning where the Prince went after he left their company.

After several minutes of silent contemplation, Alice started in a meek voice. "Do you think that you could be his Destined Mate?"

Cassandra shrieked, "What?"

"Look at the facts. He, being the Prince, offered to walk you, a human, moments after he met you. Barely five minutes later, he tells you to call him by his name. He comes back and spends an hour in the muddy garden talking to you instead of sitting in a lavish living room. He says that he wants his Destined and kisses you few minutes later. It all makes sense to me."

"You may have forgotten, Alice, but I am a human. A human!"

"So what? Lycans have human mates. It is not that uncommon." Alice was not only convincing Cassandra, but also herself.

"He is not just any other Lycan. He is to be the King."

"There have been human Queens in the past, you know. Not very common, but not unheard of. It has not happened since Lycans took over, but it has happened before." Alice knew more about Lycan history, owing to the fact that she was a Lycan.

"Basically, you are saying that something that has not happened for over a century has happened?"

"When you say it like that, it sounds absurd. But it has been only five generations. Think like that. Besides, I'm just saying that it's a possibility." Even as she was saying it, Alice felt it to be stupid. It seemed possible when you think that the Prince might have a human for a mate. But when you think it to be your own best friend, it seems improbable.

"Didn't you say you feel butterflies when you're around him?" Alice probed.

"Yes. But that is called a crush, Alice! I felt like that with Seth too. But look where he and I are now."

                    Not very far away, Christopher Lupus sat with his mother, telling her what transpired after he left her with the displeasing woman, not giving too many details, unlike his counterpart. The Queen was happy for her son. But she did not understand why he did not immediately bring her to the palace. She was eager to welcome a daughter into her home.

*****

                    With her eighteenth birthday approaching, Cassandra had a big financial decision to make: whether to use her saved up money to vacation or to give it up for household expenditure. She could not ask her mother, because she knew what response she would get.

Pictures of Egypt, Thailand and India called to her, but she could choose to buy a new washing machine instead – one that was not as temperamental as their current one. She constantly found herself going over flight plans and hotels, but booking them felt too selfish.

Finally, she thought about her mother taking care of her for eighteen years, working hard for consecutive weeks without an off-day in the house with a harsh mistress, and booked a new washing machine instead, stashing away the remaining funds for a rainy day.

She also constantly thought about what it would mean for her if Alice's guess was right. For one, she knew she would never have to worry about money again.

                    Two days before her eighteenth birthday, with her mother asleep, Cassandra sat in her home with Alice, deciding about which movie to go watch. The birthday celebration had been advanced a day due to some minor problems with the schedule. There was a knock on the door, and on the other side, was a man they did not recognize, wearing the dark green blazer that marked him as a man who served the Alphas.

"I have a letter to deliver to Miss Cassandra," he announced.

Cassandra had to show her proof of identity to receive the royal letter, which read:

Dear Miss Cassandra,

Prince Christopher Lupus, son of King William and Queen Abigail, heir to the Royal Pack, invites you to dine with him tomorrow.

If you choose to accept the invitation, please convey your acceptance to the messenger.

You will be picked up at 6 PM.

Thank you.

They had already shut the door, but when they looked out the peephole, they could see the man still standing there.

"Oh my god! What do I do? Alice, this is crazy! How did this happen? What do I tell Ma? What if you were right?" Cassandra was, for lack of a better term, losing it.

Roles were reversed as Cassandra was freaking out, and Alice trying to keep a calm head.

"Calm down, Cass. What has to happen will happen. Nothing can be done. Think about this invite for now. Are you accepting?" Alice asked.

"I have to, don't I? Otherwise, it might be considered an insult."

"Yes, maybe. But that is beside the point. The man is basically asking you on a date. Have to or not, do you want to go?"

Cassandra did want to go. But she was afraid that she would be flung aside the moment he found his Destined. She did not want to set herself up for a heartbreak. She opened the door and told the messenger that she accepted the invitation. He bowed quietly and left. It felt surreal. Cassandra had never been bowed to; she was always the one who did the bowing.

"Remember to tell him that she does not eat meat," Alice screamed as he was leaving.

                    The next morning, Cassandra's birthday was to be celebrated a day earlier, but the girls still had not chosen a movie to watch, having faced a slight distraction during their conversation. But neither was in the mood for a movie by then. Instead, they were going through Alice's wardrobe to choose an outfit for Cassandra's dinner later in the day.

"Black looks good, but I don't want to wear black. Do you have anything in dark blue?"

"The dark blue one is too plain. It is fitting for a picnic. Do you want to wear Orange?"

"No way. Orange looks terrible on me."

"Here. Try purple. I have another one in purple, if you want."

After several outfits, they decided to go for a maroon, knee-length dress. Classy, yet casual.

They could not skip lunch, because her mother would feel bad if they did. But neither girl could contain her excitement. Diana noticed the odd behaviour, but did not question it until they were back home.

"The Prince? I don't believe you. You are trying to prank me, aren't you?" was her mother's reaction.

After seeing the letter, with the authentic wax seal, it was hard to debunk it. Cassandra was rushed into the bathroom to shower; Alice showed up with the dress, a bracelet and a necklace, and Diana gave up her most treasured earrings for the occasion. They did her hair and makeup, and Cassandra was ready a half hour early.

At 6 sharp, the three women were at the gate as a car pulled up.

"I am here for Miss Cassandra," the driver announced.

Again, after showing a proof of identity, Cassandra was seated in the car and whisked away.