COMPLETED. A tear slides down my cheek and my assaulter stands upright again, sending me a smirk as he wipes the tear away. His canines are splattered with scarlet blood -my blood- and when I touch the place he bit me with my finger, it comes back covered in red. "I'll see you soon, Cami. You'll see, things will only be more exciting from here." He turns his back to me to walk away but suddenly stops, turning his head back to me. "Has your sister mentioned me at all?" My mouth falls open and no sound comes out so he just shakes his head with a laugh. "Ah... she likes to keep me a secret. Until the next, Camilla..." And with that, he is gone right before my eyes. It's as if the bubble pops because when I close my eyes and open them again, the halls are completely empty and I'm panting against the wall. I bring my hand to the bite on my neck. Nothing. It comes back clean. A terrified sigh escapes my lips and I slide down the wall, staring into emptiness. °°°° Copyright All Rights Reserved@2016 Sophia Kjeldbjerg

I'm standing in the gateway to the larger ballroom, almost too far away for my weak eyes to see the three figures that glide onto the stage. The King and Queen walk side by side until they come to their thrones, the Prince walking about five feet behind and moving towards the smaller throne to the King's left. The King and Queen sit down on their thrones in unison. The Prince doesn't. Even I can see the way his shoulders are bristling, a sort of confused wonder dawning on his face. And I would swear he is looking directly at me. //// Lee Collins wants to help her sister, Lucy. She has a vision of a future away from their dad, where Lucy could be healthy and they would have some chance of happiness. When Lee's only friend helps her sneak into the royal ball on the minuscule chance that an attending doctor would be willing to help, Lee ends up fleeing the party early, chased by none other than her mate. Lee finds herself locked in from all sides, desperate to escape the suffocating implications of a mate but frantic to fight for a future for her sister that she still believes possible. Working in the Royal Palace to save escape money is a terrible idea when you have a controlling father, but it's an even worse idea when the mate that you're avoiding is the Prince. //Marked Mature just in case for violence. general trigger warning. Some chapters may be triggering for abuse and anxiety//