Chapter 1 Once upon a Cinderella

*LILAC*

"Mother! You cannot expect me to marry a beast! How the hell will I cope? I have a whole lot of life out there to live!" Milo's screeching voice echoes down to the basement where I stay. I strain my ears, trying to catch the whole conversation, but all I hear next is muffled whispers, bed rustling, and then silence.

I huff in defeat. There is not really much I can know when I am down here in this dingy basement, well technically it's not a basement, just a tiny ass room that was supposed to be for supplies but my stepmother deemed it fit for me, the outcast child as she calls me to live in. At least I get a room, Cinderella didn't get one.

The screeching sound of tires announces my Father's arrival and a grin splits on my face as I put down my book, hurriedly running out of my room to meet him. Dad's arrival means less of Nina's and Milo's bullying and I always looked forward to it.. No don't get me wrong, I love my Father just as much as I know he loves me and my late mother so dearly, but his work at the office only gives him little time to spend with his family and every time he was away kept me at the mercy of my stepmother and my half sister.

"Dad!" My excitement is not hidden as I fling my arms around my Father's neck, inhaling his scent that I already have committed to memory. His strong firm hands wrap around me and I can't help but snuggle into his warmth and safety.

"Lili," he grins and releases me.

"Dad, it's Lilac remember," I groan playfully even though I would never trade his pet name for me, for any other.

"Is it now? But I prefer Lili," Dad laughs and I step away from his side, although still hanging closely.

"Welcome back darling," Nina greets, her ever present menacing gaze looking me over as she steps forward to peck my Father on his cheek.

"Welcome Dad," Milo, my stepsister also greets.

Dad breathes and then slumps down on the sofa. "It's good to be back home again."

"Not like you won't be gone in another two days?" I grumble silently.

"I won't be gone until the next three weeks Lili, I'm off duty for a while.. Apparently i have a daughter's marriage to prepare." He looks over at Milo as he says that and I crease my eyebrows in confusion.

"Milo is getting married?"

"No!" My stepmother firmly replies. "You Lilac, are the one getting married!"

Okay, Milo getting married I can deal with, but me? Damn I've never even dated a guy talk more of marriage. "What are you talking about?!" I exclaim, looking from Father to Nina

"Nina, we've talked this over already.. His Excellency already informed the Alpha King that it would be Milo's hand in marriage.. We can't go against his wishes."

"The Lycan King does not know Milo, surely he won't notice if Lilac gets under the veil."

The Lycan King? When did we start a friendship with werewolf city? Enough for him to ask for Milo's hand in marriage. "Dad, what are you talking about?"

"The only thing we are talking about here is your Marriage to-"

"Shut up Nina, can you let me do the talking?" Father snaps at her before she can finish her statement. She huffs in response and settles down beside Milo, who all the while has not said a word in contribution to the issue at hand, instead she is busy tapping away on her phone, probably scrolling through some useless Instagram posts. I mean it is her wedding we are talking about here, or my wedding as Nina insists. The mere thought alone has me blanching mentally.

I train my eyes on Dad closely, wanting to hear what he says and then he does speak. "Lyria and the werewolf city has decided to end their long term enimity." Lyria, home of the non magicals - my city.. We were brought up to hate the shifters, never to cross the borderlands up north, The North City - The Lycan's territory was forbidden to us.. They were monsters, self serving, monstrous beasts and so we never mixed with them so why the sudden talk of treaty? And even so, why is our Family involved in this?

"I do not understand Dad, if there is supposed to be a treaty, how is our family concerned with that? This is the Prime Minister's problem, he should deal with It."

"The Prime minister has no daughters, my family is the next option after his Family is involved, plus His Excellency himself, demanded that Milo be brought over for the price of the treaty because her beauty and wisdom is told all over the Netherlands." He passes a knowing look at Nina who only looks away in response.

Ha! Her beauty and wisdom. It is no news that Milo is the most popular girl in Lyria, being the daughter of the Prime Minister's right hand man and her mother is the prime minister's sister, well she earned her keep. Even while we were at school, all the students worshipped the ground she walked on. As for me? I am the ghost of the family as not many people know of my existence, who cares though? After Mother's death, I simply faded into the background.

Father's statement has Milo swaying her hair, probably pleased with the compliment. I scoff inwardly, proud bitch. Suddenly Nina starts to sniffle and I can only blink as I turn to stare at her. "You do this every time Marlon, because she is not your first wife's daughter? What would I do to make you see my baby as your own?"

What the?! Is she really doing this? Pulling the pity card? Father better not fall this. "Nina-" Dad starts off, but Nina cuts him off with another sniffle.

"Can't you just do this for me, Marlon? I promise I will not ask you for any other thing that is not in your capacity to do. I know you can't love me like you loved her, bur just do this for me, eh?" She swipes at her fake tears and look expectantly at Dad.

I am doing the same, the expectant look. Do not fall for this Father, please don't.. I am not going to get married to some furry beastly thing because my stepmother is so selfish to think that I deserve all the bad things the world can give. Have I not had enough hardships all through my life?

He lost. Father's resigned look is enough to tell me all I need to know.

"Your wedding with the second Prince of the Lycan Royal house is in three weeks." He says, his voice low, but firm. "Get ready, Lilac."

My stomach bottoms out.

I am getting married to a Royal werewolf.

I might have been acting unconcerned about the whole marriage things but the fact that I am now thrown into it, something I didn't know about until today, isn't fair to me at all. Plus, the smile on Nina and Milo's face, simply pisses me off, and I find my mouth opening before I can think better of it.

"This whole thing still doesn't make sense to me, dad."

"Lili..." Father starts to speak. My panicky voice cut him off.

"Seriously, I mean Milo has had how many weeks or months to think this over before she decides not to go with it, and now for me.. I only get two seconds?" I scoff.. "I do not even have a freaking say in this."

"Lili, we have to do this.. For the sake of Lyria.. I already told you, putting an end to the enmity between Lyria and the North City has been on motion for years, now the chance has come.. The Alpha King himself requested this of us.. You have to do this for me, Lili."

"So basically I have to put my life on the line for a Kingdom that doesn't even know I exist? Father-"

"That's enough Lilac, you'll listen to your Father and do as he says," Nina butts in. My head is spinning I think. Did she just say listen to my Father? Like Milo did? It is at the tip of my tongue to say it but I don't. I cast an helpless look at my Father for the last tme, and the soft look on his face is now morphed into a stern frown.

"Your Mother is right Lilac, you will do as I say, and I say you are getting married to the prince of North City."

"My mother is dead!" I cannot help but snap back.

I do not have a say in this, I have never had a say though, this is no different. I wish to always please my Dad and so in silence, I agree. It doesn't matter though, no matter where I went the full happiness I had always while mother was alive was long gone. Being here, or being in the North City, it is probably still the same.

Great, my story just took a typical turn from Cinderella, to beauty and the beast, well only that the beauty that is me is certainly not beautiful. I glance again at my stepmum as she rubs her palm cheerfully. Witch!

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