Hi everyone, my newest upcoming story is inpired by fairytales and old lores, a mash-up with a twist, where a happily ever after is not a guarantee... Below you'll find the blurb and prologue, if you like the sample you read here, please add my book to your library and follow my profile to get notifications. I have published other works elsewhere before, and I am excited to be giving Booknet a try :)

Happy reading :)

Cass

The Prince's Beauty: Bound By The Moon

Cursed by the witch she tried to steal from, Sofia must find a way to break the spell which keeps her human form locked away. Only under the light of the moon may she shift to turn into her two-legged self, and with her pack unable to help, it all comes down to her. As further punishment for her crime against the witch, Sophia is kept captive and must follow every whim of the old crone.

Word spread of a Royal ball, Prince Edward is to choose a bride. Not wanting to miss this once in a lifetime opportunity, Sofia breaks free of her chains. As she sets off to the ball, she wonders if she will ever discover the key to breaking her curse. Will she find the answers she seeks at the ball?

Prologue

When I was young, I made a foolish mistake.

I put myself in a place where I did not belong, and 

I tried to take something which was not mine to begin with…

“Come on! The witch’s hut is just down the hill!” Tiffany shouted from her hiding spot.

“Shush!! Do you want to get caught?!” I warned in hushed tones as I ducked lower behind the rock. “My snow white pelt stands out enough already, so the last thing I need is you waking the sleeping hag!”

“Scaredy cat! Haha!” Olivia taunted, and the twin sisters snickered in unison while sending me doubtful looks. The two looked exactly alike in human form, and the pattern of their grey and white fur matched each other in every detail, making it impossible to tell them apart from simply looking at them. Only when they spoke could one hear a slight difference between their way of speaking and their attitude, with Tiffany usually being the bossy one, and Olivia was the one quick to resort to taunts. They were only two years older than me, and based on that fact, they acted quite immature and spoiled at the age of ten. They would always pick on me for no good reason; they were simply just jealous of the attention I got from their father after our parents decided to accept one another as chosen mates.

Fated mates are forever, and it is not custom to have any other after the passing of one. Your true mate is your one and only for your entire life, however, this is not a custom amongst the humans. Due to the history between our kinds, we do our best to blend in to avoid suspicion of being shifters, and so, taking a chosen mate is purely for the matter of putting up a front for the purpose of survival, rather than any romantic reason. My father died in a rogue attack two years ago, and Olivia and Tiffany’s mother passed away last winter from a fatal injury caused by a huntsman when she was out chasing prey in the forest. The blending of our two small families had not been a peaceful transition because of the twins’ attitude towards me; I had stupidly agreed to their dare just to shut them up, hoping I would finally get them off my back once I showed them I was tougher than what they thought.

“I am not scared! I just don’t want her to put a hex on me before I even have the chance to steal it!”

“Miaow, miaow, sounds like a scared pussy to me, ha!” 

“I’ll show you! I am not scared! Get ready to eat your words when I bring you the witch’s moonstone from her ritual spot, then you’ll see!” I set off, leaving their taunting snickering behind me.

Sneaking down the hill, I cautiously creeped on my tummy in my little pup form, careful not to disrupt the tall grass too much as I made my way closer to the fence surrounding the hut. The scent of herbs grew stronger as I neared the edge of the garden, and I could hear the faint snicker of the other pups waiting for me at the top of the hill. Fully aware they were watching, I could not let them know how scared I truly was. My young heart pumped wildly as I searched for a gap in the fence wide enough for me to squeeze through.

When I found one, I slowly navigated my little wolf's head in through the gap while my eyes swiftly darted around, checking the coast was clear. The witch’s wooden hut was located over at the far corner; long, weathered logs stacked on top of each other created its structure, and grass covered its slanting roof. A light breeze caused the foliage in the garden to lazily sway, and a cluster of fireflies buzzed about, minding their own business. The garden was quite pretty and well kept, and the addition of the lit insects created a splendorous view. However, I could not afford to spend too much time admiring the garden, not wanting to take any chances by lingering too long.

So, I quickly wiggled the rest of my body through the gap, before sprinting to seek cover behind a nearby rosebush. The full moon was the only source of light in the night, casting its mystical shine upon the garden before me, creating dark shadows amongst the oddly scented plants. I carefully peered out through the thorny branches, looking for any sign of where the witch’s ritual circle might be. A glimpse of a glimmer caught my eye, and sure enough, when I looked more closely, I could spot part of the rune patterns on the ground between the leaves of the foliage. And there, amongst the dark patterns of the plants surrounding the circle, a faint glow shone in the dark.

I carefully made my way closer, then I popped my head out from a patch of herbs. I could see the circle of runes in its entirety, and right in the middle, perched upon a short pillar-like structure, was the moonstone. It was a beautiful sight, watching the way the soft moonlight reflected off of its smooth surface, and a magical pulse emitted out from within the rock itself. I could hear my heart pumping in my ears, and my adrenaline fuelled blood rushed through my tiny body as I checked the coast was clear once again. All was quiet still; I could hear only the faint buzz of the night bugs and the continuous babbling of a nearby brook in the otherwise soundless night. I readied myself, tensing my legs, then pushed off.

Darting straight for the moonstone, my paws padded across the strange runic language drawn in the earth. In a few seconds, my short legs had got me across the drawings on the ground, and I hopped up, my mouth wide open and ready to grab the stone with my teeth. In the very moment I made contact with the cool stone, a high-pitched shrill cut through the silence of the night, and my blood turned to ice in my veins as the dread washed over me. 

“How dare you touch my precious stone with your filthy mouth, you mutt!” The crone’s stern voice seemed to come from all around; in my shocked panic, I dropped the stone to the ground, but I did not care. At that moment, all I wanted was to escape the scene of the crime, and with every fibre of my being, I regretted allowing the twins’ behaviour to get to me enough to talk me into doing this. I set off, sprinting as fast as I could through the herbs and flowers. A few thorns tugged at my fur, but I forced myself free, my eyes already spotting the gap in the fence I had used to enter.

“So, you thought you could steal from me?!” My head was already sticking out of the way to freedom, but in my hurry, a thorny branch had broken free from the rosebush, and it had got tangled stuck in my pelt. As I tried to squeeze myself through the fence, I yelped in pain as the sharp thorns punctured my skin. 

“And just look at the mess you have made! Oh, this’ll be sure to teach you a lesson!” A white light surrounded me, blinding me with its intensity as I howled in agony.

A darkness descended upon me, cast by something behind me, and then everything went black…

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