Three

Every lady is issued a black electronic collar that they are required to wear upon being recognized as a Royal Consort. This serves as their proof of identity and to track them for the purpose of government benefits and healthcare.

✾

I wasn't really good with goodbyes.

After Lady Vita informed me that I was good to go, I immediately packed my bags and tried to sleep. The sooner I do, the earlier I can leave. Consorts didn't have much things anyway, all I did was bring three pieces of clothing, the white dress I wore during coronation, and two blue dresses. One that I was wearing now, and the other one that I wear when the other blue one is dirty.

We are not to have too many things. Apparently, women are to just be simple.

Hopefully it's different at the palace. From what I've heard, riches and luxuries await me. I will not be limited to just three pieces of clothing that I can interchange, I would be given knowledge beyond what I already know. I would be given rich foods and delicacies and just the thought of it is enough to make my mouth water. And the best of all, I heard we can stop taking the suppressants at the palace.

Consorts take two suppressants here at the academe. One for shifting, and one for the blood.

I had never seen my own blood in my 21 years of life. We take suppressants that will stop it, suppressants that induce Amenorrhea. It prohibits us from getting pregnant, not that we ever will. We are not allowed to go outside, not unless our lessons require it. Not unless there is a festivity like coronation day.

And not unless we are to be banished. No one has ever been banished before, but Lady Vita always tells us it's the worst punishment of all.

With banishment, you are to be stripped of your title, your riches, and even your given name. You are to start again as someone entirely new. However, you will start again as one of the ravages but that is if they ever let you enter their domain.

Sleep didn't come easy, my nerves almost eating me alive.

I rarely ever dream, but this time - I dream of gold eyes.

Before the rooster even signaled that it's morning, I was already outside. Two of my clothes in a small rucksack already placed inside the carriage. Lady Vita wasn't surprised that she saw me, she knew I would already be here. I was always an early bird. Yet I never seem to catch anything first.

"I see the Goddess has blessed us with a pleasant morning, right, Amara?"

"Indeed she did, Lady Vita."

She smiled and glanced at the carriage, my things already in place. "Ever the excited one you are. Very well, I would fetch the driver so that you may be on your way. I doubt Silas would appreciate it if you are tardy."

I never am. She knows that. I nod anyway.

The carriage arrives at the palace doors in just a few minutes. Cinco's colors of green and silver visible on the pillars that serve as a foundation of the palace's façade. A roughly 15ft maze by the right, perfectly cut, no grass was out of place.

The driver was kind enough to hoist me up from the carriage and even offered to carry my rucksack, I accepted all the help of course. It would be rude to say no. Once I was properly situated by the palace gates, the driver paid no mind whether I was inside or not, once I turned my back at him, the carriage started. The hooves of the horses loud until I can hear it no more.

Before I can even fully digest the architecture of the palace, a royal guard approaches me. "You must be Amara."

It is not a question so I do not reply. I nod instead.

The guard looked confused. Not everyone knows how consorts are, how we act and how we are presented. Especially those that were once commoners, they rarely learn about us. All they know is that we are holes ready for the Alpha populace to breed.

"Are you deaf?"

"No."

"If you're not then I don't see why you can't talk to me."

Again, it wasn't a question, so I don't reply. I simply stared at him. The palace guard seemed to interpret this as me being defiant, because he chuckled and glared at me. Openly. I wasn't surprised, those who do not understand consorts criticize and mock us.

This wasn't new. I just didn't know I would be experiencing this here too.

"And here I thought the Niju people were more welcoming," He mumbled looking at me from head to toe. "Just don't end up like the last one, that Sem bitch made me walk around the maze for 3 hours."

He turns around and I glare at him but don't say anything. Even though we're all technically part of Cinco, the natives here still think highly of themselves. They treat those from Niju and Sem like dirt. Like we're weaker than them and we're the one with problems.

We're werewolves, you would think the complexion and dye of our skin wouldn't be an issue. In the academe, we were all equal in looks. Some had darker skin tones, like Eleanor, and some had lighter ones, like Holly. And then there's me, I am neither dark nor fair. Try as I might, with all the soaps and herbal infusions, my skin cannot be lighter or as porcelain as the other girls. I learned to just live with it.

The guard abruptly grabbed my rucksack and broke my train of thought.

"Come on, wench. I don't have all day."

I follow him, what else can I do?

Inside the palace, I was shown to my room, which one of the maids were friendly enough to inform me that it used to be Eleanor's. They didn't have to though, since I can smell her here. It's like she never even left the place. "Your schedules are on the table. All meals are mandatory to be attended."

I nodded, my eyes scanning the room. There was a queen-sized bed, a bookshelf full of various books, a balcony overlooking the gates, as well as my very own bathroom. Consorts had to share rooms back at the academe, so this is really a level up.

"I forgot, you consorts have this thing were you don't talk , do you have any questions?"

At least the maid is better than the guard. "None, thank you."

"Great. Do you need anything else?" She smiled this time, her face shining.

This time, I let my curiosity win.

"How did Silas act, when Eleanor disappeared?"

She tilted her head confused about by my question, but she didn't make any comments about it. It's frowned upon for us to get gossip from the help, but I never mentioned that I was somebody to be looked up to. That was Eleanor.

"He made everyone look for her, some didn't even had a chance to sleep. He ordered Elli last night to look for her and not return until she found her. The Mistress Neriah, her mother, was sent home last night as well. Silas said she couldn't possibly do her duties well if she's worried for her daughter."

She sighed. "I never saw Silas so...nerve wracked. I guess he really did care for Lady Eleanor."

I feel a confusing emotion pass me but I pay it no mind.

"Also my name is Karina, each consort has their own assigned maids. I was supposed to be Eleanor's but since she's gone, I'm yours now. If you need anything all you have to do is speak through that," Karina then pointed at a device that looked like a little horn beside the bed. "That's a modified ear trumpet, it's connected to the one I have inside my room. It's like a telephone but only for inside the palace."

I nodded stepping closer to the horn-shaped device. I don't tell her I can't request for anything unless she asks me since I'm not allowed to talk. I act as if I'm interested though.

"I understand that you can't speak unless asked, is that right?"

"Yes."

"It's kind of hard to think of questions just so that we can continue a conversation. Can't we do a little thing where you can talk to me without asking you?"

Karina is an interesting werewolf. It's like she really wants to get to know me. And I hardly cross paths with people like her. But having acquaintances during this time will only hinder me from my goal. She might be like the guards as well, I don't trust her enough for me to lower my defenses.

"I'm sorry, but no. I'm not allowed."

Karina looked as if I poured cold water at her. She frowned. "Oh."

She stands straighter than before and heads towards the door, her eyes on the floor. I want to feel bad for her, I might have been rude, but I don't. I don't feel anything. It's not like I can just trust anyone who gives me a genuine smile. "I should be going now, but before I do, can I have your name so that I can address you properly?"

"Amara."

"Amara. Where I'm from, that name means grace and kindness."

I don't believe that I am both of those things. However, I'm not the type of person to not accept a compliment. So I just smile. She freezes for a moment and makes another comment, "You know, werewolves with gold eyes were said to be strong. I'm rooting for you. You should smile more, it suits you Lady Amara."

Unexpectedly, I blush. The compliment was so different from what I usually hear. No one has commented about my eyes before, I always thought it was a flaw, golden eyes on a skin that's not porcelain looked absolutely weird but I guess not for her. I almost said thank you but I stop myself.

By the time she leaves, it was already lunchtime, and Karina informed me that attendance was mandatory. And so I went to the dining room.

Food that was much greater than what was being served at the academe greeted me. There were chocolates and truffles. I even see juices and wine. Cakes of different shapes, colors and sizes were in the middle. There's even three roasted pigs with apples on their mouths. The smell was enough to make my stomach growl, earning giggles from everyone else inside the room. Not that there were much, it's only us consorts, I guess the future Alpha hasn't arrived yet.

"We can eat here," One of the consorts said using the consort's voice, it was Suzanne. She had three full plates with various dishes piled in front of her. "They don't have mandatory weigh-ins. We can eat as much as we want. The Alpha told us yesterday."

"He was so kind. My maid boasted that each and all of his staff had earnings they can share to their families." I look at the source of the voice and saw that it was Holly.

"Yeah but you have to remember, most of the staff's families are staff in the palace as well. So technically, the money is just being circled inside the palace walls," Tarryn, mumbled, ever the cynical one. I have to keep an eye on her. "Isn't that right, Mariana?"

What Tarryn had in spirit and voice, Mariana lacked.

I feel a small tug on the sleeves of my dress. It's Katya, the youngest of all of us. She was looking up at me with doe eyes, she really looks like a small doll. "You should sit and eat, too bad you missed it but we had candies yesterday. Silas said I could have it for dinner."

"Everyone seems lively," I mention. "Have you forgotten that one of us is missing?"

And just like that, silence filled the four walls of the dining room.

"There wasn't anything odd about her back at the carriage," Holly said, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "In fact she almost looked excited. When we came here she had a bounce to her step."

Suzanne bit on the kebab she was holding. "We didn't see her at dinner."

"And meals are mandatory to be attended by consorts and the Silas," Tarryn added earning a small nod from Mariana. "I thought for sure she would be the first one here, she did mention she was looking forward to getting chosen."

"She promised she would read me a bedtime story," Katya pulled my sleeve again and guided me to my seat. She pushed my shoulders and made me sit down. "She didn't attend dinner so I thought she was just sick, she never made it into my room."

I frowned. When Eleanor promises something she always commits to it.

It's not in her nature to lie.

"What?" I stare at Katya's eyes, trying to find if she was deceiving me. Wouldn't be surprising. We weren't friends, none of us are. I doubt even Tarryn and Mariana would consider themselves friends. We are in this palace for a contest, on who would be crowned Luna. It would be ridiculous to be more than acquaintances to your rivals.

Katya looked down, biting the inside of her cheek. "She broke her promise."

"Eleanor never breaks her promises. That's her thing." Suzanne defended, reaching for a mango tart and shoving it inside her mouth.

"Aren't you too old for bedtime stories anyway, Katya?" Tarryn sneered, I could see Mariana reaching for her gently as if to stop her. "Maybe Eleanor wanted you to know that."

No one can ever stop Tarryn once she gets her blood pumping. She's like a beast, even with the suppressants. Even back at the academy, when she can't find the right answer to questions she would just lash out, I feared that one day, even with the suppressants, she could just turn feral and shift, killing all of us.

"Stop it," Holly frowned. "She's just a kid."

"That's no excuse," I say, forgetting the consort's voice. I usually don't join the petty fights. However, Tarryn has a point, Katya is almost an adult she can't always cling to her childhood fantasies. "She's not just a kid, she's a royal consort. It would be best if she would be a royal consort first before a kid. That's your purpose, do not forget it. This is your duty, and the faster you accept it, the better."

"I didn't know Eleanor's replacement had such a sharp tongue."

My eyes widen and I abruptly turn around. The moment I do, I felt my heart drop.

It was Silas, and he had heard me.