Never Bend

Chapter 7 : Mom part 2

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The day of the ball
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My mother nagged me all day to get ready; I said I would, but I didn't and stayed quiet in my room. I displayed the dress I had made for Lola just for show. To this day my mother doesn't know what follows.

Painting was one of the only ways for me to keep my mind from wandering off and discovering that human kingdom that Papa talked so much about. I could only paint how I imagined the place with the little information I had gathered. Tall towers without a castle to guard them, with lots of people living on them. People singing for pleasure and dancing in the main square. It all seemed like a dream.  Here duty was above pleasure. Feelings had no place.

My door broke open with a bang. She literally broke the door down with her magic. I roll my eyes and continue to pretend to paint, knowing that my time is up.

"Isabella!!! For God's sake, stop that right now. LOLA, TATIANA HERE NOW!" she screams.

My mom comes over and inspects my hair.

She slaps my head furiously.

"You two, help her bathe. I knew she wouldn't fall for that. I roll my eyes.

I wait for her to tell me what to do. There is no way I will do anything voluntarily.

I pout.

I am washed and dried. I let them waste as much time as possible. Maybe if I am too late, the mating will be over and I will avoid my worst nightmare.

Once outside, I run to my bed and lie down. I sob. Well, I'm not really crying, but I'm good at pretending.

Mom rubs my back.

"I know you are scared, but it is a great honor to be matched. You'll see. You will learn to love your suitor."

I yell in annoyance and she smacks me hard with my pillow. "Enough pretending."

I complain and get up. She has given me a new card to play.

"What if he's a womanizer or a woman beater? What if he wants to rape? Is that what you want for me? Why can't I fall in love like those women in the books you burned?"

She gets up and leads me to the chair in my room, pulling me by the wrist. She is wearing that damn bracelet tonight and she shows it to me with her eyes. My hand trembles as the similar bracelet rotates on my wrist, sending a rush of fear through my gut. She uses the device to punish me whenever I misbehave.

Since she got it a few months ago, I have been at a loss. A void fills my stomach. She follows what society tells her. It's not her fault that Dad raised me to use my brain. Some say it's because he had no sons, maybe that's why I'm so stubborn. For any other seventeen-year-old girl, this was the moment she had been waiting for.

I am the guilty one; I blame myself. For not finding a way out of this kingdom. Ever since I was told about this day, I have been looking for a way out of the kingdom, but they have always found me. There is no way out of the guarded city. My only hope is to choose a mate instead of finding a fated mate, as every girl dreams of.
At their mercy, they do my hair and makeup. They made me wear a push-up bra, as if I needed more breasts. Because my D cup wasn't enough! To my horror, I am dressed in a silk thong and stockings with beautiful embroidery on the thighs.

Goddess, does she expect me to lose my virginity tonight?
I take a deep breath. I look at the clock. The shop will close soon. My heart beats in my chest. I need time. My mother can't find out about the dress before closing time. Otherwise she'll force the owner to keep the shop open and I'll have no choice but to dress the way she wants me to.
A slut, ready to be found and fucked by her destiny, looks back at me in the mirror. My dress is my only way out of a heavenly match. If the wolf doesn't smell the chosen one, there is no match. That means I can choose a mage as my mate. Tonight, I must cover myself and use essences to keep the unwanted noses away from me. Only then, I'd gain two and a half years to find a way out, as the blue moon enhances the pheromone that calls for our chosen mate.