Chapter 3

Eleanor’s POV:

All the girls giggled as they centered themselves around the stage where the king and queen stood. The guards had moved everyone out of the ballroom and into what looked to be a stage room of some sort. I rolled my eyes at the giddiness and lack of dignity the girls were displaying. They made it seem like the royal wives were going to be chosen and announced or some crap.

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I trust you’ve been enjoying yourselves, but let’s not forget the main reason we are gathered here today. My queen and I have decided that it is time for our sons to find adequate companions and produce strong heirs to the throne. Companions who will be chosen from amongst the young ladies gathered in this very ballroom,” the king announced in his charismatic yet abrupt manner.

Wow, they really are announcing the royal wives, then. I looked around the ballroom in search of anything to distract me from the loud and obnoxious chatter of the fangirls. Then I hit my forehead on a stone wall.

“Eleanor..” The stone wall said.

He said my name slowly like he was savoring the way it felt on his tongue. Not this guy again. I tilted my head upwards to meet his gaze steadily, brushing the hair out of my face as I did so.

“What do you want?” I snapped.

I observed a jumble of unreadable emotions in the deep pools of blue that were his eyes.

“Your necklace. Where’d you get it?”

My fingers reached out to clutch at the necklace. It had been a gift. A gift from someone who had once been very dear to me. But I wasn’t about to tell this bloodsucker anything about that.

“That’s none of your business,” I hissed as I tried to walk away.

He stepped to the side, blocking my way, and I had to use every ounce of self-control I had to refrain from punching him in the jaw. It’d probably hurt me way more than him anyway. Vampire strength and all. Jaxon brought his face closer to mine. I wanted to take a step back but I couldn’t give him the satisfaction.

“Tell me where you got the necklace, love,” he whispered, his eyes boring into mine in a way that made it obvious he was trying to compel me.

Luckily, I had drunk an extra dosage of vervain before I came to the ball, so I simply raised a brow at him. If he was surprised at my resistance, he didn’t show it. I got even closer to him until my lips were brushing his ear.

“Bite me,” I spat.

I pushed past him and walked away as quickly as I could, breathing hard. When I felt that I was a good distance away from him, I glanced back over my shoulder, only to find him staring after me with a shudder-inducing smirk. Swallowing hard, I faced forwards again. There was a herd of furious girls standing in front of me, glaring daggers. I folded my arms against my chest and leaned against the wall.

“Who the hell do you think you are?”

“Were you about to kiss my prince?”

“Don’t fool yourself. You’re not special, Eleanor Moreno.”

“She’s trying to play hard to get and mysterious, so she’ll get picked.”

They all hurled insult after insult at me, and I felt my blood boil.

“How bold of you to assume that I actually care about what goes on tonight and who gets chosen. If anything, whoever gets chosen is in for a hell of a ride, and not the good kind,” I scoffed.

The leader of the little group used to be this wannabe mean girl at school. Tess. She shoved me backward, hard.

“You stupid bitch,” she said in that nasally voice of hers.

Oh, she is so in for it.

But before I could say— or rather do anything, a clinking sound echoed through the entire room. Everyone turned to the source of the sound, almost creepily in sync, and stared at the queen. She continued to tap her champagne glass lightly with a golden spoon until she had the attention of every single person. Then she smiled brilliantly.

“My sons, come join me and choose your lucky ladies.”

Her voice was much softer than I had imagined. I felt a presence to my left and looked over to see Ava shuffling into a seat beside me. She offered me a small smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. Jaxon sauntered up the stage, and all the girls swooned. He was followed by the blond vampire who had danced with Ava earlier. I gave her a startled glance, but she continued to stare grimly ahead. Huh. I wonder what happened. Jaxon’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

“I would like to thank you all for coming tonight. It’s been an honor getting to know so many of you stunning and bright young ladies. I think I speak for my little brother as well as myself when I say that this was no easy choice to make,” he said evenly with a charming smile.

I snorted loudly. He probably doesn’t remember any of these 'stunning and bright' girls' names. Ava elbowed me in the ribs to keep quiet, but I kept grinning. This nightmare is about to be over. I can finally go home.

“I choose.. Eleanor Moreno.”

My neck snapped up so fast it hurt. I gaped openly at the smug bastard standing on the stage while the crowd whispered indignantly. Ava put her hand on top of mine and squeezed it, but I could barely register anything happening around me. My mind was completely blank, my body frozen to the spot, and my eyes glued onto the monsters on stage. It was when Jaxon took a step forward that something clicked inside of me. I jumped out of my seat, pushing past the angry people, and sprinting towards the exit.