The Lycan King's Rebel Countess

Chapter 3 - Meeting Prince Jared, and Baroness Anita.

Daniëlla wondered if they realized what marrying the prince meant, but pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind. Taking comfort in the fact that after she married the prince, she would no longer have to worry about either of the two women who tried to ruin her life.

SATURDAY FINALLY ROLLED AROUND. As the three of them climbed into the back of the black limousine sent by the castle, Daniëlla felt her heart ache. It was the last time she pulled out of the driveway of what used to be her home. She was going to miss what used to be as her home disappeared from her view. She knew she would never see it again.

She never wanted to. That part of her life was over, and she was going to start fresh. Thinking about the old memories hurt more than it helped, and the time had come for her to start a new chapter in her life. She knew her stepmother only made the arrangement for her to marry the prince for financial gain, but she was going to honour the marriage contract. She was going to be the best princess the kingdom had ever seen.

As soon as the prince found out that she had agreed, he insisted that she move into the castle as his fiancé, which made her hope that he was happy about the arrangement. They arrived at the castle fifteen minutes later and Daniëlla was the last to step out of the car.

A soft breeze blew her dark chocolate brown hair softly, and she tilted her head slightly to stop it from going straight into her face as her blue eyes took in every detail in front of her. No amount of makeup could hide her beautiful freckles, but she preferred not to plaster her face with makeup like some other members of their family.

“Good morning, ladies. I am Prince Jared. Welcome to my home.” All three of them curtsied the moment the prince introduced himself and Daniëlla fought the urge to smile. Prince Jared was a very handsome man. That much she knew already, but she didn’t know him personally. She only met him once when she was very young and hadn’t really had a chance to form any kind of opinion about him.

“Thank you, your highness. May I introduce my daughter and future countess, Miss Daniëlla, and my daughter, Miss Sierra.” The countess’s voice was so fake, that Daniëlla rolled her eyes without thinking. She noted the look of amusement in the prince’s eyes. Realizing that he had seen her doing it, her cheeks turned bright red!

The prince seemed kind enough and that was good enough for Daniëlla to hope that one day they would be happy. He was clearly not the same bully he used to be. Jared showed them inside where servants took Daniëlla’s suitcases. Jared had not let go of Daniëlla once since she arrived, and she felt a little disappointed when he excused himself as soon as they were shown to her room.

He had hardly gone before the tantrums started. It was clear that Sierra was jealous. Really not wanting to be a part of that conversation, Daniëlla blocked out their voices as she made her way around the living area studying every detail of the beautiful room. This was to be her home until she and Jared married.

Whoever decorated it had very good taste. Very expensive, but very good taste. It wasn’t overly decorated like Daniëlla half expected it to be. All the materials used were thick velvets and none of that harsh tapestry stuff they had at home. The colours were still vibrant, and it all looked brand new. At home, everything was faded and clearly very old.

Daniëlla made her way to the bathroom while Sierra threw her tantrum. Her fingers slipped over the cool soft gray marble counter in the enormous bathroom, and she could imagine having long bubble baths in the enormous tub in the middle of the room. The voices coming from the lounge area were so high-pitched, you couldn’t avoid them even if you tried. She rolled her eyes again, thankful that after she was married to the prince, she would be rid of the both of them for good.

“Come say goodbye, darling! We are leaving!” From the tone of the countess’s overly friendly voice and the sudden use of a pet name, Daniëlla could only guess they had guests, and she was proven right the moment she walked back into the living room. The two witches left, and the young female smiled at her.

“That bad, huh?” The female in a black uniform frowned, but it quickly turned into a smile. Daniëlla grinned and nodded. “I am Clara, your omega. The prince has asked me to ensure that you are settled and get everything you are going to need over the coming weeks. That includes some wonderful new dresses!”

THE FIRST COUPLE OF DAYS in the castle were wonderful. Daniëlla had been given an entirely new wardrobe and Jared seemed as though he was happy fussing over her. She and Jared spent a lot of time on wedding arrangements, and she was even getting a little excited about it when her world was shattered for a second time.

Daniëlla was walking down the passage after dinner on her way out for a walk, when she heard muffled voices coming from further down the passage. She instantly recognized Jared, and felt shock running through her body when she saw the woman in his arms. She knew he wasn't in love with her yet, but she had hoped they were getting there. He had been so kind.

Jared’s lips were covered in the same shade of lipstick as that of Baroness Anita. Daniëlla had heard the rumours about their affair, but she thought that since he was taking a wife, the affair was over. She was clearly wrong. She stood there staring at them when he closed the gap between them and suddenly pushed her up against the wall.

“You will tell no one what you saw!” He growled and when she finally nodded, his grip eased just enough so she could breathe. Her mind was all over the place as he looked at Anita and then at her. “I will never love you. We will be married, and you will produce an heir, but understand that my heart will always belong to Anita. This marriage was my brother's idea! Not mine!” He growled before letting go so abruptly that Daniëlla fell to the floor.

She watched as he put his arm around his mistress, and they walked away, and she couldn’t believe it. She thought he liked her. He had been so kind from the moment she arrived, that she never even imagined he had someone else.