Werewolf Bride

The Beast

An ear piercing shrill escapes from my mouth as I take in my horrid reflection. I wasn't the spitting image of my mother any longer with this horrible alteration to my appearance. 

The sick feeling ripped itself through my stomach once again as I threw myself to the floor. I vomited without time to prepare myself, disgusting blood spattering itself all over my mothers dress. I wept as I took it in, holding my claw-like hands out before me in horror. 

I am a monster, and not the metaphorical kind. 

My dress was nearly ripped entirely to shreds and coated in a thick layer of both mud and blood mixed all in one. What has happened to me in this terrible, terrible dream? 

I stand, rushing back to the mirror. A small peak of light began to show through my yellow curtains, cascading a more reasonable amount of light to take myself in. Shaking, I watched closely as my smooth skin began to return in front of my eyes. The yellow of my eyes darkened back to green and the claws digging themselves into my dresser retracted to nothing. I stared, open mouthed, as lastly, my fangs disappeared into my humanly dull canines. 

"What is God's name has happened to me?"

"Charlotte!" Marie's sharp tone carried all the way from the other side of our spacious house. "Tell me what happened last night. Harriet and Laurie didn't even catch a glimpse of that terribly rude Prince, but they say you snuck off into the night." She scoffs. "Please tell me you snuck of with the Prince. There might be hope for us yet." 

I threw myself beneath my bed covers, hiding every ounce of my blood covered clothes beneath it in time for her to barge through. "Come girl. Breakfast, and catch Marie up time." She scowls as she takes in the mess. Thankfully, she did not seem to notice anything incredibly out of the ordinary, like my clawed up dresser or the vomit hiding on the other side of my bed. 

She sighs heavily. "What is that horrid smell?" 

"I will be there soon. I slept in as I wasn't feeling well after I returned last night." I groan the best I can to convince her. 

She frowns uneasily. "That's absolutely vile, girl. Get up and clean up in that case. I certainly hope you didn't get sick in front of the Prince." 

I agree with an exaggerated nod. 

She leaves in an instant. It is rather irritating that she is only out of bed to catch up on the events from last night, but I am thankful she is at least taking an interest....though it is for her own benefit ahead of anything else. 

I creep out of bed, and quickly throw off my dress. I brush my hair quickly and retrieve a bucket of water and clean up and down my arms and face thoroughly before attacking the damage of my blood filled vomit  on the floor. 

"Oh, Lord, what have I done?" I was nearly weeping in shame and terror of what has happened. 

It wasn't a dream, it wasn't a dream!

I wipe the tears from my face and tidy up the plain dress I had thrown on. How can I possibly contain myself for a regular breakfast? I'd have to pretend nothing had happened at all - that I hadn't just discovered that monsters are real and now I had become one. 

Tales of monsters always terrorized the village, but never seriously. All suspicions were always dismissed suddenly when put to rest by the King. Whether it be witches, vampires, fairies even, and....

Werewolves. 

I approached the kitchen with this ton weighing on my heart while it practically beat out of my chest. When I was a foolish child, I always told the other children that my mother was killed by a werewolf. The terrible claw marks always made me feel like that was the only explanation. The fantasy felt like it would be a more justified explanation than her leaving us like everyone thought. Of course, no one believed me, not even me...until now. 

"Charlotte. Finally." Marie rolls her eyes as they pull out a chair for me. Laurie and Harriet look less than pleased at my arrival, but I can barely register much more than that. 

"Where did you go last night?" Harriet's tone was more accusing than inquisitive. 

"I...took a walk to the palace garden." I stutter. 

"Ugh, of course you did. More interest in the palace material things than the poor Prince." Harriet scoffs in disbelief. "Mother, Charlotte doesn't deserve him." 

I nearly snap back in reality to laugh at her assumption. One, I never wanted to scope out the material things I could have if I attained the Prince, and two, I never mentioned even seeing him and/or attaining him either way. 

"I ran into the Prince while I was there, and we...talked." I add, hoping to please Marie enough not pry more. 

"Yes! Darling!" Marie appears smug immediately. "What did you two speak of? Did you go anywhere with him?"

I slightly smile to myself before I can prevent it. "He was...quite handsome, and we spoke of the beauty of the moon. He seemed pleased to meet me." It wasn't a lie, and the look on Marie's face and Laurie's and Harriet's was satisfying. "He bowed to me." I add,  disbelieving even myself. 

I had been surprised at the time, but why on Earth would he do that? 

Laurie and Harriet scoff in unison. "That's absolutely bonkers. He wouldn't. Liar." They both sneer at me across the table. 

Marie pats me on the back. "Yes, finally a daughter to be proud of. Accomplishing unspeakable things and impressing me more and more with her...questionable charm." She murmurs, almost affectionately. "See, girls. It is possible to have some kind of wit to counteract both of yours lack of beauty." 

I eat absentmindedly as I try to figure out what the Prince was thinking. It was as if he already knew who I was, now that I think of it. He didn't even ask my name...and I never even questioned it. It may be a stupid suspicion, but I can't help but find it odd. 

Quickly after eating I take my leave, walking straight for the forest that my mother was taken from. We no longer lived in that home so it was quite a walk. 

As I passed through the village, several people loudly spoke of a murdered woman last night. A woman who had attended the ball. My face went white as I overheard, but I couldn't bring myself to ask any of them her name or ask where she had been found...or even what time it had happened. 

I merely kept going until I reached the path. The bush was gone, but the path was bloodied. A sob escaped me as I followed the path. Dreaded panic, so much panic. I nearly gave up following the terrible clawed footprints until I came upon a dead animal lying in the path. 

A deer. A small doe, helplessly torn apart and left out in the open carelessly. 

I fell to my knees. Thankfully it was not human, but still terribly guilt-ridden nevertheless. 

Because I knew it had been me. I dreamt of this path. I dreamt of the this deer, and I remembered as I peered down into its dull, terrified eyes.