4

Penelope quickly got on her knees, looking tense, "I'm sorry my lady. Please calm down."

"So…" pointing to herself, Jasmine continued, "so Princess Belinda's the chosen one, right?" she asked.

Penelope slowly nodded her head.

"Yes, my lady, you are the most ravishing among all females in the kingdom. The former king had specially requested that you be sent to Sancludia in a few days from now, so… we can't play any tricks. I'm so sorry, my lady," Penelope said with tearful eyes.

Jasmine sighed, "I cannot escape, right?" she questioned, even though she knew the answer to that.

The maid gasped, "Again? No, please don't attempt that again or drink any poisonous substance. I could lose my head," she frantically cried.

Jasmine furrowed her brows as she contemplated. Does that mean after knowing she was the selected one, Princess Belinda sought to escape but was caught and extremely unwilling to accept the cruel fate, she committed suicide? So she, Jasmine Parker has possessed another's body and has to be the one to go through with what fate has planned for Belinda.

She sighed in defeat. Since escaping is no option and she wasn't willing to die, not after getting a new chance to breathe again, then the only thing left to do, was to accept her fate and go over to the werewolf kingdom.

***

3 days later.

Jasmine broke the hug between her and her 'mother' who looked so sad and tried not to let a tear fall. Her 'father' tried to look indifferent but failed. He also hugged and patted her back.

"My dear, I'm so sorry. It's because Daddy is incapable. Please forgive me," he said, a tear finally getting the freedom to roll down his right cheek. Jasmine wiped it off with the blue hanky in her hand.

"Cry not, royal father. It's not your fault. I hope though that one day, I can come to see you again even if it's for a very short time. I believe I'll still be happy over there. I'll send you letters to show you I'm okay," she promised and her parents nodded.

Her younger brother, Helio, who didn't seem too fond of her from Penelope's description walked over with a small box and handed it to her.

"Sister, I know we aren't that close but it still hurts knowing you are leaving like this. I promise when I become…"

"Ssh! Say no more. Don't talk out of point. Don't worry about me. Focus on assisting Dad with ruling the kingdom, okay?"

He nodded in concord with her words, "Okay, sister. Don't forget to write to us as you said,"

"Yes," she nodded before adding, "I will. Sure thing!"

"It's time to depart," said a tall ripped man who wore a frowning face.

Jasmine turned to him with a smile, "Sir, don't be so impatient, alright? I'm bonding with my family whom I may never get to see again. It isn't wrong for me to be emotional with them and make meaningful promises. You Sancludians, on the other hand, get to have me longer than the time I spent home, so relax. I need 30 more minutes…"

"It's like you want a war,"

Slap!

Everyone present gasped when they saw that she slapped him hard.

"You… how dare…"

Slap!

"I am not letting…"

Slap!

"Enough, daughter," her 'mother' prevented her from further hitting him.

"A few more minutes that I need you to give me won't take anything from you, will it? We don't want a war and so we comply with our part of the treaty. Don't try to twist things here. You were merely sent to pick me up, Omicron,"

"You…!" the man harrumphed and walked away from her.

"Mph! Don't mind him. As long as it's not the Alpha King, no one in this carriage can hurt me. I can take care of myself, Mother," she smiled, facing her family.

"We know, but you need to rein that temper of yours for our sake, please," her mum beseeched.

"Yeah, I will try hard," Jasmine nodded before entering the carriage, refusing any of the assigned servant's help.

***

2 days later.

The carriage finally arrived at the palace gate. Jasmine alighted by herself, dressed in a green long, plain gown made of the purest silk. There were no adornments on her body other than the diamond earrings and gold bracelet on her left wrist.

During the ride to Sacludia, Jasmine had felt extremely bored to the point of playing the tons of movies she'd watched in her past life and even her experiences in her head, occasionally stopping to contemplate on what would happen to her in Sancludia. What did fate have in store for her?

The mighty black gate was opened by the guards on duty and she walked in with elegance. They didn't bow to her; none of the maids she saw along the way to the throne room even acknowledged her presence. So this is what the living sacrifice goes through for the rest of her life. She internally sighed as she tried to keep up with the pace of the Omicron wolf that she slapped back in Ziluda. He was intentionally walking fast and she had a hard time keeping up with him. She wasn't even used to these annoying fancy shoes she had been told to wear as it was necessary for a princess image which she didn't care about.

"Be faster," the man reprimanded.

"You know what? I'm already in the palace and I'm done trying to keep up with you in these shoes," she took them off as he turned to look at her with his stern face.

"Put them back on!" he spat.

"Are you the one I should answer to, Omicron?" she bobbed her head from side to side.

"You... I have a name!"

"I don't want to know it. Just show me the way to the throne room, I'll see your king and then you take me to where I'll be staying."

"Forget it," he turned around and continued walking, increasing his space by double. But she didn't run after him. She knew he'd stop at some point to wait for her as it's his duty to bring the living offering to the king, so the treaty can be maintained.