A RUINED BIRTHDAY

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💄Luna's POV💄

I groan as my alarm goes off, unwilling to wake up. Besides, I'm not going to school anyway. I stretch my arm to reach for it, but it's no use. So, I levitate the alarm and smash it against the wall, shattering it into little pieces.

Just as I'm about to drift back to sleep, a thought hits me—today is my birthday! I leap out of bed and rush over to my calendar to confirm. Yes, I'm right!

I head to the bathroom for a quick shower and then slip into just a lace bra and panties. I grab my headphones and play my favorite song, "Positions" by Ariana Grande, dancing and singing along.

Once I finish my mini-concert, I make my way to my brother Luka's room. Opening the door, I smile widely at the empty space. I rummage through his wardrobe for his favorite neon hoodie, making a delightful mess in the process.

Oh wait, let me introduce myself. I'm Luna Hail, Vampire Princess and master of fire and electricity. My parents—King Vald Hail, master of fire, and Queen Elena, master of electricity—are the most respected royals in Russia. And of course, my annoying twin brother Luka Hail, also a master of fire, is a huge pain in the ass.

After some searching, I finally find the hoodie and quickly put it on. I glance at myself in the mirror: "Beautiful as always," I tell myself with a grin.

As I step out of Luka's room, I bump into Max, our butler.

"Morning, Max!" I say with a smile.

"Morning, Your Majesty. You look beautiful as always," he replies with a bow.

"Thank you!" My cheeks flush at the compliment.

He starts to leave when I stop him. "Max, have you seen Father anywhere?"

"Actually, he's in the throne room with his personal assistant, Ginger."

"Okay, thanks!"

Max has been part of our family since I was a baby; he's practically family now.

I walk to the throne room. There he is—my father on his throne. Time to face my fears.

"Hi Dad."

"Luna!" His face brightens at the sight of me as he rushes over for a hug.

"Leave us," he instructs Ginger before she exits.

My dad is feared throughout Russia; no one dares defy him or even look him directly in the eyes.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" he shouts suddenly, revealing a box containing the most beautiful necklace I've ever seen.

"OMG Dad! Is this for me?" I ask eagerly.

"Happy 19th Birthday, honey," he says with a soft kiss on my cheek.

My body tenses up as nerves flood me; it's time for the big question. "Dad... there's actually a concert tonight that I was hoping to attend."

The happiness in his eyes dims instantly as anger takes over. "No," he replies tersely.

Anger surges through me; we both know how quickly our tempers can flare. My eyes shift from gold to blood red—a telltale sign of my rising fury. "And why not? I'm old enough to make my own decisions!"

He turns sharply towards me; his blood-red eyes mirror mine in fury. "I said no, Luna. That's final."

I take a deep breath and hold onto his wrist tightly before he can walk away. "Ever since I became a hybrid, you've taken full control of my life! I'm not allowed outside the castle without five guards—even when I'm just trying to get fresh air!" Tears stream down my cheeks as frustration boils over.

He looks at me with concern momentarily before saying softly, "What I'm doing is for your own good—I'm protecting you from…"

"From what? Just let me live my life!" The words burst from me in a desperate plea.

"This conversation is over," he states coldly.

"No!" My voice rises defiantly as shock flashes across his face.

"Excuse me?" His anger is palpable now.

"I said NO!" Tears continue flowing freely down my face as our standoff intensifies.

"I am your father and king; you will do as I say!" he roars back at me.

"And for how long? It's been three years now! How long will you continue this?" My voice quivers with emotion.

"For as long as I live," he replies before storming off.

As tears keep flowing despite my attempts to wipe them away, I flee back to my room using my powers.

Jumping onto my bed, I clutch my huge pillow tightly and cry into it. "Sometimes," I whisper through sobs, "I wish I never became a hybrid."