New P.O.V

"Do you want me to cover up your freckles?" the makeup artist asked me and I shook my head.

"No, I like them the way they are," I replied kindly.

The makeup artist has already done a lot to make me look good for the Queen's Selection, it's taken a long time before she could create a perfect foundation color that would match my olive skin. Not only her but my hair stylist who had to tame my brown curly hair.

They made a lady from the rogue wolf.

It's was one of the stupid traditions that a rogue must participate in Queen's Selection since it shows that participants have a diverse backgrounds. I was one of the unfortunate wolves that were caught and forced into that circus.

At least, I'm getting paid each week I stay in the castle or chateau is how people in here call it.

"And we are done." The makeup artist smiled at me as she finished putting the final touches on me.

As soon as I left the room there was an escort to make sure I wouldn't get lost in this place and that I wouldn't be late for the opening.

I moved a bit the dark blue dress that I was given by the stylists since it was itching.

At the entrance, some guards were standing with the list.

"Your name?" The guard asked.

"Leslie Brown."

The guard nodded and let me in.

It looks like I was inside the concert hall but instead of seats there were some tables decorated with candles and tableware.

The sitting area was surrounded by the cameras and their crew. There are only a few participants that I could recognize.

I sat on the table that was on the third row but had a good view of the stage. I didn't sit on the second row because everyone would want to sit closer to the new King that has a table reserved on the first row.

Little by little, more participants started coming in.

"Excuse me, can I sit next to you?" I turned to see a short haired brunette smiling at me in a friendly manner.

"Sure." The woman sat down next to me and then she turned to me.

"I'm Stella." She held her hand.

"I'm Leslie." I hesitantly reached my hand for the handshake and Stella's smile became wider.

"Nice to meet you! I'm from the North West Wolves pack, what about you?" The awkwardness hit like a ton of bricks.

"I don't have a pack..." I awkwardly answered Stella was about to question me more about it but then she stopped once she understood what I meant.

I usually like to lurk in the human cities rather near pack territory.

"Anyway, are you here for the King's heart?" She changed the topic. I simply shrugged my shoulders because I didn't know how to answer.

I don't know how to feel about the newly chosen because as a rogue I got little information about what was happening in werewolf society.

If I suddenly become the Queen I know that it will be difficult for me to integrate into werewolf society. Since I'm a 3rd generation rogue.

Then I heard the sudden change of reaction since many of the participants began to swoon over the King that entered and walked over to his assigned seat. Behind them, two betas were walking. I didn't know their names but one of them is blonde and another one is red-haired.

Stella seemed more distracted by the Betas rather than King but attention turned elsewhere once the lights started to get dimmer.

The host went up to the stage.

"Hello everyone I'm Harry Swanson and I'm honored to host this rare event called the Queen's Selection!" Everyone started clapping and the host grinned charismatically.

"As you all know the King is selected once every 200 years and it's always been the tradition that was passed down from our ancestors. Now it's our time to follow the tradition and crown the new Queen!"

"Before I let our newly found King make a speech. I would like to present judges who evaluate each lady's potential to become a Queen."

The first two judges were Margaret Nightingale and Ryan Bane both looked like they were in their 40's or 50's.

"As expected." Stella sighed and I looked at her for an explanation.

"Margaret Nightingale is a powerful councilwoman and Ryan Bane comes from the royal blood from the previous rulers," Stella explained to me.

"How many judges will there be? " I asked Stella.

"Four."

Then the host announced the third judge, Kimberly Wolfstone who was almost the same age as us.

"Ah, I also expected this," Stella noted.

"Did you?" I asked her in curiosity. In all honesty, I didn't know any of those people.

"Yes, Kimberly Wolfstone is ranked first amongst the she-wolves. They always invite the first ranked she-wolves to be judges." Stella explained to me.

I heard about the ranks but unfortunately, rogues are usually considered to be unranked since they don't have a pack to be evaluated.

"Finally, our most honored guest. We are really glad that she was able to make it. Princess of Nauloria Evelyn Bonnet-Lorelei." Now the reaction when hearing the final judges name was mixed but most people are shocked

"A Princess?" I asked in confusion as far as I know the place Nauloria doesn't exist unless I was too isolated from the werewolf society.

Princess Evelyn entered the stage very gracefully and introduced herself. Her golden long hair, golden dress, and golden flowers decorate her hair. She has the air of a fantasy princess.

"Thank you for presenting me, Harry" Evelyn charmingly smiled at the host, and then she turned to the audience.

"I'm honored to witness this moment where one of you will be chosen as a Queen to lead a wolf kind." She spoke gracefully and she gracefully left the stage and sat at the table where the blonde Beta is seated. Right away extra bodyguards appeared like the shadows at Princess Evelyn's table.

"Now I didn't expect her to be a judge," Stella muttered.

"I'm confused, who is she exactly?" I was clueless about her but I know that she is an important person.

"You don't know her?" Stella asked and I can only sheepishly shake my head and Stella sighed.

"Evelyn grew in the same pack as our King, then she married a siren who is a prince and received the title." Once she explained I started to understand more about the werewolf society that I had never known before.

For example, I knew the existence of the sirens but I never knew that sirens had their territories and how established they are.

I noticed that Kimberly Wolfstone seemed to be giving her the side-eye.

"Is there a friction between Kimberly Wolfstone and Princess Evelyn?" I asked Stella. She was confused at her but once she looked at both of them she understood.

"Ah, I guess it's because Kimberly doesn't like the fact that she has to respect Princess Evelyn who ranked 3rd and not vice versa." She explained.

"Most women pride themselves on being ranked very high." Stella sighed as she uttered this sentence.

After King Damien finished his speech. The waiters brought the dishes and everyone enjoyed eating the dish.

I grabbed the cutlery very carefully and tried to follow everyone else's steps since I didn't want to stand out in a bad way.

The next day, Is the day of our first challenge. It was early in the morning and everyone felt sleepy since at dinner we had a five-course meal. It didn't help the fact we were served alcohol.

The room where the first challenge is presented is a smaller room than yesterday's but it has a TV screen.

Soon the judges entered the room.

"Now you probably didn't know that but the first challenge began yesterday." Princess Evelyn started to speak and she took the remote from the table and turned the TV.

The first picture was a picture of me putting elbows on the table during the banquet.

"Now Miss Leslie Brown we don't put our elbows on the table," Evelyn commented but I paled in embarrassment. Luckily my manners weren't that horrible like the next picture Evelyn has shown.

There was a girl who picked her nose publicly during the dinner and Evelyn refused to comment on the picture. Then there was a picture where a woman stuffed the tissues on the neckline of the dress and so on.

"As you all got the hint. The first challenge is to improve manners and etiquette. Etiquette is very important because as a Queen you will either have to interact with the powerful humans or vampires and sirens and they also don't lack manners." Evelyn started explaining.

"At the end of the week, we will have another dinner where you will be examined by the renowned etiquette masters. The fifteen people who will get the highest score will remain in the selection. The other five will be eliminated."