Chosen

by Melanie Purser

  “Have a nice run Ari?” Dad’s gruff voice startles me as I enter the kitchen. I wait for the anger to come, but something seems off about him and panic reenters my system as I watch him carefully. He won’t even meet my eyes, and I can’t remember that happening before. Ever.

  My dad looks closer to my age than his actual age. He is half a foot taller than my five feet, eight inches. His hair is still dark brown with no trace of grays. Wrinkles are just barely beginning to form on his forehead, but that is mainly from the stress of the job. He always looked so young but he suddenly looks very old at this moment.

  “Yeah. Sorry I was gone so long. Lost track of time.”

  “Don’t you always,” he says with a sigh, but he sounds almost amused rather than mad. “Made one of your favorites. Roasted duck. Eat up and get some sleep, sweetie. Goodnight,” he kisses the top of my head before turning to go to bed.

  “Dad what’s going on?”

  “You’ll find out at the meeting tomorrow.”

  And just like that, I was dismissed. Not even a “happy birthday” or birthday cake. Not that I need a silly birthday cake, but it had been tradition.

  My stomach turns in fear. Something is going on and I hate to think what that might be. I am no longer hungry, but I know I need to eat. I need my strength for whatever is about to unfold.

  As I pick at the duck, I can’t help but dread the news I was sure to receive in the morning. I knew this was coming. I’d been hoping all the Alphas had heard about the Alaskan Alphas daughter and had just not wanted to deal with someone like me. There were plenty of willing women in our packs, so why would they want me?

  Maybe I am overthinking this like I tend to do. Maybe this isn’t even about me. Dad would have told me if I had been chosen, wouldn’t he? He would tell me if he had picked a mate for me.

  A stray tear slides down my face, surprising me. I swipe at it and stare at it in confusion.

  Suddenly I am angry. Have I not been waiting for this? Have I not been preparing for this moment?

  I would not let my hard work go to waste. I gave up my life up until now so that I could create my own when this day came. Suddenly ravenous, I sink my teeth into the duck and clean it with sharp teeth until there is nothing but bone left.

  I could be blowing this way out of proportion. Hell, I can only hope that I am doing just that, but if this is really happening, I will be ready. I have to be.

  Chapter 2

  By morning, my panic has receded. There is no point fretting over something that has yet to be named. And if it is what I fear, I spent most of the night coming up with multiple plans. Why worry when I am this prepared.

  With renewed energy, I slide on a pair of black jeggings, combat boots, and a long-sleeved shirt before bounding downstairs. I make a b-line for the kitchen and snag some hard-boiled eggs and a bottle of water from the fridge where I find a note that attempts to ruin my appetite.

  The words ‘Meeting at 9am. Don’t be late,’ crumple up in my hands and soar through the air to the trash bin.

  I scarf down my food and am out the door in seconds with water bottle in hand. I set out running towards the woods on two legs. I have maybe an hour to get in a workout before I need to get back.

  Snow still blankets the earth, and it is eerily quiet in the woods. I am amped up and on edge.

  For once, I almost wish a polar bear or something large would jump out at me so that I would have someone or something to unleash my fury on.

  Nothing ever did, so instead, my pent-up energy is taken out on the air and nearby trees and rocks as I release a barrage of punches and kicks all around me. I keep my thoughts clear, and breathing under control as I focus on hidden enemies.

  Ugh. This is much harder without dad’s men to beat up. It’s so unsatisfying when I can’t make someone groan in pain. I’m not going to become a better fighter facing off against trees and rocks.

  Without a watch, I have no idea how much time has passed, but I know I am running behind. Sprinting as fast as I can back to the cabin, I tense up as the scent of wolves hit me. Pack. A lot of them. I sniff the air again in search of foreign wolves. Thankfully I don’t pick up any new scents.

  Since we have the largest house, meetings are always hosted here. On top of that, the Alphas home always represents a safe place. We have plenty of rooms so the ones who travel far could stay and rest. Some will come and stay just because they want to be near the Alpha.

  I creep in quietly and try to blend in with the crowd just as dad prepares to begin the meeting. His two best wolves, Charles and Niko, flank him. As hard as I tried to avoid my pack mates, there was no hiding from these two. They were practically my babysitters growing up; though they preferred the term bodyguards, we both knew it was one and the same.

  While the rest of the pack saw them as high-ranking dominants, to me, they were just uncle Charlie and uncle Nik. When my dad was gone away for work, they would both come stay with me. We would stay up late and watch movies with giant bowls of banana splits filled with various ice creams and toppings.

  They always lasted longer than I would and then carry me to my bed and I’d wake up to blankets holding me captive as my tummy ached with all the sugar from the night before. They always nursed me back to health, but what I appreciate most about them is that they taught me how to fight. On top of that they were always there when I needed someone to talk to or needed a night on the town.

  The person who should have been doing all of that was standing directly next to my dad. Long and lean, with honey blonde hair curled to perfection. My mom is beautiful and looks more like she could be my sister with her perfect skin and bright blue eyes.

  As the Alpha’s wife, you have ultimate protection and get special treatment from all of the pack members. My mother definitely takes advantage of all the disgusting perks. Never had to work a day in her life and spends her days getting primped and pampered, along with throwing parties or other events with other pack women; all on the Alphas dime. She is everything I never want to be.

  Her only job was to give my dad a male heir, which kudos to her for doing that on the first try. They had me years later, and according to mom, I was a mistake, but she would never say it in front of dad. In front of him she acted like a perfect angel; the way mates are supposed to act.

  My brother is a dominant and was sent to another pack when I was little. It would be too hard to have another male, even blood-related, dominant in the same pack. It is doable, but challenging. Him and dad were always hotheaded with each other, so it was time for him to go spread his wings. Once he is a little older, he will try to become Alpha of that pack or try to take dad’s place here when he is ready.

  That fact alone would mean that I would definitely be transferred into a new pack to mate an Alpha. Thankfully our kind isn’t sick and twisted enough to make brothers and sisters become mates. I shudder at the horrible thought. If that were a possibility, I would have let the bears eat me a long time ago.

  My thoughts simmer as I realize the Alpha is speaking. I hold my breath as we all await the news to come.

  “As some of you already know, the Canada pack is making moves for more land. We don’t know whom they will attack next, but being so close makes us an appealing target. I don’t think they are ready for a fight with us, but if they continue gaining, we will eventually be outnumbered.”

  Selfish bastards. I had heard that the Canadian wolves wanted to expand, but I didn’t think they were a serious threat. I mean they are Canadians for Christ’s sake. I guess they’re not all actually Canadian, but you’d think they’d pick up on their good-natured ways.

  Pardon us, but we are deeply sorry to inform you that we would like your land please. Our deepest apologies. Have a great day eh. And then we would slaughter them and take their land.

  I laugh aloud and can feel a couple stares from people around me, but I don’t care. This is a joke. I don’t understand why we are even having a meeting about it, but I can’t say I’m
not unbelievably happy that it doesn’t appear to be what I feared.

  Even though we have territory in part of Canada we are still called the Alaska pack. Taking British Columbia many years ago was necessary with the number of wolves we have. I guess now, they want to try and take it back. My dad’s deep voice cuts me away from my thoughts.

  “Other friendly packs have voiced their opinions and are trying to unite in order to discourage attacks from Canada. I also do not plan to sit and wait for an attack so I have made the decision to unite with another pack in the hopes of helping protect our land and our people.”

  Oh God. Please don’t tell me this is happening. We don’t need to unite. We have plenty of land and numbers!

  “Alpha King Darien of the Pacific North West United States pack has agreed to join forces,” Dad announces and there is a collective silence.

  King Darien? As in Darien Shield? The ruthless man that claimed Alpha at the young age of 18? The same man who has increased his packs territory from Washington to Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Wyoming in just a few years? That Darien? I hear others whispering the same things aloud with worry and fear in their voices.

  “And Alpha, what is the price for such a joining? How does this work for us exactly? What will keep him and his pack from turning on us?” a pack member asks.

  Oh no. I want to tear the throat out of the idiot who dared ask that question. I’m not ready for the answer.

  I want to die when dad’s eyes flicker to me, and while I watch mom smile, his eyes fill with guilt. No.

  “There are things that still need to be worked out, but once we do, you will be able to access their land and they will have access to ours. There will be some established to prevent any confrontations between Alphas,” he pauses and my heart stops. Mom chooses this time to take over.

  “Alpha Darien is in need of a mate of royal lines and our daughter will make a fine gift for his cooperation. Out of all the offers for mates he has had, our Ari is the one he has chosen. Such a deal will ensure our packs safety.”

  A gift? Was she joking? I want to vomit and then smash her pretty little face in it.

  “Poor Darien, he must not know about her,” my heightened senses hear someone whisper in the crowd. How did they go from fear of Darien, to feeling sorry for him? They really think that badly of me? I am too angry about the issue at hand to ponder that any further. Another part of me wants to know why the hell he would pick me out of all the others.

  “Where is that beautiful daughter of mine anyways?” mom asks with a laugh, but it doesn’t take long for her to find me, as I am already pushing through the mass of people towards her. “Oh! There you are sweetie.”

  “Oh, cut the sweetie crap. Everyone knows you can’t stand me and you can forget about “gifting” me to Darien,” I stare her down from the front of the pack. My Alphas guilt-filled eyes turn hard as he steps in front of my mother.

  “Young lady, you will not speak to your mother like that, and you will do as you’re told.”

  “This is not fair. I should be able to decide who is to be my mate,” I meet his surprised gaze.

  “Is there someone you had in mind?” That question threw me for a loop. Crap.

  “Er, no…” Did I really have a choice before? My mother smirked. They were playing games now.

  “Then you will do your part in helping protect this pack, and mate to Alpha Darien,” he commands with his Alpha voice. I can feel his words, his will, as it wraps around me and seeps into every fiber of my being.

  No! I can do my part to protect this pack! I can fight! I don’t need a mate. I won’t be controlled for the rest of my life!

  Shock fills me as I feel his command start to weaken at my thoughts and emotions. Somehow, I can sense where I need to attack in order to break his command. So that’s exactly what I do.

  When I look up into his fear filled eyes, I realize what I have just done. He felt what I had done. This is impossible. It would cause chaos. My father could be killed and it would be my fault. With this, I could take my life into my own hands, but are my own needs worth sentencing my own father to death?

  “Yes, Alpha,” I reply automatically into the deathly quiet room.

  Everyone around me is staring in shock at the spectacle I’ve created. Everyone except for Uncle Charlie and Uncle Nik. Humor was written all over their faces. They know! They must have seen it in my eyes that I was able to shake off the command.

  Before I can think, I run from the room. I only hope I can trust Charlie and Niko not to pass on the word about me being able to disregard dad’s order, or worse, challenge dad themselves.

  I run deep into the woods, not caring about the laughter and gossip I have created at my expense. After all, I would be gone soon. With all the plans I made for escape, I never factored in Alpha Darien. How could I possibly escape him?

  Chapter 3

  Dad found me in my room shortly after I came home. It was already dark out so I changed into some warm clothes and sprawled out on my bed to ponder more about what the hell I was going to do. I can’t just give up. I won’t.

  “Can we talk a moment?”

  “Do I have a choice?”

  “Apparently so, based on what happened this morning,” he retorts and my cheeks burn red.

  “Charlie and Niko saw. What is going to happen?” I ask, feeling like a little kid even though I am apparently strong enough to break Alpha command.

  “First off, thank you for playing it off like it didn’t happen. I respect you greatly for that. I’ve already spoken to Charles and Niko. I offered to let them challenge me, but they were against it. Something about how you would kick their ass if they tried,” he says with amusement. I almost laugh, but then I remember what he has done to me.

  “How can you do this to me dad?” He sighs loudly and 30 excruciatingly long seconds pass before he speaks.

  “I never wanted this to happen, Ari. I know the rules suck and if you found someone you truly cared for, I would do whatever I could with my power to make it possible, but you are 22 now and haven’t even tried to find interest in the pack.”

  “Don’t blame this on me!”

  “I’m not! It’s not your fault. I would have done the same thing if I was in your shoes, and for a while I was, but as an Alpha, I had to follow the rules. Even Alphas don’t get to choose their mates sometimes,” he says with a wink and I realize he is talking about mom.

  “You mean you didn’t choose mom?” He looked like he wasn’t going to answer but he finally caves.

  “No, I did not choose her. My father gave her to me when we were both only 16. I didn’t become Alpha until I was 25, but my father knew I would be Alpha one day so he wanted to give me a gift. I was dumb, and well, you know what it’s like to be 16. Carrie, your mother, was only 17 when we had your brother, Daniel.

  We had nothing in common, but our wolves were mated and I would do it all over again if I knew I would get you and Daniel out of the deal.”

  “Oh please, we both know I’m a pain to deal with.” I hang my head.

  “You are different than most of our kind, but I see much of myself in you. You are strong, smart, and I know you will become something greater than anyone would believe. There is a reason I have not had you mated yet.” I look at him in surprise.

  He has kept me from being mated?

  “There has been many Alpha’s pining for you because of your bloodline, but I told them that none of them were good enough. There was nothing they could offer me worth your value.”

  Time seems to stand still as the last 22 years play through my head. I can’t believe my ears. I wish I had known sooner so that maybe I wouldn’t have been so bitter to him and everyone else. I wanted to hug him for what he’d done for me, but there were still things I needed answered.

  “So, what makes Darien good enough?” I try to hide the emotion in my voice, but fail. His eyes soften.

  “I don’t think anyone will ever be good enough, but this threat is re
al and I want you and our pack protected. With Darien’s help, I believe we can do that.”

  “I can’t mate to him dad.”

  “Sure you can. I know he is ruthless in his quest for more territory, but he can protect you. Besides, if anyone can handle him, it’s you. I have heard many say that he is quite the looker.”

  “I don’t care if he’s the hottest man on earth, he is still Darien Shield! He killed his own father and like three other Alphas shortly after. He could kill me.”

  “How do you know so much about him?” he eyes me warily.

  “Because I’m not going to let anyone make my decisions for me. I knew this would happen someday and I wanted to know what I would be up against, but I never expected Darien Shield.”

  “Calm down, Ari. Just give the guy a chance. Maybe there is more to him than you think. Who knows, maybe you could actually fall in love with someone as strong as him.”

  I want to hurl at his words. As far as I know, Darien is nothing but a killer. If he could turn on his father, he could turn on me, and not in the good way.

  There were rumors of his father being a cruel and ruthless man too. Apparently, his son grew up just as dark as he was.

  How on earth could my father think that I would fall in love with a murderer?

  “When is he coming?” I ask with renewed anger.

  His face pales at my question.

  Shit.

  “Tomorrow? Seriously dad?” he nods his head in confirmation and I want to cry and vomit at the same time. I am so not ready for this, but I have to be strong for my dad and for what was to come.

  “Well, just so you know, if he turns out to be the guy that I think he is, I will kill him,” and I am dead serious.