Chosen

by Melanie Purser

  “But I’m the Canadian pack’s Alpha now. I don’t think I can control so many at once,” I try to think of another solution.

  “Do you hear yourself, Ari? You are an Alpha of the largest pack in America, maybe the whole world, so what’s a few more?” he laughs, and it makes me smile through my tears. “Your ability to break my control and your own mate’s control isn’t some magical ability. It’s because you are dominant. More dominant than anyone I have ever met. This is your destiny.”

  “Fine, I will take over for now, but you are going to get healthy, and when you are healed, I’m giving it back.” He smiles, and finishes his declaration this time. I am officially the Alpha of Canada and Alaska. The first ever, female Alpha.

  I can feel all the lives under my command, but most of all, my protection. It’s a heavy weight to bear, but it feels right.

  I hear Trace come around. From my distance, I can see that he has lost a lot of blood, but the bullet has been removed from his stomach, and his wound is being licked closed by Darien himself. It’s time to get them out of here, and I need to go deal with my new pack. At least, one of them, anyways.

  Pulling out my phone, I call a ride for my men and tell them to have enough space for Trace and my father to be able to lie down. Asher offers to steal an ambulance, making me laugh, but he will probably do just that.

  Darien and Jerek come with me, and together we follow the four men. Macen and I chat a bit on the walk. He definitely wants to get in my good graces, or maybe he is just that nice.

  There’s too much on my mind to concentrate. First, I’m still bewildered about the fact that I am pregnant, I killed an Alpha, well two actually, and now I’m an Alpha for not one, but two packs. I guess technically it’s all one big pack, but one is just temporary.

  The army awaiting us blows my mind, and I can see that my mate and Jerek are in awe as well. Thousands of people gathered in the woods.

  Many different expressions greet me; anger, amusement, excitement, confusion, and respect. What surprises me most is the happiness and adoration that conquers them all. It gives me the strength to speak.

  “So, I guess I’m your new Alpha,” I begin, and most laugh along with me. “This is my mate, Darien Shield, and my second, Jerek Carver. I know you came here for a war started by John and James Flint, but there will be no such war, or any future wars unless someone decides to come take our land. My goal is to grow our population of wolves, not destroy it. If anyone has a disagreement with that goal, please search for another pack.”

  After a few tense moments, they all cheer. Once they have calmed down, I ask for questions and answer each and every one before I send them on their way. I told them about how we are all connected with Alaska and the PNW pack and that they can now move wherever they want in those territories.

  Darien speaks as well, and they all accept him as their Alpha too, but there is something there that’s different. This is all so new, that no one really knows what to think.

  With excited energy, we shift and run back to our pack. Everyone greets us warmly, relieved that we are no longer going to war. Everyone is staying the night and celebrating, and I use the opportunity to speak with my old, yet new, pack that I now control.

  Some are hesitant to accept me at first based on the past I have with them, but hopefully they can see the new me that I have become. The person Darien and his pack have helped me become. Even though it’s only for a short time, I want to use this time to repair the damage between us.

  Later that evening, Carrie Wilder struts into our camp. Holy hell. She makes a b-line for the tent my father, her husband, is resting in. I move to intercept her. Dad doesn’t need the stress and anger she is about to lay on him.

  “Mom,” I call to her.

  “Ari,” she looks at me nervously, and her eyes avoid mine. Surprising her and myself, I hug her. As expected, she hesitates, but finally hugs me back, and it’s the warmest interaction we have had since I was just a little kid. We pull back from each other, and she looks me over. “You look good sweetie,” I ignore that part for once, “and are you really pregnant?”

  “I am,” my hand unconsciously moves to my belly.

  “Well that Darien sure doesn’t waste time, does he?” we laugh together. It’s quite a moment, but I break the silence.

  “I’m sorry I was such a brat growing up,” the words just spill out. It must be this whole ‘becoming a mother’ thing. While I’m not sorry for all of it, I do regret that our relationship was so cold, and that I could have tried harder to get along with her.

  She just stares at me for a while, and I watch all the disbelief, pain, and regret flash across her normally serene features.

  “I’m sorry too, Ari. I should have tried harder as well. But look at you now. You sure showed me. Now you’re Alpha of our pack.”

  “Only until dad gets better,” I snap. Her features light right back up with that. Though I want our relationship to improve, she will still be the same Carrie. She will always want power and money. I just hope she wants to be a part of my life and a part of her grandchild’s life now as well.

  My mate joins us to say hello, and mom actually makes an effort to turn down the charm. It won’t work for her anyways. I have this man right where I want him. He is my person, my soul mate, and the father of my unborn child. Life has never been so perfect.

  Darien

  From the moment our eyes met, I knew Ari was meant for something big. I would have been blessed just having her by my side, loving me, and being mine. My mate is too amazing to not be something more. There have been moments in our short time together, where her power has caught me off guard. She is a strong wolf, but there has always been something else that I haven’t been able to put my finger on.

  When she told me that she had somehow taken the reins as Alpha over the Canadian pack, it all clicked into place. The only thing holding her back before was her own insecurities about being good enough. In the short time with me and my pack, she found exactly who she was meant to be.

  There’s still something more to her, and maybe someday we will find out exactly what that is, but for now I’m just happy that she’s safe. Watching her take on Simon was not easy for me to do, especially knowing she is carrying my baby. I’ll be getting an earful from her father once he’s strong enough to lay into me. Trace is going to pull through as well, all thanks to Ari. She saved us all.

  Seeing the way that she took control of the hand she has been dealt, is nothing short of amazing. She spoke to our new pack members with the confidence I have watched her gain over the last few weeks. However, it was obvious that she was a little more tense speaking to her old pack mates. If only they could have seen who she truly was, they would have tried a little harder to be her friend, and she would have abandoned her idea that she needed to run away.

  The moment I found out that Ari Wilder was going to be my mate, I knew things were going to change. Not in a million years would I have guessed that my life would be like this. After watching the relation between my parents, I thought I was destined for a similar fate.

  As I watch her take on her new role as Alpha, and even try to make amends with her mother I know just how blessed I am. This wild woman is more than anything I could have imagined. She’s my mate. My other half. My wife, and the soon-to-be mother to our pup. She’s mine, and the thought makes my pants a little too tight.

  I’ve given her time to mingle, but I’m done sharing her for tonight.

  Before she can make anymore rounds, I stalk in her direction. She squeals in surprise when I lift her up and throw her over my shoulder. Without a word, I carry her towards our tent. The witnesses behind us, erupt into laughter and cheers. Ari is going to give me hell later, and I’m going to enjoy every minute of it.

  My faith in her is not misplaced, but I could have lost her today. We could have lost the baby. If her command hadn’t stopped the gunmen, I would have been shot too, and may not have survived. Though, everything turned out
fine, I know very well that it might not have.

  My wolf and I need her. We need to feel her strong pulse and smell her unique scent that is combined with my own. Her hormones are driving me crazy, and I need to be inside her.

  There’s a large, fold-up mat on the ground with blankets. I deposit Ari in the center of it, covering her lips with mine before she can protest. She melts into me, pulling at my clothes, needing this just as much as I do.

  In the heated frenzy, I’m not sure how we ended up naked, before I’m pushing my throbbing length inside her. Ari’s scream is muffled by my mouth devouring hers.

  Her body fits me perfectly, and she’s strong, taking every hard thrust I give her. Holding back is impossible as she writhes against me. I pump into her, giving her everything I have before I reach my release. The whole camp probably hears her cry out, and I let out a growl of satisfaction as she pulses around me.

  Neither of us moves for a while. We hold each other, lost in our thoughts. Everything feels right in the world again as she snuggles against me. She sighs contentedly when my lips press against the top of her head.

  The future for our pack is unknown, but with Ari by my side, I know everything is going to be one hell of a ride.

  Ari

  Months have passed since that fateful day in the forest. Any day now, I am due to pop. My stomach is huge. Werewolves don’t go to hospitals because humans would discover things they shouldn’t. Our pack healers and doctors have most of the things we need, but we don’t typically bother with ultrasounds or anything of that nature. Not unless something is wrong. And something is definitely wrong.

  Darien thought I was being paranoid, but seeing how swollen I am now, has him worried as well.

  He drives me to Mindy, and she sets me up for an ultrasound. I give her a death glare when she comments on my size. She listens with a stethoscope first, and I watch her lips pinch together just the slightest bit, and I about come out of my skin. My pack probably thinks I’m in trouble with all the stress consuming me.

  I lift my shirt for her so that she can put the gel on and she gets her wand or whatever it’s called and presses it to my belly. An image comes on the monitor, but I have no idea what it is. Darien holds my hand as he watches the monitor with me, waiting for the news.

  “Just as I thought,” Mindy smiles as she continues to move the wand around my belly. She takes a couple pictures. It takes everything I have not to reach out and strangle the answers out of her. She looks up at us, and smiles.

  “WELL?” Darien’s impatience beats me to it.

  “It’s twins!” I stare open-mouthed at her, trying to process what she just said.

  “No seriously, what is it?”

  “It’s no joke. Look,” she hands the sonograms to me, “there is the two heads, and more than one set of hands and feet, but the picture can’t catch it all. I can’t even tell what gender they are because they are so crammed in there.”

  “Werewolves don’t have twins,” I state, and it’s the truth. I have never heard of wolves having twins. Or maybe I heard that only one twin could survive the birth. I’m not sure at this point.

  “Now they can apparently, and we need to get these two out. We should have induced you weeks ago.” Mindy says calmly, and I look up at Darien who is mirroring my look of terror. The two of us are anything but calm.

  Mindy leaves and comes back with some sort of gel and a hospital gown for me to change into.

  “Wait, are we really taking them out now?” Suddenly the fear of actually taking care of a child hits me, and there’s going to be two of them.

  “If we don’t do it now, we would be putting the three of you in danger. And then we would all be in danger from Darien. So yes, your babies are coming now.”

  Darien starts undressing me. I turn to slap him, but the crazy in his eyes stops me. He is just as freaked as I am. So, I let him continue to help with the process. Mindy comes back and gets to work, preparing me for birth.

  Hours later, I can feel the whole town of our pack members are in the waiting area of Mindy’s office.

  We didn’t want to leave, so we stayed in Priest River, but we made a home in Canada as well, and plan to visit often. Until recently, I have been training them to fight.

  As promised, I tried to give Alaska back to my father, but he refused. Apparently, he was enjoying his time off, and for now, wants to do other things with his life. He told me to gift it to his grandchild one day. Little does he know that he has two grandbabies on the way.

  Pain rips through me as another contraction comes. I’m pretty sure I broke Darien’s hand, which is why he refused to hold mine now. Instead, he gives me a football he stole from a kid; a kid I now owe a new football. I flattened it in seconds, but now I have it balled up into one giant stress ball.

  Mindy checks my dilation, and I pray it’s time to push. I would rather be shot a dozen times than endure this pain any longer.

  “Alright, it’s time to push,” she says.

  “Praise the Lord!” I yell, and don’t hesitate to do just as she says.

  A few pushes, and I am stretched to my limit as Mindy pulls. Suddenly there’s nothing left to pull, and the cry of a baby, my baby, fills the room around us. Tears sting my eyes, and I try to find the source of the sound through blurred eyes.

  “It’s a girl!” Mindy shouts before handing her off to Darien’s open arms. He takes her and holds our baby as if she is the most precious thing on this earth. He looks at me with so much love in his eyes as he shows our beautiful girl to me. I don’t get to hold her yet though. It’s time to push again. Darien cheers me on, while also cooing to his little girl.

  This one is stubborn and doesn’t want to come out. It takes dozens upon dozens of pushes before another cry fills my ears, and it’s the most beautiful sound I have ever heard. Both of my babies are healthy.

  “It’s a boy!” Mindy announces, and my heart fills with absolute joy. I never said it out loud because I really would have been happy either way, but I was really hoping for a little Darien. And now I have one of each.

  She sets him in my arms, and he is the most handsome little baby boy I have ever seen. I already love him with every ounce of my being.

  Darien props him up against my legs and sets my beautiful girl up next to him, and I love her just the same. How can I love something so small, so much, when we have only just met? When I think life can’t get any better, something else outdoes the other.

  “Look what we made, baby,” Darien coos, and it’s something I never thought I would see. “They are so amazing. You did good, love,” he kisses the top of my head, and it’s the last thing I remember before exhaustion claims me.

  EPILOGUE

  “Be careful, pups,” I call out to my spunky children running along the beach. Darien chases after them, and they wrestle in the sand. I take the opportunity to snap a picture.

  Alexia has been teaching me how to use my new camera that I got for my 25th birthday. Her and Jerek normally come stay with us at our beach house that I got on my last birthday, but they decided to go somewhere on their own for their anniversary. I’m almost positive that Jerek is going to finally propose.

  Darien kept his word that he would take me to the Pacific Ocean. The first time was shortly before the kids turned one. I fell in love with it, so of course Darien bought us our own beach house in Arcata, California. We let other pack members use it when we aren’t here, but we go more and more now that the kids are three, and they love it just as much as us.

  Life has been hectic with all of the wolves, but with Darien by my side, and the support of all of our friends, life has been just about perfect.

  When we had first taken Canada and Alaska, other territories started joining forces, but we didn’t move against them, and so far, no one has moved against us. Hopefully that never changes, but it would be a mistake to go against us. I have trained every willing fighter in our pack, male and female, and we are hands down stronger than any pack in th
e world.

  Since Darien and I are both Alpha’s, we are able to keep control over so many wolves without much issue, but when the little pups are older, we plan to share it with them rather than send them away to some foreign pack. They have to earn it though, of course. Just because they are of royal blood doesn’t mean they automatically get to be Alphas.

  The dominance in them is already apparent though, and it’s pretty equal between the two. Dylan and Athena are going to be a force of nature when they are older.

  Darien has his own team of guards consisting of Trace, Asher, Ben, and a man named Jake from the Alaskan territory. There are probably stronger, more dominant wolves on the Canada side, but they seem to feel more attached to me so they haven’t tried to earn a position with him. Well, except for Macen, but he fell short there.

  No one has been able to take second from Jerek, and I pray no one ever does. He is my best friend, and I can’t imagine anyone else filling that role. I also have Charles, Niko, Macen, and another woman from Canada whose name is Maya. She has become quite the fighter.

  “Mama come play with us,” Dylan calls to me.

  “Yeah, come play,” Athena copies her brother, and its music to my ears. I close the distance to them and wrap them in my arms. They shift into wolf pups. Athena’s wolf is light brown like mine but she has her father’s eyes. Dylan is the opposite, with Darien’s dark brown fur, and my hazel eyes. They are a perfect mix of each of us.

  “You two change back this instant!” I scold them, though it’s hard to be mad when they are so adorable. “You know better.”

  I lift them by the scruff of their necks, and carry them towards the water, threatening to throw them in. Our beach is private, but there is still the chance of being seen. They follow my orders, and I drop them into the water anyways.

  Darien grabs one while I grab the other. They sputter as we lift them to the surface. We all laugh and splash each other as we swim around the ocean just like a normal family. Everything really is better at the beach, but with my family, I am always happy.