The Selected

Chapter Three

They were moved into the Gathering Room where they were all split up into pairs.

Each pair has to work together to beat the other pairs. Half of the pairs will be tested mentally and the other half of the pairs will be tested physically, then vise versa.

A Commander snatched Ala's arm roughly, yanking her towards a girl who stood alone and frightened. She felt the chains on her hands tighten and she caught her cry of pain just before it slipped past her lips.

This wasn't good, anyone who showed fear isn't likely to make it through the tests. And if they can't win the tests together, they both die.

Ala strained from flipping out. She had to remain calm, act like she had some sense. She had to get this girl to understand that she couldn't show fear.

"You'll be paired with Ellian. She is 16, and has the habit of jumping at her own shadow." The Commander snorted.

"That's about her only skill, except for lying. But I'm pretty sure you're accustomed to that kind of behavior, aren't you?" The Commander sneered and shoved Ala in front of the girl.

Ala stood there stiffly, not looking at the girl. She couldn't. She knew they probably told the girl lies about her because of Ala's pack's reputation. Her pack was known for thievery and lies. Their Beta plays other Betas into giving him money, but their Beta never repays the other Betas for it.

"I know what he said. About me, I mean." She spoke softly, fidgeting with the hem of her dull gray shirt, the same exact one Ala, and every other girl in this room, was wearing.

"I don't take what any of them say to heart. I believe in getting to know the person before making judgements." Ala answered, slowly bringing her eyes to meet the girls.

They were pale blue, almost clear. Soft blonde hair swirled around her round face, giving her an innocent look.

"I'm Ala." She introduce herself, putting her wrist out.

"I'm Ellian." The girl's voice was barely above a whisper, and her wrist met Ala's.

She-Wolves were not allowed to greet anyone the way a male wolf would. They are only allowed to connect wrists, giving each She-Wolf the other's scent. If a She-Wolf is found disobeying that rule, she is then perceived as a harlot for the rest of her life.

"Try not to show fear, it only gives them satisfaction." Ala whispered to the girl, looking around to see if anyone had heard her.

The girl pulled her wrist away, fidgeting as she forced herself to stare at the ground.

"I know I'm not supposed to show fear, but I really don't have anything to look forward to. I have no interest in the Alpha and I don't want to go back to the people who are supposed to be my family. They gave me to the Commander who came to my house, willingly. They wanted me gone." She trembled and Ala stepped closer to her.

"I'm definitely not allowed to say this, but to hell with the rules and regulations. Be who you want to be, not who they want you to be." Ala whispered fiercely, she, herself, was fed up with the Shifters's shit.

She looked at Ala, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Who are you?" Ellian spoke in a shocked voice.

Ala feared for a second that the girl wanted this life, to live life being afraid. Ala feared that the girl would report her to the Beta here and have Ala executed for her treachery.

Ala stepped back.

"Someone who just wants to see her parents one last time before she is killed." Ala responded without looking at the girl, squinting her eyes to see what was going on across the room.

Most of the girls were huddled around something, gasping in shock or surprise. Ala frowned, wondering what was going on.

"Move away from the senile wolf!" A Commander spat as he marched over to the crowd and hit any girl that was near him.

They all quickly dispersed and stood against the wall, away from the girl.

A She-Wolf lay unconscious in the center of the floor. She looked pale and malnourished.

"This, She-Wolves, is what happens to a weak link in the Shifter world." The Commander, by the girl, spoke.

He lifted the girl and easily snapped her neck. Everyone flinched. Ala wanted to cringe and cry out in discomfort, but she didn't. She held it in. She wouldn't let them scare her into following them.

Ala noticed a Commander watching her with narrowed eyes and she refused to look away.

"Is that a challenge, She-Wolf?" He growled and Ala desperately wanted to say yes, but after a moment longer of holding his gaze, she lowered my eyes.

"I will take your advice if you don't challenge them. I don't want to see you killed." Ellian said from behind Ala and she glanced back at the girl.

Ala looked at her for a long moment, but then sighed.

"Fine, but I can't promise I'll follow their every rule." Ala agreed.

She gave Ala a small smile.

"Just try your best." She replied and Ala nodded.

Shortly after Ala's little agreement with Ellian, the body was removed from the room. No one explained what happened to the girl or what caused her to pass out. But most of the girls believed it was because of her fear or stress.

Ala glanced back over at Commander she had challenged and shivered when she saw him still starring at her.