The Selected

A Decision to Make

Immediately after Alan and I made eye contact, he shook his head and snapped and the pale-faced man, "No!"

The pale man growled, "You don't have a say in this."

Watching the heat in Alan's eyes, I knew that the pale-faced man had Selected me, that I was to be taken and sacrificed to the Moon Goddess at the Ravage Pack's altar. Panic and rage began to bubble up inside of me-- I'm only 17, I'm too young to die, and I'm not willing to be sacrificed in some bullshit ancient ritual that is far too barbaric for this day and age.

"She's my daughter, you can't take her!" Alan growled, tightly gripping the pale man's arm. The man simply shoved him off of him, and I could feel everyone's eyes turn to me. I am the only "daughter" that Alan has, and so now they know that I was Selected. I can see the sympathy and pity in their eyes, but also the relief and gratefulness, that they themselves have not been chosen for the Selection.

"But not by blood," the man corrected Alan, and he strode over to me, clamping his hand around my arm tightly. "You just lost your right to say goodbye. Until next year, then."

With that he dragged me away from the crowd, and I turned back to look at Alan who was standing there stunned, everyone else just as shocked. When I realized they wouldn't do anything, I growled, planting my feet into the ground and ripping myself free from the pale-faced man, "No!"

"Get back here," he snarled.

I growled back, "No. You can't have me."

With a sigh, he lunged forward and hit me over the head, and everything went black.

I woke up with the sun in my eyes and grass tickling my body. Lifting myself up from the ground, I found that I was surrounded by adolescents like myself in similar positions, either sitting up or just waking up from their lying positions on the grass meadow we were surrounded in. The sun was beginning to set above the tree line that was before us, and I stood up to better take in my surroundings.

As I did so, several others followed suit until everyone was standing. There seemed to be an even mix of boys and girls, though most were around my age, there were still a few of the younger wolves, those who couldn't have first shifted more than a year ago, mixed within the group.

There was a podium of marble before us, with a white stone bowl and a large silver dagger lying atop it. As I stared at it, contemplating taking the knife and using it to slaughter our captors, three male figures emerged from the trees, stalking towards us in silence, their eyes taking us all in as a predator does its prey.

I refuse to be preyed upon.

As the figures neared, I recognized the man to the left to be the pale-faced man who had Selected me, and who had killed my parents. I clenched my fists at the sight of him. The man to the right was short for a wolf, but where he lacked in height he made up for in muscle. He was still large, and intimidating. The man in the middle was the tallest, with black hair and eyes to match, his strong stature and powerful aura made me realize who he is.

Alpha Rhodes. The three came to a halt when they reached the podium, the flanking men stopping behind the white stone, and the Alpha halting only once he had just passed the pillar.

"Welcome," his deep voice boomed across the field, and everyone stiffened from fear, though my eyes were still trained on the pale-faced man, "to the Ravage Pack."

A chill creeped up my spine as the pale man looked at me, our eyes locking. He narrowed his eyes slightly, but I didn't back down. I wouldn't bend to a man as diabolical as he. The flashes of that night, red, green, brown, and white were all so crystal clear now. I could see him gloating over my parents' dead bodies, could see him taunting me, saying that I was next, until I was left in a sobbing mess in between their bodies, until Alan came and saved me.

I didn't look away.

"Despite what you have heard about this process, you have a decision to make," the Alpha's voice called out, but I didn't look away from the murderer, and he didn't waver either. "You will either join our ranks in this pack as a warrior, or live out whatever remains of your life as a rogue."

Stunned silence filled the air, but I didn't really focus on what he'd said until the whispers began to erupt all around us.

"Did he say rogue?"

"Join the pack?"

"We can choose?"

"Are we not being sacrificed?"

I finally looked away from the pale-faced man and to the Alpha, who was already looking at me. He raised a hand, bellowing, "Silence!" Everyone listened. "One by one, you will come forth and make your decision. Join the pack, or live as a rogue."

So, I hadn't been led to my slaughter, after all. I didn't truly believe it, though, because how could someone like the cruel, pale man before me be apart of a pack that believed in free will?

"Adelaide Simmons," The pale man called out cruelly. Of course I would be first, why wouldn't I be?

Pursing my lips, I grit my teeth together as I stepped forward, breathing deeply as I made my way up to the podium. I only looked away from the pale man when Alpha Rhodes blocked my view of him, silver dagger in hand. It was jagged, and had random bends in it, and I could tell it was old. The white bowl to my left was filled with rocks and pine needles, though they were all stained red.

Blood.

Was this a trick? Was it all for show? Were they feigning our free choice as they really did plan to slaughter us all in the name of the Moon Goddess?

Swallowing my fear, I forced myself to calm down.

"Adelaide Simmons, was it?" Alpha Rhodes questioned, raising a brow. I nodded and he did the same. "What will it be, Adelaide? Join, or live out what days you have remaining as a rogue?"

Looking up, just over the shoulder of the Alpha, I could see the pale man looking at me cruelly, a cold look in his eyes I'd seen before. Statistically, I'd make it probably a week at most if I went rogue. If I managed to survive longer, I'd lose myself, and would no longer be the person I have always been.

If I joined the pack, I would be forced to coexist with the monster in front of me, and he might kill me anyway.

"I'm sorry, is Michael more interesting than what's happening here?" Alpha Rhodes dug at me, and I snapped my eyes back to look at him. In his eyes was a look I'd seen before, in both Alan and Jordan's eyes in training. It was a fiery look, one of determination and challenge. A challenge to make me better.

"No," I answered. "I'll join."

He gestured for my hand, and I offered it over. He placed the edge of the knife across my palm and spoke three simple words before dragging the blade across my hand, "I accept you."

And then my body felt like I'd caught on fire from within.