You can’t go with them,” Selene’s mother cried. Her face crumpled as if she were in pain and she probably was. She had raised Selene for a choosing ceremony she hadn’t been chosen for.
Selene held her mother against her, patting her hair down. Her bag was open on her bed, half-packed. She had been given fifteen minutes before she was to leave with the alphas.
Her stomach stirred in excitement; she was looking forward to seeing something other than the scorn of the village. Her mother didn’t understand though she thought Selene was normal. She had always treated her that way, but it was her own denial.
Selene wasn’t. She pulled her mother back and smiled. “I’ll be fine, Mom. They won’t hurt me.”
“They already did!” her mother cried, pointing to the bruises on Selene’s arms. Selene went
