The Girl Who Wasn't Meant to Survive

My eyes flew open before dawn and my chest was already tight. For a second I didn’t move. I just stared at the ceiling while my pulse slammed against my throat. The room was dark and a thin line of gray at the edge of my curtains told me the sun was still think about rising. But something was wrong and my body knew it before my mind caught up. I pushed the blanket off and the cold air hit my skin. My bedroom door was open. I sat up fast and my breath caught. I never slept with it open and I knew I had closed it before bed because I always did. It was a habit and it was one of the few things in this house that felt like mine. I heard voices that were low and careful. And they felt like they were too close. My stomach dropped and I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood. The floor was cold under my feet and I reached for the sweater hanging over a chair that was across the room. I moved toward the door and every step felt wrong. I heard someone said my name and I froze. “Are you sure?” A woman whispered and I knew that voice immediately. It was Mara. “It’s done. She’s been marked.” A man said. “The air left my lungs and I grabbed the edge of the doorframe to stay upright. I know what that meant and everyone in the pack knew what that meant even if no one said it out loud. Every ten years one girl was chosen and every ten years the pack dressed it up in ritual and honor. But no one came back from the mountain. A chosen meant gone. And marked meant me. I backed away and my heartbeat turned wild. I thought there had been a mistake and then I knew there hadn’t. People had been acting strange for weekend and Alpha Marcus had watched me too closely last night. Rowan lingered longer than usually after training. I should have known. I turned fast and I looked around my room like there might be an answer somewhere but there was nothing except my bed and my folded clothes and a dark window that suddenly looked like a way out. The front hall creaked and more footsteps started approaching. Not one, several. My skin went cold and instinct rose sharp enough to mame my hands shake. “Run.” My wolf said. I grabbed the first pair of boots I found and shoved my feet into them without lacing them properly. I snatched my jacket off the chair and pulled it on as I moved. My braid was still on the washstand and for one second I stared at it before forcing myself to look away. I wasn’t getting any of that this morning. A knock sounded at my doorframe and I jumped. It wasn’t a real knock. Just knuckles against wood that was way too calm and controlled. “Serephina. Get dressed.” Rowan said. “I stared at the open doorway and said nothing. His shadow stretched across the floor and then he stepped just enough into view for me to see him. He was tall and controlled and unreadable. “Serephina. Don’t make this harder.” He said again. “Harder for who?” I asked as my throat burned. Pushed the door wider and he was fully dressed and that alone made my stomach turn. “You could have told me.” I said. “It wasn’t my place.” He said. “That’s a coward’s answer.” I said. “Get your things.” He said as his jaw tightened. “My things? You think I need my things?” I asked letting out a sharp laugh. “You’ll need a coat. It’s cold on the upper paths.” He said. The words hit me pretty hard. Upper paths and mountain. “No.” I said stepping back a fraction. “Serephina.” He said. “No. Tell Alpha Marcus there’s been a mistake. Tell Elder Corvin to find someone else.” I insisted. “There’s no mistake.” He said. “Then unmark it.” I said. “You know I can’t.” He said. “Did my family know?” I asked, trying to fight back the tears. But he didn’t answer. Something inside me snapped and I moved first. I spun toward the window and threw it open. Cold air rushed in as I looked out the window. “Serephina. Stop. If you run they will hunt you.” Rowan insisted. “They already are.” I said and I jumped without giving it another thought. I hit the ground hard and pain shot up my ankle but I ignored it and started running anyway. The yard was silent and wrong and the pack grounds felt empty in a way that made my chest tighten. Then I heard someone shout. “There she is!” A warrior yelled. I ran harder and my boots slipped as my hair came loose. I cut across the yard and over the fence. Doors slammed behind me and somewhere in the distance a horn hadn’t sounded yet which meant that I still had time. Seconds were enough before I hit the narrow path and nearly ran into Mara. She froze with a basket in her hands and her eyes went wide. “Serephina.” She gasped. “Move.” I demanded. She stepped aside quickly and I kept running. The main square opened ahead and two warriors moved into my path. I cut left toward the lower kennels and one of them shouted my name as others answered from the barracks. My lungs burned but I didn’t stop. I knew these paths and I knew where to turn. I rounded the smokehouse and Rowan was already there. He stood in front of me blocking the way. “It ends here.” He said. “No. It doesn’t.” I said as I skidded to a stop and more wolves closed in behind me. “You can’t outrun the pack.” He said. “Watch me.” I said. “Serephina.” He warned me. “What? What do you want me to do Rowan? Walk quietly? Smile while you drag me up a mountain? Thank you for choosing me.” I shouted. His face went still and the warriors behind me slowed. “I didn’t choose you.” He said. “But you’re helping them.” He said. For one heartbeat no one moved and I could hear everything. My own breathing and the distant rustle of trees beyond the outer grounds. The scrape of a warriors boot on frozen dirt and the tiny metallic jingle from the keys at Rowan’s belt. Then the alarm horn blew. The sound ripped through the dawn and every part of me went cold. It wasn’t one blast but three. A pack-wide alert causing Rowan’s face to tighten. “Now look what you’ve done.” He said. I stared at him and then I laughed because it was either that or scream. “What I’ve done?” I asked. “You forced this.” He said. “No. You did.” I growled. Voices rose all around us and doors opened across the grounds. More footsteps and more wolves. The whole pack waking into chaos. Rowan took one step towards me and I took one back. “Come with me now. Don’t make them treat you as prey,.” He said dropping his voice low enough so only I could hear him. I looked past him at the trees beyond the last line of buildings and I made my choice. “Too late.” I said. Then I drove and he reached for me but I ducked under his arm and slammed my shoulder into his side. He grabbed my jacket and the fabric tore. I twisted free and ran for the treeline with the alarm still howling over the grounds. “Stop her!” Someone shouted. “Cut her off at the east trail!” Someone else yelled. Branches whipped my face as I hit the forest edge and the first roots nearly sent me sprawling but I caught myself and kept going. Behind me the pack erupted and the sounds multiplied fast. Warriors and orders as boots pounding over frozen earth. Then the worst sound of all. Pursuit and not from one person ot two. All of them. I ran into the tree and the pack ran after me.