Claimed

Today was the day. Catherine stared at herself in the mirror as she tried to hold herself together. She’d known this was coming for as long as she could remember— she’d seen countless she-wolves sent off to The Claim, to never be seen by their families again, to be locked up by whatever wolf managed to claim them as their mate forever. The Claim was a practice that had been around for a hundred years. Every year, she-wolves that had reached the age of eighteen were sent off to The Arena— a remote location in the middle of a forest built specifically for this event. This year, there would probably be less than a hundred she-wolves sent for The Claim. The number of female births were dwindling drastically, and no one had answers as to why. However, male wolves were being born at an alarming rate. This meant that eligible Alphas, Bettas, Gammas and Omegas were left mate-less.. and they were all seeking to claim a female in order to have an heir and keep their lineage going. This was especially important for Alphas and Bettas, who without an heir, their packs would fall apart and dissipate at their death. As Catherine stared at her crystal blue eyes in the mirror, she took a deep, shuttering breath. It was barbaric. Up to two hundred male wolves could enter The Claim for one she-wolf. While she ran and tried to avoid capture, they would kill each other, rip each other to shreds in order to prove that they were the strongest wolf for the female. She would be chased, hunted, for up to thirty days— the first one to place his mark on her marking spot, the soft spot beneath her ear, would be her mate. If they can catch me, Catherine reminded herself. If they can overpower me, outsmart me. She would survive those thirty days in the forest without being marked. She had to. If, after thirty days, no one had managed to mark her— she would be free for the year; unmated until The Claim for the next year, where she would have to go in again. No she-wolf had ever come out of the claim unmarked. She knew why. Male wolves were genetically stronger and faster than she-wolves. They were larger, with Alpha and Beta males being nearly unstoppable in terms of sheer strength and power. I’m not an Alpha male, she told herself. But I am the daughter of an Alpha. I am of Alpha blood. I will survive this. She straightened her back and eyed her reflection. Her looks were not going to help her avoid capture in The Claim. With long, silky blonde hair that was so pale it was almost white and eyes the color of Celestite— the palest possible shade of blue with frosty white specks— she would be sought after. She had the features of a porcelain doll— smooth, unblemished, alabaster skin. Her features were delicate and feminine, and she had a slender, willowy figure. Catherine wasn’t vain— she just knew what was going to hold her back. Every Alpha at The Claim this year knew that only one female of Alpha blood would be up for grabs. They all wanted a beautiful and strong mate from a powerful bloodline. She was going to be the biggest target this year. She ran a hand through her hair and straightened out the pale blue dress she wore, before going downstairs to find her mother. As she walked down the butterfly staircase of their home, she noted all of the small details. The chips in the paint on the railing from she and her brother sliding down the rails and falling. She noted the patched holes in the walls from them fighting as kids. She knew this would be the last time she ever saw this house, unless she could manage to come out unclaimed. She had to. She wouldn’t let this be the last time she was home. She rounded the corner to the kitchen to find her mother and father sitting solemnly at the table. Her mother’s head was down, and she was rubbing her temples— her father’s back was to her, and it seemed neither one of them had noticed her enter. “She’s just a girl, Thomas,” her mother said painfully. “What if she’s marked by someone who mistreats her? Locks her away? What if we never see her again?” “It doesn’t always happen that way, Colleen. It turned out well when I claimed you.” “That was different! You know that girls go each year, and some of them are killed within—“ Her father glanced back and saw her, promptly clearing his throat. Her mother’s head darted up, her eyes landing on her face. Her mother gave her a weak smile. “You look beautiful, Catherine.” Catherine leaned against the door frame, trying to ignore the feeling of darkness in her spirit. “I’m going to make it out. I’ll last thirty days, Mom.” Her father stood up, straightening his tie. He walked over to her, and she looked up at him. Alpha Thomas was a huge man— muscular, broad, and tall. He emanated an aura of authority and power— all Alphas did. It was a feeling that instinctively made her want to bare her neck for him in submission, but she held her head high. “You are my daughter,” he told her proudly, placing his hands on her shoulders. “You go and give those wolves a run for their money and make me proud.” Catherine bit back tears and wrapped her arms around her father’s chest. He’d always been such an inspiration to her, and everything about him had always soothed her. His strong arms, the woodsy smell of his salt and pepper hair. The steady, unwavering look in his forest green eyes. He was her rock. But he was right— she was his daughter, and that meant she had to go down fighting. “Yes, Alpha,” she said formally. She turned her face into his chest and whispered, “I love you, Dad.” A smaller, more slender pair of arms— much gentler than her father’s— snaked their way around her shoulders and pulled her into an embrace. The familiar scent of laundry soap and vanilla hit her nose as she buried her face in her mother’s blonde hair. “If you can’t escape,” she whispered in Catherine’s ear. “Make sure you let the best one win.” “Yes, mama,” Catherine purred to her mother. The sound of Catherine’s purr soothed Colleen, and she held her daughter a few more moments before letting her go. “Your escort is here,” her father said solemnly. He glanced toward her mother. “I’m sorry, Colleen, but she has to go now, or else the Council will have all of our throats.” Her parents led her to the front door. She could hear a commotion outside, and she glanced out the window to see three black SUV’s parked out front. The one in the middle had a rear door opened, and several men— at least ten— in black suits were lining her sidewalk. There was one standing by the car door, speaking into an earpiece as he stared at the front door to her house. She sucked in a deep breath. There really was no getting out of this. Her mother was sobbing as the door opened and she stepped outside. Her father stepped out with her, and she twined her arm through his. He shut the door behind her, shutting her mother inside— and she knew why. He didn’t trust her not to cause a scene and get hurt. The man standing by the car door saw them and made his way down the sidewalk, stopping in front of her father. He bowed his head. “Alpha Thomas,” he greeted respectfully. “The council thanks you for the birth of your she-wolf, and your willingness to hand her over for The Claim.” Catherine’s father’s jaw clenched, and his green eyes were full of fire as he looked at the man. “She will be guarded carefully at all times before The Claim, correct?” The man nodded. “Yes, Alpha. She will be housed with the four Betta females in The Claim this year. She will have around the clock security, as is normal for The Claim.” His eyes looked tortured now as he glanced down at her. “How many have registered to enter her claim?” “Twenty five Alpha males and seventy five Beta males have been accepted thus far. Some are still under application.” Her eyes widened and fear gripped her. A hundred males so far, all wanting to claim her as a mate. All wanting to hunt her down in an arena and mark her. Her muscles coiled in response to what she felt was a threat. Her father nodded. “Smaller than expected. Good. Smaller is good.” The man nodded. “We must take our leave now, Alpha Thomas. The Claim waits for no one.” As Alpha Thomas turned towards Catherine, panic seized her as she realized this could be the last time she would ever see her father. If she was marked and her mate took her away, there’s a possibility she would never get to see them again. She let her tears fall from her eyes as she stared at his handsome face. “Take care of mama. I love you, Dad. I’ll see you in a few months.” He studied her face. They both knew she was lying. He brushed the tears from her cheeks and pressed a kiss to her forehead before grabbing her arm and giving it to the man with the ear piece, almost like a bride being given away on her wedding day. But they both knew this wasn’t a happy occasion. The man gently tugged her arm, pulling her away from her father. She looked back at him. “I love you, Catherine,” her father told her as she was pulled to the car. “Give them Hell.”