Chosen by the Pack

The major wedding is taking place tomorrow. A marriage between the Chief's daughter and Ahiga, a gallant warrior of great renown. That daughter is none other than me. Arranged marriages are very important in our tribe, the Asalog. Individuals marry one another because they are of like grade; two strong people get married together as much as two weak people. Historically, our customs were established to keep authority from controlling our lives. Yes, we have a Chief, but he was picked for his good acts rather than his power.

Following his death, the tribe's protection is handed over to the next noble-hearted man who has shown himself worthy.

A woman is unable to get the position of Chief. Not because she is a woman, but because our obligations are equally as vital as those of men. We are the chefs, instructors, healers, child carriers, and the ones that the men look to for guidance when it comes to making vital life and death decisions. Hunting and fighting are two things that most of us ladies would never be able to undertake. It's not that we can't do what they can, or that they can't do what we can; it's simply that we are made differently and are appreciated for what we do. We are content in the knowledge that we are needed.

With long brown hair tied back in a braid, dark brown eyes that highlight his chiseled jaw and prominent cheek bones, and sun-tanned skin from his many hours of hunting, Ahiga is a handsome man who is surrounded by devotion and dignity. Many other ladies have flocked to him and urged him to marry them, but the Chief has refused. Unfortunately for them, my obstinate and quick-witted demeanor has sealed my fate as his wife. I am not in love with the man, but he is in love with me. As my mother did to my father, I'm confident that I will fall in love with him in time.

My legal, adult age of 21 was only a week ago, but we had been engaged since we were minors. Our tribe, in contrast to other tribes, did not practice child marriage. It was frowned upon and considered improper.

"Kiera!" My mother called from outside our hut.

The cow skin throw fell from my shoulders as I sprang from my bed, accompanied by a grunt. Our cabin was beautifully adorned with furs, dried flowers, and herbs, and the smell of a stew cooking outside wafting into the room.

In the normal course of things, I'd be up at the crack of dawn, but because the wedding is just a day away, everyone has decided to let me do whatever I want.

I shielded my eyes from the glare of the sun as I peered out the door. In the kitchen, my mother was seated at the cooking pot, which had a fire burning below it. Her brown hair was tucked into a bun for the occasion. I was always astounded at how she managed to keep all her hair in place. As soon as she took it down, her hair trailed at the bottom of her feet.

Patting the seat beside her, she ushered me over. "Oh dear, your hair is a mess. Come let me put it up."

"Oh momma, don't bother yourself with that!" I pleaded, plopping down next to her.

Kaora, the Chief's wife, is adamant about not taking no for an answer. The only characteristic I inherited from my father was my tendency to be overbearing. My mother, on the other hand, is responsible for my tenacity and good looks. She resembled the human equivalent of a lioness. Without her, our Chief would be no more than another member of the tribe.

She turned to face me, securing the spoon she was using to stir the stew to the edge of the pot with her other hand. As she directed me to turn my back on her, a brush sprang out of thin air in her hand. I fiddled with the hem of my sheepskin dress while she combed the knots out of my locks.

"Momma, what if I don't fall in love with him?"

"A marriage does not require love, dear. However, it does require teamwork. That is the main reason you two have been arranged together. Your personalities are not too different, meaning you will match each other well." She said.

She finished braiding my hair and then spun me around to face her. Her bulging stomach grabbed my attention, and I put a palm over it.

"How will I have children with him if I do not love him?"

Upon placing one palm of her hand over mine, a warm grin flashed across her face. "If you were not to love him when making children, you will love the children that come of it and learn to enjoy the act itself."

A blush crept over my cheeks. Even though I was still a virgin, rumors about the "act" continued to circulate among my friends. Hearing brides talk about their first night together was both fascinating and unsettling to listen to. The notion of displaying someone else my bare body made me feel uncomfortable.

"I don't even know what to do..." I whined.

She wrapped her arms around me and squeezed me tightly. Her swollen tummy made the hug a little unpleasant. "You let him lead. It will all work out. Trust me."

When the Tribe's bell rang, we knew it meant it was time to attend a meeting. Because there were no scheduled meetings for the day, we were caught off guard.

"You go ahead. I need to reduce the fire and use the restroom. Your sister is sitting on my bladder." She said releasing me.

I giggled while assisting her as she struggled to get up. She smacked the air at me and pointed to the town's center, urging me to go.

The meeting location was visible as I made my way past the cottages that lined the dirt route I was walking on. With his highchair facing the rows of benches lined with people scooting in close to one another, my father was enjoying his meal. I looked around to see if there was somebody I could sit next to, but no one seemed to want me anywhere near them. The majority of the unmarried females were upset with me because I would marry Ahiga. They'd get over it eventually, but for the time being, it was better to stay away from them.

"Kiera, come sit with me." The deep voice of my fiancé ushered me. He was seated at the bench that was directly in front of my father.

Ahiga remained standing, patiently awaiting my arrival so he could sit down with me. As I threaded my way past the two rows of benches, Aila pushed her foot out attempting to trip me. After refusing to give her the joy she craved, I kicked her calf hard yet delicately. I wanted her to feel the agony, but at the same time, I didn't want anyone to notice my quick thinking. She yelled, bringing attention to us, but I proceeded to my future spouse and took up a position alongside him. No matter how hard people attempt to bully me, I will not make it easy for them.

After I sat, Ahiga settled in next to me. Aila was hissing under her breath and I chose to ignore her as he leaned in to whisper in my ear.

"Are you excited for tomorrow?" He asked, tickling my ear with his hot breath.

"Honestly? No." I spit.

Ahiga chuckled. "I promise to make you happy. I will be a good husband."

I rolled my eyes and caught my father's glare. He was displeased with my behavior towards Ahiga, that or he caught me kicking Aila. Who knows?

The Chief cleared his throat, and everyone seated before him grew silent.

"My people, it has come to my understanding that a new Tribe has taken root nearby."

As the rumor of what was to come became more widespread, whispers began to circulate. We didn't have any tribes in our immediate vicinity. They had either been destroyed by us because of their rules or because they had gone to war with us to take our women and land.

"I have yet to speak with their Chief and from our spies, we have learned that they grow in numbers unnaturally."

Witchcraft has always been a part of our life since we were children. When we are young, every one of us is taught about the wonders of nature and how to appreciate them. We were all aware that invoking life by sorcery was considered black magic, and that its usage was prohibited. Is it possible that this new tribe was utilizing illicit magic?

Ahiga questioned the Chief first. "Have we had a good look at what the newest members look like?"

Just then the war horn sounded, alerting us of a stranger on our lands. A few of the members shifted uncomfortably while the warriors stood and took their places around the Chief.

"Ahiga, go welcome our guest and bring him here." My father instructed.

My fiancé stood and saluted the Chief. Before leaving me, he sent me a flirty grin and ran off towards the horn that sounded.

My mother took Ahiga's position when he left and turned to me. My father had his eyes filled with love-longing after her. I longed to have that sensation for someone.

"Dear, Naga informed me that you kicked her daughter."

I pealed my eyes from my father and rolled them again. "She tried to trip me as I was walking. I gave her a little nudge out of the way."

Leave it to Aila to go tattle to her mother.

Mother eyed me, but smirked. "You know, doing nothing would get you the same revenge you seek? Especially, if this is over you marrying Ahiga."

"So, she will tattle on me even if I didn't kick her?" I raised my eyes.

She pursed her lips. "You know what I mean. Marrying that man will shut her up."

I crossed my arms and pouted. "If only being engaged to him would do the trick."

In response to Ahiga returning and standing by my father, she struck my upper arm with the back of her palm and turned to face them. I looked behind him and saw a form of a guy slowly emerge from the trees.

The enigmatic visitor walked across the deck and right to my father. Warriors gathered around him, ready to fight if he decided to harm our Chief and his family. When the guy saw the Chief, he lowered his head and held out his hand to shake his. They spoke their welcomes in low tones so that the public would not be able to hear what they were saying.

As the Chieftain spoke to the warriors alongside him, the stranger turned to face us and crossed his hands in front of him. Amid the crowd, he searched until his gaze fell on mine. The most beautiful set of eyes I had ever seen looked back at me. It was the first time I'd ever seen a shade of green in someone's irises, and I was intrigued. A strong desire to touch his face pulled me from my bench.

Everything around me was deafeningly quiet, even my mother's yelling for me to go back in my seat. As I got closer to him, he took a few steps closer, almost falling off the platform. I wanted to feel the smoothness of his skin, skin that had been tanned but had not been destroyed by the sun, the way Ahiga's skin had been. His jet-black hair, which hung just below his chin, piqued my interest, and I became intrigued by him. Only traitors would get their hair chopped to that short a length.

I was barely a few inches away from this man when I jerked back to awareness. As I raced back to my seat alongside my mother, I shook my head and apologized to my father for my actions. The moment I sat back down; my gaze was drawn once more to his. His eyes had brightened with a glint of levity in their depths. Was he laughing at me?

"You can't have all of the pretty ones, Kiera!" Shouted Aila, embarrassing me.

"Yeah! Stop hogging them!" Another girl yelled.

I turned away from the guy and looked at Ahiga, who was looking at me with disdain. For a split second, he had a look of betrayal painted on his face before he replaced it with seriousness and returned his attention to my father.

"Enough!" The Chieftain shouted at the girls. "This man is Calian, Chieftain of the neighboring Tribe, Paliko."

"Greetings." Calian spoke, revealing a deep and scruffy voice sending chills down my spine.

"I release everyone to go about their normal duties. Everyone except my family, Ahiga, and Mako." My father instructed.

Mako was the second in command. He was also the best warrior in the tribe but was still unmarried. My father said it was because we had yet to have a woman who matched him. I think it was because he didn't want him distracted.

As soon as everyone had fled away, the Chief escorted us inside the battle tent. This was a place where only individuals who had acquired respectable titles, or those who were married to those who had, could enter. Being in this spot was considered an affront to the spirits and entering without showing respect was considered an insult to the spirits.

We gathered around the round table, which had a built-in map of the surrounding region on the surface. When my father arrived, he sat beside my mother and kissed her hand before taking his seat. I took up the position opposite her, beside him, and with Ahiga beside me. Mako took up a position next to Kaora. The beautiful Calian sat across from my father, with only a few seats between him, Mako, and Ahiga. He was truly stunning.

The room was adorned with ribbons and posters depicting the colors of our tribe. Bright colors could be seen everywhere in this space, and they would give you a headache if you looked too long at them.

Not caring if anybody else saw that I was staring, I let my gaze lock into his for a moment. There was something I needed to know about him that I couldn't find out anywhere else. What was it about him that was so attractive? What was the reason behind his short hair?

"Calian, where did your tribe originate from?" My father asked.

Pulling his gaze from mine, he met my father's. "We ran from our original tribe which was located Northwest in Nakinata."

We were located Southeast in Nakinata. That was a far run.

"You ran that far?" I inquired.

He chuckled making my heart race. "We didn't actually run. Horseback is the fastest for sure."

I blushed as he winked at me and felt Ahiga tense beside me.

"Why did you leave your tribe?" Ahiga questioned him grouchily.

Calian shrugged. "Something about not wanting to eat other people, you could say."

"You're from a tribe of cannibals!?" Mako yelled.

"More or less. We weren't at first until a plague took out all our other food sources. The leaders decided we should start eating our own population until we could farm and hunt again. We refused to. Before we could get away, we were marked as traitors and locked up."

"Your witches couldn't fix the problem?" My mother asked.

Calian shook his head. "We do not have witches in our tribe. Something killed them all about 25 years ago. Since then, we've had laws against practicing."

"What are YOUR views of witches?" My father asked.

"I believe there should be witches everywhere. White witches, of course." He nodded.

"Why is your population increasing? We have not seen any travelers." Ahiga asked next.

Calian smirked as he caught on to him being spied upon. "When we first left, a lot of tribesmen and women were afraid to leave but wanted to. After we left, we sent a messenger to tell them that we made it and are doing well. Our numbers are growing from those traveling to use. For your not seeing traveler's thing, I can't answer it because I do not know why."

"Why do you have green eyes?" I stuttered before I could stop myself.

His eyes met mine, drawing me to him. I wanted to climb across the table and sit in his lap. Anything I could do to get closer to him, I was tempted to do.

"Genetics I guess?" He smirked.

My father grunted. "Kiera, please leave and prepare for the wedding."

I jerked my attention to him. He was kicking me out! I didn't want to be away from Calian, the thought dreaded me. As I glared at my father, I opened my mouth to protest but he cut me off.

"Now."

I shoved my seat back and stood angrily.

"Wedding?" Calian questioned.

"Yes. Kiera and I will be married tomorrow. You are welcome to attend the ceremony." Ahiga invited.

As he met my gape, his eyebrow was lifted, but irritation could be seen in his expression. I had a strong want to weep. I wanted to scream at everyone and inform them that I would not be getting married. Instead, I rushed out of my spot next to my father's chair. The sound of a murmured "Yum" followed me as I walked past Calian. I brushed it off, thinking I was going insane, and walked to the door as I heard him respond to Ahiga.

"I would love to attend."

I was irritated by the prospect of my father removing me from such an important meeting. Yes, one of the reasons I wanted to stay was because of Calian. Okay, so maybe it was the main reason I wanted to stay after all! Even though I had more than enough legal authority to remain at the meeting, my simple query immediately informed my father that I was interested in more than just the reasons for the new tribe's presence.

In this instance, there was no "me getting ready for the wedding." The entire event would be planned by the tribe, and all I had to do was sit back and wait until it was time to say, "I do."

Traveling down the dirt route leading out of the village and west to the lake helped me to relieve my frustration. I managed to escape anyone's gaze for a while, which saved me from snapping at someone. After passing the final cabin, the dirt route came to an end. Now it was time to walk barefoot along the soft grass, passing a dense stand of oak trees. The simple act of wandering through the woods was enough to lift my spirits. The beauty of nature could be found in all its forms when people were not around.

Robins' chirps alerted me that I was coming close, and I felt increasingly agitated. I continued sprinting the remainder of the distance until the scent of water filled my nostrils and muck pressed between my toes at the shore of the lake. I yearned for this lake more than I yearned for my life at home. It was a spot where I could get away from everyone and no one would try to look for me.

The desire of everyone in the tribe to remain and carry out their responsibilities prevented them from exploring the world around them, but it didn't deter me from exploring the world around me. I wanted to learn more about this planet and not just about the place where I was confined.

I double-checked to make sure there was no one else in the vicinity just in case. As soon as I was certain that I was alone, I pulled off my dress and underwear and waded across a shallow stretch of lake until the water level reached my chest. The dead skin over my shoulders was being nibbled at by minnows as a fish breezed by my leg. The water was chilly but not frigid, and you could generally see all the way to the bottom of the lake. After I had passed through, the sand from the bottom of the lake had risen to the surface, causing the water to become hazy around me, concealing my body.

My body ascended and rested on the surface of the water as I let the air in me float. My hair was immersed in the cold water as I lay back and closed my eyes, allowing the sounds of nature to fill my brain with peace and tranquility. The churning of the water, the chattering of the birds, and the rustling of the leaves soothed my nerves. I detected a faint whiff of pine tucked away among the oak trees, as well as an unexpected perfume of maple. Springtime in the woods usually brought out the nicest fragrances, but I wasn't aware that we had any maple trees in the area.

"Well, I'm pretty sure I've never seen such a beautiful sight before." A familiar voice shouted, scaring me.

Screaming, I sank back into the water and wrapped myself with my arms. The short-haired man caught my attention as I looked about in search of the source of the strange voice.

"Wha... what are you doing out here!?" I shouted.

Calian chuckled. "I was heading back to camp. Couldn't stop myself from sidetracking when I heard the robins."

"You shouldn't be over here." I sneered and averted my gaze from him.

He strolled along the bank, never taking his eyes from me. "Didn't know this was your territory."

"It's not..." I stuttered, meeting his green beauties.

Reaching my discarded clothes, he bent down and retrieved my underwear. Holding them up with his index, he smirked. "You are bold to swim with no clothes."

"That is completely inappropriate. Please do not touch my things!" I screeched.

"Forgive me." He said, dropping them. "Can I join you?"

Calian tugged his shirt off, exposing a muscular abdomen with a scar the shape of a circle near his heart.

"No, you cannot join me." I managed to shout back.

Leaving his brown pants on, he waded towards me. "I wasn't asking for permission. More like, a warning that I was going to join you." He winked.

"How dar...."

He held up a hand, cutting me off. "You can always get out and leave, but then, I'll see you naked. Again."

"Just... Just stay over there... Okay?" I begged.

Calian came to a complete halt, a wide smile across his face. Not a grin that might be seen as a sign of contentment. It seemed more like something you'd see on a predator getting ready to jump onto its victim than anything else.

"I'll stay over here. Can we talk?" He asked, 5 feet from me.

"Do I have a choice?" I spewed.

He chuckled again and shook his head. "No, no you do not."

I splashed at him angrily. "What do you want to discuss?"

Raising his brow in a warning, he questioned me. "You are marrying that man, Ahiga, of your choosing?"

"Is that any of your business?" I asked.

"It might be." He answered, crossing his arms.

The water did not cover his chest all the way like it did mine due to his height.

"It is not what I wish, but it is my duty to the tribe." I answered him, giving in.

"So, you do not love him?" He asked.

"No." I responded and glanced down at the water.

He took a step closer. "You know, I could find a way to prevent the wedding from happening tomorrow."

I eyed him again. "I told you not to come closer."

He raised his hands up in defense. "Sorry, sorry."

"How would you prevent the wedding?" I asked, curiously.

"I have ways, but if I told you, you would be an accomplice and I can't do that to you."

"Why would you offer it at all?" I questioned him.

Dragging his hand through the water, he studied me as he decided how to answer.

"I'm not one to enjoy the forceful tribe laws on others."

"Will harm come to anyone?"

He shook his head and smirked. "No, not unless you want that to happen."

Not believing he could do anything to stop my betrothal, I cleared my head. "I do not want to get married to him, but I also do not believe you, an outsider, could do anything to stop it. Thank you for the thoughtfulness."

Calian shrugged and turned away as he began to exit the lake the way he came in. "Seeing is believing, I get it. As a prepayment, I'll take something of yours."

"Something of mine?"

He reached the shore and pulled his shirt back on. "Yes, something of yours." Peeking over at me, a sly smile formed on his face as he bent over my clothes and retrieved my panties again. "I'll take this."

"Wait!" I shouted.

Winking at me, he took off running into the woods. "If you can catch me, you can have them back." He yelled.

I pouted as the thought of running after him with no time to get dressed, played out in my head.

"What a jerk!" I shouted back but he was already gone.