I choose you

Sarah felt a rush of anxiety as she got ready for the Choosing.

It was the day when wolves that had now become fully fledged were given a mate chosen by the moon goddess.

The Choosing happens once every year. Not everyone was lucky to find a mate and if they didn't, they could always try again the next year and the goddess always chose their mate but for Sarah it was different.

This was her fourth time attending the Choosing since she became a full-fledged wolf and the moon goddess had still not given her anyone.

There were whispers about how her destiny was to never bond with anyone.

Sarah refused to believe this. She prayed to the goddess every year for her true mate and she believed today was her day.

She got dressed in her usual tank top and sweatpants because they were easy to tear off if she accidentally transforms.

Sometimes she feared her accidental transformations were what made the goddess not to find her a match.

She was a Delta, unpredictable, a ticking time bomb in most cases, uncontrollable by anyone but the Alpha.

She was yet to master control over her powers and that only made the members of her pack wary of her.

Her house was close to the woods and it wasn't so far from the pack's cave.

Excitement with mixed anxiety filled her as she approached the caves. Even as the scent of fear and anxiety of new fully-fledged filled up the cave, there was still hearty laughter and chats going around.

The pack cave was circular and deep it had no corners to hide with chairs and tables made out of stone all around.

Sarah scanned her eyes around the cave and found a single seat at the back away from the others.

They didn't want her around anyway. As she approached her chair beside it sat the Alpha. Her feelings of anxiety quickly turned to anger. They didn't exactly have a good history.

She bowed her head to her Alpha as a sign of respect. He waved his hands without giving her much of a glance.

The Alpha, Dean Daniels tall and nicely tanned. He had the most beautiful golden eyes of any Alpha she had ever seen. He was handsome and she hated him.

What was he doing here anyway? The Alpha wasn't obligated to come to the Choosing. He had lost his mate two years ago in turf between hunters and he'd nearly gone mad if it wasn't for his Beta.

No one had seen it as a weakness because losing your mate was a terrible thing.

Maybe he had come to oversee things at the Choosing or to find a new mate? That would be absurd.

The Ceremony would start when the full moon was at its peak and it wouldn't be long now.

She kept stealing glances at the Alpha. Without meaning to, he was the centre of attraction.

"Would you please stop staring, it's uncomfortable" Dean said without looking at her "Sorry, it's all the anxiety of this damn ceremony" she lied. Why are you here?

"Don't be nervous Tanner, today might just be your lucky day." He looked at her and smiled. He must be in a really good mood trying to wish her well.

"Save it. We both know you don't care," she quickly answers.

He smirks in his usual way. God, he's handsome. "If you knew I wouldn't why'd you tell me all the shit about anxiety" he retorts.

Before she can reply they all suddenly feel the rise of the moon at its peak. It was starting. The Choosing was starting. Scents of excitement filled the air.

The elder in charge of the ceremony came out to the front of the cave. He was a bald man in his fifties and had a bald head with a full beard.

He wore a dark brown robe and had a staff in hand. He was a shaman, a connection between the goddess and the wolves.

Every pack had one and they were able to perform certain specific magic. They were very wise and very powerful. He was also her teacher.

The Shaman with his eyes closed lifted his staff and hit it three times on the ground. The sound made a resounding echo around the cave.

When he opened his eyes they were pure white. There was silence and tension in the air.

Sarah felt a tingle on her right upper arm where her moon tattoo was and that identified her as a member of the pack.

Beside her crescent-shaped tattoo, she had the Greek symbol identifying her as a Delta, which everyone in the pack had. The sensation only increased and it began to glow.

This had never happened before. Could it be that she was finally being chosen? Was the moon goddess finally giving her a mate?

Excitement filled her and everyone turned to look at her, anticipating who the goddess had finally chosen for her. She could feel him.

She turned to her right. Just across her was Gary a Gamma. He was one of the strongest in the pack.

He had sat out the choosing for last year, stating he wasn't ready to have a mate just yet.

She was excited.

Her new mate was going to be a strong Gamma. Just then she heard a strong growl. The sensation was reducing.

"No, no, no." it was Gary. He had his left arm across his chest holding his right upper arm,like holding it tight would stop him from feeling the sensation.

Sarah felt a cold chill down her spine.

"Speak up," said the Shaman. His voice wasn't loud but it echoed through the cave.

Beside her the Alpha stayed quiet, watching.

"I reject!" Gary's voice was so loud it almost echoed.

What did he mean by rejecting what was going on? Sarah looked to the Shaman for help. She didn't understand.

The rope around her chest was becoming tighter.

Sarah's head hurt even more than before.

She couldn't understand what was going on. She could feel her wolf becoming restless.

She had to keep her calm this was not the time.

"Why do you reject what the goddess has given?" the Shaman asked.

"She's weak. I'm a strong Gamma. I can't have a mate that drags me down. I need someone stronger." His gaze fell on her.

There was nothing in it but disgust and hate. "I don't need a ticking time bomb."

Sarah's eyes stung with tears. He was rejecting her. She waited four years for this moment and she was rejected?

"Mating bonds are meant to make both parties stronger. Your bond could make her more able to control her abilities." The Shaman persuaded.

Gary was within his right to reject her and by so doing he could choose a mate of his choice and if the goddess approved they would be bonded forever.

"Sorry, but I'm not willing to bet my life on a probability. Her lack of control over her shifting ability is dangerous. I won't accept."

The Shaman nodded at Gary's reason.

Sarah could feel her control slipping. She tried practicing her breathing like the Shaman had taught her.

When she transformed she had no control over her wolf. Her wolf was a mindless beast and listened to no one but the Alpha and sometimes the Shaman but he always had to employ the help of the goddess.

She could kill everyone in her path and would wake up with no memory of it. Right now, that was exactly what she wanted to do.

How dare he? Who does he think he is? Let me out little one. We should kill him where he stands. It was her wolf talking.

Everyone was already staring at her. They could sense her struggle which only proved Gary's point. She was a loose cannon.

Stop it. She tried to tell her wolf but it wouldn't listen. It kept banging at her cage and her pain only made her too weak.

"Just look at her. She can't even control her wolf" Gary said.

He walked up to her and looked into her eyes "You're weak. You'll never find a mate. Do you know why? It's because you're nothing but a liability to the pack."

"That's enough Gary" warned the Shaman but he continued.

"You contribute to nothing. The only reason you haven't been banished is because of your father."

And that was the push her wolf needed to attack. Her claws were out and before she knew it she lunged at Gary and managed to pin him to the ground.

Still in her human form except for her claws, she was fading in and out of consciousness trying to fight her wolf.

Stop it, please. She begged her wolf. On the outside, tears were streaming down her cheeks.

Gary was desperately trying to fight her off. He might have been a Gamma but right now she was stronger.

"Why me? Why Me?" she kept murmuring.

"Get off me you freak" he kept trying to struggle but her hold on him was tight.

"Why won't you choose me!" She felt her wolf quickly taking control. Maybe she should let her.

Maybe Gary deserved to die for not wanting her. The goddess had paired them how dare he refuse.

Thoughts of ending up alone gripped her and that made it worse. Her control over her wolf was weakening.

Everyone was too scared to come close to her for fear that they might be her next target

Let me out! Let me out! How dare he? I'll kill him! I'll rip him apart! Let me out! Let me out!

Her wolf was becoming even more persistent. Tears streamed down her face freely. She looked at Gary beneath her.

He looked scared. She could taste it. How dare he call her weak? Her wolf smiled.

His weakness was all she needed to break free.

The Shaman must have sensed it because his voice rang loud in her head.

"Sarah, you can fight it. Seize control. You control your wolf, not the other way around."

But it was too late. Her wolf was free. She started trashing at Gary wildly. But he managed to get his hands free to protect himself. Someone managed to finally push her off him.

The Shaman was already saying some spells to stop her.

Her eyes searched for Gary. Everyone gave her a wide berth.

In her wolf form, she didn't need to search long. She could smell him, his fear had a very distinct taste.

Her wolf was going to make sure he never tried to reject anything in his life. He wouldn't need to. He'd be dead.

She saw him hiding behind a stone bench. She leapt towards him. He tried to run away but her claws dug their way into his right leg refusing to let go.

Gary turned with only his claws transformed, he aimed for her neck. Her wolf did not even blink at that.

For a Gamma, the pain he inflicted was weak and would be nothing compared to what would happen when she was through with him.

She could hear his wolf growling too but it was one of desperation and fear. He was like a cornered animal with nowhere to go.

"It's not working! Her emotions are too strong!" The Shaman said.

Sarah felt pressure on her neck. Someone had touched her in one of her pressure points. She found herself getting weaker and slowly falling out of consciousness.

Before she reached the ground a hand caught her. She transformed back to her human form.

She managed to open her eyes to get a look at who it was. It was the Alpha.

"Why me?" She whispered again "Why won't they choose me?"

She heard him before he said it. "I choose you."

She felt that same burning sensation in her right arm before the darkness finally took her.

When Sarah woke up it was already morning.

Her head felt like she had tiny men inside her with tiny little hammers pounding their hearts out. She slowly stood up and scanned her room.

At the foot of her bed was Dean, her Alpha. What was he doing here? He sat down on her desk, his eyes focused on a book he picked up from her shelf.

His face looked very peaceful as his eyes scanned through the pages. No one had a right to look that good.

What is he doing in my house, my room, sitting on my chair and reading my book? And looking that good? If he wasn't the Alpha she'd kick him out.Stupid, stupid Alpha. By the goddess she hated him.

Her dad suddenly burst into the room. "You're awake," her father said, relief washing over him.

He was a big man, tall and handsome with golden eyes just like Dean. Five years ago her father had been the Alpha for 25 years, the longest any Alpha had ever ruled before he was challenged by Dean.

That in part was why she hated Dean. That and the fact that he was the only one who could control her in her wolf form. She didn't like being controlled.

Her father had no strong feelings towards Dean and sometimes, he would praise Dean for the way he was handling the pack.

It didn't happen often but it happened more than she liked.

"What happened dad, my head feels terrible" Sarah said as she fought the urge to throw up. Why do I feel so sick? Dean's head was still buried in her book.

"You had a long night." Her dad replied "Don't you remember anything from last night?" he asked.

Suddenly a wave of nausea hit her. Flashes of that night rushed through her.

Gary rejected her, her wolf banging on her cage, Gary on the floor beneath her, the Alpha holding her, his lips moving but no sounds came out.

She felt her insides do a jerk wanting to empty all its contents. Just as she was about to throw up on her dad's shoes a bowl came in front of her face, just in time.

Her body didn't hold back. She could see traces of the lasagna she took before the Choosing.

A hand gently rubbed her back as she barbed in the bowl. "Thanks, da-"She looked up.

It wasn't her dad, it was Dean who held the bowl, and it was Dean who held her hair back.

She wanted to withdraw but another wave hit her and her head was back in a bowl.

When she was done, her dad handed her a glass of water.

"Thanks, Dad, I feel better now."

A low growl escaped Dean's lips. He did not appreciate her lack of gratitude which he knew she did on purpose. He looked at her dad and an unspoken message was passed between them.

"I'll wait outside," Dean said and left the room giving her some privacy with her father.

"You had an interesting night." Her father said.

"Father I was humiliated in front of everyone." She knew he was trying to lighten the mood but all she felt was embarrassment.

"Yes, I heard from Hector." Hector was the name of our Shaman and her father was the only one who called him by name.

She buried her face in her palm. Her teacher must be so disappointed in her.

He gave her all that training and she still lost to her wolf. Memories of what she did to Gary resurfaced in her mind.

Her father placed his hands on her shoulder to comfort her. "How's he?" She asked

"Alive." Her father replied. There was anger in his voice. If He could Gary would be dead by now.

She didn't notice it before but now that her mind was calm she could feel a strong presence at the back of her mind.

Like the strong hum of electricity but she ignored it.

"Why is the Alpha here? Does he plan to call the council on me? To banish me?" Without pausing she continued. "Am I getting banished?"

Her father growled. No daughter of mine will be banished." His words only proved Gary's point.

Her father's influence was the only reason she hadn't become an outcast, a lone wolf.

"You can control it. I know you can." Her father said softly. She didn't want to voice her fears.

What would happen when his protection wasn't enough? When the pack decided unanimously to cast her out?

"Then why is he here?" she asked again feeling agitated, "And you let him touch my books!"

She could see a slight smile on her father's face.

Her dad stood up from the bed and went to put the book Dean left on the table back on the shelf. She could feel a hum of electricity in her mind. It was like a separate being.

She could feel it pulsing with emotions. Strange.She couldn't pin the emotion but it felt like curiosity but that feeling didn't belong to her.

She pushed the feeling aside again. Maybe it was her wolf. It was always doing things like that.

"He's your Alpha Sarah," Her father said in a stern voice. He continued. "He brought you home safely "

"I didn't need his help"

"You did. Without him, we'd be talking about the day you stand trial with the Council" Her father's voice was nearing a growl.

He did not appreciate his daughter disrespecting her Alpha. It was like disrespect to him.

"He could have gone home anytime or even right now but he's in the living room so what does he want?"

Her father looked at her, his face a little sad. "To take you home."

Another memory resurfaced again.

Dean holding her naked body in his arms.

Whispering words that looked like- She looked at her dad with disbelief. "Moons Dad, You can't mean-"

Oh my...Holy shit.