CHAPTER ONE

I see our Alpha walking towards me and I know it can't be good.

"Rachel," he says. "I need to talk to you."

My heart falls. Those are the words I've dreaded the most.

I can't stand the sight of Lance, our Alpha. He knows this. And I think he enjoys it.

But I've heard he's looking for a mate, and I've prayed every night he doesn't turn to me.

That would be a nightmare.

Everyone knows how cruel he is.

"Rachel," he says, "the time has come for me to choose a mate."

Oh no, I think. Please, no. Don't choose me.

"I've decided," he says, "to choose a member of my pack."

Yes, thank god, I think. He's not going to pick me.

"And," he continues, "I have decided I want you."

I feel the world shake beneath me. I feel my vision swim. I feel my lips tremble.

"No," I say, my voice a whisper.

"You will not refuse me," he says. "You will do as I say."

"No," I say, louder this time. "You can't make me."

"You will do as I say," he says, his voice rising.

"No!" I scream. "I won't be your mate. I won't be a toy for you to play with!"

My heart drops as I think of Ben. Our Beta. My true love.

What would he think?

He would be devastated.

"I'm sorry," I say to Lance. "My heart is already promised to someone else. To Ben. I can never love another."

"You will not be his mate," he says. "You will be mine. I will not be denied. If you do not submit, you will be a dead wolf."

My heart feels as though it will burst.

"I have given my heart to another," I say. "I have given my body to another. You can't take what is not yours."

He smiles, and it makes me shiver.

"You will do as I say," he says, his smile growing. "If you do not, I will rip your heart from your chest and feed it to you."

I feel sick to my stomach, as if I could throw up any minute.

I don't want to be with Lance.

I want to be with Ben.

I want to be with him more than anything.

But I know what Lance could do to me if I don't do what he asked-- if I do not submit to him.

My heart aches.

I don't want to choose.

But time is running out.

I have to choose soon, or the choice will be made for me.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath.

I think about Ben--about his smile, and the way he looks at me.

I think about how much I love him and how much I want to be with him.

I think about how much I'm willing to risk to be with him, and I know what I have to do.

I open my eyes and look at Lance.

"I'm sorry," I say. "I can't do it."

He scowls at me.

"Fine," he says, "I'll kill Ben."

And, in this moment, I know I don't have a choice. I have to do it.

"Please, I love him," I say. "I love him more than I've ever loved anything."

But Lance just stares at me, unfeeling.

I hear my heart break.

*

I stare at Ben and don't know how to break the news.

"What did he say to you?" Ben asks. "What did the Alpha say?"

"He wants me to be his mate," I say.

Ben's face crumbles.

"And?" he says, his voice a whisper.

"I agreed," I say.

He jerks back as if he's been struck.

"You agreed?" he says.

"I'm sorry," I say. "I love you. I love you more than anything in the world, but I have to do this."

Tears come to my eyes.

"I don't want to leave you," I say. "But, I don't have a choice."

"Yes you do," he says. "There is always a choice.

"Not this time," I insist.

Ben looks at me, his piercing blue eyes staing deep into my soul. The look on his face makes my heart sink.

"I'm sorry," I say. "But if I don't agree to marry him, Lance will kill me. Worse, he will kill you. What else am I supposed to do?"

"You can run away with me," he says.

He gets in front of me.

He puts his hands on my face.

"Run away with me," he says. "Run away with me, Rachel."

"I can't," I say. "Lance is the alpha. If we defy him, we'll never be safe. We could never come back here.."

He grabs my hands.

"We would make it work" he says. "We'd find a way."

"If you run away, you will be banished. Your family will be shunned."

"I don't care," he says. "I don't care about any of that. I only care about you, Rachel. I love you more than anything. I love you more than my own life. I'd do anything for you."

"I know."

I reach out to him.

"I love you too, but I have to do this" I say. "I'm so sorry."

He takes my hand.

I can tell he wants to argue. I can tell he's searching for something, anything to change my mind.

But he can't find it because he knows I'm right.

So, instead, he just stares at me, and I drink him in. I want to remember this moment--the last one we'll have before everything I've ever wanted comes crashing down around me.

"I understand," he says finally. "I know you don't have a choice. I love you, Rachel. I will always love you."

I can't stop the tears.

"I don't want to leave you," I say. "But, I have to."

He kisses me.

"I understand," he says. "I love you."

"I love you too," I say.

"I will never forget you," he says.

I smile through the tears.

"I will never forget you either," I say.

And then, I turn and walk away.

With each step, my heart shatters. I can barely see I am crying so hard.

And then, out of the corner of my eye, I see Sheila. My best friend.

I start to go to her for comfort, but then I realize she's been watching us. And I realize she is smiling.

My heart drops.

She has always wanted Ben. Always wanted to steal him from me. She never said anything, but I knew. I always knew.

Could she be behind this?

Would she stoop so low?

The look on her face tells me everything I need to know.

She did it so she could have Ben for herself-- so she could keep me from being his mate.

She convinced our Alpha to choose me.

She knew what that would mean for me, and she did it anyway. I know it.

I watch Sheila turn and walk away, and I am filled with rage.

And I realize I can't let her go.

I need to confront her.

I need to find out the truth.