Twice Marked, Twice Chosen

A's

hrough the trees, yanking at my hai

d, spinning wildl

of wings...birds explod

elf!" My vo

ap ripped t

amed.

beneath m

bled, falling backward,

en

whisper. Sof

"No," I whispere

rew sharper, like claws

my ears. "What do

le

th

AAAAAAA

O-

***

pright, ch

nd my legs like vines.

" I g

lying, eyes wide. "Wa

It was worse. So muc

s and pulled me into her arms. "

lt real. Like it was calling me. L

You're safe. I'm

ppening?" I whispered, c

"But you'll be okay. You alway

ing back. "Everyone else trans

bel

nty and I haven't shifted once! Th

rply. "You're not a fre

ay. "That's

ter now. "The ceremony's

give me hope. I'm tir

Then do it for yourse

y. "Fine. I'

in the door

go,

quietly

oin me in the kitchen," she

self out of bed, shrugg

her. When I stepped into the kitchen, the scen

ng something thick in a clay pot,

he said with

muttered, v

her to assist, picking up a wood

days ago, when your mom sent you to the market.

"Wait... yo

ace me fully. "

pened. I just... felt something. A pul

sed a bro

ant..Mrs. Edla...and I suddenly stopped. My heart s

e mid-stir,

ys... I circled back three times. It felt like someone wa

widened. "Y

wolf..if I even have one..she stirred

Hazel p

. No voice. No one looked back at

sn't mean he wasn't real. Somet

oice cracked. "What if he saw me

hink lik

e words tumbling out. "Everyone else in t

n't kno

The bond was so strong it made me d

before I could stop it. "Wh

enough. If he's truly your mate, he'll come. He might not even know

t if he did feel it a

wn with a loud clack

y. And he won't escape forev

if the ceremony humiliates me again? What if I stand the

Then you'll stand tall. A

e the only

yes full. "That's becau

said. "They see what I'm not. I'm not

ctly why your mate won't resist you

so," I w

down, I w

*********

, I'm at the ceremony again

ed with bodies and

n't l

tree, head bur

it's he

eally

ver get tire

s. Shut them out.

," someone hissed.

eth. Don't cry.

racked through the field

one t

t twi

announced, "

ed forwar

cou

the circle, grinning

n," he sneered

e

th. Then the sound..bones

olf stood proudly where

pted. Claps.

. Some shaking. Some screami

ept

ghtened. My

Keeper tu

yr

led across

wa

trying

the

od fr

said again, firml

wouldn

eone jeered.

s cur

ds tre

ice barked f

nap

top talking about me

fell

I stand here..and I try! But maybe I wasn't meant to shift, o

ne s

urred my

n I

t the howling, judging wolves. Past t

d. Maybe Keeper's. Maybe so

t run

kin. The wind whippe

d into the forest. "

udded. My breath ca

inned. The g

caught

h.

s flailing..then nothi

te

black

t it

rom my throat, swa

sa

dar