A few men were interested in me, and that felt nice. They spoke, they flirted and they spoke of choosing me. Then, they saw my strength and changed their minds. I was too weak for them. One wolf – who was extremely interested – decided 'I wasn't for him', after he got a closer look at my score. Jacob just stood next to me, shaking his head in annoyance.

"You deceive better than that asshole anyway".

"Thanks, Jake" I smiled at him – I knew he was trying to make me feel better. I took a glass of water of the table behind me, before handing one to him. We stood inside one of the marquees, the summer sun shining setting. Jacob took the glass from me, before popping a finger sandwich into his mouth.

My best friend caught the eye of another girl, who smiled at him flirtatiously. Jacob didn't even pay her mind, and turned back to me. He had dismissed every She Wolf who had tried to flirt with him – and refused to seek out any girl he wanted. His behaviour was odd.

Jacob sighed, before moving closer to me. I frowned as his face turned serious – it wasn't often that Jacob was serious. I was the quiet and serious friend, and he was the jovial and immature friend; that was why we got on so well.

"Look, Gemini, I've been thinking that--"

"Excuse me" a male voice interrupted Jacob. I turned to see a tall man, with ash hair and light eyes. He wasn't overly attractive, but he wasn't unfortunate looking either. I offered him a smile, hoping he was just another suitor trying for my hand.

"Yes?" I asked, as Jacob scowled for being interrupted.

"Gemini Burn?" he questioned, eyes briefly flicking down to my badge. I nodded yes, and he continued. "I am Beta Strider of the Endoro Pack. Alpha Vetteriano asked me to find you and bring you to him" he told me. At his words my blood ran cold, and my face fell.

"No" Jacob spoke up, slipping his arm around my waist and pulling me to my side. I crashed into his broad side, and quickly grabbed a hold of his shirt in fear. I didn't want him to leave me alone with Alpha Vetteriano – with the Blood Alpha.

Beta Strider frowned, before glaring at Jacob. "Do not speak to me like that, pup. And do not touch Gemini" he growled out. With amazing strength, he grabbed me and pulled me away from Jacob. "Now stand down".

"She will be my mate" Jacob snapped, lunging forward to grab me. Beta Strider pushed me behind him, before I even had a chance to think over Jacob's words. He wanted me as a mate. He wanted to choose me.

Jacob and I had been friends for as long as I could remember, and there had never be any romantic feelings between us. Well, not as far as I knew. But I couldn't deny that I hadn't thought about Jacob and I ending up together, it would be easy for us. We never had secrets, we knew everything about one another. It would be easy to be with him – I knew that, I had always know that.

"Watch your mouth pup" Beta Strider growled. The commotion was causing a scene and a few of the ritual organisers rushed over. I blushed deeply, hiding behind by curtain of hair.

"Beta, is something wrong?" one of the man asked, looking between the three of us in confusion.

"Keep this pup away from Gemini. She will be chosen by Alpha Vetteriano" he replied, and it wasn't only me who was shocked. Everyone nearby gasped. Alpha Vetteriano was known for always keeping away from relationships and emotional attachments. It was the last year for him to claim a mate – and he had made it very clear that he hadn't planned to choose a female.

I couldn't deny that Alpha Vetteriano was attractive, but that did nothing to discourage from the fact he was a murderer, a monster. The Blood Alpha. I didn't want to be chosen by Alpha Vetteriano, I wanted to be chosen by Jacob or someone else. Anyone else. Just not the Blood Alpha.

"No, she'll be chosen by me. Gemini is mine" Jacob growled out. I had never heard him sound so angry or possessive in my life. He didn't sound like my friend Jacob, he sounded like every other male Wolf. I didn't like that – but I would have rather been with him than the infamous Alpha Vetteriano.

"Take him away" the Beta yelled.

"Understood Beta Strider" one of the workers said, before two of them grabbed Jacob. My friend growled and snapped, as he fought against them. But, they just dragged him away.

"Jake" I called after him, moving away from Beta Strider and trying to go after my friend.

"Do not run, Gemini. Alpha Vetteriano will not like that".

"I don't want them to hurt him" I whispered, "I just want to make sure he doesn't get send out". The Beta just rolled his eyes at my words – as if they were childish.

"I don't care what you want. But I will give Alpha Vetteriano what he wants. And he wants you. So stop this behaviour and follow me, before I beat you into submission". His voice was powerful and dominant. He was no Alpha, but he was still a lot higher than me – a simple pack Wolf with no title.

His words scared me, and I felt tears prickling at my eyes. I didn't want him to beat me, and I didn't want to be mated to Alpha Vetteriano. "Don't cry" Beta Strider snapped, annoyed. His words made me ever more upset, and I felt more tears rising. "Come". He grabbed my arm – fingers digging into my arm – and he pulled me after him.

Tears began to fall as he dragged me through the mutual territory. He took me to a smaller marquee towards the back of the area, and pushed back the curtain to drag me into it. As soon as we walked in, I gulped.

Alpha Vetteriano sat on a chair, eyes staring at the floor in his usual emotionless stare. When we walked in, his eyes snapped up to us. He looked at me, before frowning deeply. Fear ran through me – maybe I wasn't as pretty as he first thought, and because of that he was going to kill me.

"Why is she crying?" Alpha Vetteriano demanded, looking at his second in command. Beta Strider just shrugged, as if he had no idea. Alpha Vetteriano didn't buy it, and frowned deeply. His frown was the most emotion I had seen that far. He turned to me. "Why are you crying?" he asked.

His voice just made me more fearful. But it was odd, I was more afraid of Beta Strider than Alpha Vetteriano. I mean, I wasn't planning to be best friends with him any time – but the fact he was going to choose me made me look at him differently.

All day male Wolves had been shunning me because of my weakness, yet Alpha Vetteriano – someone who should have been shunning me because of my weakness, wanted to make me his mate. That made me feel slightly safe – as if he saw past the labelling score. Yet, Alpha Vetteriano still terrified me.

"Well?" he snapped, when I didn't reply. "Why are you crying?" His harsh voice made me whimper, dropping my head once more. More tears feel from my eyes at an ever faster rate. "Look at me". Grabbing my chin – once more – he forced me to meet his green eyes. "What happened?"

"I'm scared" I whispered out; voice almost lost in the soft summer breeze.

"Of what?" Alpha Vetteriano demanded; no sympathy in his tone.

"He said he'd beat me" I confessed.

"My Beta?" he asked, jaw setting in anger and fury. I nodded yes, and instantly regretted it. Turning on his heels, he faced Beta Strider. He grabbed his Beta's collar, before smashing his fist into his face. I screamed as Beta Strider's nose cracked – breaking almost instantly. He fell to the floor, as blood spurted from his face.

Alpha Vetteriano didn't pause, he bent down and continued to beat him. I cried harder, and screamed a few times, as I watched him – the man who planned to take me as a mate – continue to punch and kick Beta Strider. But, there was still no emotion on his face.

When he'd finished beating him, the Beta was unconscious and bloodied. Alpha Vetteriano turned away from him, before looking at me. His frown returned when he took my crying form in. He then took his shirt off, and used it to mop up the blood from his hands.

Alpha Vetteriano's body was large and well toned – his abs prominent and obvious. He looked at me, once he'd finished cleaning himself, before walking over to me. He stopped when he was only a few inches away from me. My heart was pounding out of fear.

He took my hand, in his, and brought it to his toned body. I blushed, as he ran my hand over his hard body. I wasn't sure what he was doing, but I didn't ask or question him. He brushed my hand over his abs and chest a few more time, before dropping it.

"Very odd" he mumbled to himself. I wanted to ask him what was odd, but decided against it. I was worried he would find me intruding, so I stayed deathly silence. "Come" he instructed, before walking away. I followed him without queries.

Alpha Vetteriano didn't stop walking until we reached a different part of the marquee. There were a few chairs there, and a table filled with drinks and food. I knew it was tent reserved for Alpha's – Jake had pointed it out to me. He had also mentioned that Alpha Vetteriano was the only Alpha there to find a mate.

"Sit" he nodded to a chair. I did as I was told, as perched on the chair. Alpha Vetteriano studied me for a few minutes – eyes scanning my body closely. I felt very self-conscious, and curled into myself slightly. Before I'd even thought about it, a question flew from my mouth.

"Alpha Vetteriano?" I asked.

"Layton" he interrupted me. I gave him a confused look. "My name, is Layton". It was odd him having a first name – not because I didn't think he had one, but because it reminded me that he was still a normal person, and he was going to be my mate. I would get to know him, to mate him, to have his pup. The Blood Alpha was going to be my mate – and his name was Layton Vetteriano.

"Layton, why are you going to choose me?" I questioned, worried for his answer.

"Because I want you" was his simple reply. I had worked out quickly, that Layton was a man of very few words. I wasn't a large talker, but at least I could hold a conversation. It seemed that Layton found talking more of a chore than a necessity.

"But why? I'm weak". My voice was small and childlike, I felt so pathetic and weak next to him. Layton continued to stare at me – his eyes wide and hard. He gave nothing away.

"I don't care about strength. I want you; so, now, you are mine". Layton gave me an intense look; green eyes piercing mine. We stayed like that for a few seconds – Layton staring at me, and me holding his gaze as not to drop it and anger him. Finally, he broke the eye contact.

"It's time for the choosing" he stated, before turning and walking away from him. It took me a few seconds to realise he wanted me to follow him – so I had to jog a few steps to catch up. He walked with a big stride, which was hard for me to keep up with.

Layton led me towards the centre of the mutual territory, where all the other She Wolves were lined up. They stood according to strength and then alphabetically. I was only ranked a three for my strength, so I was slightly embarrassed to have to line with the others. But, then, I remembered that an Alpha would choose me.

The male Wolves all stood around the line, there was a low murmur of chatter over the group. "Follow me" Layton told me, taking my arm and pulling me towards the line of She Wolves. Everyone fell silent as they saw the Blood Alpha dragging a weak She Wolf to the line – it was a shock to everyone. I blushed from the attention.

He walked me to the line, every single pair of eyes on me. He found the other She Wolves with my same ranking, and took me to them. With a simple glare of his hard eyes, the Wolves all moved to make room for me. Layton placed me in the line, before walking back to where all the males stood

I would have felt nervous being so on show, under normal circumstances, but as everyone knew that an Alpha like Layton had interest in me, I felt even more nervous. I ringed my hands, keeping them in front of them – as I bit my bottom lip. I was terrified.

One of the workers for the Ritual stepped forward, and began to talk. The blood that pounded in my ears was too loud, I didn't hear a single word she said. But she didn't speak for long, because soon she began to call out names.

"Charlotte Morrisey" she announced, standing in front of the first girl in the line.

"Mine" a male Wolf voiced, taking a step out of the crowd. There were a few seconds of pause, making sure no one else tried to choose her, before the woman nodded. Then the man walked over, took the girl's hand, and led her away.

The woman continued her way down the line – calling allowed each She Wolves name. Most got chosen, but a few were unclaimed. Each girl that wasn't chosen, looked both upset and embarrassed, and stayed where they were. I felt sorry for them – I had expected to be like them before meeting Layton.

When she reached me, I felt my breath catch in my throat. "Gemini Burn" she shouted.

Not a second past before Layton's voice sounded out. "She's mine". He stormed over to me, and grabbed me. A small pit of both nerves and excitement bubbled in the bottom of my stomach. I was being chosen by an Alpha – never, ever, in my wildest dreams did I think that was going too happened. But it did, I was chosen by not only an Alpha, but the Blood Alpha.