JEOPARDY: The Cursed Soldier.

41. The choice.

"How do you feel?" Marianna asked Kayla, watch in hand and eyebrows raised.

Kayla sat up in the small coffin-like container where she had been locked for the past 15 minutes. Inhaling air into her screaming lungs, she faced Marianna and answered her. "I'm alright. My father made sure I could go 30 minutes without air. This was nothing."

Marianna grinned, a grin that Kayla had grown accustomed to seeing every time she aced her 'tests'.

"Your father has served the gods' purpose. He trained you for your destiny, even though he wasn't aware of it." Marianna paused and glared straight into Kayla's eyes. "I can see now that you have the physical and mental strength to wield the massive power in you. We can now release your wolf."

Kayla tried to hide her excitement, but she couldn't. She was going to shift. Finally.

After 18 years of waiting, and 2 days of physical and mental tests, she was going to get her wolf.

"Arielle!" Marianna called, and the little red-haired girl stepped out of their house and walked towards them.

Her twinkling green eyes were on Kayla's face almost like she was searching for something. "Hello, moon."

At the sound of her little yet powerful voice, something equally powerful stirred in Kayla.

"Hi, Arielle." Kayla returned and crouched to Arielle's level.

Marianna had told Kayla on her first day there that if she passed the tests, Arielle would be the one to release her wolf. Something about their destines being entwined.

The moment their eyes met, Arielle's turned hazy and dazed.

"This is not a gift, Kayla. Your wolf and the power inside you are linked to this pack. If you unleash them and run away, you and everyone you care for will be marked to a life of pain and death. The choice you make today will determine the future of the entire supernatural world. You have the power to save and doom the supernatural world in your hands.

"If you prioritize your heart over your pack, the world will be marked with bloodshed for as long as you breathe. Pick wisely."

Arielle suddenly blinked and almost stumbled into Kayla's arms. "I hate it when they do that."

Kayla was so shaken by what had just happened that all she could manage was a look at Marianna and the words, "What was that?"

"The gods."

"The moon goddess," Both Marianna and Arielle answered simultaneously, but it was Arielle who continued. "It was the moon goddess. She took temporally possession of my body to speak to you. Yes, she does that sometimes. Mean? I know. But there isn't much I can do about it."

Kayla reeled back. The weight of what had just happened and what the gods had said finally sank into her brain. The gods knew about her inner dilemma and the discussion she had had with Ivan. They were warning—threatening her against it.

Kayla focused on Arielle. "What was she saying, exactly?"

"You wanted to use me and run away?" Marianna countered, glowering.

Kayla stood straight and looked down at Marianna. "It's not like that."

Marianna stomped her way. "How could you even think about it? Our pack has been suffering. Sienna is killing people every single day and all you care about is yourself? How different are you from Sienna, then? Are we just jumping from one selfish Alpha to another? Your grandmama would be so disappointed in you."

Kayla understood why Marianna was angry. But Marianna didn't have any right to scold her like that.

This was Kayla's life. It was unfair for everyone to expect her to accept such an enormous responsibility just like that.