Not My Choice

Prologue

For the first six years of my life, I had managed to keep my gift hidden from the others. I understood, even at such a young age, just how complicated my life would become if my secret was ever revealed.

School had just got out for the summer, and I spent every waking moment with my best friend: Daniel Wilde. Neither of us cared that he was four years older than me or that he was the alpha's son. We didn't care that I was the beta's daughter. Those titles held no importance to us, we were just carefree children. The only thing that mattered to us was the fact that we were friends.

Daniel and I had been racing each other through the forest. We knew better than to go too far, but we were a good piece from the clan house. Upon spying one of the largest evergreens that resided in our forest, Daniel dared me to climb to the top to see who was the bravest out of the both of us. Not being one to pass up on a dare, I quickly scaled up after him. The fact that we had been forbidden to climb trees due to what happened a year before didn't occur to either of us.

Our distance from the ground grew with each limb that we passed. With a laugh, I managed to surge ahead of Daniel, almost to the top. "Who's the bravest now?" I remember calling back to him. Daniel just laughed and lunged after me, his hand clamping around my ankle. The limbs that we now were standing on were smaller and thinner than those closer to the ground. When Daniel lunged up to grab me, his limb broke.

The sick sound of the crack that filled our ears was the only warning we had before Daniel let out a cry of shock. Both of us went plunging towards the ground. When he realized that he was pulling me down with him, Daniel let go of my leg. Somehow I had managed to grab a hold of a branch, but Daniel wasn't so lucky. The sound of his body slamming into the ground sounded too loud to me as I jumped down the rest of the way.

Pain shot up from my leg, but I pushed it away as I rushed towards my friend. He wasn't moving and a puddle of blood was quickly pooling around his head. Fear settled over me as I kneeled beside him. A faint groan slipped past his lips and relief flooded my body. He was alive. Placing my hand gently on his chest, I close my eyes.

Without a second thought, I released my hold that I had over my gift. Instantly, I felt energy rush from my body into Daniel's. Time seemed to stop around us as one by one; Daniel's injuries began to heal. Due to the fact that I was still very young and still not that experienced with my gift, healing all of his injuries pulled more energy from me than I had been used to using. After all, I had only really practiced on small animals that I had found hurt on the forest floor.

Hours passed and my little body started to sag with fatigue. Finally, I felt the faint surge of energy as it returned to me. Gasping softly, I lay my head back against the tree. Gently pulling Daniel's head onto my lap, my eyes flutter shut. I didn't know that much about my gift but being tired after using it was normal to me.

The moon had been up for a while when a loud howl had my eyes snapping open. Blinking slowly, I looked around. Two warriors that I knew, only because they were at the house with my father often, were rushing towards us. I knew the moment they smelt the blood. Looks of fear and worry filled their eyes before their training kicked in. The last thing I remembered was a pair of strong, warm arms picking me up and holding me close.

"There was a large puddle of blood near them when we found them, alpha," the voice of a warrior filled my ears as I opened my eyes. I knew that I was in the hospital. The scent of my parents washed over me, calming my racing heart. "When Jared and I examined the pups on the way back, we discovered that neither of them had any injuries."

The alpha had ordered rounds of tests for both Daniel and I. I knew it was only a short time before my secret was found out. The doctor discovered the injuries that I had healed. But thanks to my gift, they looked years old. It puzzled him but when he brought the findings to the alpha, he knew.

Daniel had drifted to sleep and my parents had gone home to change and eat. The alpha pulled up a chair next to my bed and held my hand. When his eyes met mine, I knew that the life I had planned out with Daniel was gone. My fate had been changed. The questions, though gentle, came and with a heavy heart, I answered them.

I told my alpha that I had been the one to suggest tree climbing. We were racing to the top when I slipped. Daniel had tried to catch me but lost his balance. Somehow I had managed to grab a hold of a branch on my way down, but Daniel didn't.

The alpha listened as I spun half-truths, masking the lies. "The last thing that I remember was getting out of that tree as fast as I could because I was scared that Daniel was dead. He wasn't moving, just lying on the ground." The tone of my voice was all that the alpha needed to believe me. He knew just how close his son and I were; I thought that Daniel Wilde had hung the moon and stars.

"I kneeled beside him, my hand touching his chest... And then: nothing." A frown marred the alpha's tan face, but he didn't say anything until my father returned. My secret was out and my life would forever be changed. But as I looked over at Daniel, I knew that I would do it all over again to save him.

Alpha Wilde and my father decided that it would be in my best interest if I was sent to the ten best-gifted healers of our kind. They could teach me how to properly use my gift. Once my training was complete, I would return home and take the place as the pack's healer. My title of beta would go to a cousin if my parents didn't have another child. It was then, during those life changing decisions that I had no say in the making of; that I started to hate my gift. If I didn't have it, I would be able to stay with those I loved.

I was given five days to say goodbye to the pack and get my things ready to go. Looking back now, I realized just how childish I was those last days. I gave everyone except for Daniel the silent treatment. And thanks to my father, I knew how to hold a grudge. After all, I had learned from the best.

The day I was to leave, the entire pack came out to see me off. Daniel was standing next to me while I watched a black car drive towards us. My heart was breaking, but no one could help. The trunk popped open slowly as the driver's door swung open. When he stepped out, I saw that he was a warrior.

His eyes met mine before flicking to my alpha. Both men nodded and Daniel grabbed my bags, leading me to the car. "Julian," my father's voice called out to me but I didn't turn. The sound of hurt that colored his voice was almost enough for me to spin around and rush into his arms. Almost.

Instead, I watched as Daniel placed my bags in the trunk, shutting it before walking back to me. He wrapped his arms around me tightly as he whispered goodbye. I gave him a wobbly smile as I pulled back and slipped into the car. I held my cries in until the car was on the way down the long driveway. The driver glanced back at me but didn't speak.

My fingers softly touched the bracelet that Daniel had given me the night before and my tears slowly stopped. I was afraid that he would replace me, forget about me. My six-year-old little heart was breaking in half, with no hopes of being repaired. Laying my head against the window, I fall asleep. This new life that I would lead was not one I would have chosen for myself.