The Challenge Two Alphas, One Girl

Friday’s POV

“Come on, let’s get you some proper food, some protein and vegetables,” he said, looking at my popcorn distastefully.

He pulled me up and led me away from the theatre. There was a restaurant nearby. People stared at us, recognising their Alpha, some greeting him, some scurrying away, heads down.

“Do you like being an Alpha?” I asked him, peering out over my menu at him. He sat opposite me at a booth in Lupine Canines, a restaurant that calculated the grams of protein, carbs and fat in everything for you and put it on the menu so you could feel guilty.

He looked surprised, like no one had ever asked him that before. “I like…being…powerful,” he said, slowly. “Physically and socially.” “And rich?” I added. He snorted. “Ok, sure, Friday,” he said patronisingly.

“If you weren’t an alpha, just a regular werwolf with a regular job, not a pack leader or warrior and you’d found out I was your mate, would you still have rejected me for being wolf-less?” I asked. I was not sure why I cared, but I did.

“No, of course, not,” he said, without a second thought. “No one would care who my mate was, in that case. The purpose of my mate would be…my own pleasure and no one else’s approval.”

“Whose approval? Your parents?” I asked, in terms of whose approval he was looking for. “Yes, and the wider community of werewolves,” he said. Igave him a scenario.

“If you win the challenge, and Thaddeus goes back to Berryndale, I’d still be the same wolf-less unimpressive girl you rejected,” I said plainly.

The thought of Thaddeus returning to his pack, leaving me behind in Marigold, like I’d never existed, made me feel physically sick. That stirring was back, it wanted to find Thaddeus and hold him, make sure he was real and well and here still.

“My brain rejected you. My body and my wolf were going crazy. They hate me now. I’m at war with myself,” he said.

to comfort him. Comfort him for being conflicted about

Thaddeus’ POV

going crazy. How was I going to survive fourteen more days like this: the alternate days of the challenge when Maze got to spend the day with Friday? He did not deserve her. She was too sweet and special to be with someone who could scarcely appreciate that. Her lack of a wolf actually made her so… introspective. She did not have strong instincts like the

suddenly and I knew instantly that I was feeling Friday’s emotions through the mate bond. She was missing me too. It was strangely comforting but I hated the idea of her being in any kind of despair. I paced all day. I did some conference calls, managing some issues back home in Berryndale over the phone and the internet. The pack members at home had gotten word

Marigold. My wolf was dark

it would be nice to run through the trees with her. The beauty of a lupine existence was unique. It gave

Friday’s POV

felt I understood him better now after our chat. I wondered if Maze wanted to talk this evening. Thaddeus had said his day ended at midnight. I wondered if Maze would insist on being in my roomor presence up to the last minute of our first day together of the

the Beta floor before I could take the last flight

he said,

walk away which was a mistake. I hate super speed. In a flash, I was in his room. It was a slightly smaller version of the alpha bedrooms. He put me in one of

not an i***t,” he

the too easy to the truly witty filled my head but Maze was doing some alpha thing all the way downstairs amidst some noisy pack members and I had been told Thaddeus was out running in the

I simply nodded.

feet tall, he

Wow, thanks.

get it. A foreign alpha who doesn’t see you as a loser cause he doesn’t

had any shred of respect left for Fang, his words would

through your window,” he said. What?! That stirring inside me was so angry, like I could…kill. “Hey!” Yelled Fang, snapping me out of my thoughts. “What?!” I said. “You…your eyes just now…they looked…never mind, it’s dark