The Challenge Two Alphas, One Girl

Katrina’s POV

My coven was on high alert. My stepfather, Ezekiel Victor Van Der Windt, was using his status as the “ Vampire King” to sway newer coven members into spying for him. No sane and seasoned vampire would dare enter Marigold, a walled-in werewolf town and fortress, an unfriendly territory where vampires were unwelcome. Berryndale was a friendlier territory, allowing vampires to enter into it but under close supervision and with the necessary documentation. Also, no one wanted to be on the receiving end of the wrath of the “Seven Foot Alpha.” My stepbrother had told me that the Seven Foot Alpha had snapped the neck of a top-ranking vampire warrior and spy while still in his human form without breaking a sweat. He did not need to shift to fight. Neither did many of the Marigold warriors. Former Alpha Malachi supposedly kept a tally in his weapons room of his private home of how many vampires he had slain by etching a mark into the wall each time. The room was rumoured to not have space for anymore marks in the four walls, floor and ceiling. They had a new alpha now, the son of Malachi. Despite all of this my coven was determined to snatch the little wolf-less Luna from under the noses of the Seven Foot Alpha and the son of Malachi.

I sighed deeply. Why had leven agreed to this? I had liked him. From the moment I saw the Beta wolf, I had just found him…special. He had a mate though and the kidnapping target was his sister whom I thought he hated but now apparently loved. Why was my life such a mess? If I did not find a way to call off this kidnapping plot, Fang would hate me. He could even end up dead, killed by either side as a traitor depending on how they looked at it. I kept having nightmares about his warm brown eyes becoming cold shuddered and pulled my black coat more tightly around me. Ezra was helping me. He was ever the egalitarian. He wanted a world where vampires, werewolves, witches, wizards and humans all got along and sang around a campfire together roasting s’mores. He was an idealist too.

It was the wee hours of the morning. Almost three o’clock. There was a twenty-four-diner on the outskirts of Berryndale just beyond a heavily guarded part of the Marigold wall. I knew Fang would not pass there. He would leave through a less heavily secured gate even though as Beta he always had security clearance to go in and out. Then he would drive around and meet me at the diner. I had already came to the diner the night before and cut the wires in all the security cameras. There were only three people in there when I walked in. It was dimly lit and the cook and one waitress on the night shift had been bribed. Two of the three people comprised both halves of a drunk couple. There were werewolves. The she-wolf was asleep, her head on the table at her booth and her mate was talking to her in a slurred voice as though she were awake. The third person was hooded, dressed all in black, sitting in the last booth facing the door so he could watch who came and went.

“Hey!” I whispered. Fang sighed.

“So it’s off or not? And why couldn’t we talk about this over the phone?!” Fang demanded, practically snarling

I recoiled but sat down. “It’s nice to see you too,” I mumbled.

His eyes softened and he took my hand in his. His hand was so large and so warm against my tiny cold one. I smiled.

“Listen, Katrina, this was a dumb idea from the start and I was drunk and hateful when I came up with   Everything is upside down. Im not even sure if there is a real challenge anymore, ne saia.

“What do you mean, if there’s a real challenge?” I asked, confused.

“It doesn’t matter!” Fang said quickly, looking uncomfortable. “You need to call it off somehow. It doesn’t make sense. A lot of other people could die, especially your coven members. Maze and Thaddeus are…kinda working well together. They would fight your coven in unison not divided and you couldn’t win then, not a chance.”

I squirmed. “Well, we always thought they would both want revenge whether they collaborated or not but kidnapping the Luna would weaken both Alphas and make them emotional, impulsive, less strategic.”

“That would only work if you meant to kill her which was never the plan,” Fang said, narrowing his eyes and looking at me strangely.

That was always the plan. s**t. I had just insinuated that my stepfather had always meant for Friday to die to help bring down her Alphas. I had never explicitly told Fang this. I had promised him she would become a captive servant like long ago when my family had stolen many werewolves and humans to keep as servants.

“You always meant to kill her, didn’t you,” Fang said but it was not actually a question. I could tell. “Not me! No!” I said quickly. Fang’s eyes were black. “You took me for a fool this whole time.”

“Please, relax,” I said, imploring him with my eyes. “I intend to fix this! You don’t have grounds to look down on someone for making a stupid spur of the moment choice,” I snapped, the last part slipping out. I expected him to fly into a rage.

To the contrary, he said, “You’re right, I don’t.” He sighed and looked at the table.

“So Ezra intends to work from within to foil the plans of the vampire spies marking Friday but there will be casualties. Only novices were dumb enough to take the job,” I said, wincing because foiling their plans involved exposing them.

“Oh you mean vampire casualties like Ezra will make sure those novices are found out by us so the werewolf warriors will kill them before they can feed information back to your Dad,” Fang said offhandedly, smiling, liking the idea.

It was a decent idea for my idiotic idealist but lovable Ezra to come up with but I bridled at Fang’s insinuation. “Vampire casualties? Well yes, we’d be sacrificing the novices when we mess up their cover but why say it like vampires dying means nothing to you.”

I was hurt.

“Hey!” Fang said, grabbing my hand. “I meant they’re not me or you or Friday. They’re strangers. Of course, I don’t want anything to happen to you either.”

Trelaxed. “Did you think about what I said the last time we met in person?” I asked before I could help myself.

“Katrina,” said Fang disapprovingly, releasing my hand. I kept my hand on the middle of the table hoping he would grab it again. “I have a mate. You know that,” Fang said. “We’re friends so I care about you.” I winced. Friends? I wished his mate was one of the casualties. “But I don’t mind…”I mumbled, trailing off.

I smiled sadly. “Especially now with her hormones raging,” he added. “She’s on her period,” I said, laughing. “Nah, she’s pregnant,” Fang said absentmindedly.

That hit me like a two-tonne truck speeding down the highway. Thank goodness, I was immortal. I was not exempt from emotional pain though. I forced a smile.

“Congratulations,” I said trying to make it sound genuine and not stiff. Fang was going to be a Dad. He would never leave her now, especially not if it was a boy and heir for the Beta position. Suddenly, I felt like the biggest i***t alive. Fang was not ever going to be mine no matter what and here I was risking my own standing with my coven for his sister whom he had hated a few days ago. He was so fickle. I was seething.

Fang’s POV

After the meeting at the diner with Katrina, I went to my childhood home to shower but stopped dead in my tracks. There was a patrol of warriors there. s**t! It hit me. They were stationed there in case my trigger-happy father came back to get something so they could arrest him. I couldn’t get out the car with vampire stench all over me. They would obviously recognise me and the vampire scent, and with my father’s recent betrayal of his former alpha, they would figure the apple did not fall too far from the tree. I sighed. In all fairness, Malachi had betrayed my father first by sleeping with my mom all those years. She was his rejected mate. What was with these Mason Alphas like Malachi and Maze taking their rejections back at the drop of the hat. They were so fickle. I wondered how Maze’s Mom was doing as I drove to the shabbiest motel I could find: The Marigold Marigold. What?

I went inside and the decor was all bright yellows and oranges. Jarring. It was meant to resemble marigolds, the flower. I asked for a room under a fake name and thankfully the concierge was a werwolf in his late teens scrolling through his feed on his phone. He did not even look up long enough to register | was the pack’s Beta. I showered as quickly as I could. I had to get back and make sure we were all ready to travel to Berryndale. I was in the lobby when something wet sloshed all over me. I smelled it. White wine?

“Whoopsie,” slurred a familiar voice. She had a snobbish drawl. Of all the people in the world. Elizabeth! Maze’s Mom. I hoped she was too drunk to really recall this impromptu meeting.

“Fang!” She exclaimed. Ugh! She actually threw her arms around me, hugging me. “Thanks for being there for my Maze, dropping him to the hospital everyday…” she began.

“That’s Thaddeus, Mrs Mason. The Alpha. I’m the Beta…” I stopped myself. What the f**k was doing identifying myself like that.

yeah, you’re welcome,” I said

upset at being called Mrs Mason. I flinched realising the dissolution of her marriage is what had her spiralling downwards into alcoholism. She was going through this because of the lies and choices of Malachi and my mom. Guilt consumed me. It was not my fault but I knew what it was to make a devastatingly stupid choice that screwed someone else over. I had almost screwed over Friday and we still were not fully in the clear yet. I was trying to right my wrongs. People should clean up their own mess. Malachi and my Mom had left their old partners to alcoholism and a life of crime. I did not even want to think

to being called my her first name. I was sure Mrs Mason or Luna   corrected myseu realising

Maze’s POV

not to sound as

Alpha and him being my Beta. Our situation had become complicated though. We were almost stepbrothers or brothers-in-law depending on whether my Dad and Felicity married before Friday and I did. Also, his Dad had shot my Dad and would potentially be put to death for it. My Dad had been sleeping with

They both had mugs of beer. At five in the morning. I rolled my eyes at Thaddeus’ beer mug and he

Finally. Someone was peaking out from behind Fang. I recognised her scent immediately and it

Mom shyly,

my arms to her. She hugged me and I put my blazer on her. She was in a sparkly short dress with frilly sleeves like she had just come from a seventies’ disco

there?I asked. No idea, said Fang shrugging. But I didn’t wanna leave her there. I arranged

were in her motel room. She has her stuff packed. I helped her get ready for Berryndale. I’m sorry for being late by the way! Fang

me! She’s not going to Berryndale. She can stay in the pack house on the Alpha

won’t listen to me. She’s the former Luna and mother of the Alpha, Fang said, playing his trump card. He knew I could not bear to refuse her right now. Was he trying

of her handiwork. She was still helping Friday get ready for things even though Friday’s foot had healed. It was customary for Luna’s to be crowned

my Mom who was still talking to Thaddeus. “Hi, Luna Elizabeth!” Said Friday gently with a little wave. “Hi?!” scoffed my mother at Friday’s greeting. “We’re not gal-pals, Friday. I’d

I said

Good, he really should not have brought her. She needed time to heal and process things. She would only be spiteful and

in a barely-there whisper so

proper! The Luna is a reflection of her Alpha and her pack. She is supposed to be well-mannered, cultured and adept with social graces. She is supposed to be modest!” Said my Mom eyeing the length of

feeling sorry for my Mom. The room had become filled with staff suddenly preparing the final Marigold breakfast of the challenge. Friday looked

Friday’s POV

| should be but wasn’t as a Luna

yourself! You are a true Luna twice over. She was never truly anyone’s Luna!

knew she was hurting and I reminded her of that situation because I looked so much like my mother, the woman engaged to Elizabeth’s husband. They had not even divorced yet because Elizabeth despite being served the papers had refused to

Maze’s POV

Luna Elizabeth,” said Friday softly. She went to sit at the table and began putting out some

first before yourself?” Asked my mother, referencing an archaic custom of the Luna plating the Alpha’s food and not starting eating until the Alpha had begun eating or in extreme cases,

her disco dress pointedly. She blushed. I felt awful for playing the same appearances card on her that my father

to her softly and placating her with pancakes and sweet,

teaspoons instead of four. We have your Mom/guess to thank for the distraction from the sugar plan, said

so sorry, Baby, I said including Friday in our mind-link. Friday smiled half-heartedly

used to criticise you that same way and it was not justified then and isn’t justified now. The only thing that makes a Luna a Luna is being fated to an Alpha so

Friday’s POV

used the same phrase as my wolf about me being

when Elizabeth returned wearing a powder blue skirt and matching blazer with an inner white top. She was a very traditional and demure sort of Luna.   mignt never see my

between my Alphas with Saturday curled up in my lap, purring. Maze’s mother was on the other side of him, gripping his arm possessively. I sighed inwardly. This was going to be a long second half of the Challenge with her there, but even she could not spoil it for me. I was so excited to go camping and

town area of Marigold and entering into its rural countryside landscape. The vivid cerulean sky and the forest-green vegetation looked so beautiful. I marvelled at it. I spotted a group of cows grazing, squiggly brown spots their otherwise white bodies. A huge bull was nearby grazing alongside them. We were passing Marigold’s farmlands now. Thaddeus and Maze kept me

was unfurled a bit and blinked at me but swiftly fell back asleep. My Alphas chuckled

Marigold pack house to the Berryndale pack house was several hours long. It had been around six in the morning when we left and it was now noon. We had left Marigold’s parklands a while ago. I had been amazed by the heavily guarded hundred foot wall encasing Marigold. We

Saturday. He was being held by a disgruntled-looking Maze while his mother gripped his arm and talked about how much she disliked

cut her off. We

He seemed reluctant to put

veranda. The roof was of red brick. There were five stores and the huge windows I could see were all shaped like half-ovals with a curved top. The windows were tinted in such a way that they sparkled and looked gold

closer to us and further from his mother. Maze’s Gamma had stayed behind to watch over Marigold in the absence of the Alpha and Beta. Theo was grinning from ear to ear as he shot out of the car he was in. There were attendants and warriors from Marigold who had tagged along and the six Berryndale warriors who had accompanied Thaddeus and Theo looked relieved to be back. A woman with a caramel complexion, high cheekbones, almond-shaped eyes, full lips and dark brown hair came running out of the pack house, a baby on her

came out of the pack house walking down the wide steps that led to the

HIS Mother was a tall women, propadiy arouna live root eleven with asn prown wavy hair that tumbled

said, pinching my cheeks. “Friday this is Mom,” said Thaddeus. “My name is True,”

that’s so nice,” I said, instantly liking

this is Dad,”continued Thaddeus, gesturing towards a humongous man while he

Mom.

inch or two shorter than seven foot Thaddeus with blue eyes, blond hair to his mid back and an impressive long beard. He laughed in a way that shook the whole house somehow, his voice

bit afraid of him. He had a very calming aura. He scooped me, lifting me off the ground into a bear hug. He placed me gently

name, little Friday,” he said ruffling my hair. They were incredibly informal

when you’re chopping down a tree for firewood,” commented one of the two guys

like their dad but their hair was a dark ash blonde unlike their father’s medium wheat colour. Their hair reached their broad shoulders and their grins reached their large eyes. They were like cuter less rugged blonde versions of Thaddeus who was bigger, more ruggedly handsome with ash brown hair. They looked very mischievous. I didn’t even need to

imposter

Timothy, winking. Both twins hugged me at once leaning towards me. They smelled a bit like pine trees, again