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

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

called my her first name. I was sure Mrs Mason or Luna   corrected

Maze’s POV

to sound as

potentially be put to death for it. My Dad had been

did not seem to have a checklist. They both had mugs of beer. At five in the morning. I rolled my eyes at Thaddeus’ beer mug and he raised the mug to me

the room looking extremely tired. Finally. Someone was peaking out from behind Fang. I recognised her scent immediately

Mom shyly, hiccoughing. I sighed. She was

a sparkly short dress with frilly sleeves like she had just come from a seventies’ disco or

doing there?I asked. No idea, said Fang shrugging. But I didn’t wanna leave her there. I arranged for her to stay at a hotel, a safe nice one,

in her motel room. She has her stuff packed. I

can stay in the pack house on the Alpha

have to tell her. She won’t listen to me. She’s the former Luna and mother of the Alpha, Fang said, playing his

still helping Friday get ready for things even though Friday’s foot had healed. It was customary for

“Hi, Luna Elizabeth!” Said Friday gently with a little wave. “Hi?!” scoffed

I said

quickly recovered a neutral expression, Fang instantly assumed a regretful expression. Good, he really should not have brought her. She needed time to heal and process

harsh,” I said in a

She is supposed to be

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

Friday’s POV

made sure to announce all the things | should be but wasn’t as a Luna in front of

twice over.

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

Maze’s POV

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

Luna plating the Alpha’s food and not

I said softly but sternly, looking at her disco dress pointedly. She blushed. I felt awful for playing the same appearances card on her that my father had used but she was still a bit drunk and I hoped the water would sober her up. I

seemed to be comforting a shaken Friday, whispering to her softly and placating

of less sugar for sweet Friday. I put three and three-quarter teaspoons instead of four. We have your Mom/guess to thank for the distraction

sorry, Baby, I said including Friday in our

said this to Friday only. I know I used to criticise you that same way and it was not justified then and isn’t

Friday’s POV

the same phrase as my wolf about me being

an inner white top. She was a very traditional and demure sort of Luna.   mignt never see my atner again,

set out for Berryndale after breakfast with everyone in several different vehicles. We were in the backseat of a white stretch limo as though we were going to a human prom or something. I was sitting 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

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 entertained and warm. Elizabeth had fallen asleep on Maze’s shoulder and was snoring softly. Was snoring

swiftly fell back asleep. My Alphas chuckled softly

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

my head cradled to his chest. I looked around for Saturday. He was being held by a disgruntled-looking Maze while his mother gripped his arm and talked about how much she disliked cats and why she had never let Maze have

everything!…” Thaddeus cut her off. We had all just gotten out of our respective

in his arms. He seemed reluctant to put me down and

admired the pack house. It was a colossal white building with a humongous wrap-around 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

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 hip. She ran into

out of the pack house walking down the wide steps that led to the veranda. I immediately recognised them as

eleven with asn prown wavy hair that tumbled down to her waist.

at you,” she said, pinching my cheeks. “Friday this is

I said, instantly

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

Mom.

hair to his mid back and

like the sound of mountains moving and yet I was not the least bit afraid of him. He had a very calming

ruffling my hair. They were incredibly informal

for firewood,” commented

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 spend two minutes with them to

Titus, and the imposter next to me

said Timothy, winking. Both twins hugged me at once leaning