The Challenge Two Alphas, One Girl

Chapter 5: Two Angry Alphas

Maze’s POV

Her smell was driving me mad. I could tell Fang was leading her up the stairs. Her smell got more and more intense. Why did she have to smell so d*mn good? I sighed and tried to concentrate. I had some work to get through before the Celebration tonight. I cursed that odd alpha who had demanded my rejected wolf-less mate be allowed in the pack house. I bet he would insist that she attend the Celebration too. I had to just get through the night. Alpha Thaddeus was only staying one night. He would leave tomorrow afternoon. Then, I would tell Fang to remind his sister she was not allowed in the pack house. We were just accommodating a guest, a very powerful guest.

Her smell intermingled with the smell of that odd alpha a little. My inner wolf growled but I quieted him. She was brought here to cut the alphas’s hair and shave him so obviously they were standing near to each other. I felt a little jealous that she was attending to another alpha but I could not have Friday attend to me and still have the strength to resist the mate pull. Even across the hallway, it was maddening. Then I smelled it. I smelled Friday’s arousal. My wolf was murderous. What was she doing with that other alpha? Before I could stop myself, I ran across the hallway at lightning speed and burst through the door. Thankfully, the door was unlocked so I did not have to break it down.

Friday looked startled. Thaddeus looked extremely calm and happy. I was livid. Friday was sitting on another alpha’s lap, in his embrace, and she was aroused.

A growl ripped through me. I lunged forward to grab Friday away from Thaddeus but he quickly placed her behind him. He snarled at me, eyes black, canines bared.

Beta Theo and Beta Fang ran upstairs and into the room.

“What’s wrong, Maze?” Fang asked.

“Thaddeus, what happened?” Said Theo.

“He has my mate!” I yelled, anger pouring out of me.

“But you rejected her?” Said Fang. “She’s wolf-less!”

“What?!” Bellowed Thaddeus and Theo in unison.

“Friday was your mate?!” Thaddeus said.

“Yes,” I said. “I found out last night. I rejected her because she is wolf-less but that doesn’t mean that she can be your plaything!”

Thaddeus laughed. “Plaything? She’s my mate now. And I’ve accepted her wholeheartedly. She’s the future Luna of the Berryndale Wolf Pack.”

My heart threatened to cleave in two. Friday had gotten a second chance mate, another alpha! Was I missing something? She was wolf-less and fated to an alpha twice in a row. Fate was really trying to apologise for making her wolf-less. I sighed. I could not handle Friday being here with another alpha. She was mine first. Clearly, I’d missed something, some special power she might have.

Before I could stop myself, I said, “I, Maze Mason, Alpha of the Marigold Pack, rescind my rejection of Friday Fenestra. Friday, I accept you as my mate and Luna.”

“She’s already my mate and my Luna!” Bellowed Alpha Thaddeus. “I just said that same thing to her after you already rejected her. It’s too late now!”

Beta Fang cleared his throat, “In accordance with both of our packs laws, you may both attempt to sway her. Our Aly status does not allow a fight to the death between alphas. The decision is hers. The she- wolf in question.”

Everyone looked at my mate, Friday, who was peaking out from behind Thaddeus. She fainted.

Friday’s POV

Yesterday no one wanted me. When Thaddeus accepted me I was overjoyed but then Maze wanted me back. It was too much for me. I had never fainted before in my life but I suddenly saw the ground come up to meet me.

Thaddeus’ POV

I grabbed my delicious little mate before she could hit the floor and hurt herself. She was limp in my arms. I held her bridal style, cradling her head gently to my chest.

“Where’s your pack doctor? Fetch someone immediately!” I demanded Fang. He went running. Theo rushed to me and Friday.

“She’s breathing,” Theo said. “Her pulse seems ok.”

Maze was nearer than I would have liked too. His eyes were on Friday. He was an i***t to reject her. There was no way he was taking her back. She was mine. If she were conscious, I’d have marked her already.

Two pack doctors rushed into the room, a man and a woman. I placed Friday on the bed and they attended to her. I waited anxiously on one side of the bed and Maze waited on the other.

Maze’s POV

Friday looked so helpless. I regretted rejecting her but she was wolf-less! How was Thaddeus able to accept that so quickly. He would obviously seem like the better choice to Friday. He had not broken her heart. I had to do something.

Friday’s POV

When I came to, there were four faces anxiously observing me. I recognised two pack doctors, a worried Thaddeus and a guilty looking Maze.

I tried to sit up. Both alphas tried to help me. They both growled at each other. I cowered a little. Fang came into view, making me even more frightened. Theo also came into view, smiling warmly.

Judging by the fading light, I had been out for a few hours. I also had not eaten anything yesterday or today. My diet was generally pretty poor. It was difficult to come to the pack house to get some food and I never had much money really to buy food.

I noticed there was an empty bag of intravenous fluids on a stand next to me. A nurse came in and detached the line from the empty bag from my IV in my forearm. Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

“We can take the IV out now, nurse, all her test results are normal. Her CT Brain and blood results were normal. Her blood sugar was a little low but we’ve fixed that so she’s free to go,” the elder of the two doctors said.

All of those tests were done on me while I was out. All of that was spent on me. Last year, I had been knocked out cold at the pack house, when my brother “accidentally” hit me in the head with a football. I had woken up exactly where I landed, untouched, unmoved, no medical attention.

“Thank you, doctor,” said Thaddeus and Maze in unison. They glared at each other.

“How’re you feeling, my Luna?” Thaddeus said, leaning closer.

I relaxed as his scent hit me. “I’m ok, really, I’m fine,” I said, blushing at being called Luna. The doctors and nurse took the IV pole and left.

I realised I was still on Thaddeus’ bed. I swung my legs towards him and Theo, to avoid my brother, Fang, was on the other side of the bed with Maze.

“The doctor said you had some bruises,” Thaddeus said. “As though you’d recently fallen or perhaps been in a fight. There was bruising around your arm like someone had grabbed you.”

I thought back to Fang yanking me out of the pack house by my arm yesterday and throwing me onto the pack house porch today. Fang was glaring at me. I got up but fell back a little bit and Thaddeus immediately scooped me up in his arms.`His embrace was so warm and comforting. Was he really my mate and alpha? Would I really be Luna and get to leave Marigold?

“Leave us,” said Thaddeus to everyone in his alpha voice.

Fang and Theo immediately obeyed, unable to ignore the command. Maze, however, snorted with laughter. Alphas could not be commanded, not even by other Alphas.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Maze snapped. “Friday belongs to my pack and therefore to me.”

It was Thaddeus’ turn to laugh. His whole chest rumbled. “You know the pack laws. Our status as allies mean we can only peacefully challenge each other for Friday. If we were rival packs, there’d be a fight to the death.”

Thaddeus and Maze eyed each other liked they’d prefer a fight to the death. Thaddeus would surely win such a fight. He was the biggest alpha I had ever seen. He was the biggest werewolf I had ever seen and with the most impressive aura. Despite being wolf-less, even I picked up on his aura.

“What’s your point?” Maze said.

“Friday belongs to no one until the end of the competition,” Thaddeus said sadly.

My heart rate picked up.

“How long is the competition?” Maze said, clearly not versed in these particular pack laws.

“About one month!” Yelled Theo, from the hallway, still listening in. “The time between one full moon to the next full moon.”

Thaddeus chuckled. I gasped.

There was a full moon tonight marking the Peace Treaty Celebration. It was always held by either pack on a full moon night. The next full moon was about four weeks away naturally. I would have to put up with all of this back and forth for a month!

“But,” I said hesitantly.

“What is it, my little luna?” Murmured Thaddeus.

“Speak, Friday,” encouraged Maze.

“What is the competition?” I asked.

I was frightened.

“Permission to return to the room, alphas,” came my brother’s voice.

“Me too!” Chimed in Theo.

I giggled. Theo was funny. Thaddeus lit up, seemingly pleased that I was fond of his Beta. I wondered if they were close. Many Alphas and Betas were actually best friends and really informal with each other but my brother and Maze were definitely not like that.

“Permission granted,” said both Alphas.

The Betas returned to the room.

“They have about thirty days to impress the she-wolf in question, meaning they have about fifteen days each. You will alternate days, Friday, spending one day with one alpha and the next day with the other and so on until the full moon ends the time period. On the night of that full moon, you will give your answer,” Fang explained.

“Meaning,” clarified Theo, “Both Alphas will try to woo you like a courtship. Dates, gifts, flowers, chocolates, whatever. You must live on the alpha floor with them but in a separate room as you cannot be marked or mated until you say which alpha you have chosen on the final full moon of the challenge.”

I could not help but get a little excited. Dates, gifts, wooing. I really hoped this was not an elaborate prank put together by my brother.

“Do you understand, Friday, my little Luna?” Thaddeus almost purred.

“Um, yes, Thaddeus,” I said, remembering I was allowed to not call him Alpha.

He looked really pleased with my answer and squeezed me a little.

“Well I call today, then?” Maze said.

Thaddeus chuckled.

“Today is almost over. It’s the night of the first full moon, so it does not belong to a particular alpha. Tonight will be the formal announcement of the challenge. The first full moon and first two weeks will be held here in Marigold as is the custom since one challenger is from here. The second two weeks and last full moon will be spent in Berryndale where the other challenger is from. Friday is pretty much free to do what she wants until the ceremony tonight,” said Theo.

“What do you want to do, my little Luna?” Asked Thaddeus.

I was terrified of potentially angering my brother or Maze but I had so many questions. “I want to talk to Thaddeus a little, to ask him some questions,” I mumbled.

“Ask away, Friday,” Thaddeus encouraged. Maze’s eyes turned from cold grey to black.

“And I want to talk to Alpha Maze too, a little later, to ask him some questions,” I quickly added.

Maze’s eyes returned to grey. He begrudgingly left the room without another word, followed by my brother. Theo winked at me and Thaddeus before he left. My stomach clenched in excitement at the thought of being alone with Thaddeus again.