The Alpha's Challenge

Chapter 1

{Molly's P.O.V}

I lay awake.

I watched as the darkness around me played tricks on my eyes. The ceiling seemed to manipulate into tiny dancers, swaying across the pale paint. Their bodies diving between each other and their night never ending.

The only sound was the creek from the floorboards of the hallway. Slow and thoughtful movements. Movements with meaning and satanic ideas. I'd heard them before. Almost every night.

My lips lay slightly parted. Dry and chapped, aching for a cool liquid to quench their thirst. I took the silent breaths of my final moments of control. My chest slowly rising and falling, carefully not making a sound. Silence was a skills I had perfected.

My body frozen in time. My muscles ached from the tension and the overwhelming anxiety causing paralysis. Each floorboard creaked louder than the last, until a shadow emerged underneath the door. Two black shapes sat at the bottom. I knew what it meant.

My heart started beating so fast, it was almost audible. Deceiving me. I close my eyes and curled into a ball, pretending to be asleep. Maybe, just maybe...

...It wasn't enough. It never was.

The door handle creaked and slowly the once blackened room, filled with an orange glow. I was frozen in place, too scared to move. To scared to speak.

The booted footsteps shuffle forwards and the door clicks. We are surrounded by the shadows once more. But this time, its not the floorboard I hear, but a grunting breath fueled with alcohol and misery. Fueled with desperation and narcissistic will.

The bed dips and I hear the words...

"Its ok, I'm your dad. It's fine".

It wasn't fine. It was never fine. But I was too scared to move. To speak. To scream. To kick. To fight.

His breath was thick and stale. Every inch of my body screamed for freedom.

**BANG**

Suddenly, my eyes shoot open and I bolt upright. I grab the sheets around me and kick my legs backing up struggling for air. I fill my lungs and a tear rolls down my cheek.

Another dream.

As my breathing relaxes, my body does too and I flop back down onto my back. I'm haunted by my past and all I wish for is to forget the torment. Forget the pain. Forget the hell I was living.

I turn my head and look towards the window, I'd left it slightly open and the wind had blown an ornament off of the windowsill. I'd never been so glad to be startled. The dreams happen every night. Different memories, but the same misery.

I turn my gaze to the bedside table and realise its only 02.36am. Half of me wants to close my eyes and go back to sleep, but the other doesn't want to slip back into another dream. I feel like I live in a permanent state of exhaustion, but decide to get up and get a drink.

I throw off the blankets and swing my legs over the side of the bed, reluctantly stretch and slip my feet into my fluffy slippers. It was a hot night so I slept in my silky shorts and t-shirt set- yet another attempt at better sleep, which FYI doesn't work.

I sit there a moment while I come to, looking around at my room. It's not a big room. Along one side lines the wall with ceiling to floor mirrored wardrobes. It's far bigger than I need but it came with the room, so I'm not complaining. Opposite the wardrobes was my double bed, with side tables either side. I had an alarm clock and charging dock on one and an ornament on the other. They conveniently had three draws on each, which I try to keep organised but once they're closed who cares what it looks like.

On the right was a window, with a roller blind and curtains. I liked to keep the window open slightly all year round, which meant they were never shut. In the summer it welcomed a slight breeze and in the winter the pitter patter of the rain was soothing.

The last wall housed a dressing table where I stored all things beauty related. From makeup to shampoo. I didn't have a lot of anything, but it was enough. It got me through my days while I studied and worked. My busy schedule didn't really leave a lot of time for anything else anyway.

I step around the bed and make my way to the door, the rest of the house is shared. There are four of us living here and we all go to the same university. I walk down the unlit hallway and head down the stairs, careful not to miss a step before carrying on to the kitchen. I walk over to the fridge and grab myself a bottle of ice cold water before returning to my room, tiptoeing all the way - careful not to wake the others up.

I sit at the dresser, looking at my exhausted face in the mirror. My hair is dark brown and a good length, ending at my naval. I have big brown button eyes, which I've always hated and although I'm not the best looking girl, I don't think I'm too bad on the eyes. I like to run and keep myself fit by attending a boxing club three times a week so I'm in pretty good shape too... or that's what my friends think anyway.

Anyway, I suppose I should stop sitting here, day dreaming and actually try and get some more sleep. Here goes nothing.