The Golden One

I Challenge You

As the days pass, Carl is getting stronger and stronger. The doctors have sent my bloods to a specialist for testing, but kept some to see if it helped cure the warriors who had been bitten. It appears to have cured all three, although they were healing much slower than Carl. Probably because he was stronger, being an Alpha and all.

Christopher and I continue to explore each other's bodies, by hand and mouth only though. I can't bring myself to go the whole way yet.

Although I am definitely falling for him, I can't shake the thoughts and heartache for my lost relationship with Michael. I loved him without a mate bond and I worry that the bond between Christopher and I is what I'm perceiving as "falling in love". I want to choose this for myself, not bend to the will of the Moon Goddess.

I know Christopher senses my apprehension, but he has been nothing but sweet and caring. Despite his anger outbursts when we first met and when Carl was ill, he is a wonderful man and treats me well. I can forgive him a few slip ups in difficult situations.

Michael is once again running things back at the Night Shade Pack. After Christopher and I had been intimate for the first time, I woke up to find he had left. I have been mind linking him about business and receive short and cold responses. I feel bad that maybe I had been too laid back with him while Carl was unwell. We had been getting back to our old ways and he clearly had some hope for us when he hugged me. I miss him too, and it is really messing with my head.

The Alphas will reconvene tomorrow, with some arriving this evening. They have all been researching the prophecy and I am nervous to hear what they have found. If they have found anything proving I will cause the fall of werewolves they will turn on me, I'm sure of it. As an Alpha, I know it's our nature to protect our pack. If I am a part of the threat I have no doubt they will come after me. And can I blame them?

My mind is consumed with negative thoughts as I sit in Christopher's office, watching the fire dance and crackle in the oversized fireplace.

My legs are crossed, arms folded and one hand plays with my lip, nervously pulling at the dry skin that sits on them. My eyebrows scrunch and release as new thoughts enter my mind until I feel a calming presence enter the room.

Christopher walks over and crouches by my chair, placing a gentle hand on my thigh. My gaze is still fixed on the fire but I let out a soft sigh at his touch.

"Can I do anything to help?" He whispers softly, drawing light circles on the exposed skin of my thigh.

I turn my gaze to him and my worries fall away leaving only lust and desire in their place. I bite down on my bottom lip and look at him seductively through my lashes. He flashes me his signature smirk before letting his hand travel up towards the hem of my dress.

I can't deny the feelings that consume me when he is around. I wanted him, all of him, but am I ready to be marked?

As I lean in for a kiss the door swings open revealing a grinning Carl.

He is basically back to his normal self and, as I'd found out quickly, that meant him being annoying and mischievous.

"Hey lovebirds!" He says cheekily while Christopher rolls his eyes and stands as I chuckle.

"Meila, you have a visitor." He bows as he speaks as if I'm the queen and he's my loyal servant.

"I think that bite might of driven you insane!" I say, faking concern.

"He's just happy I'm here." Ayoke's voice comes from behind him. I spring up and run to her, pulling her into a tight hug.

"I heard this barbarian bit you!" She squeezes tighter as she speaks.

"He did and he won't say sorry." I pull back and wipe away fake tears before we both burst out in the giggles. Christopher and Carl watch on, both gazing at us, both totally smitten with the women in front of them.

Once the laughter fades, Ayoke's smile falls.

"We need to talk about tomorrow." Her voice is now strong and serious. I nod and we walk to the leather chairs in front of the fire place. Christopher and Carl pull over the chairs from the desk and join us in front of the fire.

"I don't think we should share our recent findings about this disease." Her frown is deepening and her voice is stern. "I am concerned that some of Alphas will use this to attack you. Come for your blood to heal the sick wolves." Her eyes are boring a hole into me, she seems to be hiding something.

"They are here for the prophecy Ayo." I shrug, playing it cool instead of showing my true angst at tomorrow's meeting. Christopher reaches out his hand and holds mine. He seems to know me well enough now to see through my guise.

"I think they are connected." Her eyes move to Carl's shoulder, a large scar has replaced the gaping wound that was present only a week ago. "I can't be sure until we perform the full reading on the blood moon. It would be unwise to give them half a story and time to unpick it before we have real answers." Her gaze has returned to me, her stern voice unwavering.

I nod, losing myself in Christopher's touch, and try to shift my negative mindset. I have a bad feeling about tomorrow but I don't want to become consumed by it.

Ayoke, Carl and Christopher continue to talk while I sit quietly, letting my mind drift.

Suddenly, there is a shift in the feel of the room and Carl and I make eye contact. Alphas have arrived.

We excuse ourselves and head to the door. He flashes me a cheeky smile and a wink, trying to ease my nerves. I return a weak smile although it’s clear that it's forced. We both know I'm not feeling good about seeing the Alphas again.

We stand at the front door greeting a few Alphas with their Betas. Most are respectful and greet me kindly, one in particular is not…

Alpha Damien towers in front of me, a sickening sneer across his face. He brings his hand up to my arm and strokes it lightly with his fingers. A rumble starts in my chest but I can't bring myself to look up at him. He causes me so much unease and makes me feel sick to my stomach. All power and control I have seeps away when he is near.

"Oh sweetness, so nice to see you again." His voice is thick with lust, his eyes travelling over my body before landing on my bare neck.

"How can such a pretty little thing like you go unmarked for so long?" I shudder as he speaks, his eyes dark and hungry.

Pull yourself together and put him in his place girl!

My wolf was right. No man can make me feel like a piece of meat. I straighten my back, bringing my eyes to meet his. They flash red as I speak.

"You should focus less on my s*x life and more on your abilities as an Alpha. You're looking a little thin." I look him up and down, making sure to contort my face in disgust, then walk away, swishing my hips as I do. He didn't look thin, in fact he looked more muscular than before. But I knew it would hurt his oversized ego.

I hear him growl under his breath as I walk away.

Meila 1 - Damien 0.

I chuckle at my wolf as I head up to Christopher's bedroom. I wanted to change for a run.

The wind flows through my hair as I run around the property line. I avoid the forest as Carl has instructed no one to go there alone after the rogue attack. The sun is setting as I run past the cell blocks and a sickening scent catches my nose.

In all the drama I had forgotten about the captured rogue from the attack. It is still locked up, and it's scent has become even more putrid.

I walked in to the cells to hear the same sounds of clanking chains, growls and whimpers as before. Walking down the hall, the scent fills my lungs and I cover my nose and mouth to shield me from it. The cell was now unguarded, probably because standing next to this stench all day would be torture. I gag as I approach, taking in the sight before me.

Once again the wolf has calmed with my presence. Looking over it, the deterioration is clear. It's fur is now a few tufts here and there and it has become deathly skinny in just over a week. It stalks up to the cell bars and bows in front of me.

What if I could cure it like I cured the others?

It's sad eyed fix on mine, begging me for help. I take my nail and run it down my forearm letting some blood escape.

The wolf roars into life, snapping at me through the bars causing me to fall back in surprise and fear. It's wild eyes look similar to Carl's when he bit me after cutting my arm with his nails. Maybe the scent of my blood has an effect on them?

I crawl towards the wolf ready to offer my arm to it for biting but a strong hand grabs my wrist and pulls me up sharply.

"What are you doing?" Christopher's voice is tense with undertones of anger.

"I was trying to help it." I say while wriggling my arm free. He studies me carefully while I shift under his gaze. I know he is angry, I can feel it, but he is controlling himself which I appreciate. He's learning that I will not bend to the will of any man, finally.

He sighs before pulling me into a hug.

"That is very kind of you M, but what if this one is too sick and can actually hurt you?" His voice is soft and I melt into his hold.

"I just wanted to help ease it's pain." He squeezes me tighter and I wrap my arms around his waist, letting out a deep sigh.

"The doctors are running tests on it. We need to know what it is first, sunshine." He pulls out of the hug and holds my shoulders. I pull my head up and meet his gaze. I nod, feeling sad I can't help this poor wolf. He places a soft kiss on my forehead then takes my hand in his.

"Let's get up to bed. You have a big day tomorrow." I yawn at the mention of bed, he seems to know all of my needs before I do.

We walk together, hand in hand, to the bedroom before collapsing on the bed fully clothed and passing out into a deep sleep.

*****

"If there is any doubt that she will not cause a downfall of the species then we need to make sensible choices."

"I agree. Can she be trusted not to harm our kind?"

"She is one woman, one wolf. Is she really a threat?"

"You've never had a good woman if you don't think women are a threat."

"There is no real evidence that she will cause any problems for us. In fact she may be the one to save us."

"May being the problem. She also may be the one to destroy us."

"She can't even win a fight to lead a pack, how will she do anything to save our kind?"

Scathing comments about me cross the table for Alpha to Alpha. Nobody turned up any real evidence for the prophecy. Most were going off stories from pack elders and their own speculations.

A hand slams on the table with a loud growl as nasty words continue to travel through the air as if I wasn't sitting in the room. Christopher's eyes are dark and menacing as he scans the room, identifying the worst offenders verbally attacking me.

"Control your Beta, Carl, or I will." The sarky bastard, Alpha Brad sneers from across the table.

"Enough." I stand and shout. All eyes are on me now.

"This is ridiculous. You are all ridiculous." I snap looking around at them all. "This just shows why your packs are all turning to s**t. You can't just kill off your problems." My eyes are red and pierce the eyes of the men around me. "That's what some of you are thinking right? Let's just kill her and be done with it. Well, no." Scanning the room I notice some people have dropped their eyes to the table awkwardly.

"What if I am destined to save the werewolf species? What if when the time comes for me to save the day it's too late because you've already killed me just in case I am the problem?" I continue and more eyes fall. Most are now sitting uncomfortably, realising their mistake. Some, however, are not hesitating.

"And what if you kill us all?" Alpha Brad stands, mirroring my pose.

Oh I'm thinking about it just now.

My wolf taunts in my head.

"There is no evidence of that as of yet. Only whispers." Ayoke speaks, now standing next to me. "I will perform the reading at the next blood moon. We will have more answers then. It would be foolish to do anything before then." She speaks directly to Alpha Brad. His eyes darken and flash their Alpha red. Clearly he is unhappy at this show if girl power before him. Misogynistic pig.

He glances over at Alpha Damien, who has been relatively quiet despite his strong opinions at the last meeting. He seems to nod slightly in Brad's direction and Brad returns his attention to me.

"No." His voice is low and his eyes maintain their Alpha red colour.

"This woman appears from nowhere and expects us to bend to her will. She expects to dictate how we run our packs, how we do business and how we proceed with a prophecy that affects us all." He grits his teeth between sentences, anger clearly pulsing through his body. I maintain a calm exterior but scan the room nervously to see people's responses. Some of the eyes that had fallen were now rising to meet Alpha Brads and my own. But I will not let them see me crumble.

"She doesn't deserve the title of Alpha. She can't understand the fight to become one of us. She was given it on a silver platter for the taking all because she was f*****g the next Alpha in line." He starts walking around the table towards me, menace in his eyes.

"You must be a good f**k to earn the title of Alpha. Maybe you should show me how it's done." My eyes are now red but my demeanour is calm. It's not the first time a man had treated me as less than him and it won't be the last unfortunately. Christopher is now being held back by Carl. He wants to protect me, but this is my fight and I will win it with my strength of character rather than my fists.

Brad now stands in front of me. He doesn't hold the stature of Damien so is unable to make me uncomfortable at his proximity.  My wolf would have him on his ass before he so much as breathed on me.

"You are not one of us. You do not deserve a seat at the Alphas table." He growls at me. I lightly roll my eyes to show him I am not concerned with his opinions of me. This elicits another growl from him.

Carl is furiously whispering in Christopher's ear, begging him to calm down. I can feel his rage towards Brad and it is not dissimilar to my own, I just control it better.

Stop.

My one word mind link seems to do the trick. I'm too busy keeping my cool to elaborate but he stops fighting against Carl's hold and glares angrily at Brad.

"You might dislike me for what I am and who I am, but that does not strip me of my title as Alpha or my strength, character and abilities." My voice is steady and my face is emotionless. I will not give him the satisfaction of winding me up.

He snorts at my response. The room is deathly silent, all eyes fixed on us.

"Strip you of your title." He mumbles mockingly.

A sickening smirk crosses his face as he seems to form an idea in his head. I shift uneasily, concerned for his next move.

Brad stands tall in front of me, puffing out his chest and staring straight into my eyes.

"I, Alpha Brad, challenge you, Alpha Meila, for the position of Alpha of the Night Shade Pack."

Fuck.