Finding the One True Alpha

Chapter 7- The First Challenge; Audra POV

Chapter 7-Audra POV

             The rest of that week went the same training, eat, sleep. I did get school work in there as well, my dad hired a tutor for us here at home that will be traveling with us when we go to the other packs. After training and working hard that whole week the day finally came. It was time for the first challenge. I am not going to lie I woke up super nervous. I was worried about going up against my mate I did not want him to hold back and think that he cannot beat me because I want this to be equal. I’m also nervous about my powers and if I am strong enough all of the guys are really good and I feel like since I found out about my powers I am trying to find who I am as a person. Saint holds me still asleep I roll over and look at him he looks like an angel when he is asleep but I know that is not him he is strong and ready to win. I sigh just thinking over everything and he wakes up. “What’s going on in that head of yours sweets?” I looked into those green eyes and sighed. I sat up and Saint sat up with me still holding onto me. “I am nervous about today. I do not want you to hold back winning because you think you are going to hurt me. I am also scared of hurting you and the others with my powers. I am still figuring them out and they are becoming stronger each day. We are going into this thing blind with no idea of what we will but against. I have never felt this way before. I feel like I do not know who I am and I am trying to find myself again.” Saint looks at me I can tell he is gathering his thoughts before he speaks. He takes a deep breath “Audra I would never cheat you or hold back because I thought you could not do the challenge. I know that you are as strong if not stronger than the rest of us especially now that you have shifted and discovered your powers. You were strong before and now I have no doubt that you are going to win. Do not worry about hurting the rest of us. We are big boys and we can take what you throw at us. I am nervous about what the challenge is going to be as well but I know what I am capable of and what I can do. I get what you are saying about not knowing who you are now, but I know you. You are the beautiful other half of me you complete me and you are strong and confidante. Just because you have these new powers does not change who you are on the inside. You are still Audra, my mate, my other half, my soul mate.” I smile and cry a little at him who knew a guy like Saint would have a soft side. “Ok I believe you and thank you for telling me that I needed to hear all of that. I feel better. I love you Saint.” He smiles at me “good now don’t tell the guys what I said I still have an image to maintain.” I laugh and throw a pillow at him as I head to the bathroom to get ready. Saint follows me and we get ready together ready to face what our fathers have to throw at us.

            After we head downstairs and eat all of the alphas come down together my dad looks at all of us “when you are all done eating come meet us outside to start the first challenge.” We all nod and finish up our food to get this thing started. When we walk outside, I look out to the training field and see our fathers standing there each one holding a back pack. I look at Saint and the others they look as nervous as I do. My dad steps forward as we approach “Welcome to your first challenge. In this challenge it will test your will power and your strength to survive on your own and prove that you can rule a pack. The pack is only as strong as its weakest link and you all have to be the strongest there is. For this challenge you will each be given a back pack and then be put on a helicopter and be taken to a remote location near the artic circle. You will need to survive on your own. You will need to hunt and find shelter for yourselves. You will not be close to each other so do not think about trying to find each other and beat the challenge together. This is to find out how strong you are mentally and physically by yourself. Each backpack has a tracker in it so we will know your location at all times and a satellite phone incase you have a true emergency. We will each keep track of you here at home base. You will be out there for 3 nights and 4 days. We have a point system to keep track of how well you do. Do not ask how we will know we just will. You have 10 minutes to get yourselves together and get ready to go the chopper is almost here.” We all nod and look at each other I feel the need to hug all of them so I do and they each hug me just as fiercely I save Saint for last. “I love you I know you can do this you are strong.” He nods into my neck “I love you too and I know you are strong as well you can make it.” I smile and walk over to my dad he has his alpha face on and is not one to show a lot of emotions in front of people any way, but I can tell he is worried for me as he hands me my backpack. “I know that you are ready for this Audra just be careful.” “I will dad I know what I am doing.” Dad nods and we look up the chopper is landing across the training field. All of the guys come gather around my dad “You will all go on the chopper together the pilot knows who is getting dropped off where and will tell you when to get off. Please do not do anything reckless and or stupid this a challenge take it seriously.” We all nod and walk over to the chopper together. The guys let me get on first then they all file in. I put on the headphones and the pilot turns around “Ok guys buckle in we have a little way’s to go I will let you know when it is your turn to be dropped off.” We all nod once and he turns around and presses some buttons and the chopper starts to lift off the ground.

     We are in the air for over an hour and you can see the climate change as we get closer to the arctic circle. The pilot comes over the intercom “Okay guys we are about to do our first drop. On my list it says JJ is first so get ready.” We all get ready to do the first drop. JJ gets ready and when the pilot gets out he undoes his seatbelt we all pay his back and he waves at us then we are back up in the air. It goes like that for the rest of the guys I am the last one in the chopper to get dropped off. Once the pilot drops me off at my location I wave bye and head out to find water and shelter. Since it’s May there is a lot of greenery and wildlife around. I stop to see what I can hear around me. I close my eyes and let my senses take over. I hear the trees move with the wind. I hear all of the animals around me. I delve deeper and listen farther out I hear the sound of rushing water that is where I need to go. I head out towards that sound Jewel pops into my thoughts “Hey girl why don’t you shift and let me take over so it will not take so long to get to where you are wanting to go.” I smirk “girl you and I were on the same page.” I set my back pack down and get undressed and put my clothes in it. I figured I need to be careful when I shift since I did not have the chance to bring any extra clothes. Once I get undressed and make sure everything is all set I let Jewel come forward and take over. I let her control the shift and I fade into the background. Once Jewel is all ready she picks up the backpack in her mouth and we take off towards the sound of the water. You can tell not a lot of people are up here there is dense forest it is very pretty and I feel Jewel relax and release the pent up energy she had. Once we make it to the water I realize it is not just a river or stream it is a whole lake with a waterfall. It looks beautiful and the water is so clear you can see to the bottom of the lake. I let Jewel play in the water for a bit and let her drink it is so refreshing and cool. Once she is done I take over and she fades back and I shift back. I open the back pack and get dressed and I take time to look into the contents of the back pack that my dad gave me. I see the satellite phone that is incase of a true emergency and my mind link does not work, I see some matches for a fire. There is also some rope and a reusable water bottle and a tarp along with a hunting knife. This stuff will defiantly come in handy. I look around for a place to set up camp and call my home the next couple of days. There is a nice set of trees over closer to the water fall that I want to check out. I think I can tie my tarp down around the branches and make a shelter. Once I get there it is going to work out perfect for my shelter plan. Once I have everything set up and secure I fill up the water bottle and notice that I am starting to get hungry and the sun looks like it is going to set soon. I need to hunt I feel Jewel start to stir in the back of my mind “hey girl why don’t we shift again and I can hunt for us something to eat. I thought I smelt some deer earlier on our way up here I think I can track it down that way we have something to eat.” “Ok Jewel that sounds like a good plan let my undress and hide my clothes in the shelter real quick then I will be ready for you to take over” I go into the shelter and undress. I feel Jewel start to come forward and I let her take over from there. She sets off to go back the way we came and her nose is immediately working to smell for the animal. I open up my mind to our other senses as well to see if I can feel it in the earth I let our full power out searching for it. We sense it to the west of us and Jewel takes off. It is not even ten minutes later when we slow down we feel and smell the deer. Jewel slows down and gets close to the ground and starts to creep forward making no sound at all. We look around a bush and there is the deer completely oblivious as to what it about to happen. Jewel takes the opportunity and pounces on the animal and sinks her teeth into its neck, ending its life  fast with little pain. I feel the earth morn the loss of the animal and I take my power and push good energy back into it and thank it for letting us have this animal and that it’s loss of life was not taken lightly. I feel the earth accept it and thank us as well. I feel the earth back at peace once more. Jewel focuses on chewing the animal and cutting it up somewhat so we can take pieces back and I can cook them over a fire for me to eat. Jewel eats for us now in this form so we have energy to make it back to camp and I can cook the rest for breakfast in the morning. Once Jewel is done she picks up the remaining meat and starts off back towards camp. When we make it back to camp I shift back and get dressed. I walk around in the trees close to camp looking for fallen branches to make a fire. After I find a good bit of it I go back to camp and set everything up to start the fire. I grab the matches thankful that my dad taught me how to do this and light the fire. I feel its warmth and I am thankful for it. I get my knife and start to work on cutting up the meat and I make some skewers out of wood to put the meat on to so I can cook it. Once everything is done I lay down and look at the stars feeling the exhaustion from today start to set in. I think about Saint and wonder how he is doing. I open up my mind to find my link to him. I feel him he is okay “hey love how are you doing?” I feel his mind open “I am doing good sweets I just got done eating are you okay?” I feel his love seeping through the bond “I am fine I am laying down I have already eaten and set up my shelter and fire. I miss you though I wish you were here to help keep me warm” I feel his contentment after hearing that I am ok “I know love I wish the same thing but I am glad that you were able to find food and take care of yourself. It will only be for a few days then we will be back together. I am going to let you go now my wolf wants to come out we sense another animal near by and he wants to go hunt.” I laugh “ok babe I love you and you guys be safe so you can come home as well.” “We will love I will talk to you tomorrow I love you.” I break the connection with Saint and Jewel comes forward “he will be okay girl you know it.” “I know Jewel I just don’t like being apart from him I feel your loss from not being next to him either.” I feel her do what seems like a smirk “yes I know but we need to focus on ourselves and making it through this then we can go home and be with our mate. I have been talking to Cody this whole time I will not cut off our connection incase something happens. Now I think you should shift and we can sleep in wolf form tonight so it will be warmer than if you slept in human form.” I sigh in agreement and get undressed again for what feels like the millionth time today. Once everything is safe in the back pack I let Jewel come forward and we shift. I feel the warmth radiating from the fire along with Jewels fur I know that we will be just fine tonight. Jewel grabs some more wood carefully with her mouth and drags it to the fire to keep it going and we settle into our shelter and let sleep take over. The next two days go the same and I feel the earth around us it likes that we are here and I give back the same feeling. Jewel enjoys splashing and playing in the lake I wish we could build a cabin up here I know Saint would love it as well. When I wake up on our last day there I start to put up everything in the back pack when I noticed that everything in the forest stopped moving something was off. I opened up my mind and tried to feel the earth and see if I could sense what was wrong. The earth felt as if something bad was in the forest, something that was not meant to be there it sent me a feeling of warning and caution. I thanked the earth and finished gathering everything up and I could feel Jewel get restless. “Hey girl I think we need to shift something bad is in the forest and I think it is coming this way to get us. Change and put everything in the back pack we are going to run for it.” I start undressing “Jewel you need to let Cody know what is happening and see if Saint can make a call to my dad while we try to get back to the pick up zone.” We shift and Jewel picks up the back pack “I already did I am going to open up our link all the way so you can talk to Saint and tell him what is going on. Give me full control girl and I will get us out.” I confirm agreement and I feel our mind fully open to the link. “Saint something is wrong in the part of the forest we are in. Something bad is coming this way to get us. Jewel has taken over and is trying to get us back to the pick up zone.” “I know love I am talking to your dad right now they already deployed the chopper to pick you up first. The rest of us are fine. Can Jewel smell what it is that is coming?” I focus on what Jewel is smelling. She starts to growl “Girl I think I know what else is out here with us and we are going to have to either run as fast as we can or fight if it catches up to us. I think it’s a Vampire.” I start to get nervous “Saint! Jewel thinks it’s a Vampire that is in this forest with us. We are going to try to keep out running it but I don’t know if we will be fast enough.” I feel his worry “s**t love, ok just remember your training and go with what you are feeling Jewel will know what to do. I have let your dad and the others know they are trying to get to you as fast as possible don’t let it bite you love.” “Ok we are running as fast as we can now. I am trying to mask our scent but I think its almost caught up to us. I am going to see what the forest can do to help us. We are close to the pick up zone just a little farther.” I feel Saint start to panic “Ok babe please be careful I know you can take care of yourself but keep the link open and let me know if something changes.” “I will I promise” I stop talking to Saint but keep the link open so he can feel and sense what Jewel and I are picking up. I feel out to the earth and the wildlife around me. I feel their worry as well. I try to put out there that we need their help to try to stop the vampire from getting to us so we can get to the pick up zone. I feel the earths agreement and I feel the animals and plants movement in trying to create a barricade between us and the vampire. I send out feelings of thanks and the earth approves and tries harder to slow it down. It’s working but I still don’t think we will be fast enough I know it is gaining on us. We can see the pick up zone but I don’t hear the chopper yet. All of a sudden Jewel stops and puts down the back pack. “Ok girl the vampire is close I think we are going to have to fight it off before the chopper is able to pick us up.” Jewel sniffs the air I pick up what she is smelling it smells fowl like nauseatingly so. I think there is more than one for that bad of smell. Jewel can sense it as well. There is at least two if not three of them. “Ok Jewel what’s the plan here I know there is more than one.” She confirms “We are going to fight I need full control and while I fight I need you to work your magic and see if the earth can help us beat these things. Remember a steak to the heart, ripping it’s head off, or fire is the only way to kill it. Let Saint know what is going on I can feel through the link he picked up what we did and is really starting to panic I am going to fight because they are here.” “Saint there is two or three of them we are going to try and fight them off. How far out is that chopper?” “I know baby just hold them off the chopper should be there in five to ten minutes or so just hold on till then.” “Ok love I’m keeping the link open but I need to help Jewel I love you.” “I love you too be careful and follow your gut.” We see two of them emerge from the brush and one jumps down from the tree. They all smell horrible and they look uglier than they smell. There skin is pasty white and there eyes are completely red. One of them steps forward “well look at what we have here boys a little wolf wants to play.” Jewel growls and shows her teeth. They laugh “you are not that scary little wolf we don’t want to fight.” The one to the left grunts “speak for yourself I bet she taste delicious.” I cringe at his comment so gross. I feel for the earth and call for its help while I am reaching out and using my powers the middle one c***s his head to one side “why you are not a normal werewolf are you now that I am looking at you. I feel the power coming off of you it’s intoxicating. Do you feel it my friends I bet you are right Leo I bet she does taste delicious. I change my mind little wolf, today is the day you die.” Jewel hunches down and gets ready to pounce when I feel the trees around me listen to my call for help. I see vines start to move toward the vampires as they start to approach me. I don’t think they noticed. The vine reaches out and goes for the middle one grabbing his ankle and swinging him up into the tree. The other two move away from the trees before they can grab them. The two remaining vamps run toward me Jewel gets ready to pounce she takes a running jump going for the neck to rip the head clean off of the one they called Leo. He was not suspecting us to move so fast he was caught by surprise when he felt our teeth sink into his neck and rip off his head. A look of surprise permanently stuck on his face. His blood taste disgusting as Jewel tries to get it out of our mouth the other one is trying to sneak up on us. Jewel realizes what he is doing before he can grab her she spins around and latches on his shoulder swinging him around like a chew toy. I can hear his arm get ripped off by Jewel. He screams and lunges for her again this time she does not miss and then his head is on the ground by his arm. Again the taste of these things are foul they are disgusting. I hear a rustle up in the trees it must be the one that the vines got. I here him struggle and I feel the vines more and more are coming out to confine him. The next thing I know his head is on the ground then the trees let go of his body and he is slumped into a pile with the other two. I send thanks to the earth for its help and try to see how it wants me to dispose of the body’s. I feel it send back that it does not want them buried to taint the ground it wants me to burn them. I shift back and get dressed again and set it up to where the fire will only burn the body’s and I strike the match and throw it in. They light up faster than gasoline and as they are burning I hear the chopper coming. I still feel Saint through the link “I am fine love the vampires are dead with the help of my friends the trees they are all gone.” I feel Saint release the tension him and Cody had been holding “thank the goddess sweets I was worried there for a second. Is the chopper there yet?” “Yes it is love it just got here I just set the bodies to burn. I am heading to the chopper now I love you I will see you soon.” “I love you too baby I cannot wait to see you.” I head to the chopper and the pilot comes out to open the door. “I hear you have had an interesting day.” I nod “that’s one way to put it. I’m ready to go home.” He smiles “That’s what I am here for hop in and we will head there now. Another chopper picked up all the boys they should be there by the time we get there. They are all worried about you.” I smile and nod as I hop in. I buckle up and nod to the pilot that I am ready to go. He hits a few buttons then we are up in the air. Jewel and I are finally able to relax. I put my head back not realizing how much my body feels drained until now. I think about how happy I am to be going home then I close my eyes and sleep.