Challenge the Alpha

Chapter sixteen - Little Luna

Indie;

I sat staring at the house. I'd actually managed to find it, in the middle of the night. It was as if something had been calling me home, leading me to where I should be.

I'd drank far too much coffee and was fidgeting wildly. I'd arguably not got nearly enough of the alcohol out of my system still and I mentally scolded myself for such reckless behaviour. Luckily, the roads had all been clear and I had passed basically no one tonight.

The longer I looked, the less real any of this felt. What if I was just crazy and everything had been in my mind, Werewolves don't exist and Rollo is some random farmer I happened to have met once. Damn it, no, don't talk yourself out of this Indie! You've come all this way. Just go and knock on the door.

I finally unbuckled my seatbelt and decided to brave the cold. I was hardly dressed for the frost that had set in but, hopefully, the door wasn't locked and I wouldn't be sleeping in my car. Wrapping my arms around myself, I jogged to the large wooden door I remembered so clearly and turned the handle. Click! It opened and I pushed my way in.

The entry hall was lit and warm, scaring away all trace of the winter night that lingered on me. I quietly pushed the door shut and tried to steady my breathing. Get it together, Indie. I told myself. You could just sneak up to the bedroom and hide out till morning.

Just as I was genuinely considering that option rather than risk waking anyone, I heard a shuffle from the directly of Rollos room and my heart stopped. This was it. I was going to face him. I wondered if he'd be happy to see me at all.

I listened as light footsteps drew nearer and couldn't hide the disappointment on my face when Josie appeared. In just a t-shirt and underwear. I tried not to stare at her long, slim legs or notice the lacey black thong she was flaunting. Of course he was back in bed with her, look at her. She was everything a man would want.

A smug smile crept onto her face as she caught sight of me, her perfect t**s bouncing as she basically skipped to the stairs, clearly unable to wait to tell me about everything I was missing out on.

"Well, don't you look like a desperate tramp!" She laughed, a horrible, nasal sound as she sauntered down the stairs.

I was speechless. There was so much I wanted to say, wanted to scream. I wanted to show this b***h her place but actually, what had she done wrong? I'd shown up out the blue again after weeks and had no more than two nights with who was basically her boyfriend. I was the one who shouldn't be here. But something inside forced me to hold my head up. I wasn't scared or intimidated by Josie. I felt strong but I didn't know why.

"Rollo just asked me to grab him a drink while we take a break." She winked and chuckled as she moved past me.

"Yep, you run along for him like a submissive bitch."

She froze with her back to me and processed what I'd said. I saw her shoulders and neck tense. I'd planned to touch a nerve and clearly, had succeeded.

She spun on her heel to face me. Her jaw ticked and her nostrils flared.

After what seemed like an hour of her clearly waiting for me to back down and look away first, she pointed at my with her skanky, manicured nail.

"I could rip the head from your pathetic body, human." Yep, werewolves are real. Josie confirmed it with her big macho threat that I felt no effect from.

"I'd love for you to, I've had a bad week, now could be your time to lift my mood." I called her bluff. I didn't know why I was bothering. I came here to see if Rollo was back on her and I had my answer. I'd told myself if he wasn't mine, I wouldn't fight but I couldn't ignore this fire inside me. It screamed for him, it screamed for me to march to him and demand an answer and to make him beg for me to ever forgive him.

First, I had to make it clear to Josie who he belonged to.

Her bottom lip quivered, she was thinking the whole situation through. I wondered if she killed me, would he care, would he mourn me, would he hate her? I was either going to have him or ruin her chances by dying in her hands.

"f**k you." She spat as she moved towards me and threw a fist in the direction of my head.

Out of no where, my body reacted. Something hidden driving me. I gripped her wrist with my left hand, threw my whole right arm over her shoulder and pushed down, twisting her arm behind herself and throwing her forward off balance into the window.

She snarled like a beast in a trap as the glass cracked upon impact with her face. I stepped back and away. I had moved so fast, I barely registered the exchange but somehow, now, Josie was bleeding and I was unharmed. I was calm.

I backed away as she stood, screeching when she touched her forehead and realised I had broken the skin.

I heard his feet down the hall from his room. I felt his presence. Felt his eyes on me. I couldn't bare to look at him. He'd been with her. A she-wolf I'd just tried the knock the hell out. He could be about to witness her kill me. I don't even know if I'd try to stop her. Then again, I hadn't tried to do anything a second ago and bested her.

I could practically smell him. He was overpowering me through all my senses. I heard him take another step and couldn't hold back any longer. I needed to see him.

He was more spectacular than I had remembered. He was topless, nothing but a towel covering him, his muscular chest dripping with water still. His damp hair flopping over his brow and his gruff look, making me weak at the knees.

He was in the shower after god knows how many hours with her.

My eyes stung as I forced back a heave, my legs wanted to give way and my chest wanted me to sob on the ground but I would not give either of them that satisfaction. I came here for an answer I had, I had proven I could hold my own against Josie and I had no more reason to be here.

"You two can have each other." My voice held so much venom, I barely even recognised myself.

Rollos eyes widened at my words, like it was a shock I'd say it after walking in to find him with her!

I made a mad dash for the door. I needed to leave. I needed to get away.

I didn't even notice the chill in the air as I fled. I rushed into my car and finally exhaled the breathe I hadn't realised I was holding. Tears started to pour down my face and I punched the steering wheel, over and over, screaming at myself. Stupid, stupid girl. Stupid girl for coming back. Stupid girl for thinking he cares.

I jumped as the passenger door opened, I hadn't locked the damn doors! Definitely a stupid girl.

"Indie.." Kim's voice was strained. I looked up and she seemed lost, a mix of emotion on her face.

"Indie, I know how it looks but I need you to go back in there please." Her voice broke as she begged.

"He's with Josie,"

"No, he's not! He's been trying to get over you but he can't stand touching her, Indie please, he's going to kill her. Clay is going to kill her, he's been going more and more feral each day and this has tipped the scale and Marcus," she paused to choke on her words, "Marcus is the beta and will protect the pack, he'll stand between them and Clay will kill him too. Please Indie, even if you don't care about her, I can't lose him."

I was torn. I didn't believe Rollo, or Clay, would hurt Marcus. It didn't make sense. I couldn't see them killing Josie either. But I felt Kim's pain in every word, she was desperate.

"Rollo and Clay have lost it without you, Indie, please, you don't know how he's been. He's not the same, he's been cruel. Don't let him go past the point of no return. He'd never come back if he kills Marcus."

Fuck. I didn't know how to feel. My heart leapt in my throat about how being apart had affected him but what was I meant to do.

I screamed again and gripped the steering wheel so tight, my fingers grew numb and my knuckles white.

With one final grunt, I unclipped my belt and was out in the freezing cold once again.

For the second time tonight I pushed my way into the house to see two wolves. I stopped dead as I took in the scene.

One that seemed to fill up most of the room with brown silky fur I remembered, stalked towards another lay bleeding in front of a terrified Josie, who was crying and cowering in the corner. The injured wolf tried to stand as the huge beast neared but was clearly struggling.

I didn't know what to do.

I didn't think and ran, positioning myself between the two, looking the huge brown wolf head on.

"Stop it." My voice was small, shakey.

The wolf snorted and made a noise that almost resembled a laugh. The downed wolf I was sure was Marcus, nudged at my leg, trying to push me back and put himself ahead. No, I was handling this.

"I said, STOP IT." My voice didn't falter this time. My words were strong. I felt strong. Overcome with power.

The dark, haunting wolf growled, snapped at Marcus by my legs but came no closer.

My bravery didn't fail me. Once again, my body moved on its own and I gripped the snout of the wolf and pulled him up to face me.

"Get out."

Silence. Dead silence from all around us. Josie no longer cried or whimpered. Neither wolf seemed to even breathe. I was the one in control and everyone in this room knew it.

"Go for a run, Clay. Just get out, you've done enough." I ordered before throwing his snout towards the door.

He hesitated but did as I demanded and began to head out, turning to look at me, once, twice. Before disappearing into the darkness.

Seconds later, Kimberley flew through the door towards the wolf by my feet. She ruffled his fur and kissed his head, lifting him to look at her.

Josie hadn't moved and looked like she might have seen a ghost.

"Get up and stay the hell out of my house." She nodded and quickly obliged, scurring with great speed to get away.

My head hurt. I had no idea what was going on, what had come over me. But I suddenly felt drained. I dropped to the floor and sat. Just trying to finally catch my breathe. I couldn't move my legs.

Kimberley wrapped her arms around me and cried into my neck suddenly.

"Thank you, Indie, thank you so much," she wiped away tears from my face I hadn't even noticed, "I can't imagine what would have happened if you hadn't have stepped in."

Neither could I. The idea of something happening to Marcus felt like a needle into my heart, like Ben all again. Imagining Kim trying to go through life without him, I'd walk to the ends of the Earth to keep them safe. I was even glad Josie wasn't hurt. Kimberley was right, I couldn't let Rollo go past the point of no return. If he had gone off the rails because of me, I needed to bring him back. Even if I was still livid over Josie being here in the first place.

Out of no where, two strong hands lifted me from the floor and picked me up.

Marcus, completely fine somehow now stood there naked and smiled down at me.

"Come on, little Luna, I can imagine how exhausted you are," he cooed, "let's get you up to bed."