I Love a Challenge

Unable to move an inch, or remove the alpha’s warm hand from her face, Alpha Ciandra couldn’t miss the way her body warmed up to the heat. Her face inclined to his touch. Please, tell me this is a joke. She thought.

The alpha’s thumb was moving dangerously to her lower lip, and still, she did nothing, she was still chanting, "please, tell me this is a joke."

Not once did Alpha Ciandra think the first fight would be between her stuck mind and her raging thumbing heart against her chest. Not once did she imagine her face being held by a handsome man while he looked at her as if she was a possession he couldn’t wait to handle in any way he deemed fit.

Confused. It was the only way to describe her emotions at this moment. 

Alpha Alphonso pulled her lower lip, the interest in his eyes burning. Alpha Ciandra was a spectator to what was happening, far away with broken binoculars making the images unclear. She couldn’t believe this was happening.

A wolf was heading in their direction, making Alpha Alphonso let go of her face. When the wolf came closer to them, Alpha Alphonso looked at the phone in his hand making Alpha Ciandra wonder if it appeared there magically. 

“Welcome back, Alpha Alphonso. Hi, Alpha Ciandra.” The wolf greeted, picked the bags from the trunk of the car, and returned to the packhouse. 

“Ciandra, sweet name for my mate. If I knew you were my mate, Alpha Ciandra, I would have summoned you a long time ago.” Said Alpha Alphonso while he returned his phone to his pocket. 

Alpha Ciandra took a step back. 

He took one step forward, Alpha Alphonso winked, “allow me to introduce myself properly, I am Alpha Alphonso of the Dark Shadow Pack, must I add, your mate?”

The words coming from him sounded gibberish, but the last word stood out. While shaking her head, Alpha Ciandra denied, “I am no one's mate.” 

“This is the moon goddess’ wish.” Alpha Alphonso replied arrogantly. “You can’t deny how you are feeling towards me, I can hear your heart from million meters away.”

The moon goddess. Oh, how she wished she could meet her right now and ask if she has gone crazy. How could she do this to her? And not just with any wolf but with the one she was to protect? The one man she knew was full of himself. Why him? Why her? Why now?

I must be dreaming. She thought. Please, wake up. She stepped on her feet with her left one and confirmed she wasn’t dreaming. It was real. Joining her hands in front of her, she knew she had to get a way out of the situation, his scent was getting stronger as minutes passed by.

She had so many questions to ask the moon goddess. Hell, she wished to sleep and wake up, check on Alpha Alphonso to confirm if this was her reality or a nightmare.

“You are…” She stopped when her voice came out weakly. No, she can’t appear weak in front of him. No matter what.

“You don’t have to be shy.” The alpha flirted, and Alpha Ciandra could see he thought she was about to compliment him. The man was indeed full of himself.

She took a step back, luckily, her knees didn’t give out, “Alpha Alphonso, I will ask someone to prepare a bath for you.”

“I have my hands, in fact, let me prepare for the both of us.” He replied his lower lip curling up seductively.

Is that a flirt? An invitation? Alpha Ciandra wondered. It was so alluring. She rubbed her nose and said firmly, “no thank you.”

“I love a challenge.” He said, moving closer to her, he leaned in, and looked around to see if any wolves were watching, when he saw no one, he swept his tongue over Alpha Ciandra’s earlobe and whispered, “find me in ten.”

Alpha Ciandra’s breath hitched the moment his tongue met her earlobe, the intense feeling intensified, and unintentionally, she clamped her legs together. The alpha inhaled deeply and stared at her deeply in the eyes, his eyes were beginning to change into deep gold.

Alpha Ciandra pushed him away lightly, “excuse me.” Thank heavens she was beginning to think straight. The alpha chuckled again, kissed her on the cheek, and took a step back. He pulled her hand to him, opened her palm, and dropped the keys on it. “Bring the car inside.”

And just like that, he left Alpha Ciandra standing near the gate, her heart racing, her body on fire, and her mind in deep turmoil. For a few minutes, she stood there, she couldn’t believe what has happened. She despised the moment of the unknown and she couldn’t help but wonder how the werewolves survived with their bodies on fire every time they met their mates. Or during the full moon. Or just whatever…

The stories she once heard at the Pryden, House of Noirin, and Shutter Island swamped her mind, she rubbed her hand frustratedly. Not being able to think well with an uncontrolled heart didn’t sit well with her, she shook her head, got inside the car, and drove in.

The scent inside the car was much more than when she was standing closer to her, she never thought she would be a cinnamon lover but hell it was overwhelming, overwhelming sweetly. Parking the car, she jumped out of it. She caught herself before she tripped over. 

The boyish grin when he asked her if she could join him for a bath appeared in her head. She touched her face, remembering the way her face heated when he had his thumb on her lip. Oh, hell no. She cussed when she realized what she was doing. 

Looking around, she was surprised at how the pack was deserted. Groaning, she headed to the gate so she could close it. She made a mental note to talk to the wolf at the gate about it. Well, if she gets an answer on how she had a mate she didn't apply for if the wolves did apply.

For a fleeting moment, she stared at the road leading out of the pack and imagined running off to her pack and asking anyone if they had ever gotten their mates while on duty. She cursed herself for not asking the warriors who had returned to the pack if they had ever met their mate.

Well, it is not like she ever thought the moon goddess would go against something that has been there for centuries. 

Instantly, she knew even if she searched for a spade and scraped her head with it, she couldn’t get an answer, her pack was far away just like the fucking moon goddess was. Defeatedly, she closed the gate and turned on her heels towards the packhouse. She wasn’t going to back down just because of a raging heart and hot body, would she?

She headed into her office and locked herself in. Pacing, she couldn’t come up with a reasonable explanation, unable to think straight was never her forte and she knew if she continued pacing, she would go crazy.

After what seemed like an eternity, she stopped pacing. She lowered herself to the chair and closed her eyes. A knock on the door made her jump. Get your shit together, Ciandra. She thought as she walked to open the door to whoever was there.

Opening, she wished she hadn’t, Alpha Alphonso was standing with a sweet grin on his face, and he pushed her back into the office, “have you seen a ghost?” 

She raised her eyebrow as she pulled away from his touch. 

“It is me, you look like you have seen one.” He joked.  

Alpha Ciandra, “you are not. How may I help?” She firmly inquired. Even if her body was warming up to his presence, she wasn’t going to allow herself to lose her control over the man, to even allow him to touch her face as he had earlier.

“You know, I always wondered what it would feel like to have a warrior mate, I must say, it is going to be fun.” He closed the door with his foot.

“What do you think you are doing?” Alpha Ciandra asked while eyeing the door. You might think the alpha was the boss and she was the secretary in an office environment. 

“I am going to kiss you now.” Alpha Alphonso announced. 

“Don’t you dare,” She warned. 

His eyes again changed into deep gold, and as they roamed over her body, he swallowed in anticipation and reached for her hand. The man clearly didn’t know what don’t you dare meant.  He stared at her alluring heart-shaped lips and leaned in. 

Mastering all her energy, she pushed him away. “This is good.” He smirked. “I am not sure, but I will adapt to you, a woman who knows how to fight.” 

“Get out, Alpha Alphonso.” Alpha Ciandra pointed at the door.

“Not before you kiss me.” 

She opened her mouth to tell him he can keep on dreaming but before she did, a knock came, she answered, “come in.” And anyone could hear the thrill in her voice. 

Beta Pierre walked in, and when his eyes landed on Alpha Alphonso, he turned around to leave. Looked like he hadn’t expected to see him there. Alpha Alphonso grabbed his shirt, “come back here, where do you think you are going?” 

With his eyes on the floor, he whispered, “you two are busy, I will come…” 

Alpha Alphonso interjected, “what did you do, P?” 

Beta Pierre swallowed, “we have a problem.”