I'm The Alpha's Challenge

2

Destiny had been right for once. The first thing Father did when I got home was grab my throat, and throw me against the wall. I had whimpered, dropped my bag, and clutched at the wall. Now I was soaking in my bathtub with bruises around my throat, arms, chest, and basically anywhere and everywhere. My iPod was playing 'Someone Like You' by Adele on the counter, and I had my eyes closed and was mouthing along to it. It was only around four o'clock, and I was planning on going out to the park and writing. The park right behind our house was nestled into the ring of woods behind our house. With that in mind, I climbed out, put on thick sweatpants, a tee shirt, a warm jacket, and slipped on my tennis shoes.

I grabbed my notebook and snuck out the back door with my iPod in my ears. I ran until I was safely hidden in the woods. It was then that I slowed down and walked, listening to my music and thinking ahead to what I was going to write. Suddenly, I tripped over something, hearing a yelp. I gasped as I fell to the ground, throwing my hands out in front of me. There was rustling in the leaves and a couple deep barks. A tinier, shriller voice answered with a whimper. I glanced around for the thing that whimpered and my eyes met with a little gray wolf pup. I gasped and backed away on my hands. His coat was a dark gray, lighter on his belly and muzzle and his eyes were a hazel. He was what I must have tripped over. He bared his small, white canines at me and let out a tiny growl. It wasn't intimidating at all, but I knew when there was a pup, the mother or nanny was never far away. A howl sounded through the air, others soon joining in, and the little pup howled in reply. I couldn't move. The whole pack. The whole pack was coming for this little guy to make sure he was safe. And both my feet and hands were frozen to the ground. My pencil, the only sort of weapon I had, was hooked to the spirals in my notebook, which was ten feet away. I glanced at it, but I couldn't reach it in time.

A louder, more intimidating growl made me whip my head around. My brown hair slapped me, the wind blowing it across my face. My eyes met a huge, muscular pitch black wolf with startling bright blue eyes that no one could help but notice. They were the kind of eyes that stood out against anything, the most brilliant blue I had ever seen. The growl died as I stared at the huge wolf that had to be a male. I hardly noticed that my hands weren't shaking, like they normally would be. It would be later when I realized I wasn't scared, but captivated. His lips covered the huge white fangs again and he just stared back, his ears flicking every once in a while. The pup crawled under him for protection.

I started when something growled to my left, whipping around to find a bluish gray female baring her teeth at me. Her muscles twitched in anticipation as she crouched in order to attack me. The black wolf barked and growled again, and my heart jumped in fear this time. But the bark was directed at the smaller, grayer female. She stood up straight and tilted her head slightly, her ears flicking in confusion. When I returned my gaze to the black wolf, I realized he was closer to me, only a foot away. I swallowed and my heart began beating faster and faster as he glanced at me. His eyes glanced all over the forest, showing his teeth. I glanced around with him, seeing the bright eyes of a whole wolf pack. My breathing spiked as my wolf—which is what I had decided to call him—growled at his pack and circled me. The fur of his tail brushed my arm, sending shivers up my spine. Slowly, the other wolves left, leaving me alone with just the black wolf, sitting and staring at me with his tongue lolled out in a grin. Suddenly, he closed his mouth and sniffed the air. Carefully and slowly, he stepped up to me and touched his cool, wet nose to my knee, moving my sweatpants. Cautiously, I leaned over and rolled up both my pants legs, revealing tiny, bleeding cuts on my knees. I inhaled sharply as he began to lick the wounds, making them sting. I wiped my hands on my shirt and held them up to my face to see the same kind of cuts. A pink tongue interrupted my vision, cleaning the wounds on my hands also. I couldn't help but laugh, which made him stop and glance up at me curiously before continuing. I forgot about the inch long fangs in the wolf's muzzle and used my free hand to run my fingers through his fur.

He shivered underneath my touch, leaning into my hand. The top cot was long and ruff for the upcoming winter, but the bottom coat was soft for insulation. I know I should've been scared, but I wasn't. I just kept petting him like a long lost dog. This is definitely going in a story. I told myself, breathing in his musky wolf scent of the forest. I heard him sigh and sit down next to me. With both of us sitting down, we were just the same height. I flinched when he touched a fresh bruise on my arm, and he stepped back, eyeing me.

"Danny! Where the hell are you?!" My father roared from my house.

There's one thing I forgot to mention about myself. I do talk, just not to people. I talk to myself sometimes, or an animal that can't talk back. "Oh no," I whispered. I wrapped my hands around my knees and placed my chin on them, deciding whether or not to go back.

My wolf flicked his ears and glanced back at my father's voice. Who is that? I really gotta learn these woods quick. Where did she come from? I wonder what her name is…The wolf's eyes were back on mine and I was staring wide-eyed at him.

Automatically, I couldn't speak from the shock that a wolf was talking to me, which meant he could make a conversation just like a human. I couldn't talk to him now. It was the only time I was scared. But, like always, I replied with my thoughts instead of my words. Danny. My name is Danny. I don't want to go home. I want to stay out here. I don't want to go back. I repeated. I didn't think he would actually hear me too.

He whined, stood up and stepped back. You can hear me?

I nodded shakily, my hands trembling now.

He backed up, shaking his head low. No. You have to forget. You have to forget this night ever happened, Danny. You can't tell anyone, do you understand? It would be best for you just to forget this night. He kept backing up deeper into the forest where I could hardly see him, except for those luminescent blue eyes still staring at me.

Wait! I don't want to forget. I won't tell anyone, I swear.

That's what everyone says. He growled.

Really, I swear. I can't. I don't speak—I can't. I'm too scared. It was the first time I had ever admitted it to anyone.

He stopped and he blinked. What? A teenage girl who doesn't speak? Are you serious, or just joking me?

I'm serious. I have no friends, hardly a family if you can even call them that. I won't tell anyone. And trust me, no matter how hard I try, I can't forget this.

But you're talking to me. Right now.

You're a wolf! And somehow we're talking in our thoughts, not speaking.

Whatever. I have to go. Please, just try to forget this!

Wait! I screamed in my head so loud he had to stop. Do you have a name?

If I told you, you would just have to forget it. It's best if I don't tell you right now.

Wait! Wait, no please tell me! But he didn't respond. "Didn't even say goodbye…" I sighed.

"DANNY! I know you're out there! Get your fucking ass back here NOW!" Oh no… As I stood, I found myself wishing I had my wolf back to save me again. I stood up and ran back, seeing my father red-faced standing in the doorway. My fear pumping heart caught in my throat as his eyes caught mine. Still, I buckled my shoulders and kept walking. He stomped down the stairs with his fists clenched. I stopped and he walked the rest of the way to me. He grabbed my shirt and pulled me close to his face. "Where the hell have you been, Danny?!"

My whole body was shaking. After I didn't answer, his fist connected with my eye, sending me to the ground. I yelped and instinctively covered my eye. A burning pain erupted in my stomach and I screamed. I pulled my knees up to my chest to protect my stomach, but it didn't stop him. He pushed me with his heel onto my back and began kicking my side. I whimpered and my mind flashed to my wolf. Save me. Please. Save me. But he never came, and I began wondering if it was just a dream…