I'm The Alpha's Challenge

11

I sighed, closed my eyes, and spun back around to finish. I pushed my bangs behind my ear and tried to hold in the tears. When I couldn't, I set the pan down and fled back up the stairs into my room. I withdrew under my covers and squeezed my eyes shut.

Why me? What did I ever do to them? Why didn't they just put me up for adoption if they didn't want me? There was no reason for this, to treat me this way. I curled up as tight as I could with a stuffed animal I'd gotten for a birthday present by another family. With the cover over my head, my arm suffocating a worn stuffed beagle, and the soft, comforting rhythm of the rain, and faint tears rolling down my face, I fell asleep.

The house was deadly quiet when I woke up freezing cold. I pulled the covers tighter around me and tried falling back asleep, but my mind wouldn't permit. My empty stomach rumbled at me, so I slowly crawled out of bed and slipped on a sweatshirt. As it roared at me again, I came down the stairs, hugging myself even with the sweatshirt over me. I searched in the closet for a packet of oatmeal and hurriedly made it. I gasped as I caught a glance outside; it was snowing. Holding the steaming bowl of oats to my chest, I approached the screen door and warily opened it. I was greeted with a blast of icy air. I shivered, but I stepped out, making sure that the door was unlocked after I retrieved a spare notebook and a pencil. J… I thought, shaking my head, wishing I had my other notebook. I continued farther into the woods. I couldn't help but scan the restrictions of the woods for those startling blue eyes. I shook my head; it didn't matter if he was here or not. I didn't even know who he was. I collapsed on a random spot on the ground and contently ate my oatmeal in peace.

I've lived this way every day of my life. I don't understand why now has to be so different. Was it because of Josh? That I was finally—maybe—falling for a guy? And just maybe he likes me back? Was that too much for Destiny to handle? That I could get a guy too, no matter how much she put me down. Was it because I was getting older? I've never really stood up to him, told him to stop or I'd call the police—he is the police. I was almost eighteen. Maybe this was how he said he was going to miss me when I finally get out of this rat hole.

Ha, yea right. I crack myself up sometimes.

As soon as I turn eighteen, I'm out. And I'm never coming back.

I didn't know what I was going to do for the dance. Mid-Winter's Formal. Ouch. No doubt Josh would want me to go with him. There was no way Destiny was going to let me go with him, but I didn't have a dress to go in. That wouldn't stop Iya anyways. She was determined for me to go. I don't know why, and honestly, I don't care, but she was so stubborn and sweet at the same time. She was probably trying to hook me and Josh together. With the way Destiny was acting, that would never happen. I wish she would just leave me alone, let me live my life without any disturbances from my so called family. I didn't even know why she was doing this to me. Yea, I guess the whole new kid thing would be the first guess, but no guy's ever turned her down—especially for me.

It was weird, having a guy like me. Well, maybe. He might just be playing with me. Sadly, guys have done this to me, but not two at the same time. Jake was definitely toying with me. All he wants is a girl to get into bed with him—willingly, at least. He wouldn't really care if it was me or Destiny, as long as he got what he wanted, and I'm guessing he'd get it no matter what.

I shivered and pulled the sweatshirt tighter around my body. I glanced up at the sun, seeing that it was late in the day—around eleven or so; had I really slept that long? I sighed. I guess I deserved it, considering what happened last night. I shivered again, swallowed a sob, and pulled out my notebook again.

I didn't realize the sun moving slowly across the sky, but I did notice as my stomach emptied again and my skin chilled. "Danny! Are you out there?" I heard from behind. I whipped around to find my mom standing in the doorway, beckoning to me. "C'mon, baby, it's cold out here." I stared at her for a second before standing and following her inside. What the heck? Baby? Since when did she act like I was actually her daughter? She held the door for me; again, weird.