I'm The Alpha's Challenge

63 Josh POV

"Anythin', darlin'." I stepped forward, my hands hanging limp, useless at my sides.

"K-Kiss me," she stuttered, and then added as afterthought, "P-please."

I was taken aback by the request, but definitely not disappointed. I hadn't let myself dwell on the thought of kissing her again. I thought she needed time. To once again regain her trust in not only me, but herself as well. Did she say please? She used please when asking me to kiss her? Like I needed any more encouragement. I was only worried for her, if she was truly ready after what she had… been through.

Her eyes snapped open as I took her lovely face in my hands. Red painted her cheeks. "Are you sure?" I whispered, searching her eyes for any doubt. I didn't want to rush her.

"I love you," she replied. "I trust you."

I smiled, leaning down, but stopping just before our mouths touched. "And on the contrary, you don't have to say please."

That brought a smile to her lips and a quiet laugh.

It was a soft kiss, gentle. I somehow knew that was all she could handle. I knew we had back tracked many, many steps, but I would retrace those back to where we had been, and more. I wouldn't let this break her. I would be there for her. She would have a shoulder to cry on, a hand to hold, or lips to kiss.

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There were so many tests. So many tests I wasn't allowed in for. Still, everyone sat patiently in the waiting room for a chance to see her. Even Hanna kneeled on the floor, coloring on the chair in front of her. Levi played numbly on his handheld game and Kyler watched, fascinated. Every once in a while, they would switch. No one complained. Not once.

I stood, the nerves rolling in my stomach forcing me to move, and paced around.

"Josh, calm down. She's fine. Ya just saw her." Mom sighed, glancing up from her novel borrowed from Aunt Julie.

"I know," I growled irritably, raking a hand through my hair. "But I can't stand to be away from her."

Cormac finally looked away from his phone. "Just chill, Josh. She ain't gonna get hurt in here."

"Chill?" I hissed, my fists clenching. "Cormac, you have no idea what this feels like. You don't have a mate."

He visibly stiffened, his lips twisting into a scowl. I had poked a sore spot, but at the moment, I didn't care. Mom interrupted him before he could speak back. "Josh…" she said, glancing from me to my cousin. "Do ya think the reason yer so worried about her is because… well, because she's human?"

"What are you suggesting?" I snarled. "That I Turn her?"

Her eyes widened. "No—no. Not yet, no. Have ya ever thought, though, that because she's human… she can't protect herself?"

My hands and shoulders shook. "Of course she can! She's survived, hasn't she?"

Mom's eyebrows furrowed, and I felt multiple pairs of eyes on me. With a sigh, I realized I had yet to tell them of her home life. "Maybe she'd be stronger if she was… one of us… but she ain't ready yet. And I'll protect her fer as long as she allows. But until that day when she sends me away, I ain't leavin' her."

Something tugged on the fabric of my pants. I glanced down to see Hanna gazing up at me with a huge smile on her face. "Joshywa," she said, holding up a piece of paper. "I dwaw piktur."

"Did you?" I crouched down to her level, taking the picture in my hands. Thirteen stick figures were crammed onto the paper, each holding hands. Two figures stood in the middle of the family with two names written above them, obviously written by someone much older; Mommy and Daddy. Each name was written above the stick figure, and included every member of the family. Hanna, which said 'me' above it, held the hand of a girl stick figure with long, colored on brown hair. She held the hand of a boy with black swirls for hair. Above her was written Danny.

"Like?" Hanna asked, her eyes gleaming.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and coaxed a smile. "It's beautiful, Picnic. I love it."

I tried to hand it back to her, but she shook her head, saying, "You."

"It's fer me?" I asked.

"Yea!" she nodded.

"Thank ya, Picnic." I said, engulfing her in a hug.

Footsteps approached and I picked my little sister up so I could stand and face the doctor. He glanced down at his clipbook, his eyes squinting behind his glasses. "Joshua Miller?" He asked without glancing up at me.

Hope swelled, and then fear. "Yes?"

"Miss Kimble is ready for visitors, but only—" he began, but was cut off as the pack scrambled to their feet, rushing past him. He raised his voice: "Only family!"

"We are family!" Mom, along with others, replied loudly as we all rushed to her room.

The room was hardly big enough for all of us, but somehow we fit. I squeezed through everyone to get to the edge of her bed. She looked up, wide-eyed at me in surprise. Everyone came? She breathed.

I smiled, winking. "Yer family, darlin'. I wasn't the only one worryin' 'bout ya."

Her mouth slowly slid into a smile as she glanced around. Mom gripped the bed railing, leaning in slightly. "How are ya feelin', honey?"

"I'm okay," Danny replied softly. "Thanks."

Hanna snatched the drawing from my hand and wrapped her legs around my waist, bending towards Danny. She clutched the drawing in her hands and held it out for her. "I dwaw piktur!"she repeated, waving it around.

Danny mirrored my smile and slowly took the picture from the toddler. She studied the drawing for a second before tears formed in her eyes. She handed the picture back to Hanna, who took it and slapped it on my chest for me to take, earning a small laugh from Danny. "Thank you, Hanna. That's very sweet."

"Bettwer soon?" Hanna asked hopefully, her eyes wide.

Danny gave a small nod. "Hopefully."

"Okay!" The doctor caught up to us, pushing through the crowd. "Everyone out! Only two visitors at a time!"

I handed Hanna to my dad, and she wrapped her arms around his neck and lay her head on his shoulder as everyone was herded out. Before long, only Mom and I were left, and the room looked a whole lot bigger than before. I placed the paper on the bedside table and took Danny's hand in mine. "Ya need anythin', darlin'?"

"I need to get out of here," she frowned. "I hate hospitals."

"I know, baby," I chuckled. "Destiny's been worried about ya."

Her eyes flickered up, wide with surprise. "Destiny? She's… what?"

"She called me—which I still have no idea how she got my number—right after she found out I had found you." I replied.

"Really?" she breathed. "Then why isn't she here?"

I shrugged. "Don't know."

"When can I go home?" she sighed, closing her eyes.

I brushed the hair away from her face. "As soon as they release you, darlin'."

"Better be soon," she mumbled.

"I hope so, darlin'," I said, squeezing her hand. "I hope so."