I'm The Alpha's Challenge

21

When I stopped at the stable, my eyes were filled to the rim with tears. I slid off the horse and grabbed his reins, leading him in. Luckily, Josh's father wasn't there, but I didn't know what to do with Beany Baby. I kept his reins in my hands and walked over to Anthem.

What are you doing? Who says you're not good enough? I hadn't heard that voice for a long time, but I knew exactly who it was.

I jumped, clenching my jaw. Who says you're allowed to listen in to my conversations? I snapped, rubbing my hand across Anthem's ears.

I do. Especially when you have absolutely no self-esteem. You're better than that. You're so—he began, but I cut him off.

Shut up. I don't want to hear it, alright? I know I don't, and there's nothing you can do to change that. I said as Anthem sniffed my hand for any sign of food.

He was speechless for a second. Fine. Alright. I get that. But I want you to know that you are good enough for him; you're good enough for anyone you choose. You are beautiful.

Whatever. I thought bitterly as Josh walked in with America behind him.

"Danny, are you okay?" he said, the noise of America's hooves clonking behind him was loud.

I didn't answer, tilting my head so my hair slipped from my shoulder to shield my face. He sighed, beginning to take off the horse's saddles. I went to the corner as I watched him lead America to the stall with her baby and take off her reins, shutting her in there. He did the same with BB in the stall right next to the mother and son. After he hung the bridles up on the wall, he turned to me with a frown. "Stay for dinner. Please." He begged.

I really shouldn't have, and if I had answered differently, things might have gone different. But his eyes were melting me, and I couldn't say no. I nodded slightly, sliding past him and out the stable doors with him close behind me. "I'm sorry if I did anything wrong," he said as he caught up with me.

"Please don't tell anyone about me talking; it wouldn't be good." I asked, turning to him and looking up at him through my lashes. If word got out that I had started talking again, and if it reached my father…I knew he would be mad, and he being mad was never good for me.

He furrowed his eyebrows and shut his mouth. "Well, alright, but that doesn't mean you won't talk to me again, right?"

I averted my eyes to the ground again. "I don't know," I whispered, my throat closing.

"Alright," he said, gently grabbing my chin and making me look up, "but you should really stop looking down all the time. You have the prettiest eyes, and they shouldn't be looking at the ground all the time."

A blush crept up my cheeks and I bit my lip. He pushed my hair behind my ear and his lips picked up in a slight smile. "I'd tell you not to do that, but—" he began, but a yell cut him off.

"DINNER!" his mother called, cutting him off. He smiled, shaking his head.

"C'mon, let's go." He said reluctantly, opening the back door. I went in just as Levi rushed past.

"Have you seen my DS?" he asked, out of breath.

I shook my head and he dashed off again. "DINNER!" his mother called again. I glanced over to the dining room table to see Hanna peek up and glance around, settling herself into a chair and playing on something.

"Hanna," I heard behind me, and Josh slid past me, walking up to Hanna. I followed him hesitantly, not wanting to go to dinner by myself. "Does Levi know you have his DS?"

The game counsel thing was a dark blue, and rectangular. I had never seen anything like it. "Yes," Hanna answered in her little girl voice, her eyes widening in innocence.

"Are you sure?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest and raising an eyebrow at her.

"Yes," she answered again.

"Alright, so if I called Levi in here—" Josh began before Hanna cut the DS off and handed it to him, leaping off the chair and dashing out of the room. "I thought so," he finished, flinging it on the table.

"JOSHUA! Dinner! C'mon!" His mom called.

"Yes ma'am, we're coming!" he called after her, flashing a grin at me and shrugging. He started off towards the kitchen, faster than normal and I scurried after him.

"Alright, serve yourselves, and we'll have prayer in the living room." His mom ordered, gesturing to two pots on the stove. So, everyone grabbed a plate and moved, following the line, scooping some yellow stuff out of the pot and onto their plates, and then kept going for a drink. I had no idea what I was doing; I had always made dinner and hardly served myself, but I hadn't done this at all. It was a strange feeling, being waited on for the first time in a long time.

"Levi! No eating before prayer; you know better." His mother scolded, catching him in the act of lifting a spoonful of mac and cheese to his mouth.

"But Hanna's eating!" he said, putting his spoon down and pointing to his little sister.

Hanna said, "No I not!" but it sounded more like, "Nominot!" coming from a mouth stuffed with food.

Mrs. Miller tried keeping a serious face, but when everyone began chuckling, she couldn't help it. Josh pulled out his phone and snapped a quick picture of the tattle-tale in progress. "Levi she's one, she doesn't know any better. Otherwise, you do. Hanna, don't eat before prayer."

She blabbered out something and brought the dish up to her mouth. "Don't spit it out!" Her mother screamed, making me jump. Hanna's eyes widened, but she swallowed what she had with difficulty.

When we all had our food, the whole family scrambled into the living room. Josh sat at the corner of the couch, and I sat beside him, leaving about an inch of space between us. Iya sat next to me, curling up beside me. I didn't like the fact that she was touching, so I slid over closer to Josh. "Danny," Mrs. Miller called, making me gaze up at her, "We always say prayer before dinner. I hope that's alright by you?"

What? Why did she care what I thought? Who was I to say they couldn't do something? I stared at her for a while before shrugging slightly; hating the fact that everyone's eyes were focused on me. She smiled brightly. "Alright, Elder Miller, can you please say the prayer?" she said, averting her gaze to Cormac.

He raised an eyebrow, but crossed his arms over his chest. "Technically, I'm not a missionary yet, but, yes, I will say the prayer." He smiled, bowing his head and closing his eyes. Very much to my surprise, everyone did the same, and the house was completely silent for a second; even Hanna had folded her arms. Cormac began speaking, talking to someone called 'Heavenly Father' and thanking him for most of the things we take for granted, and asking him to 'bless' people I didn't know. Honestly, I had no idea what was going on, but something strange settled in me and I calmed down as I heard a voice in my head.

He is good.

At first I thought it was J, but instinctively, I knew it wasn't. This was different. I closed my eyes, feeling as if the weight of the world had been lifted off my shoulders. But it all broke after they had all said, "Amen," and began talking. It just disappeared. Simple as that. I didn't know what it was, but I liked it.

Shaking my head and clearing the weird feeling from my thoughts, I poked around my plate. I couldn't eat this. It was so nice of her to cook it, but I had never eaten something that I didn't cook—oh crap.

I wasn't home to make dinner.