I'm The Alpha's Challenge

38

Cormac growled, his eyes blazing as he glared after his cousin. "He is such a confident, arrogant jerk." He snarled, his hands clenched by his side.

Coffeeblue put her hand on his shoulder gently. "It's alright, Cormac, you'll find her eventually. I promise."

His glare shifted to her. "Just like you'll find him?" He growled, his eyes darkening. Iya glanced worriedly at me as I watched Cormac's flare-up silently.

Coffeeblue stiffened. "Excuse me?" She said, her voice becoming hard. "What're you talkin' about? Of course I'll find him someday."

"You've never worried that you might be mateless; cursed to spend your life alone? Forever?" He snapped, hurt flashing through his eyes. Mate? What was he talking about?

She frowned, lowering her eyes. "Sometimes," she confessed. "But Mom says that's hardly ever the case. Everyone has a mate."

Cormac's eyes hardened. "Well, ya better hope he doesn't come until after I meet her."

"Excuse me?" She repeated, her voice angry again. "Just because you're older doesn't mean you get your mate first. And I can go out with anyone I please if I feel like he's the one."

Cormac's gaze looked up as he frowned. "Well, let's see."

Suddenly a boy appeared next to her that I hadn't noticed had approached sheepishly, shifting his weight from foot to foot awkwardly. "Uh, Coffeeblue?" He asked in the scratchy voice of a young boy.

She whipped around, raising her eyebrow as she plastered a fake smile on her lips. "Oh, hi, Owen!" She said enthusiastically.

He was an odd boy. His stringy brown hair curled in his small, dark green eyes as he looked over her shoulder towards her twin brother. His figure was small with tiny feet and hands and a triangular face. "Uhh," he stammered, "Would you go out with me...? On a, um, date?" He blushed, glancing down at his feet while he awaited her answer.

She blinked, biting her lip. "Sure," she said eventually, surprising everyone, especially Owen. "When?"

"Uh... Is tomorrow night, uh, alright?" He asked nervously. He didn't actually expect her to really say yes.

"Of course! I'll see ya then!" She waved as he turned and strolled back to his pathetic excuse for a car. We all watched him go.

"What the crap was that?" Cormac all but growled as she turned back towards him.

She shrugged. "What? He could be the one." She rolled her eyes. "Let's go before steam starts comin' from your ears." She yanked open the driver's door, getting in and expecting us to follow. I did, planting myself in the back immediately. Iya slid in next to me soon after, rolling her eyes at her older brother. Cormac slammed the door closed as he got into the front seat, huffing.

I buckled myself in, biting my lips at the awkward silence. A slow country song began playing as Coffeeblue put the car in drive, speeding out of the parking lot. "So you're really goin' ta go on a date with this guy?" Cormac asked, turning towards Coffeeblue with an eyebrow raised.

She shot him a furious look. "Maybe," she said, "if you keep actin' like this."

"Like what?" he growled.

She growled back, startling me. "Like a jerk."

Cormac scoffed, shaking his head as he returned his gaze out the window. I glanced over to see Iya biting her lip, playing with a thread on her jeans. "So..." she began, "Someoneaskedmetothedance," she mumbled quickly.