I'm The Alpha's Challenge

66

I woke in the middle of the night to a loud growl, and I nearly leapt out of my skin. I glanced around Josh's dark room for the source of the sound, but only found a lump on the floor. As it thrashed around, I realized it was my boyfriend, dreaming and growling in his sleep. I rolled my eyes as I grabbed the pillow and hurled it at him.

He sat up abruptly when it hit him smack in the head, growling deeply and blinking out the sleep in his eyes. He looked up at me confusedly, running a hand through his hair. "Uhhmmm…" he mumbled sleepily.

"What are you doin' on the floor, ya bozo?" I hissed at him.

"Wh-what?" he yawned. "Why'd ya wake me up, darlin'?"

"You woke me up, darlin'." I mocked, earning a dangerous glance from him. "You, like, growled in your sleep."

His expression darkened and he growled again. "A dream."

"Come up here, you idiot!" I told him, preparing to throw another pillow.

"Did you just—" he stood slowly, running another hand through his hair, and making a white hot ache flash through me. "Did you just call me an idiot?"

"Yes," I replied. "Yes I did."

"Oh…" he smiled devilishly. "That wasn't very nice, princess."

I raised an eyebrow and glared at him. "You just call me a princess?"

"Yes," he mocked me, snickering. "Yes I did."

I just scowled. "Don't call me that."

He came up to the edge of the bed, leaning forward so he hovered over me. In the dark, his eyes still shined greedily down at me as he smiled evilly. "What're ya gonna do about it?"

I mimicked his smile. "This," I replied, watching as confusion flashed across his flawless feature before I lashed out at his waist. He let out a cry of shock as my fingers danced over his skin. He twisted away from me with deep, echoing laughs emitting from his throat that made a shiver run down my back. I followed him, continuing to tickle him as he had once done to me. I was shocked when he collapsed to the floor, and I smiled to myself as I straddled his waist. Now who was the controlling one?

He made to grab my wrists, but I avoided him and continued to attack him. "Surrender, Joshua."

"Pr-princess!" he laughed softly, still trying to get away from me. I very well knew that he was way stronger than me and could push me off of him in moments, but he never did. He didn't want to hurt me.

He grabbed my wrists as I was lost in my thoughts and stopped to catch his breath. I froze at the look in his eyes. "Darlin'…" he breathed, and suddenly he was on top of me with strands of hair casting dark shadows across his face. "I like this position better."

"Josh…" I warned, my breath hitching in my throat, but no fear lingered in me. Josh wouldn't hurt me.

"Danny…" He leaned forward until his breath cascaded over my lips and I let out a shaky breath. I closed my eyes, awaiting his kiss. "Payback's a jerk."

My eyes shot open as he tickled my waist and I let out a shriek. He stopped suddenly, his eyes widening and he clamped a hand over my mouth. Only then did fear shot through me and I stared at him with wide eyes. That's when I heard it.

Angry footsteps sounded outside the room, getting louder and closer until they stopped. Josh rolled off of me in one, swift, faultless movement, and ended sitting next to me on the floor. The door was thrown open, revealing a very pissed off teenage girl in pajamas. Coffeeblue trained her eyes on Josh as she scowled. "Shut. Up." She growled lowly, menacingly. "Go ta sleep before I rip out yer throat, cut ya inta little pieces, grind ya inta little bloody oats and feed ya ta the horses."

Josh's mouth dropped open and he nodded quickly. Coffeeblue glanced at me and then disappeared.

"That was terrifyin'…" Josh whispered.

"I'll never be the same again," I agreed, still staring at the spot where she had been.

"I think we'd better go back ta sleep," he suggested slowly.

I jumped up into the bed and hide underneath the covers. "Good idea! I'll sleep up here, and you sleep by the door in case she ever comes back."

The bed shifted next to me and I reached out blindly to push him off. "So I'll be the first victim?"

"Of course," I said, still trying to find his muscular body. "She loves me. She'd be much happier killing you, anyways."

The covers were ripped off of me and I turned to find Josh smiling down at me again. Once again, my breath caught in my throat. "Ya want Coffeeblue ta kill me?" he breathed, leaning in closer. His eyes dipped down to my lips.

"No," I squeaked without thinking. "But you'd be protecting me."

He smiled wider. "True. But you'd be sad, wouldn't ya?"

I sucked in a deep breath and couldn't help myself to stare at his smirking lips. "Devastated."

"Good," he breathed. "Now let's get some sleep."

He flopped down next to me without even a peck. I breathed a sigh of disappointment, pouting to myself. I turned on my side to see him already grinning down at me. "You didn't kiss me." I frowned. I bit my lip, and sure enough, his eyes drifted downwards and his eyes darkened.

At least I had learned something from all those interrupted sentences.

"I thought ya were mad at me," he breathed, his eyes never leaving their subject.

"Maybe," I agreed, although I knew it was a complete lie. "But that doesn't mean I don't love—"

His lips folded over mine in less than a second and his fingers knotted in my hair aggressively. I gasped against him, still unused to his unusual way of shutting me up. I gripped his shirt in my fingers, surprising myself as I brought him closer. He pulled away before it could get anywhere and laid his head next to mine. "I love ya, darlin'."

I sighed, curling up to him. I pressed my face into his neck and took his shirt in my fists. "I love you too, Josh." He slid an arm around my waist and pulled me close to him, his breath weaving through my hair.