I'm The Alpha's Challenge

71

The next time my eyes shot open, I thought I was dead. I remembered dying. I remembered that feeling of the life being pulled from me, my last breath being harshly torn from my lungs. Josh's voice... his voice fading into the wind as I fell down into darkness. But when I woke, I immediately noticed the familiar scent engulfing me in warmth and comfort. I glanced around and sat up, the blood rushing down and blurring my vision. I closed my eyes briefly and let my vision swim back to normal. When I opened my eyes again, I found I was back in Josh's room, underneath his comforter. The door was closed, and everything was silent.

Everything came rushing back to me and I pulled up my shirt to find... nothing. There was no scar. Nothing. My hip and side looked unharmed, perfect almost. I frowned at it and let my shirt fall back into place. Only it wasn't my shirt. It wasn't the shirt I had been shot in. Fear and an ache flashed through my stomach. He had changed me? I... I didn't have anything underneath... My pants had been changed as well, but that didn't faze me as much. I was in Josh's clothes, in Josh's bed, but with no Josh. Frowning, I slowly slide out from under the covers and made my way to the door.

Slowly, I opened it an inch. Lazy sound drifted up, and I recognized voices, but couldn't pick out words. Figuring the family and pack was downstairs, I opened the door and stepped out into the hallway, making my way towards them. I stopped short as I spotted them gathered in the living room. The first thing that clicked was pink. Pink was everywhere. Banners, plates, napkins, glitter, streamers, everything. It was then I noticed that the family all wore pink hats shaped in a cone and were singing.

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Hanna! Happy birthday to you!"

Hanna clapped and smiled in the middle of the circle they formed, but her smile wasn't... right. Something bothered her, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Gail's smile faltered and she knelt next to her. "Is everythin' okay, Hanna? Do you like yer cake?"

"Yes," Hanna answered calmly.

"Then what's wrong, darlin'?" Gail asked, glancing up at Peter.

"I miss my fwiend," she replied, placing her head in her small hands. "Should be here."

Gail rubbed her back, but her eyebrows furrowed. "I'm sorry, sweetie. Where did yer friend go?"

Hanna scowled and pointed at Peter. "Daddy made him go bye-bye."

Peter's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "Honey, what're ya..."

"The rogue," Cormac realized.

"He had a boy around her age," Adam agreed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Cake," Hanna sighed, pointing her finger at the pink birthday cake on the coffee table. She sat down next to it and stared down with her head in her hands, frowning at the space before her. My eyes drifted as they cut the cake, and I had no trouble finding Josh. He stood off away from the circle surrounding his sister with his arms crossed over his chest. He watched them silently, a pain expression flashing across his face. His eyes seemed dark, distant, like he wasn't really seeing what was before him.

"Psst..." I hissed at him, but he hardly moved. I rolled my eyes and looked around my feet. Luckily, a pencil along with other childish toys and trash lay on the stairs, and I bent to pick it up. I took it by the pointed end and threw it.

Yes! I thought, throwing my hands up in victory as the eraser hit his temper and bounced to the floor. "Ouch!" he hissed, turning my way as he brought his hand up. His mouth dropped open and his hand fell. He glanced at his family before scurrying over to me.

"Danny!" he whispered in relief, pulling me into a tight hug. He released me and brushed my hair away from my face. "Hey."

"Hey," I replied, smiling sheepishly.