The Challenge Two Alphas, One Girl

Chapter 53: Running into Raelynn

Thaddeus’ POV

Maze managed to pull himself together after he drank my father’s famous hangover elixir. He was hell- bent on still going to this day club or lounge. I had heard of it. It was in my territory, right on the outskirts of Berryndale that were furthest from Marigold but I had never been there. It was appropriately called Howl and you could day and night drink there. The dance floor was always open but it was a more chill environment.

“Mazey-Wazey!” I boomed when I found he was taking long to get ready. Friday slapped me playfully. Maze came downstairs. We were both in black shirts and trousers coincidentally. “You sure you want me to come?” I asked “Of course I want my Baby bear there!” Snickered Maze.

I tried to grab him but he dodged me and ran out the pack house. I chased after him and Friday chased after both of us, laughing. Fang was on the porch giving us weird looks.

“Bye Fang!” Said Friday sweetly, waving. The wind was tossing her wavy hair back. She looked so beautiful!

Fang was not so deeply moved. He nodded curtly. Timothy, Titus, Fallon and Fargo cornered us before we got to my car in the driveway. Ugh twins! I had asked my parents very politely as a little boy to have those twins but they had insisted. I loved them though in all seriousness and still managed to whoop both of them though I was outnumbered.

“Thaddeus, we’re going too,” said Titus brazenly, attempting to open the car door. The car remained locked. I folded my arms. “Today is Maze’s day,” I said to them.

“Maze! My man! My Marigold Man!” Said Titus attempting to bounce knuckles with a slyly smiling Maze. He folded his arms too.

“Friday,” whined Titus, “We all want to go.” “Please Friday,” pouted Timothy. “Come on, Sis, please!” Said Fallon. “Don’t you love us?” Asked Fargo. Friday needed to be strong. “Let’s all go!” Friday suggested. The four mutants danced for joy.

“No!” Maze and I said in unison. “Oh,” said the four. “We want to day drink,” said Titus. “There is a cabinet inside, fully stocked!” I said. “We don’t have the key!” Said Titus as though that were obvious.

I chucked the key at them. They dove for it and scrambled away.

“Aww, I thought they wanted to spend quality time,” said my little Luna, sounding truly

“You have much to learn, little Luna,” I cooed, enveloping her in a bear hug and kissing her pouty face.

“Thank God, I don’t want them coming. I need to relax. No offence,” Maze said to Friday and me. “I’m an only child!” Said Maze defensively. “I need my space.”

“Should we stay home as well Maze?” I suggested. “Get your ass in the car!” He demanded.

I shoved him playfully and he shoved me back. We drove to the place. Friday was in the backseat leaning forwards to talk animatedly to us a lot. She was more and more talkative as she became more comfortable with her vastly different life and I for one loved it, her voice, her growing confidence, everything. I wondered what Maze thought.

“Remember how awkward our conversations used to be?” Maze said as we parked.

“Well not everyone can be as prim as Mazey-Wazey?” I teased. “Not everyone is as chill as Baby Bear!” Retorted Maze. “Friday has no nice name!” Said Maze suddenly. “Did your family ever give you a nick name growing up?

Ugh, Maze. Her family sucked remember? I pinched his elbow.

“Ow!” He protested like he was a five-year-old misbehaving in church and not a huge alpha walking towards a day club named Howl.

“Thaddeus pinched me!” He tattled on me to Friday but I was glad because it wiped the sad look on her face brought on by the talk of families.

“No pinching, Thaddeus!” Said Friday, smiling. 1 pinched her behind to make a point. Maze’s POV

We got a private booth. The club was dark with flashing lights everywhere. The music was loud without being deafening. It was pretty chilly in there. It was surprisingly packed. They immediately seated us though. They probably recognised their own Alpha, Thaddeus, and the neighbouring Alpha, me. There were a lot of stares of interest and whispers from the other club-goers as we walked past. Our booth was a bit secluded as it was the last one on the end. I was glad. It meant that if someone wanted to stare they had to crane their necks.

I sat in the corner of one side, Friday sat next to me and Thaddeus sat on the end. She seemed contented, between us. She had her hand on my thigh and Thaddeus’.

She kissed my neck and I groaned. I was about to kiss her when a waitress came over. She glared daggers at Friday. I narrowed my eyes at her. She was jealous it seemed as she regarded me and Thaddeus with awe.

“Alpha Maze, thank you for coming to Berryndale, we hope you enjoy your stay! I know you will because you have our own Alpha Thaddeus to show you around,” she purred. All of the waitresses wore mini low- cut black velvet dresses here. She shimmied as she talked. Friday did not seem as keen on this place anymore. I gave her a quick kiss to soothe her which the waitress saw and she immediately frowned but quickly recovered.

“Thank you,” I told her. Thaddeus nodded, grinning. We ordered a few bottles which was overkill but whatever. Thaddeus claimed ordering bottles of things is “cheaper” as if his family wanted for money.

Some of the doorknobs in the pack house were jewel-encrusted. I liked how not snooty his family was

Friday was quiet. “What is it, Baby?” I breathed in her ear. She smiled. “I don’t know. I feel like I’m waiting for something to happen. My wolf is agitated,” she said.

“Her wolf!” Repeated Thaddeus. He slammed a hand on the table. He was getting a little tipsy. Better him than me. I was being really cautious this time with the Berryndale alcohol. Friday was focused on her quesadillas.

“Hmm,” I said, playing with her hair. “What does your wolf want you to do?” “To stay right here,” she said.

I chuckled. “Done,” I told her. She grinned and I kissed her slowly, cupping her face. As I broke away from her, I smelled a very familiar smell. I stood up still in my booth.

“What’s wrong, Maze?” Asked Friday, alarmed.

“Mazey-Wazey! Sitty-Witty!” Boomed Thaddeus, slurring a little. He was going to be hard to carry even for me. I almost wished we had let the two sets of identical twins come.

My mother was walking along the rows of booths dressed not how my mother usually dressed. True was with her! Also dressed like a young single party girl! What were they doing? They danced to their table in their glitzy minis and sat. They were waiting for someone. I marched over there.

“What are you doing here, Mom?” I asked. She jumped, startled. “Mazey, honey, I thought you were sick!” She cooed, hugging me. “Timbre gave me his hangover cure,” I mumbled.

True laughed. I heard a booming laugh that could be Thaddeus’ but was even deeper. Timbre? He came over with shots, four of them. He put two in front of Elizabeth, one for his wife, True, and one for him. Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Maze!” He boomed, clapping me on the back. Thaddeus walked very slowly over to his parents. “My cure always works always,” insisted Timbre. True nodded proudly and they kissed. Thaddeus made a

face. “Stop that,” he mumbled.

“Baby bear, come sit with us, all of you, you’ve left poor Friday by herself,” True said.

Iglanced over at our table to where Friday was staring at someone but not us. I followed her gaze, kinda jealous but could not pinpoint the person.

“Two shots, Mom,” I said as I looked for who Friday was looking at. “One’s for her fella,” said Timbre taking a swig of a beer. “Her fella?” I said. Mom blushed. “Mom! You have someone!” I said.

“Maybe,” she said sheepishly. I sat next to her and said in her ear, “But Mom you refused to sign the papers,” I whispered.

She frowned. “I know.” She knew I meant the divorce papers so Felicity and Malachi could marry. “I’ll sign them,” she said and smiled. I hugged her, not thrilled that she already had some boyfriend I was probably gonna hate but happy she was out with friends and not crying in a hotel.

Drunk Thaddeus was sitting next to his Mom too and she was making him drink water and eat something to sober up.

Friday!

“Friday!” I exclaimed. “Friday!” Boomed Thaddeus. “Where is Theo?”

“Aww, he should come, I’ll get us a round. Friday?” Thaddeus said. “Drink your water,” True insisted, bringing the cup to him and helping him drink some.

There were so many people here but Friday’s scent was unmistakable. I trailed it to the dance floor. People parted for me, not wanting to upset an Alpha even in party mode. I found her. She stood out too. A pink outfit in a sea of black velvet and gold sequins.

I snaked my arms around her waist from behind and whispered, “Trying to make me jealous?” She looked at me, wide-eyed, and furiously shook her head. “Who are you staring…”

My question was cut short. I spotted the person. She was about the same height as my little Friday with brown doe eyes, golden skin and long dark wavy hair. It sounded like I was describing Friday because the resemblance was uncanny. Did Friday have a sister? Both of her parents had behaved pretty questionably in the past in all fairness. A somewhat sobered-up Thaddeus, hydrated and ready to go, approached us also grasping Friday by the waist and complaining about her running off.

“You’ll never escape this lion my little gazelle!” He said, chuckling. He wasn’t that sobered up actually.

“I’m seeing double,” said Thaddeus, spotting the girl. We walked up to her.

“You’re cuter,” he whispered to Friday who giggled and playfully pinched his arm. The girl spotted us too and smiled knowingly, coming forwards. “Hello,” she said.

I recoiled. She reeked of…vampire but she wasn’t a vampire. Why did she smell like that? Her own scent was nice, floral like my Friday but not as intense. She definitely smelled like a Fenestra. They all smelled pretty good honestly except Farris but he probably wrecked his body with alcohol (hypocritical know but this was my one two day hoorah for a while.

Avampire came up behind her. I almost said “Look out” before I remembered I was in Berryndale where a few vampires lived. The werwolves in the club didn’t seem perturbed by his presence or that of his

comrades at the booth behind him. There were a few more booths on this side of the club. A few of them housed vampires and a few had humans. One in the corner had some drunk witches and wizards who were incredibly raucous. They had a she-wolf with them. She had brought some of her magic friends it seemed. I smiled. That was kinda nice.

The vampire smelled high-born, very high born like my equivalent. He was blond, tall and pale. He wrapped his arms around the Friday lookalike. She had slightly smaller eyes and a fuller mouth.

“Alpha Thaddeus,” said the vampire.

“Lord Ezra,” said Thaddeus. “Who is this beauty?” Boomed Thaddeus. Friday frowned. It was her turn to be jealous for once.

“This is Raelynn, my predestined,” said Lord Ezra.

A vampire lord predestined to a…she wasn’t human was she? She couldn’t be. Her aura was too powerful and yet so ambiguous. It reminded me of something.

“And who is this beauty?” Said Lord Ezra. “This is Friday, my future Luna,” said Thaddeus kissing her forehead. “Is she not also fated to…” said the vampire, his eyes trailing over me.

We were not ready to explain things, especially not to some random vampire even if his girlfriend could play Friday in a movie.

“I know,” said Lord Ezra. “A salacious tale, isn’t it. Fated to two Alphas. A super Luna.” He chuckled.” Vampires can be predestined to two people sometimes. It works out fine.”

He was slimy. He knew too much about us as though he came here on purpose just to introduce Raelynn and Friday. I stared at Raelynn and she blushed similarly to how uncomfortable Friday got under social pressure. She hid behind Ezra a little.

Friday was hiding behind me and Thaddeus a little but looking contentedly at Raelynn who was now also looking at her.

“Nice to meet you, Luna Friday,” she said with a little bow. “Alpha Thaddeus, Alpha Maze.” She had a hypnotic sort of voice and seemed a little older than Friday. I wanted to ask her specific birth date down

to the year and order blood work but we’d just met. Was this Friday’s sister or just a big coincidence? People looked alike but Friday was pretty unique and even their mannerisms were similar.

“Call me Friday! Nice to meet you too, Lady Raelynn,” said Friday sweetly. “Lord Ezra.” “Raelynn,” said Raelynn.

“Forgo the formalities Friday! Think of us as family! It’s Ezra!” Said Ezra with a flourish of his hands. He drew Raelynn closer to him. She seemed very satisfied.

“Alpha Thaddeus and Alpha Maze,” she added. “Happy to finally meet you.”

Finally? “It’s Thaddeus!” Boomed Thaddeus, extending a hand. She shook his hand.

“Maze,” I said encouragingly, extending my hand also needing to know if she were warm like a werewolf or cold like a vampire. She shook my hand too. Cool. Like Friday. Neither hot nor cold.

She smiled at me as though challenging me to say something. This was very much not like Friday Maybe Friday had a badass older sister from an affair or something who ran away to join a vampire coven.

Stranger things have happened but Felicity would have said something when she was baring all of her sins. And Friday took after her mother not her father. This Raelynn could not be from Farris and someone else and look just like Felicity and Friday.

Ezra said, “We’ll leave you be,” with a wink and left. s**t, I knew nothing really and Thaddeus was too drunk to have a proper conversation but he obviously knew Ezra. I needed to ask Felicity some personal stuff without pissing off my Dad. Maybe I could placate him with the new that my Mom wanted to sign the papers. Maybe I could deliver the signed papers myself and play detective? I grinned, pleased with myself.

“Thaddeus,” said my sweet little Friday, all flustered, “That is the girl who I saw staring at me at the magic festival like she was following me.”

Creepy! A stalker doppelgänger. Call Stephen King.

“Oh!” Said Thaddeus though still slurring so I was not sure if he really got it. “She’s the girl that Ezra is with. They’ve been together a while.”

“You’ve seen her before?” I asked him. “No! Of course not! I would’ve mentioned it had I known she looked like Friday,” Thaddeus said. “Is she a vampire?” I asked.

“No, definitely not,” Thaddeus said. “People seemed to think she was human but Ezra tried to bite her and nothing happened. A human would’ve turned into a vampire. That is how vampires work,” said Thaddeus, slurring the last sentence.

I chuckled, Yes, that was how vampires worked.