The Challenge

~Janessa~

It's been an hour since I woke up. I watched the sky turn from dark to light. I'm so wrapped up in Drake's arms that I don't want to move. I want to relive last night again and again. I don't think I have ever been so at peace, yet so anxious at the same time. Today is the day; today everything could change.

Drake is lightly snoring next to me and I love the sound. No, I don't usually enjoy hearing someone snore, but how could I get irritated when this could be the last time I hear this. I have tried to be optimistic this week, but the truth is that Drake may very well die. If he dies, I'm supposed to end up with Jasper, but I'd rather die. I can't imagine having to lay next to Jasper every night, have his hands on me, lose my position and have to walk behind him for life. We have no contingency plan. I don't know what to do or if there is even a way to avoid it. "You are up way too early," Drake whispers huskily in my ear.

"I thought you were asleep. I was just enjoying being near you." Drake sighs and kisses my chest.

"Do you realize that your heartbeat changed a few times? It went from calm and steady to erratic, then thumping. I know you are thinking about today. I won't tell you not to worry, because that would be fruitless." It is my turn to sigh. I just wish Jasper wasn't an issue, that my mom wasn't an issue, that we can just enjoy our lives together. "Stop." I look down at Drake and he is looking up at me. "Stop driving yourself crazy with the what ifs and maybes. Just be in the moment with me." I lean down and press my lips, gently, to his. I open my mouth to allow Drake's tongue in and he takes that moment to deepen the kiss. Drake starts to run his hands up and down my body and I can feel myself heating up. I can feel Drake's hardness against my legs and feel good that I'm making him feel that way. A knock on my door stops us from taking this further. Drake groans in my chest while I yell out.

"Alpha, we have a visitor at the western border. I tried mindlinking you, but I couldn't get through."

"Who is it?"

"It's Alpha Kent from Crystal Lake." Why the hell is he here so early? The challenge is supposed to take place around noon, so we have hours to go. Drake tenses against me a bit before he relaxes again. I shuffle around in bed before getting out.

"Just keep him there, I'm on my way." I turn to look at Drake. "Do you want to go with?" Drake closes his eyes and sighs. He nods his head and follows me out of the bed. We quickly shower, change, and head out to meet the Alpha.

~Jasper~

This week has been tough. Janessa is so close to being in my grasp that it is driving me crazy. I got tired of waiting and headed to her territory early in the morning. I was stopped by her warriors and they went to get her. I considered ripping their heads off for treating me less than an Alpha, but decided against it. I will soon run this territory and I can impose my will then. I have been waiting for a while and I was getting angry. Who does she think she is, making me wait? When everything gets settled, I will have to show her how I expect things to go.

After what seemed like hours, I notice a few figures walking towards me. As they get closer, I can make out the warrior that was sent to get Janessa. I can see her Beta walking behind the warrior. After a few moments, I finally see Janessa and a smile starts to break out on my face. Then I notice she is walking hand in hand with that waste of space. The slight smile quickly turns to a grimace and a growl escapes my lips. I know I sent them to get her and I don't appreciate him joining. They stop a few feet from me and we quickly engage in a stare down. "Why are you here, Alpha Kent?" Damn her! She is always making things difficult. I glare at her and I can see the corners of her mouth slightly turn up. I know she does that to get under my skin and I hate that it works so well.

"I just thought I'd give you one last chance to end this before it starts." That Drake character takes a small step forward at that. Please Moon Goddess, let him strike me so I can end this already.

"Are you getting nervous now that the time is upon us?" I throw my head back and laugh heartily.

"Nervous? Why would I be nervous? This is the perfect situation for me. I get to kill the person who dared to touch what is mine and I get to take you after. Win win." I look her up and down. She is wearing black workout pants with a blue sports bra. Her hair is framing her face perfectly and I can't help but imagine looking down at that head while pushing myself in and out of her mouth. I scold myself because now is not the time to have these thoughts. She will be mine soon enough.

"I'm not yours and I never will be. You are a pathetic waste of space and I'd rather die than to be with you," Janessa spits out. I'm torn between being turned on by her feistiness and being pissed by her disrespect. It will take some time to get her behavior corrected, but I know that it will be worth the effort.

"Why don't we just do this now and be done with it? I'm tired of waiting for what I'm owed." I take a step towards the group only to have her warriors step up and growl at me. I could rip all of their throats out right now if I wanted to. They are lucky I have other plans in mind.

"We can do this now if you must. I'm ready." I turn to the human and shake my head.

"Ah, it speaks. Are you sure that you should be so eager to die? If you leave now, I promise to let you go with your life." The human steps up with his fist clenched at his side. It is amusing to see him be so bold against a werewolf. He truly seems to think he has a chance to best me and I'm not sure if it is funny or sad.

"I don't run away from a fight." I look at Janessa.

"If there are no objections, let's do this now."

~Janessa~

_Daddy, Kent is at Western border. He wants to complete the challenge now rather than wait. I need you here._

_I'm on the way, Peaches._

I need my dad here. I need his support because this could very well be the end of my love. I'm trying to keep a neutral face, but I feel like there is no more air to breathe. I can't seem to get enough oxygen in. Sky started to whimper in my head before she put a block up. I wish I could calm her, but I can't even calm myself. I want to yell, scream, cry…..but I can't do any of that. No matter how I feel, I need to remain the Alpha of this pack and not some lovesick woman.

We create a small circle around Jasper and Drake. We previously decided not to do any public goodbyes. We wanted to present a calm, united front. Neither of us want to discuss our fears or apprehensions and we don't want them to be visible to others. Drake catches my eye and everything is said in that moment. I can sense the love he has for me as well as the fear he has. I simply nod to him and he turns to face Jasper.

"One last chance," Jasper says with a sneer. "We can end this all right now. Janessa comes with me and the human gets to live." He looks between Drake and I, but neither of us respond. "So be it."

Drake gets into a fighting stance and Jasper follows his lead. They circle each other a while, sizing each other up. Neither one seems to want to make the first move. I stand watch, trying to keep all emotions in check. I feel a hand on my back and know it's my dad. It brings me slight comfort, but not enough to believe that this is going to break my way.

Jasper lunges at Drake and Drake side steps him landing a punch to his side. Jasper rights himself quickly lunges at him again. Again, Drake side steps him and throws a punch, but misses. This goes on a bit longer, one lunging at the other, punches thrown. Some land and others miss. Jasper looks a bit surprised that Drake is actually able to keep up with him. Training my dad and I must have helped along with the training he already had. Every lunge makes my nerves shoot up and every sidestep calms me a little. I feel like I'm watching a bomb tick down; waiting for it to hit zero and explode.

Jasper runs at Drake, but before he can touch him, Drake back flips over Jasper's head. Drake lands on his feet, but before he can turn back around Jasper sweeps his feet out from under him. Jasper stopped abruptly after Drake flipped over him and used his werewolf speed to get to him before he turned around. Drake lands on his back with a loud thud and it is clear that took his breath away. I'm not sure if I heard a crack or not, but I can only hope nothing broke. Jasper walks around Drake before hovering over him. He starts to punch him in his body; legs and torso. He continues to punch him in the arms and moves up to his face. Every punch Jasper lands to Drake's face makes me feel pain in my heart. Drake is bleeding profusely and his face is starting to swell up. Drake is trying to block the punches, but the pouches to his arms are keeping him from having full movement. Drake is groaning and my heart is breaking. Jasper puts a hand on each side of his face and starts to slam his head into the ground. After the second slam, I scream and run over to them. I push Jasper off of Drake and kneel down to Drake's body. I lean down to try to find his heartbeat. It is there, but it is so faint. "Drake...Drake?" I don't want to shake him and cause more damage. Drake doesn't respond and his breathing is faint. This can't be it; this can't be the way I lose him.

Jasper grabs my wrist and pulls me up to him. "You're mine now. Let's go." I punch Jasper so hard in the chest that I hear a few cracks. Jasper drops to one knee and holds his chest in pain. "Yyy…..you aaaare….mmm….mine," he wheezes out.

"This was to be to the death and he is not dead. He is still alive." Jasper spits and stands up shakily.

"He is as good as dead. You belong to me." I can't leave Drake like this. I can't just walk away and let him die. I don't want to ask him for anything, but Jasper is the only one who can let me have this time with Drake. I turn to look at Jasper and swallow the bile that is threatening to rise up my throat.

"Pl….ea…..please." I muster all of my will power and look Jasper in his eye. "Please let me have this time with him. He won't last long. He is my mate and....and I love him." Fuck, I hate having to ask this piece of shit for anything, but I won't be able to survive if Drake dies without me. Jasper stands up straight and walks towards me. He caresses my cheek with his hand and I try my hardest not to flinch.

"Fine, you can have this time. I will have someone watching you and when he dies you come to me." Jasper kisses me on my forehead and I want to vomit all over him. Jasper turns to walk away, "See you soon." As Jasper becomes smaller and smaller, I drop to my knees and crawl over to Drake. I lean down again and his heartbeat is still faint, breathing still shallow. My body feels heavy and I can't move it as much as I want to pick him up and take him to the hospital. I feel myself get lifted into the air and I can smell that it's my dad. I bury my head into his chest and can feel him walking. Ahead of us, a warrior has Drake in his arms and is walking with him as carefully as possible. This is it; my love is dying.