What Challenge (2)
1320 Words
Rowan POV
Charles was annoyed with me, and annoying me in turn.
I was grumpy. I would be the first to admit that I was being a bit cold to those around me, answering with one word replies when I could and ignoring phone calls that I would normally accept. With Charles specifically, I’d opted to answer only in a series of grunts and nods. So Charles started talking to me as if he were a caveman – Charles need big man sign flimsy paper. Black Ink. Due by noon.
That, at least, got him on the one word reply list. But since Charles knew all about my relationship with Zahraa, throughout the day I got assaulted with comments such as you really jumped the gun on that, huh?
I’m surprised she’s even talking to you.
She’s too cute for your ugly ass anyway.
Normally, his unique brand of friendly teasing wouldn’t wear me down, but Zahraa had already left me sore with her rejection in my suite – and I hadn’t seen her since. I’d wanted to go to her and talk to her, but instead I had to endure a long, agonizing and boring day, replaying the events of that night over and over again in my head.
Perhaps my problem was that I hadn’t told her how I felt outright – I’d jumped straight to physical contact, as wolves often did, forgetting that Zahraa wasn’t a wolf.
So I was surprised when I was on my way into my suite, Zahraa was sitting on the steps, her head resting against the wall. She seemed to have dozed off – which left me with an awkward dilemma.
Carry her in, or wake her?
As flustered as she’d been in my suite last night, saying ‘it’s just not time’ or some nonsense, I needed to be careful with her for a while, so I did the proper thing and nudged her thigh with my boot. “Zahraa. Zahraa, wake up.”
She roused slowly, blinking the sleep from her eyes, then focused on me. Her amber eyes sharpened, and she pushed herself up. “Alpha Rowan. I’m sorry I just – can I talk to you real quick?”
“Take as long as you need,” I replied, opening the door. “Come in.”
She looked hesitant to enter. A surge of guilt rose within me – I’d made the poor thing uncomfortable.
“I won’t make any moves on you, until you want me to,” I replied, putting my stack of papers and files down on the entry table. “I promise,” I added.
She nodded, then stepped inside. I pointed to the couch, and as she went to sit, asked, “Water or juice?”
“Water, please,” she replied without hesitation. She perched on the couch as though she might need to break into a sprint at any given moment.
“So, what can I help you with, Ms. Snow?” I asked, in an attempt to break the ice.
Somehow, I got the feeling that thickened it. “Alpha Rowan, about the challenge…”
Challenge?
“…did you call it off? It seems like no one remembers it…”
“Mark me among the people that don’t,” I replied, sitting opposite her. “Who had challenged whom?”
She looked at me with a blank expression for a moment. I was about to check on her when she said, “You know what? It’s nothing. I’m sorry to have bothered you with something so trivial.”
She started to get up, and I rose along with her. “Why don’t you stay a moment?” I asked, “I have something I’d like to talk to you about… about last night.”
It was as if I could see steel shutters falling over her eyes, shutting her down. “Haven’t we talked enough about that?”
“I don’t think so,” I said, unable to keep from bristling at that. She sat back down, and I mirrored the motion. “I think it’s obvious now that I have feelings for you, Zahraa. I have for some time. I want to keep you safe. I want to help you live a happier life – if that means finding your family and breaking whatever curse you have, I’ll do it. I’ll find a way.” He paused. “I just hope you choose me in the end.”
She blinked at me, which admittedly was not the response I was hoping for.
“You’ve already said that,” she blurted, brows growing more pinched. “Earlier today. In your office.” She grew a little paler when she added, “…when I tried to convince you to drop the challenge.”
“What challenge?” I repeated, rubbing my temples. This wasn’t exactly how I wanted this conversation to go.
She froze in place, as if she weren’t sure about saying it out loud. Finally, she took a deep breath and said, “Jacob had challenged you to a fight. I guess he came to confront you after I left last night.”
“Yes, he did,” I confirmed. “But we just argued. Brothers do that sometimes – a challenge is a little dramatic. I don’t see Jacob and I having that kind of falling out anytime soon.”
“So I didn’t come see you this morning?” she asked.
I was beginning to wonder if she was okay. “Zahraa, you seem confused. Have you eaten anything today?”
“No – that doesn’t – this has nothing to do with food, alpha,” she sighed. “I just…” She froze, biting back the words.
“You can tell me, Zahraa. Whatever it is that’s bothering you, let me help.”
She nodded hesitantly. “Last night, after I talked to you, I went home to get a change of clothes. Jacob kind of ambushed me into talking to him, and when he left my apartment, he came here, I guess. From what I heard, things got heated. He made a lot of threats, and at some point, issued a challenge. I saw the notification on Ingrid’s phone. I went to talk to you this morning, trying to convince you to drop it – you said he was out of line and that you couldn’t allow it. I tried talking to Jacob and he said he wanted to drop it but couldn’t show weakness. And now it’s like no one remembers it at all. I showed up in the training ring when you were supposed to fight and no one is there, and no one knows and-”
“Zahraa, settle down,” I said, scooting closer to her on the couch. I touched her back just lightly, offering her a handkerchief with the other.
She stared at it like it might bite her.
“There was no challenge,” I said, firmly. “It must’ve been a dream. From the sounds of it, a very vivid dream.” I paused, “Listen, you can stay here if you like – though it seems I might’ve made you uncomfortable – but perhaps you should go relax. Take a hot bath. Read a book. Yesterday was hard on you, and it seems like it’s taken its toll.”
Zahraa nodded, but she looked gaunt. Zombie-like. She stood and whispered, “Thanks for hearing me out.”
“Anytime,” I replied, walking her to the door. She touched it, and the edges glowed softly golden. I watched her disappear and stood there at the door for a while.
A challenge? Between Jacob and I?
I snorted a laugh. No – we were brothers. Even though we were currently vying for the same woman, we would never let something like that come between us.
Would we?
- Writer
