The challenge two alphas one girl novel Chapter 54

Elizabeth’s POV

Flashback

“You can’t expect to marry someone like that Elizabeth, not when an Alpha is interested!” Exclaimed Grandmother, clutching her pearls and fixing my hair.

“But…is the Alpha really interest in me though?” I had to ask. I frowned t myself in the mirror. I was all dolled up by my mother’s specifications. There were rumours that the Alpha had a mate already, a rogue of all people. No one seemed to know exactly who it was. There were just whispers.

“You’re either important enough to be talked about or you’ll talk about others,” said my mother, walking into the room with a necklace she wanted me to wear.

I sighed. I had promised Cody I would meet him near the edge of the woods on our estate. That was where we usually met. He was our groundskeeper’s son and my father hated everything about him. My mother went along with whatever father thought. I wanted Cody to glimpse me all dressed up. I liked seeing his eyes light up when he looked at me. Alpha Malachi did not look at me like that though he smiled and was a polite and incredibly powerful and rich gentleman. I escaped the fussing of my mother and grandmother and stole down the stairs.

Cody was my mate but I had not accepted him yet. I had not fully rejected him either. I had left it up in the air. My parents threatened me with a life of hardship: disinheritance! I shuddered. I was too young then to know there were worse things. I sp0tted him chopping wood about a mile from the main house. He was tall and powerfully built. I was nineteen and he was a bit older but not by much. I had never even asked him his age. He split a h.uge piece of wood. He cleaved another. He was in overalls as usual with a grimy shirt underneath. He was sweating, the sheen of it coated his tanned skin. His blue eyes focused on the task at hand. His sandy brown hair was tousled. Mother thought he was an eyesore but I found him a sight for sore eyes even messy like this. I edged closer and I knew when he had smelled I was there because he paused and stiffened. His face broke into a smile.

I came out from my hiding place in my gown shyly approaching him.

“You’re not gonna twirl for me,” he teased, grinning.

I shook my head, covering my face with my hands, hiding my h.uge smile and blushing cheeks.

End of flashback

I sighed. Maze returned to my booth. He was going on and on about the Friday lookalike and his conspiracy theories. It was so odd how I loved how much he looked like his father although I had never really been that close with his father. I would never have had Mazey if I had married…

“Cody!” I breathed. I sp0tted him or perhaps smelled him immediately. It was unmistakably him, though older with laugh lines and dressed professionally, not in work overalls.

I gripped True’s arm nervously. She held my hand from across the table. Maze stiffened and glared at Cody. He reminded me precisely of his father and how he had acted at seeing Cody, having the nerve to be jealous despite also having a mate. I forgave Maze instantly though. He was my son. His annoyance was different, more protective than possessive.

“Lizzie!” Said Cody softly as though he could scarcely believe his eyes.

I could hardly believe mine. I had been convinced that he would not show up. True outed me immediately.

“She thought you weren’t gonna show up!” Said True just as Friday returned from the bathroom, escorted by Thaddeus so Maze would have to stop his conspiracy theories anyway. He instructed me and Thaddeus’ parents that we not tell Friday he was planning on visiting her mother and Malachi. I had signed the papers, the divorce papers. Right there in the club, to Maze’s utter surprise. He almost tried to stop me, uncomfortable with how ready my agreement was. Good riddance.

Maze kept a hand on my arm as I should up to h.ug Cody. He was reminding me of the days where he would always have a tiny handful of my long skirt as he followed me about the house. I had thought him lonely but Malachi had only wanted one. One son!

Cody embraced me warmly. He h.ugged me so tightly. His h.ug alone made me feel better than I had in weeks. I buried my nose in his c.hest. I peaked up at him, blushing slightly, my eyes wide. He broke into a grin.

“Still shy after all these years,” laughed Cody.

Maze’s POV

My mother was acting like a giddy school girl over some random guy. I took a deep breath. I had to be happy for her. I heard a little voice in my head. My Friday. I looked at her. Her doe eyes were on me, her expression concerned

It’s ok to be upset over your parents officially breaking up. You’re allowed to be upset even though it was doomed from the start. They weren’t mates, none of them were, She said gently over a private mind-link.

I knew she meant all four of our parents. I remembered that the heartbroken parent on my end, my mother, had only been drunk a few times and snippy at people, not shot someone, likely sentencing himself to death and then skipped town forever. I kept forgetting that Friday and her brothers had all essentially lost their father or would lose him soon enough. They probably felt like he was dead already. I drew Friday closer to me, relinquishing my mother’s hand so she could h.ug that guy properly.

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Friday snuggled into me and my wolf purred. He had stopped hating me a few days well now. I believed his first truly happy day again was at the cat cafe when I had comforted a crying Friday.

“Why don’t we all give Lizzie some much deserved alone time with her…guy,” said True. Lord Timbre raised his glass to that and allowed his wife to lead him to the dance floor.

“Let’s please leave before they start dancing,” insisted Thaddeus with a grim expression.

Friday giggled.

“I wanna see Papa Bear and Mama Bear!” I said, grabbing Friday’s hand and pulling her onto the dance floor. She grabbed a reluctant Thaddeus’ hand with her other hand. He gr0aned as we found a sp0t near his parents who seemed like they were about to perform a latin number. They had even requested specific music from the DJ. He announced them! Thaddeus was too tall to hide behind anyone even me. He gr0aned and Friday rubbed his c.hest soothingly. The seductive music began and the clubbers cleared a sp0t for the former alpha and luna. Apparently they were known to dance like this. Thaddeus was the only one not having it. They were honestly incredible, moving seamlessly together as a pair to an upbeat track. The audience even gasped at a few lifts that they did while Thaddeus sighed and Friday giggled. The finale was another spectacular lift. I cheered and so did Friday. Thaddeus clapped politely.

Elizabeth’s POV

I was relieved for once to see Mazey go off with Friday. I settled into the booth with Cody. He was quiet, pensive now that we were alone. I knew I’d wronged him.

“Sorry!” I blurted out. “Sorry is the first thing I want to say,” I added.

“I’m sorry too,” he said, shocking me.

“For what?” I asked, shocked.

I had wronged him plain as day. I recalled it so well. It was etched in my memory.

Flashback

I snuck out often to see Cody. Every time I was made to dress up for the Alpha I wanted Cody to see me first. I never let him touch me though. The Alpha, Malachi, would smell him on me if I did. Time passed quickly and Malachi, whom I had gotten to know and whose father was close with my own father, proposed with a h.uge glamorous ring. I gasped. I was floored by the ring but nervous about marrying someone I felt I barely knew. My friends thought I was crazy, saying they would jump at the chance to be Luna, the highest-ranked she-wolf in the pack! I remembered Cody’s face when he saw the engagement ring. He knew I was being courted by the Alpha though he never said anything.

The night before my wedding. A knock on my window woke me up. Cody! He was just outside on the sill. I opened the window. He was in his pyjamas. I had never seen him in anything but work overalls before. I smiled wistfully, fighting back tears, scared of what he would say. We had never even k!ssed. He was relatively a stranger to me just like Malachi.

“I…I know I have nothing to offer you, Lizzie,” he said, his eyes earnest. “Trust me! I know! But I’ll work hard! I won’t ever let you go without! Please, I’m begging you. Come with me! Let’s leave now!” He said, sitting on my sill.

I cupped Cody’s face. It was my first time touching him. Heat sprang up in my lower tummy instantly as our skin touched. He wrapped me in his arms, squeezing me so tightly I could barely breathe but I liked it. His breathing was ragged.

He just looked at me in my wedding dress. He unveiled me.