The Alpha's Challenge

Blythe's standpoint

Amethyst eyes, his eyes are violet.

I stared at the picture on the front cover of the magazine, staring deeply at the eyes looking somewhere else. It could be the camera effect, but I knew his eyes, I knew him.

"Miss," I raised my head and looked at the flight stewardess, "can you please put your seatbelt back on? The plane is going to land soon,"

"Oh, thank you," I smiled, grabbing my seatbelt. I buckled it and smiled up at her. She bowed sheepishly.

"If you need anything…"

"I'm okay, thank you," she was acting weird, smiling profusely and fidgeting.

What's up?

"If you need me, I'm here," I nodded a little before she left. I pulled my brows together and returned my gaze to the magazine.

I read the reports, the news, the articles, everything. Since his brother died, he became more ambitious, colder, more ruthless. Dale Kensington, tagged the latest ruthless billionaire, eligible, but terrifying bachelor. Why? His brother died in his place, that thing can change a man.

But not this man.

Deciding that I'd seen enough, I dropped the magazine and picked up the second one. The moment I came face to face with the front cover, I instantly remembered why she was smiling so much. I had gotten so used to my normal life I forgot the one I used to live before the illness.

I am Blythe Riverwood.

"Guess that hoodie would be useful after all," I dropped the magazine, but remembered something again. She wasn't supposed to recognize me, I was wearing glasses and my hair was black and pulled back. I looked around, no one else seemed to be noticing me.

I saw her again, smiling and fidgeting to another person. She is just like that. I don't need to worry about the exposure of my identity.

_______________

"Blythe!" I smiled as I approached my cousin and female ex best friend. She was already shrieking and spinning like she would always do. My ex male best friend was there with her, thank goodness. It would have been madness if she came alone.

"Brittany, Orlando, good evening," I greeted, walking first to Brittany because she would seize me anyway. She squealed one more time, a squeaky squeal before she threw herself on me.

"Easy, Brittany, she's still recovering," Orlando said, "you wouldn't want to kill her now, would you?"

"Oh shut up, you're just jealous because I'm her best friend, and you are not,"

"You know, you don't always have to use that argument point, especially when it makes no sense," I pushed Brittany off a little and gasped dramatically for air.

"Take it easy on me, momma, still recovering, remember?" She rolled her eyes but still pushed her weight off me, though her hands remained around my neck.

"Babe, let me have her for a minute," Orla hissed, pulling her away. He easily removed her from me and enfolded me in a tight, warm hug. "I've missed you, Bee, five years is not a joke."

"Orla, it isn't up to five years," I chuckled, "and I did miss you too. How's your girlfriend?" I joked.

"She's fine, but sometimes, I wonder which laughing academy I got her from, so I can return her and get a refund,"

"Hey! What is that supposed to mean!" Brittany shouted. It's not weird at all to walk in on your two best friends having an intense make out, only to find out they have been together for months but didn't think it was good to share. Why? Because they claimed they didn't want to offend you.

Rubbish.

"It means you are faulty and I need a refund," I pushed away from him and quietly walked out, leaving my bags for them to carry as they began to argue. Some things never change, even after their wedding.

Brittany and I grew up together. She was not just a cousin, she was a sister and a friend. Her mother was my mother's sister, died when Brittany was four, and as her only family, Brittany came to live with us. We were already friends then, so it was easy for us to get along. We later met Orlando when we were eight, Brittany, nine, since she is a year older. I always knew Brittany had a thing for Orla, even if she would always get angry instead of admitting it. They were closer, the chemistry between them was so obvious and intense, and the fact that I went to a different college, sealed it.

I was not taken by surprise when I walked in on them, I wasn't. The true reason for my anger was how they planned to keep me in the dark until their wedding arrangements was complete. Basically, to them, they thought I was in love with Orla, everyone thought so and didn't want to “hurt” my feelings, so they kept it away from me. Even my own parents.

So I did them a favor and left, took the offer my real best friend –the one person that wasn't lying to me– gave. Dale saved my life, he gave me the chance to live and I took it, disappearing without anyone's knowledge. If he answered my calls, texts or emails, I would have no use for Brittany and Orlando. I no longer resent them, but I hadn't forgiven them or forgotten.

Yes, I hold grudges.

The two fools joined me outside after five minutes, they were no longer arguing, just holding each other like newly wedded couples. They walked over to me with my bags, then past me to the car they came with.

"Nice ride," I whistled. Orla nodded with pride and rolled his shoulder. Something he did whenever he felt prideful over something.

"Thanks, I just bought this new baby," he said, patting the roof of the car. I smiled and turned my head to glance at my surrounding, but returned my gaze to the poster on a wall. I peered at the poster and read the only thing I could read.

"Wait, this airport now belongs to Dale Kensington?" I asked with shock, "I thought it belongs to the…"

"O'Connell? Yes, it used to, not until they suddenly ran out of business and sold their airports to Kensington. He changed it, made it new and in less than a year, O'Connell airline is becoming a big thing in the US. I thought the name changing would give you a hint,"

"How was I supposed to know the airport changing it name meant anything? And more importantly, why should I care?"

Why? Because the person involve is him.

"Well, this is the least of the business he has legally bought after ruining it. There's no proof, but we all know Dale did it. That guy has really changed since his twin was murdered." I kept my mouth shut, just entered the car. They forgot that I knew him, I went as his date to few occasions, we went to the same college together; we were friends.

It didn't matter.

They didn't matter.

But he does.

Throughout the ride home, I kept my mouth shut, looking out of the window, lost in thought. In every street, every poster, he managed to be there. He was everywhere, he must be earning everything; he owned the town.

"Welcome home!" Brittany shouted. I stopped thinking and looked at the mansion I grew up in. I wasn't an only child, but I grew up alone. I had brothers, my parents pride, I meant nothing until I made myself something. And even still, they still loved my cousin who was into the family business.

I wasn't.

"It's been a while, your mother misses you," Brittany smiled, as if she didn't know my parents didn't like me. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought she was sweet and caring, when in truth, she derived joy from constantly reminding me that my parents loved her more than me. She was a prodigy in the business, I wasn't. I was everything the family stood against.

Too bad.

Deciding to ignore her as usual, I got out of the car. I wasn't the same girl that left in tears, I was different, colder, and they were about to find out the hard way.

"Hey, wait up!" Brittany shouted. Still, I ignored her and walked through the doors. I didn't come here for my parents, I came here for one and some things.

There they were, the people I unfortunately share my last name with. They were smiling, laughing over something with their wine glasses in their hands. My father, the man whose face was my own, whose smile reflected mine, whose skin I shared, but his heart I didn't have. My mother, I had not her smile, not the dark twinkles in her eyes, or her black heart. My brothers, the replica of my mother, same hair, same eyes, same skin tone. I had always stood out with my different shade of hair.

I didn't belong.

"Blythe!" I smiled, breaking into a chuckle instantly as I lowered myself to my knees to embrace the reason I came back. My nephew, the only one I truly care about. His father was my eldest brother, his mother was a great woman. She died after birthing him and I promised her I would care for him.

"Matthias, my boy, how have you been? I've missed you," I cooed, rocking us.

"I've been good. I missed you too." Of course he knew I was coming, that is why he must have been staring out of the window all day. He was the only other person I sent emails to.

"How's your new mom?"

"Mom is amazing, Blythe! She's kind and sweet and feed me lot and lot of sweets," he looked at his father smiling at him, "way better than my own father," the smile on my brother's face drop. Matthias was nine.

"That's great. Did you gather the things I asked for?" I questioned. He nodded.