Alpha Malik

Aria

I anxiously tap the tips of my fingers together, leaning forward on the couch.

“Take it,” Alexa insists, nudging the glass at my face. Rolling my eyes, I dismiss her, not wanting any of the Chardonnay that she was nearly drunk with.

My eyes are glued to the television, anticipating what is to come next.

My best friend flops down beside me, balancing the stem of the glass between her fingers.

Here we are, waiting for the live announcement of every name that has been pulled. The names of the people who will be competing in Alpha Malik's competition for love.

I have a slight glimmer of hope that maybe, maybe I wouldn't be selected; that everything those rogues had told me was a lie.

It has been a month and a half since I saw them last. The main rogue, who I was told to call Grey, visited me once at home, reminding me of my ties to the organization I didn't know anything about.

All I know is that they want me to retrieve a family heirloom that is currently in Malik's possession.

And that's the reason I'm going to be chosen to compete, despite the “fair” selection process.

“This is the most focused I've seen you about something that isn't reading,” Alexa observes, kicking my shin gently with the edge of my slipper.

It was mine because she takes it upon herself to wear anything that belongs to me.

I shrug, trying to loosen up a little. “I don't know...I just want to get this over with.”

Alexa couldn't know what had happened. Grey had made that clear.

She was to remain innocent about the situation, and when my name was announced, she would be left to think it was purely the luck of the draw.

She may still have the chance to be chosen to compete with me, but I doubt such things could happen.

I will be going into this blind, and alone.

“So, no one knows what those who are chosen look like?” Alexa asked, more to herself than me.

I hadn't sent in any picture, and I can't imagine anyone else doing so either, but I wouldn't rule out Alexa using her impeccable good looks to sway some of the people behind the selection process.

Just her eyes could make a man change the rules for her.

“Obviously, we aren't going to get picked,” Alexa reminded me, making me take a deep breath and trying to lean back to calm myself down a little. “Remember, it’s literally a one in a million chance.”

“Still a chance,” I mumble under my breath.

The broadcast begins exactly on time, with a beautifully dressed man and a woman sitting behind a desk scattered with paper.

They made jokes at the beginning, trying to lull people into a sense of security before they break it to those who don’t make it in.

Every now and again, the camera would cut to a shot of Malik's estate, where the girls chosen for the competition would be living.

“Imagine...imagine being able to live a life that isn't so mediocre,” Alexa murmurs dreamily, resting her head in her hands.

Luckily, she had decided to put her wine down and pay attention to what's about to happen on the screen.

I couldn't imagine it because I have never come close to it. And I have never wanted to.

“To all those chosen for this auspicious experience, competing to be the Love Pack's Luna, good luck,” the male presenter says warmly with a sickly sweet smile plastered across his face.

I wonder what he thinks about this. Does he agree with it?

The female presenter nods in response. “We will be announcing the 24 contestants from all 12 competing packs.”

Suddenly, Alexa is on her feet.

“It's starting!” she exclaims, clapping her hands together. I stay on the couch, arms crossed over my body as I tap my foot nervously. How is Alexa going to react when she hears?

Will she be mad at me? Or jealous?

With dramatic music blaring in the background, the announcements begin. All I can imagine, as random names from each pack are announced, the excited and disappointed girls all around the country.

Alexa has her fingers crossed as she kneels in front of the television, waiting for them to come to the Love Pack.

“From the Desire Pack, Phoenix Diamond,” the female presenter reads, glancing from the paper in her hand at the camera.

Alexa looks over her shoulder at me. “Have you heard of her?”

Shaking my head no, I wonder briefly why Alexa thinks I would know someone from the Desire Pack. Alexa has always been a lot more popular than me, online and off.

She socializes in groups of friends I didn't know existed, and I've got used to being the one friend left out.

“Her family is super wealthy...I can't believe she got chosen...”

Rich? Who in the Desire Pack isn't?

The fact that she got picked for this stupid thing is probably a coincidence, but, for some reason, it makes me fidget nervously, hoping that it wouldn't put her above us.

Why am I even thinking like that? All I need to do is get the necklace and get out of there. No need to seduce the Alpha.

“Now, for the Love Pack members chosen…” the man announces.

Squealing, Alexa runs across the room before she gets quiet and goes back to kneeling in front of the television like it’s a shrine.

All I can think of is to keep still and hope that maybe, maybe this was all some prank… anything but being chosen for this thing.

“Our first nominee...Macie North!”

The sigh that came from Alexa was clearly irritable. I don’t know her, which makes me assume that she is from another part of the pack.

“Still one more chance,” Alexa says airily, not bothering to look back at me. I'm grateful that she doesn't, so she won't notice how stressed out I probably look.

Knowing my best friend, she would take it as my wanting to be chosen, just like her.

“And our second...”

I close my eyes.

“...nominee to fight for Alpha Malik’s heart...”

Alexa crosses her fingers.

“Is...”

My breathing completely stops.

“Aria Quade.”

My heart plummets as the presenter pronounces every part of my name slowly as if I didn’t already get the picture.

Alexa doesn’t move for a second before a loud shrill erupts from her mouth so glass-shatteringly loud that I’ll probably get a complaint later about the noise.

“It’s you! You….I…you…got picked!”

The fact that I suspected it doesn’t alter my emotions, but just hearing my name makes me freeze, my heart stopping to the point where I almost pass out.

At least it would have been sweet relief from the quivering jelly that is my nerves.

I don’t want this. There is no way I am ready to meet an Alpha.

Alexa throws herself at me. “I can’t believe my best friend just got chosen for this competition. This is the best day of my life!”

Am I dreaming, or is Alexa okay with me taking away this opportunity from her? I wanted to cry on her shoulder and tell her the truth, but I couldn’t begin to form the words in my mouth.

Grey’s face comes into my mind, scaring me into sanity.

“I can’t believe it,” I say breathily, partially crushed by Alexa’s body on top of me.

“Me neither! I’m so glad I made you apply,” she exclaims, cupping my face in her hands. She is flushed and genuinely excited, while I can feel all the color drain from my face.

To me, this news is the worst news I could have ever received, but, for Alexa, this is a step closer to the life of wealth and fame she so desperately wanted.

Even if it was a vicarious life, through me...

“I’m scared,” I tell her truthfully.

Alexa lets go of me, rolling off me and back onto the couch. She’s still smiling like an idiot, clearly not knowing what I mean, or, at the very least, the reason behind it.

At least her innocence about the situation gives me some comfort.

“Don’t be,” she says, not being able to smother the bubbles of hysteria in her voice. “This is Malik we’re talking about. He is a hot substitute for your mate, at the very least.”

I don’t bother holding back my eye roll. Typical Alexa.

“So, you’re not mad?” I ask warily. Alexa shakes her almost instantly, and I relax as soon as I see the honesty in her eyes.

What could be worse than entering a competition and losing my best friend because of it?

As much as I hate to admit it, I need her.

“What happens now?” I ask, glancing back at the television as they read more unfamiliar names out. The names of the girls that will be thinking I'm trying to get them kicked out.

If only I could explain right off the bat, to keep everything civil...

Alexa grins. “Aren't you lucky I read the information sheet?”

Not really.

“Tomorrow, they’ll be over to document your life before you head off, to see the way their possible future Luna lives, and then they’ll ship you off to meet the other competitors, the other girls…”

Alexa takes a deep breath.

“Then you meet Malik...and that's where the fun begins,” Alexa says in a flurry of frantic words I hardly understand.

“Right...the Alpha.”

Alexa grabs my shoulders, shaking me slightly. I look her in the eye, and I see a girl completely serious about this entire thing. She would do a much better job than me seducing Malik.

All her plans for me are a waste of time.

“You have to try, Ari. Promise you’ll try,” Alexa begs.

“I hate when you call me that,” I mutter.

It was Alexa's turn to roll her eyes. “You can't be shy, okay? Please don't go all nerdy on him.”

I frown at her. A nerd? She just summed me up…does she expect me to hide that from Malik? Maybe if I show my real self to him, he won't look at me twice...

No, I can't be eliminated.

“Fine, fine,” I brush her off. “I'll try to get into his damn pants, okay?”

Alexa grinned. “That's my girl.”