What is going on? Sam demanded to know. It was silent. No one wanted to speak. Sam glanced at Bella, who was standing in the distance with a frightened expression on her face.

Jake, you're supposed to be watching over Bella. You can't do that if you're not paying attention to her whereabouts, Sam said sternly.

I know where she is, Jake said. I'm more worried about Meadow. Paul was attacking her for no reason.

I wasn't doing it for no reason! Paul shouted. He was still wound up from the fight he had with Meadow.

I want answers. Now, Sam ordered in his Alpha voice. Meadow pushed against the order and refused to answer to his command. However, Paul caved. He whined before he confessed.

Meadow wants to challenge you to the Alpha position, Paul told Sam. The pack link was quiet but she could register the surprise lingering through their minds. She dropped her head subconsciously and shied away from their gazes. They weren't comforting stares.

Is that true MeMe? Jake asked. She met his eyes and nodded her head. She heard Sam's threatening growl and watched as he stalked up to her. He stared down at her and bared his teeth at her.

You want to be alpha? he asked. Disbelief and amusement laced his words. She flinched at the laugh that bubbled in his chest and left his wolf body as a chortle. She stared at him and tried to contain her feelings. She was upset at the lack of confidence they had in her. Jake wouldn't meet her eyes and Paul was still upset with her. They didn't believe in her.

Do you really think any of them would follow you? Sam asked. You think they'd be willing to follow someone like you?

Meadow didn't say anything. She continued to stare at him. Wetness developed behind her eyes but she refused to let it leak. She wouldn't show weakness. If she wanted to be the alpha, she couldn't show them any weakness. She had to be strong.

Answer me! Sam bellowed. Meadow's head bowed under the immense pressure he bestowed upon her and she whined.

I can do it, she said. It came out quiet and uncertain. She was second-guessing herself now.

I can't hear you, Sam said mockingly. Meadow looked to Paul for help but he avoided her gaze. She was hurt; she felt like someone was gripping her heart and squeezing as hard as they could.

You can't handle it, Meadow, Sam said. You aren't fit for the job. You will never be the alpha of this pack. Do you understand? All you're good for is following orders like you've been doing your entire life.

You're going too far, Sam, Paul said. Sam growled at him and Paul immediately backed down.

She needs to hear the truth, Sam said sternly. If you think you have what it takes, then challenge me.

I am-

The official way, Sam said. If you think you can take me on, then challenge me right now.

I-

Don't think you'll have another chance like this, Sam yelled. You either do it now or never do it again.

Meadow thought about it and realized he was right. If she didn't do it now, she'd never get another chance. Everyone in the pack would know she backed down and would think she was too weak to be Alpha. She couldn't have that. With a deep breath, she pulled herself to full height and stared him in the eyes.

I, Meadow Black, challenge you, Sam Uley, for the Alpha position, she said. Her voice wasn't as steady as she wanted it to be and it hinted to the nervousness she felt.

I accept. Jacob, get Bella out of here, he ordered. Jake protested but his protests were shut down by Sam. He begrudgingly did as he was told. Bella questioned him the entire time but followed his lead.

As soon as Bella was out of the area, Sam lunged. Meadow was caught off guard and was tackled to the ground. She yelped as Sam sunk his teeth in her fur. She wiggled about until she was able to throw him off of her. She shook her fur out, wincing at the healing wound on her side. Sam lunged again. This time, she was able to dodge. She lept to the side and swiped her paw across his back.

Sam growled and turned on her. He was unphased by her attack and went in for his own. His claws scratched deep into her skin and she howled in pain. She stumbled away from him, trying to get some space between them, but Sam kept up his advances. She took blow for blow until he finally pinned her to the ground and claimed his victory.

I win, Sam declared. He stepped off of her and allowed her to get up. Meadow shook her head ferociously in denial. Her body ached from the cuts that littered her body, but the loss she just experienced overrode the pain. She glanced at each person, allowing the hurt she felt to leak through her irises, before she darted off. She heard Paul call out to her, but she ignored him. She ran until she reached one of the stashes of clothes the pack hid in the forest. She phased into her human form and quickly changed.

She was at a loss on what to do. She didn't think Paul would react so negatively towards her goal. She thought he would support her and encourage her to pursue the alpha position, not turn on her. Without the support of the people closest to her, she wasn't sure how to proceed. She had to admit that she wasn't exactly ready for the position, but she knew she could be ready.

She didn't think she would lose. Sure, she wasn't the strongest wolf in the pack, but that didn't mean she was weak. She was strong, wasn't she? She glanced down at her hands and contemplated what it really meant to be strong. Her thoughts drifted to her recent fight and her hands clenched into fists.

Sam would never change his ways. He was too influenced by the elders and their way. The last pack was run by their grandfather's, who were all dead. There were new circumstances, new people, a new generation. Even if history repeated itself, the old ways of doing things rarely ever were applicable to the present day.

She clutched her hair and pulled hard. She let out a noise of frustration and punched a tree. A chunk of the bark came off and splinters were sent flying through the air. What was the difference between her and Jake? Why was Sam so ready to offer Jake the position but not her?

Maybe it was because Jake was an easy person to manipulate. She'd been able to manipulate him into doing things he didn't want to do, like eating his vegetables when he was younger or doing his homework. She used to be able to bribe him to get her things from the store when she didn't feel like going or get her dad to let her stay home on the rare days she didn't want to go to school. Other people could manipulate him, too.

Bella was able to manipulate him into liking her, Quil was able to manipulate him into trying out for the soccer team, Embry was able to manipulate him into spending his allowance on snacks, and many others got him to do things he wouldn't normally do. Meadow was a wild card simply because she didn't let her emotions show as easily. She was harder to read. She was secretive. She was the exact opposite of an easily influenced person.

Yet, there she was; she was letting others' opinions dictate what she did and how she felt. She slid against the bark of a tree and sat on the ground. She looked up at the sky and felt a water droplet hit her face. She wiped it away in a futile attempt. Rain poured down on her and muddied the ground she sat on. After about ten minutes, she sighed and stood up. She was hungry and tired of being in wet clothes. She bitterly trudged to Emily's house. Thankfully, Emily was the only person in the house. Meadow pulled out a chair and slumped in the seat.

Emily glanced at her knowingly. She stirred something in a pot, turned the heat down low, and set aside the big spoon she was using. She sat across the table from Meadow and grabbed her hands in hers. Startled, Meadow looked up and met kind, brown eyes.

"Sam told me what happened," Emily said. "He stormed in here earlier and ranted to me uncharacteristically."

Meadow remained quiet and waited for Emily to continue. She was ready for the woman to scold her and tell her that her dreams were too big, her goals too unattainable. She tried pulling her hands away, but Emily refused to let go.

"Why do you want to do it, Meadow?" Emily asked. Meadow stared at Emily for a minute to process her words. Emily wasn't laughing at her or yelling at her. It was a completely different response than what she was given earlier.

"It's unfair," Meadow responded.

"What's unfair?"

"How the pack is run."

"And how is that?"

"...I feel like Sam abuses his power. He thinks everyone should just listen to what he says and not question anything. He's like a dictator."

"Shouldn't there be a leader, though?"

"Well, yeah, but not that kind of leader. Sam should consider everyone's opinion. A leader isn't someone who scares their followers. A leader is someone who uplifts their followers and makes sure their followers are adept in what they are doing. Just about everything I've learned that has to do with the pack has been from experience. Sam threw me into this without any answers or instructions or guidance.

A leader isn't some superior being. Sam is a shifter just like me, Jake, Embry, Paul, and Jared. He might have more experience, but he was only alone for a few weeks before Jared and Paul shifted. He's as new to this as all of us are, et he thinks he knows better. He only knows what the elders tell him. He only follows what the elders tell him. He isn't his own person and he most definitely isn't Alpha material."

Meadow took a deep breath after her rant and a slight blush overtook her face. She hadn't meant to insult Sam in front of his imprint. She didn't think it was fair to Emily. She hung her head in shame and snatched her hands out of Emily's. A small laugh came from Emily's mouth, causing Meadow to shoot her head up.

"Don't feel bad," Emily said. "I know how Sam is."

"...Am I wrong for wanting to be Alpha?" Meadow asked. "Am I being selfish?"

Am I being selfish by wanting to be Alpha, she asked herself. Do I just want to be Alpha just to find some kind of purpose in life?

"I don't think so," Emily reassured her.

Meadow's brows furrowed before she said, "You don't think I'm ruining something that's already perfect?"

"If it was perfect there wouldn't be anyone opposing it, would there?"

"...I guess not," Meadow muttered.

"I'll tell you what I think. I think you want to change the pack for the better. I've seen the way you react to certain things. You want what's best for the pack and for everyone in it."

"So, you think I can do it?" Meadow asked in a small voice.

"As his fiancee, I want to be in Sam's corner at all times. I want to back him up and support his decisions, but I don't think I can this time," Emily confessed with a smile. Meadow smiled back as a rush of giddiness flowed throughout her body. Having one person behind her was enough. She took a blow, but the next time she challenged him, she would win. She'd make sure of it.

I was going to take weeks off from writing, but I decided not to because I enjoy writing this story a lot. Also, writing takes my mind off of things and reality. Taking a few days off helped me wrap my mind around what's going on.

Don't forget to comment what you think.

Stay Awesome and safe ^u^