Page 118 of The Alpha and His Childhood Sweetheart

Rhea snarled, “Alpha Davis really has to die soon.” Seriously, I didn’t know why I didn’t just march down and punch him after that ordeal. Why hadn’t I? He didn’t even give her the invitation. He didn’t have the right to turn it down without her knowledge. My head was going to explode with pain.

I startled, realizing more people had reach out to Ashley than I’d thought. I linked Eric, “You talked to Ashley?” He admitted, “I did.” Whoa. Did the whole Conners family reach out to Ashley without my knowing? She’d refused to meet him too. I was so beyond annoyed now that I needed a run.

I glared at EJ when he asked if Ashley was rude to Eric, but he didn’t see it. Ashley wasn’t like that. Eric linked me, “Hold up there, killer.” I replied, “She’s a nice person.” He agreed, “She did seem nice.” I calmed down a little.

I linked Rhea, “Why are we so irritable right now?” Rhea felt twitchy. She answered, “Maybe we just need a run.” We would get one as soon as this meeting was over. Alexander wanted to talk to Ashley, fighter to fighter.

Rhea snicked, “Ashley might just die if he reached out to her.” That was true. She’d implemented his techniques in her pack. She thought Alexander was practically a god himself. No one else realized that Ashley could fall over dead from a heart attack if Alexander emailed her.

From the look in my brother in law’s eyes, I knew he was going to. Rhea linked, “She’s mad at the Moon Goddess.” I replied, “I picked that up from what Alpha Theo is saying. Honestly, I might be too if I was her.” I felt my wolf flinch, but it was true. She probably felt abandoned.

I only wished I’d realized that before I included it in my email to Ashley. I hoped that so many people reaching out to her didn’t completely overwhelm her and make her retreat. She could feel like she was backed into a corner. That could push her to silence. Rhea reasoned, “She will always talk to us.” I asked, “Why are you so confident?” She admitted, “I don’t know, but I am.” Well, ok then.

Alpha Theo dropped another bomb. Rhea snarled, “They call her ICE QUEEN?!” That pissed me off so bad I nearly shifted. Dakota linked, “Dalton said you were mad.” I replied, “Now, I’m even more mad. ICE QUEEN!” He told me, “I need more context.” I snarled, “They call Ashley Ice Queen because she won’t fuck them!” He growled back, “What the hell?!” I scoffed, “RIGHT?!” At least I knew everyone around me agreed.

Rhea snarked, “What a bunch of narcissistic shitheads!” I agreed, “No woman has to do anything with any man that she doesn’t want to. She DOES NOT deserve to be ridiculed for that.” My mom linked, “So, your brothers said you are ready to rage and rightfully so.” I snarled, “People in Black Path can get fucked!” She agreed, “They could probably use that. Orgasms help make us more centered.” I nearly spit out my water.

I linked, “MOM!” She replied, “What? It does.” I told her, “Well, I’m going to finish out this meeting and go for a run.”She laughed, “You know I have lots of orgasms, sweetie. Well, I guess you knew I had sex because you and your siblings. Your dad is generous in…” I cut her off, “Mom, no please. I heard you growing up.” She shot back, “Yeah, I heard you and EJ a time or two as well.” I shut that link hard.

Rhea linked, “In the spirit of thinking of something else; maybe Ashley is waiting for the guy she likes to come get her.” I replied, “Bless you and this subject change. She could since he had to know where she was. We need his name then we could talk to him.”

Rhea asked, “Do we really want it? The guy is crazy and Ashley is amazing.” True. EJ got me out of my head and admitting that I felt like a failure to Ashley and Melanie. He disagreed with me, saying Melanie was living her dream.

I threw my pen because I was sick to DEATH of people saying that. So what? So what if she was living her dream? Was she even? Alexander was her dream, and I knew that because she’d told me so herself once. My headache was back with a vengeance. I literally felt my brain whispering that she was living her dream.

EJ switched the subject to Ashley. I asked Rhea, “Why can’t I convince her that her parents death wasn’t her fault?” She admitted, “Because she was a pup, they had for two years before we contact her. She was vulnerable and they preyed on her and beat her down. Now, it’s engrained in her psyche that it was her fault.” Well, that just sucked.

I linked my parents, “You guys would give your lives for me, and if anyone told me it was my fault you’d rise from the grave to haunt their asses. Right?” My dad snarled, “I’d find a way to kill someone. I’d make a deal with Iblis himself.” Iblis was friends with EJ’s Uncle Bjourn, who just so happened to be the Ruler of the underworld.

My mom replied, “I would appear to you in dream after dream to make sure you knew that was all lies. I’d give my life for any of you. I know this about Ashley, and I agree her parents would be aghast over what they’ve done to her.” Well, that made me feel better.

I wished Ashley’s parents would find a way to reach her like I knew mine would. I told them, “I love you guys.” They replied, “As we love you.” My dad said, “In all seriousness, if someone ever happened to me all I want is for you to be happy.” I teared up, “Well, nothing gets to happen to you.” He chuckled, “I plan to be around for a long time.” Good.

I knew Haley and Eric would do the same as my parents. Except Haley would go farther than anyone else. She was a force to be reckoned with and had a lot of magic for anyone to contend with. I would stake my life and reputation on that fact.

What had me thinking about Ashley’s brother again was mine and EJ’s siblings. They’d never treat their sibling this way. Rhea agreed, “We could set him straight.” We could. Then I’d go after his mate because she just went along with it.

I gave her a little grace because she sends Ashley pictures of their son but agrees she can’t see him in person. They refuse to let her come home and see him or even meet her in the middle. It breaks my heart for her.

That got me thinking about Melanie. She hadn’t even made it home to meet Tristan and Everly’s son Kai yet. Kai made me think I could be ready to have pups in a couple of years. He was so adorable. I just wanted to curse all the gods.

I mean a hurricane in New York?! COME ON! Snowstorms, hailstorms. Any type of storm you can name it’s happened. Even A TORNADO! The Gods and Goddesses were mocking us all. I just didn't know why. My phone dinged. Excitement filled me. It was from Ashley.

Elise,

I am sorry you were worried.... that… I didn’t mean… to… not answer…. It’s been a hectic few days. This is actually the first time I’ve been home since the attack… because… Well…. someone I consider family was injured. I couldn’t leave the hospital… I just couldn’t…. not until I knew he was going to be ok… I was prepared to put everything on the line…. and call in a favor to be healed…. if he took a turn but which… I mean… I would’ve given anything to make sure he was ok… …he’s fine, thank goodness.

Honestly…it’s for everyone’s best freaking interest that he’s fine…. I’m apparently ‘snarky’ right now… screw them and their labels…. that’s not the point right now… I again find that your pride means the world to me.

Thank you for your kind words of encouragement. I mean I do know not all packs are like this one, but without me… innocent people would die. It sounds boastful… but it’s true… I am needed here… the bigger point is I deserve to be here. I don’t deserve to have a good life… everyone has made that clear…. and really… I already have more than I deserve.

As far as Trevor McCann… the dirty dog smelling LIAR… he’s lying and… well…. Everyone knows it. They just claim that they can’t prove he’s wrong… which is lie… and you know that so saying it is not necessary… at all.

I can handle Trevor… easily. It’s sad how easy it is to beat him in a fight…. really and truly sad …you’d never know he had Gamma and Alpha blood…. So… he won’t forcibly mark me because he’d have to beat me, and he can’t do that… or even land a hit… unless I let him… and I won’t feed his ego like that… ever….

Really… there is only one man whose mark I’d ever bear… and I do dream about that… it’s just that… it won’t happen. He despises me… which is fine… I’m obviously fine and not crying while I type that… I’m so beyond fine that he hates me… It’s totally fine….. I’ll just be on my own… never being anyone’s mate ever…. it really wouldn’t be fair to anyone else… since my heart belongs to someone else. I will always be his. That is just what it is.

I’ve thought about going to see him many times… I have plans on plans… I actually got in the car a few times… it’s just that… I can’t… so I stop… and turn around. I know it doesn’t make sense… or maybe it does… I can’t see the hatred and repulsion in his eyes. I can’t be rejected by him. It will kill me. Literally I think it would.

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