Page 142 of The Alpha and His Childhood Sweetheart

Dalton said, “I’m team Alexander and Melanie being mates. Just THINK of the training plans they will come up with. Your poor pack big sister, they have NO IDEA what’s coming for them. Ladybug was fierce at three and she promised Drake she’d keep up her Warrior training.”

He paused, “WAIT! We established Drake doesn’t know, but does Sam know?” MaryBeth sighed, “No, and you won’t tell a SINGLE soul!” Dalton cried out, “COME ON!” MaryBeth shook her head, “I have been sworn to secrecy. It will NOT get around Red Run that I spilled the beans. Melanie would never forgive me.” Dane shot them a warning glare.

Dakota groaned, “Seriously?!” Everyone nodded. He grumbled, “I think someone needs to tell Dylan Frost he has the wrong nickname for Alexander. He’s not the Moody Triplet. He’s the Patience of Mother Teresa triplet.” Dane snorted, “No fucking joke.”

Dalton added, “It’s a damn shame they didn’t meet before she left for New York. She’d have come home more often. Jase really needs to see her in person. Honestly, they all do. Drake’s been beating himself up for years. Sam’s stealthier about it, but I know she’s a mess too. It’s driving them crazy. They are all hurting. It’s odd because Ladybug used to notice that kind of thing.”

Brutus grumbled, “I agree.” I know because I did too. She’d had a total personality change the second she left. Dalton rubbed his head. Chelsea sighed, “They are keeping a lot of things from her. I keep telling you all when Ladybug comes back here if sheknew what everything was like. She’s going to kick a whole hoard of asses for this. I would be really upset if I was her.”

Dane frowned, “She’s living her dream though.” Elise stood up so fast she knocked the chair next to us over. I asked, “Elise?” She ran out of the room, calling over her shoulder, “I’m going for a run.” I stood but Chelsea got up sending me a ‘sit down’ signal. She said, “I’ll go with her.”

I heard Elise shift. Brutus linked, “Rhea said they need to be alone.” I told Chelsea, “Hang back from her, I’ll send my guard too. Brutus said she needs to be alone.” I knew my guard would follow Chelsea. They were here after all.

My head guard, Youngers, faded in. My other guard, Drax, faded in with him. Youngers assured me, “We’ll be with the Duchess.” As my mate, they understood that Elise was my whole life. I felt bad because I didn’t think they often had things to do with me as their charge. I nodded to them as he faded back.

Cooper muttered, “That’s so cool.” It was normal to me, but if I couldn’t do it, I’d find it very cool as well. Brutus scoffed, “You find it cool too.” I did, but it was normal to me. Chelsea frowned, “I’ll hang back like they do, but I’m still going with her.”

Dane shrugged, “What did I say that made her run off?” I explained, “Elise hates that whole she’s living her dream mantra.” Peter snorted, “Don’t we all at this point? I swear Drake is at war with himself every day. He literally has arguments with himself.” Cooper whispered, “Then throws up.”

I asked, “He what?” That was weird. Brutus agreed, “That’s very strange. Wolves don’t get sick like that.” Dane frowned, “I didn’t know that.” Peter raised a beer, “I am aware you didn’t. The McAlister family is having a time of it right now. Jase’s situation with his nightmares are well known, but all of them struggle. Even Ben and Esther.”

MaryBeth looked at the ground and something told me Dane kept a lot about her struggles to himself.

Brutus said, “His wolf is telling me she’s been sick herself a few times.” Why the hell didn’t they mention that?! He replied, “I don’t know.”

I said out loud, “We could probably help Jase. My mom’s been looking into the headaches. I do know that she and my Uncle Aiden disagree about what’s causing them. I know my mom is gathering us all when we get back to test a theory.”

Peter threw out, “I know. She told Chelsea why we were popping back to your house after vacation and not Red Run. Drake told me they will be there too. I’m honestly here for getting rid of these headaches any way I can. I don’t even care what her theory is.”

I sighed, “Mine don’t get as bad as anyone else’s. They are annoying though. Maybe I just needed to get away because it’s not as bad here.” They made faces like theirs weren’t either. I continued, “Alexander though, I swear he gets them more than everyone else. Him and Elise.”

Peter snorted, “They’d rival the McAlister’s then. My dad is really worried about Ben. Meanwhile my mom is worried about Esther.” MaryBeth snorted, “All of us are worried about every single one of us. These aren’t normal yet the pack doctor says we are fine.”

I assured her, “It will all get figured out now that my mom knows. She said there was nothing physically wrong with Elise too. So, the pack doctor is right.” Peter frowned, “How is that possible?” I shrugged, “I know my mom has a theory, but it doesn’t make, and I quote, any fucking sense. That’s why she’s arguing with Uncle Aiden about it. My mom told him she was going to test her fucking theory even if it had flaws.” Peter snorted, “That sounds like your mom.”

Dane added, “She uhh had some colorful words to say about it. I heard her tirade from outside when she popped in to talkto you about it, brother.” Cooper snickered, “She always has colorful words in her tirades. She’s funny.” She really was.

Peter shrugged, “I didn’t even get to tell her all about it because she was already upset. I only told her that we’d been getting headaches for six plus years. That’s all she heard before she was off and running to the races.” I had no sympathy for them with that.

MaryBeth snickered, “Please tell me you said that to her.” Peter winked, “I’m no fool, MaryBeth.” I grappled with my own feelings because it hit me out of nowhere that I felt bad because I never told my mom about it. Why did that feeling appear out of nowhere?

Several of siblings were throwing curiosity at me. All except Alexander who was so happy it was insane. It was the happiest I’d ever felt him. What was going on with him? Brutus commented, “For the life of me, I can’t come up with a single reason we didn’t tell mom about the headaches.” I left Alexander to his feelings and circled back to why that guilt didn’t hit me until I’d been away from home.

My mom had read me the riot act about not mentioning them. None of us could come up with a single good reason that this had happened. I never felt guilty until now though. What was going on? Brutus admitted, “I don’t know. We should’ve felt guilty then.” He was right.

There was no reason to keep something like that from her. She thought we believed she let us walk around in pain sensing our headaches. That had to kill her, and I’d barely said sorry. What was wrong with me?

I pushed it out of my mind. I hated that I’d hurt my mom’s feelings. I felt my dad in my feelings and knew the second he realized what it was about. His guilt flooded the bonds as well, but none of my siblings understood. So, my dad wasn’t home,and neither was I and we were the ones who finally felt guilty. That didn’t seem good.

I mulled that over until Elise and her mom came back a couple hours later. She checked her phone and frowned. I asked, “What’s up?” Elise sighed, “Mel doesn’t have time to talk until next week.” I hugged her, “But you’ll talk next week.” Elise sighed, “I guess.” I asked, “What’s going on?” Elise buried her face in my chest, “This damn headache. She’s living her dream, but things just don’t make sense.”

I pushed, “Like what?” Elise frowned, “I know you think it doesn’t make sense either.” I admitted, “A few things, but what doesn’t make sense to you?” Elise sighed, “She always wanted her Xander. Mel’s smart enough to know that he’d let her live her dream. I know I only see part of her bedroom, but it hit me the other day that I’ve never seen her Xander wolf. She always had him with her.” I argued, “He could be out of the frame.”

She huffed, “He could be. Then there’s the fact that she just always has these plans. She doesn't see that her family is hurting. She hasn’t caught on that we are all dealing with crazy Hunters, drugs, and snipers. None of it. Mel’s too smart for that. UGH THIS FUCKING HEADACHE!” She rubbed her head.

I held her close, “You’re right. None of that makes sense. We will get it figured out though, I swear.” Elise snorted, “I’ll have to drive a spike through my head first.” I winced, “None of that. Look, the McAlister’s will be at our house when we get back. We’ll talk about popping to see Ladybug. Ok?”

Elise looked at me and her hope flooded the bond. She quickly said, “Ok. Are you sure?” I nodded, “Yes, it’s past time. I should’ve talked to Drake a long ass time ago. I have no idea what’s going on with me. I didn't talk to my mom about the headaches. Yours get really bad too. I can’t…” I trailed off.

---