Page 150 of The Alpha and His Childhood Sweetheart

Rhea snorted, “What’s strange is she doesn’t notice anything going on around her. Jason literally looks like he black eyes all the time he’s so tired. Ajax said that he can’t contact her wolf because they’ve never met. That doesn’t make sense though. He should be able to talk to her, they are family.”

I sat back knowing it was strange Melanie didn’t notice ANY of the things we’d kept from her. She knew about stuff I didn’t when she was back home. She was keenly observant. Why would she ignore it all? She couldn’t be having that much fun.” Rhea replied, “Unless she figured out that lobotomy you were trying to give yourself, it’s not possible. She’d come home and solve everything. Especially Laxenread.” I replied, “Yet she hasn’t.”

When Uncle Dane said she was living her dream I couldn’t stand it. I had to run. I told Rhea, “Tell Brutus we just need some time alone.” I shifted and ran along the private beach. I stuck to the forested area feeling the ground beneath my feet.

Eventually I shifted back and grabbed a shirt someone had set out. EJ’s guard must have followed me. They were always prepared. I called, “Thank you Youngers or Drax.” They didn’t answer, but I didn’t think they would.

I watched the waves crash in while it felt like my heart was being crushed in my chest. I needed Melanie back. Why didn’t she need us? Why didn’t she want to be with us? Why did she give up on Alexander? That wasn’t like her.

My mom walked up and sat down beside me. She’d also gotten a shirt. She said nothing for several minutes. She petted my hair as we watched the waves. Eventually she asked, “What’s going on in your head, my beautiful little girl?” I sighed, “It doesn't make sense. I can’t talk about it because I get a headache.”

My mom frowned stalling her hand. She asked gently “This is about Ladybug?” I grumbled, “Headaches shouldn’t give away who I was talking about, but it does. That’s weird. You know what else is weird? Why doesn’t she miss us?” My mom gently said, “I’m sure she does.”

I snorted, “Not enough to see us or to come home. She loves Red Run, and you know that. I understand being excited about a new place, but she’s spent Christmas and Thanksgiving alone for six years. I mean I know that family in New York spent it with her, but they aren’t us. They aren't her family. This whole thing is ridiculous. It doesn’t fit with her personality. Mel would’ve shown up with bells on to surprise everyone at some point. Probably well before it hit a year of her being gone. Why hasn’t she?”

My mom frowned, “I agree that it’s odd. We all think it is but she’s…” I groaned, “Don’t say it. I can’t hear it anymore. I want to strike those words from the English language. Why does her dream mean we can’t skype with her for more than five minutes? Even on her birthday, mine, Drake’s, or literallyanyone’s. Holidays we get nothing from her because she’s always busy and doing something. It doesn’t make sense.” I screamed when pain exploded in my head.

My mom held me, “Shhh Elise, I know pup. I know. It hurts me too.” I stopped thinking about it and just sat with my mom. I asked, “Is Jase getting worse?” My mom winced admitting, “Yes. He can only sleep with medication from the pack doctor. Anytime he shuts his eyes he gets some flash. Old or new, it doesn’t matter. He wakes up more convinced Melanie was there that day.” Rhea whined in my head.

Mom whispered, “Only talking to her on the phone calms him down. He’s always much better after their skype calls, but they just aren’t frequent enough. I just don’t know what to do for him. Sam and Drake are really worried. I’m tempted to charter a private plan and send him to New York. Once he sees her in person, I know he’d let this whole Melanie saved him thing go.” I nodded even though it felt like a lie.

Would he let it go? Was he right all this time? Did Mel save him? I shook myself because that was crazy. Rhea linked, “Not so crazy if the Resistance approached her.” I replied, “She’d tell me. That would be an emergency.”

She reasoned, “Six years alone can change a wolf.” She wasn’t alone though. Right? Rhea piped back in, “You just said that she’s not with family. She’s basically a lone wolf from Red Run.” Damn it she needed to come home.

We walked back to the house in silence. Everything was all messed up. I grabbed my phone off the deck, where I’d thrown it before I shifted. I had a message from Mel.

Ladybug:I’m available next week. Towards the end of the week. Sorry I’m slammed right now.

Me:I was hoping for earlier. Just call when you can.

Ladybug:Sorry! Super busy. I’ll talk to you next week.

None of the words sounded remotely like her. Hell, none of her actions in the last six years were like her. The part that just didn’t add up was from the time she was three all she wanted was to meet Alexander.

I stilled, “Rhea, where’s her Xander wolf?” She replied, “With her.” I asked, “But have you seen it? I don’t remember seeing her with it in pictures or our calls. Not once and she always had it with her.” She agreed, “I don’t recall seeing it since she left.” I volleyed back, “Why isn’t he ever on her bed? Where is her Xander wolf?” She admitted, “I have no idea.”

What did I know? I knew it wasn’t in the McAlister house. No, because if something happened to Melanie and that was left behind, we’d know. God, that was the strangest thought I’d ever had. Nothing happened to her in the heart of our territory.

I shoved that aside wondering where the damn wolf was? She was never without it. What was going on? Why didn’t I think of that before? Rhea snorted, “These damn headaches are why.” She was right. The headaches were the only reason. I managed to chuckle, thinking of my errant thought of someone taking Melanie and grabbing her stuffed wolf knowing it was important to her. If I were a kidnapper that would be vital, and a massive screw up if forgotten.

EJ said the wolf could be out of the frame. I could be a purple unicorn, but it seemed unlikely. Rhea snorted, “I am not purple. Nor am I a unicorn.” I snarked, “Exactly.” Rhea snickered, “Aren’t we testy?” I was but only because everything just didn’t add up to me. Sadly, there were no Karina cookies to calm my and make me think my thoughts were silly.

Now, I was practically a crazy conspiracy theorist. Keeping something from Melanie was hard. Something big was practically impossible. So, the fact that she never picked up on Jason briefly being kidnapped by Hunters was odd. She’s toosmart for that. She’d check in on us and she’d be listening to gossip.

People knew Jason was kidnapped. It was not a secret and that pack she was with definitely knew. Yet Melanie had no clue? She’d be on the first plane home if she’d caught a whisper about a fraction of what was happening. My headache came roaring back.

EJ consoled me. I linked Rhea, “Sure we will figure everything out. Right after I nail a spike into my head to stop the other pain I feel. Maybe if I actually use a spike, it will all stop.” Rhea said, “Let’s call that plan not even an option.” Someone had jokes today.

Rhea linked, “I mean mate’s plan is better. He revisits the popping rule with Drake. Both packs have new leadership it should be reviewed.” That was true. It should’ve been reviewed within the first month of Alexander and EJ leading the pack. Why wasn’t it? It was protocol. Why didn’t I talk to EJ about it sooner? An almost blinding pain hit me. UGH. I was SO over this shit.

EJ was still talking but I was focusing on not seeing spots. I caught when he said things could be different now. That would be great. Alexander could come with us to New York then. We could all go see her. I just needed to see her. That’s all this was.

We went and watched a movie with my family that I didn’t watch. I could tell EJ was unsettled. He was distracted and worried. I saw him text Corbin about magic. Dalton linked, “What’s up with you serious Sassafras’s?” I asked, What?” He grinned, “Made you smile.” I snorted, “Just Mel stuff. I’m tired of it.” He nodded. I just needed the pain in my head to stop so I could have clear thoughts.

Once we went to bed, I still felt troubled. Unsettled. I slept restlessly, and when I woke up EJ was gone. I sighed and grabbed the laptop we’d brought with us. I powered it on andsmiled seeing that I had an email from Ashley. It was from the day before we got here.

Elise,

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