Page 34 of The Alpha and His Childhood Sweetheart

He ripped a throat out and I got back to my feet as fast as I could. I turned and felt someone on my back. I knew that form because we practiced together. I yelled, “MEL!” She hit a Demon and nodded to me. Gosh, she was so fast to run all the here from her house in that record breaking time.

I grinned, “We’ve got this. You and me, together.” Like it would always be. There was only one left when my dad got to us. Drake shifted back once my dad killed that Demon. He yelled, “MELANIE JANE! You JUST got out of the hospital!” She frowned, “But Elise needed help and… well I’m fast. I know I am…. and…I would obviously get her the quickest…so…” I chuckled, “You know if you don’t stop her, she’ll ramble on and on.” My dad shifted back as Sharon popped in.

He asked, “Ladybug, are you hurt too?” She answered, “No… I…” He cut her off, “Good. Sharon, pop me, Ray, and Elise to Black Mountain.” Gosh, we were really cutting into their family vacation. Melanie pouted and Drake put his arms around her. I shot her a sympathetic look. Sharon popped us out.

EJ saw me and smiled before he snarled. He yelled, “MOM! ALEXANDER!” Alexander popped to me and began to heal me before I could tell him Ray took the worst of it. I let myself float away in the hazy feeling of being healed.

When my eyes snapped open EJ had me in arms. I whispered, “Hi.” His eyes were blazing gold, “Hi.” I touched his face, “Don’t be mad. I kicked ass.” He snorted, “I am mad at the Demons who dared to attack my mate.” He cupped my face and gently kissed me. He said, “Your mom is here now. I’m going with my Uncle Logan and sending a goddamn message to the Demons.”

I frowned, “We kind of did that.” He growled, “And I will hammer that point home. No one burns my mate and gets away with it.” Alexander chuckled, “I feel like I’ll be the one reigning you in this time, brother.” EJ said, “I prefer you join me in sending a brutal message.” Alexander grinned, “Gladly.”

I innocently said, “Melanie reached me first.” Alexander stiffened. EJ asked, “She did?” I nodded, “Yup. We took them on back to back as if our fate is intertwined to fight together.” EJ shot me an amused look. Alexander growled, “Was she hurt? They didn’t bring her…” I interrupted, “She wasn’t.” Alexander nodded and gave us a minute.

EJ teased, “You wound him up.” I winked, “And now he’ll be on your side about sending a strong message. Hurry and come back to me.” He put his forehead on mine. He whispered, “I did not handle smelling or seeing your blood well. I’m so glad you’re ok.”

I cupped his face, “Ray was right there, and I was holding my own. Then Melanie showed up. The scales were in our favor before that, but that definitely tipped it into a landslide.” He kissed me so hard my knees were weak. He told me, “I’ll be back soon, and no Demon will so much as LOOK at you again.” It shouldn’t excite me, but it really did. My mate loved me in the way I always dreamed of and I couldn’t help but revel in it.

The Past

EJ is Sixteen Years Old

EJ was nervous. Alexander, Cassie, and I were finally sitting down with our mom to discuss her past. Alexander and I had overheard things more than once when we were together in Faerie. Cassie came back from the time she lived there very concerned about what we were going to hear.

Alexander had been in a mood since Melanie was a no show at our birthday again this year. Jason said she got in a fight. Elise told me she’d beaten up Charline again. I had no doubt that was because Charline said something about Alexander.

Charline just refused to admit, even after two years of being ignored by my brother, that she meant nothing to him. He only spoke to her when he had to. She seemed to think they had some great love affair after the dance. They definitely did not, and I knew my brother had absolutely no interest in her.

I also knew that Melanie still carried her toy wolf around because I’d asked Elise. I hadn’t seen her since I sought her out that one time though. I popped into Alexander’s room. He looked up at me clearly startled. I raised an eyebrow when I saw the book he had.

He was reading aThoroughbredSeries book. I raised an eyebrow and asked, “Have you gotten into a new series, brother?” He was reading a book calledMelanie’s Treasureand judging by the wear and tear on the book he’d read it more than once. It was also not the first book in the series. Which I knew because I’d helped Elise find some of them as gifts for Melanie.

Alexander was flustered. The bond told me he was somewhat embarrassed. He quickly conjured the book away. He stood asking, “Can you just not say anything about that?” That wouldbe hard, considering I knew exactly why he was reading it. Brutus chime in, “Melanie. Clearly.”

I sighed, “If that’s what you want, little brother.” Alexander nodded, “It really is.” I rolled my eyes, “Fine. Let’s get going.” Alexander nodded. I started to leave but he grabbed my arm. “Thank you.” I’d told him I’d give him space and I was. Other than occasionally moodiness about Melanie, and not having met her yet, he’d been fine. I just wished he’d tell me.

We popped downstairs where we found my mom wringing her hands. My dad took her hands in his and kissed them softly. He pulled her into his lap. Cassie was already waiting for us, and she sent me her nervousness. We all knew that we were going to hear things we didn’t want to.

My mom stood and started pacing. I said, “Mom.” She popped back to dad then smiled shakily. “Sorry, I’m just so fucking nervous.” Alexander leaned forward and squeezed her hand. He told her, “We feel that, but you don’t need to be nervous. We love you.” She smiled, “I know that.” My dad squeezed her leg, “Whenever you’re ready, Angel.” My mom closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

She began, “I know you guys have heard rumors, and I’m sorry for that. I should’ve….” Alexander interrupted, “You are telling us now that you feel you yourself, and the three of us, are ready to hear it. You don’t need to apologize for that.” My mom smiled at him.

She admitted, “Fuck, this is harder than I thought it would be.” She took a deep breath “Ok, I wasn’t always the kick ass, collect names, partial Hackura Fairy I am today,” I bit my lip. My mom was not good with this realm’s sayings. She was unique.

She kept talking while we all smiled at each other, “using my Fairy powers mom you all know. My life in Faerie was difficult. The Sky and Earth Fairies didn’t like me. Actually, until I met your dad, I thought they hated me because I was the only PartialFae. After meeting him, I found out there were a lot more running around.” All our jaws dropped. How did she not know that?

My mom sighed, “Oh boy, if your jaws drop now this just…” She trailed off then cursed, “Fuck.” My dad squeezed her leg, “They will not think less of you, Angel. They will see you how I do. As the strong woman you are.” I frowned.

Alexander linked me, “What the fuck?!” I replied, “I don’t know.” Mom sighed, “You’ve heard of Fabian.” Alexander nodded while Cassie shuddered. No one had a kind word to say about him. My mom cringed, “He’s your great uncle.” Cassie stood shouting, “NO! He can’t be! He was sick and twisted!”

Alexander and I weren’t surprised though. We did some digging and found Fabian was Alania’s brother. Our family had buried it pretty deep, but we’d found it. My dad’s eyes narrowed on us both. My mom took my sister's hands, “Cass, it’s ok. Our family does not define us. Fabian definitely has nothing to do with who we are as a family. I am who I am in spite of him.” Cassie was shaking which had me moving.

I put my arms around her, but she jumped up and away crying. I went to her again and she pushed me back. Cassie cried, “You don’t understand, EJ! You don’t understand what that means!” I frowned. Alexander questioned, “Cass?”

Cassie looked at our mom, “He hurt you, didn’t he?” My mom stood and gave Cassie a hug. When she calmed back down, we all took our seats again. My mom continued, “I was a part of the Ring’s that we work to shut down.” Alexander gripped the couch. I looked at my dad.

Brutus howled in my head. I was in denial thinking not my mom. Not light itself. My mom kept talking, “It was hidden from everyone outside of Faerie. Not even everyone inside Faerie knew what was happening to me. Fabian was into experiments. He inadvertently blocked my connection to your uncles andGrandpa Titus by concealing my sorrow from other Fairies. He didn’t want Aiden and Arion to know I was depressed and sad. It started out as just beatings.”

Brutus was raging, “She did not just say ‘just’ beatings.” I ground out, “She did.” He replied, “The Ring’s will rue the day we take over this pack. I will TEAR THEM TO PIECES!” Brutus loved my mom as much as I did. I agreed, “Yes, we will.” All our siblings would join us.

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