Page 13 of The Alpha and His Childhood Sweetheart

I told Tristan, “I can take care of myself. Robert is lucky he didn’t do that to me, or EJ would get what was left of him after I kicked his butt.” Robert could also consider himself lucky that Melanie’s Xander didn’t know about it. If Alexander was her mate, then Robert would be very dead for what he just did.

All the Conners were already good fighters, but Alexander held a different type of intensity. I just had a gut feeling he’d be a strong fighter. I knew EJ would be amazing too. He was a strategist, which was good because EJ would be the head of the packs.

Alexander would be an Alpha too, but most likely the enforcer. He’d be EJ’s right hand like Jackson is to Eric. Cassie was the one that would covertly get you. She was just as deadly as her brothers with an innocent face. EJ and Alexander would get in your face, but Cassie you’d never see her coming.

I went back inside, looked at the clock then went outside right off our back deck and sat down under a tree. Ray came and sat down. He casually asked, “So, what happened with Mel?” I laughed, “I can’t tell you.” Ray sighed, “If not for your troublemaker brothers, I’d know. I missed the beginning of it bya few minutes.” I reiterated, “He deserved it.” Ray said, “I don’t doubt it. Steer clear of that pup.” I frowned, “Not you too.”

Ray gave me a look, “He likes you far more than he should. He thinks he’s better than the Conners.” I frowned arguing, “No one thinks that.” Ray laughed, “Plenty of people think that. It doesn't make them right. Keep your eyes open around him.” I shrugged, “Why? Do you?” Ray nodded, “I do and I’ll be doing so for the foreseeable future. I just want your eyes open too.”

I shrugged, “EJ would never throw a pup’s toy into the mud. Even if I wasn’t EJ’s I would hope the Moon Goddess wouldn’t give me a mate like that.” Ray snorted, “He’s a dumb pup.” I boasted, “But EJ isn’t.” Ray smiled, “You guys are very cute.”

He tapped my nose, “I’ll just have to watch out for our little spitfire known as Ladybug.” I teased, “That would be a full time job.” Ray chuckled, “It’s so peaceful around here lately that I’m sure I have time.” I agreed, “That’s true.” We hadn’t had a single rogue attack in three years.

Ray got up and moved back a few feet. I read my book until I heard a pop. I threw my book down and ran to EJ. I could tell something was wrong, he was clearly upset. He held his arms open, and I ran into them. He was growling possessively.

I linked Dalton, “Did someone tell EJ about Robert?” He replied, “Not that I know of, but I can hear that possessive growling and Robert has fled like he’s on fire.” Good. Once I felt EJ settle, I pulled back and got part of an answer. I linked Dalton, “Cassandra’s causing problems again.” He sarcastically replied, “Shocker.” I wished it was actually surprising.

Cassandra Conners was not someone I cared for. She hurt EJ’s feelings. Hell, she hurt the feelings of all my mate’s siblings. She seemed to disapprove every time EJ and I did something. I didn’t understand her. My mom said she was a traditionalist, whatever that meant. I’d heard Sam call Cassandra a bitch several times and agreed more with her on that topic.

My heart hurt hearing Cassie was upset. We were really good friends. I knew that Cassie had overheard Cassandra say some pretty mean things about her mom, which made NO sense. Haley was nice. She always told me I could call her whatever I was comfortable with. She even said mom was fine because one day I’d marry EJ. She was always supportive and available if anyone wanted to talk, even me. Ever since I was little, she would always listen if I wanted to talk. She was amazing.

We discussed my day and got back to normal. He teased me about Melanie. It was just a weird series of coincidences that he hadn’t met her. Drake was super protective of her, so she’d never left the territory. My dad said he’d lighten up one day.

There was something the adults, specifically the McAlister’s, were worried about, but they said I wasn’t old enough yet to hear the story. Tristan and Jason had been training to fight since they could walk. Yet they didn’t even know what their dad was so worried about. My mom said it was probably nothing. There was just an incident with Drake’s sister that Drake handled. They were just being cautious. Paranoid seemed like a better word.

EJ understood why I couldn’t break my pinky promise. I knew that I especially couldn’t tell EJ because he could tell Alexander and then Melanie wouldn’t talk to me anymore. I really did see her, Melinda, and MaryBeth as the little sisters I didn’t have.

Ray gave me a knowing look when EJ talked about Robert. I don’t know why everyone thought that pup liked me. Robert wasn’t even overly nice to me. Now, he was just all the way on my bad side for picking on Melanie.

I knew Melanie would die of embarrassment if EJ talked to her about the incident. She was the worst liar of all time. She evaded fairly well, but with EJ having Fairy blood that wouldn’t work. Part of me really wanted to confide in my mate because I knew Alexander really wanted to meet his mate. The two of themmade sense to me. Alexander was reserved, whereas Melanie was more outgoing. They would match each other fairly well, as much as you could know at this point in our lives.

I couldn’t tell him though. I’d promised and I was going to be a Luna. I needed to keep the secrets people trusted me with like mom did. Plus, Melanie was like my little sister. She’d cry if she was wrong about Alexander. It was just a crush that she’d probably grow out of it.

It was funny everyone thought she had no attachment to her toy. She definitely loved her Xander wolf. EJ asked good questions that made me want to groan. That was the other thing about the Conners. All Eric and Haley’s pups were skilled at asking questions in unique ways. They spent a lot of time around other Hackura and learned their habits. Plus, evaded with Fairies was dang near impossible unless they let you get away with it.

I could tell EJ was impressed Melanie was able to imitate the moves without ever having physically performed them. Melanie was really smart. She just thought about things in a way that other people didn’t. Plus, she only got mad if someone picked on her.

Now, we’d added bad mouthing her Xander to the list. Either the stuffed toy or Alexander himself, either of which were clearly unacceptable as far as she was concerned. EJ popped me inside. I heard someone in the pack link laugh, “Gosh, I’d never get used to that if I was little Elise.” I didn’t agree.

It was just normal for us. He’d been popping me around for as long as I could remember. He had popped us around to annoy Ray before a few times. My brothers came to the table with their heads down. I’m sure they were hoping if they were good, they’d get to go play.

I had to smile thinking of the young mates surrounded us all. MaryBeth wanted to play with my Uncle Dane, and I was sureUncle Christopher was with Brooke somewhere. My Uncle Dane was younger than me by a few months. He was MaryBeth’s mate. It was so fun spending time with Emmaline Lyons. She knew who people’s mates were. She was SO cool.

My mom heard a rumor that turned out to be true. I was stunned that someone tried to fight Haley when she was only a few weeks from her due date. EJ’s dad was very intense about his mom. All Alpha’s were with their mates, but EJ’s dad was next level. He’d probably rip out someone’s heart right out of their chest for trying to fight her.

My mom teased my dad. Mom was pregnant, but even if she wasn’t dad was protective. I clued into the Cassandra problem and felt my heart drop. Dakota linked, “What?” I replied, “I’d better be wrong, and this isn’t about Cassandra. If I’m right I’ll have Cassie help me find some Fairy prank to play on that she wolf.”

Dakota sighed, “You’re not going to be wrong. She’s hateful.” I asked, “Why can’t she just stop hurting my mate and my friends?” Dakota answered, “Because she’s bitter and mean.” He wasn’t wrong. My parents were gob smacked by the explanation EJ gave us.

Even my grandpa Nick and Ben stop walking when they came back in. They must have overheard him because they were both looking at each other. Cassandra made lots of people give that look. It was a look of pity for Eric and the Conners pups combined with sympathy for Haley.

Most people thought EJ’s mom was a saint for dealing with Cassandra the way she did. I’d heard Sam say on more than one occasion she’d rip her eyes out if she was her daughter in law. EJ walked us through the whole situation.

My dad was gripping the arms on his chair tightly. I knew he felt bad for Eric. He looked up to him as an Alpha. To have his mom behaving this way about his Luna was so disrespectful. Ilooked at my mom and couldn’t help but be really glad she got along with my grandma.

Cassandra just wasn’t smart to challenge a pregnant pack member, let alone the Luna. Factor in she was a Princess of two races, and it was literally insane. I cast a look at Ray. I’d known he was going to protect Haley before he was sent to protect me. I also knew he liked and respected her. He’d been getting to know her at her insistence. He thought she was one of the most impressive Luna’s he’d ever met.

She even conjured him a house there because he wasn’t comfortable in the pack house. He was on the list for a cottage, but once she’d heard about it she’d stepped in. She’d told him she knew that you didn’t feel at home somewhere until you were comfortable. She’d conjured his house here too after I was almost kidnapped. I think she was upset no one told her that he didn’t have one before then.

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