She whispered, “You’re mine too. They are trying to hurt you. I will always fight back against anything in this world that wants to hurt you.” We got out of the car and walked inside. My dad was waiting in the office with a very pissed off Alexander.
He growled, “What was their plan?” I explained, “They want to kidnap Elise and injure me to prove a point.” Alexander snarled, “What fucking point? That they are morons? That wouldn’t work.” I winced “I might have exploded his head intotiny little pieces before I got that information.” My dad snorted, “I can’t say I blame you for that son.”
I asked Alexander, “Any news from Jase?” Alexander shook his head, “He’s dark until next week. All I know is before he left he was confused about a present Melanie sent him. The note was insanely brief. It said ‘congratulations’ with a fancy watch. He asked her what it was for, and she told him it was a just because present.”
I nodded, “Alright. Is someone making sure he didn’t walk into a damn trap?” Alexander smiled, “I might have had William doing a little look out. His initial meet went just fine. William didn’t sense anything off. He’s back in Faerie.” That was good.
I questioned, “Why would Ladybug write congratulations on a card if the present was just because?” Alexander shrugged, “None of them know. She even addressed the card to Jason. He said she only calls him that when she’s mad at him.” I frowned because that was odd.
Angela popped into my office with her arms crossed. She glared at me, stomped her foot and yelled, “You didn’t even ASK me what I saw before you left to walk into a trap!” I told her, “I didn’t want to upset you.” She cried, “You don’t think I can help you!”
I disagreed, “That’s not it. I know the sniper is something that’s fuzzy to you. I knew if this was a trap then you wouldn't be able to see it.” She stuck her tongue out at me and left. Alexander sighed, “She’s worried.” I felt through our bond.
I replied, “I know.” More and more paths were blurry to her, but some things were so clear. Brutus told me, “I think she is stressing out too much about it.” I hoped that was case. Regardless, we would figure out what was messing with her visions, and this would stop. There had to be a link between how stressed a path made her and the vision itself. Elise took myhand and squeezed it. She linked me, “We will figure it out.” She was right, we do.
The week flew by. We were waiting for news to come from Jason. His check in time came and went, but we hadn’t heard anything yet. We were all anxious. Finally, Elise asked, “Can we pop to Red Run?” I grabbed her hand, and we popped to her parents’ house. Everyone was there waiting.
Everly was rubbing Tristan’s back. He was tapping his foot. Dalton sighed, “We need to send someone after him. He’s two hours late.” Elise’s fear slammed into me. TWO HOURS? Brutus asked me, “Should we refresh this pack on what an EMEREGENCY is? I don’t think they know anymore.” I’d argue but he might have a point.
A Warrior came thundering into the house yelling, “WE NEED HELP OUT HERE!” We were all running outside and off the porch. Two Warriors were dragging a beaten and bloodied Jason toward the house. I linked Alexander, “We need you and mom now! Pop to me.”
Alexander and my parents were there in a second. Alexander broke into a dead run towards his friend. My mom popped beside him. Alexander wiped some tears away, “Hang on man, you’re gonna be fine.” They started to heal him.
Sam ran out of the house, dropped to her knees, and cried. She screamed, “Is that my son? Oh my god! Jason!” She stood and rushed to them and just sat outside the bubble. Tristan grabbed one of the Warriors by the collar. He growled, “WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED?!”
The Warrior stammered, “I don’t know. He wasn’t there when we ran our last patrol. He just showed up on our border with Alpha Raven. Their men had just caught his scent too. It’s like he had no scent then suddenly it came back.”
Brutus linked, “Well, that sounds like some other group we know got involved.” It really did. I looked at Elise, but she wascrying. All her attention was focused on Jason. I turned to my dad. I linked him, “The sniper got to him back for us too.” My dad nodded, “That would be my guess.” Drake was wiping tears from his eyes while we waited for Jason to be healed.
It took my mom and Alexander an hour and half to heal him completely. Brutus growled, “They tortured him then.” That was very likely since it didn’t take my brother and mom long to heal people together unless it was bad.
He was still unconscious when they stepped back. I snapped them food. Alexander was trying to wipe his tears away. I asked, “How bad?” Alexander snorted, “You know it was bad.” My mom looked off in the distance at the McAlister house.
Eventually she said, “Something kept him alive before we got here. I think the Werewolf version of Laxenread is ready.” She tapped Alexander’s arm and pointed at Jason’s pocket. Alexander pulled out a syringe with a blue circle with a line through it.
Mom was right, they’d worked out a Werewolf one now. Along with a Fairy one. Jesus fucking Christ. Who the hell were these people? Alexander checked Jason’s other pockets. He pulled out a note and snorted. He handed it to me.
And this makes three. Watch your Beta better Alpha Kyle’s. Or you will not like the consequences. People don’t like me mad… or at all… but especially mad. Leave the Hunting Ring to us. Next time I expect a cookie… a good one…
Brutus linked, “That’s a lot of resentment.” He was right. It was a rebuke to Dalton and Dakota. I loudly said, “I’d buy her a damn bakery if she’d tell me her fucking name. What does she mean their Beta? T is the Beta.” I hoped maybe she was nearby, and the bakery comment would draw her out, but I didn’t hear anything.
Brutus linked, “It was a good try.” That’s all we had at this point. Tristan shrugged, “Jase is still a Beta blood and he also the duties of one. He’s Chrisopher’s Beta, but he focuses on training.” He’d planned to challenge for the Male Lead Warrior next week. We knew he was going to win too.
Dalton frowned, “He doesn't want the title of Beta though. If he wins, he’ll be known to everyone as the Male Lead Warrior while doing Beta duties on the side. She can’t think we just let him walk into danger. He’s our friend. Hell, he’s our FAMILY.” Tristan shrugged, “Maybe she called him that because he’s got Beta blood.” He had to be right.
The problem was this person seemed to know us quite well. Did they confuse Tristan with Jason? Jason groaned then sat up. Sam threw her arms around him, “Jase, are you ok?” He frowned, “I had the weirdest dream. Ladybug was there. Man, she was pissed.” My head started to pound.
Drake snorted, “She would be pissed you got caught if she knew about this. We watched her dance at her recital a half hour ago.” Jason shook his head, “I’d swear to you she was there. It was so real. She told me she couldn’t believe I’d come to try and trick Hunters when they were supernatural’s too. Which meant they knew who I was. She kept calling me Jason instead of Jase.”
He rubbed his temples, “She argued with someone. They didn’t want her to help me, but she told them to go to hell. They told her I was shit brother. That I’d turned my back on her, and she should do the same. That her life had more value…” He trailed off.
Tristan consoled him, “It was a weird dream. You’re not a shitty brother. No one would say that. We’ve never turned our back on Ladybug.” Drake took out his phone. He greeted, “Hi Ladybug, you did so good at your concert. Yes, we all thought so. No, Jase liked your dance. He didn’t text you yet? Well he’s right here. You can talk to him now.”
Jason took the phone frowning, “Hey, Ladybug. Yeah, no it was a great dance I just misplaced my phone again. Darn thing. I seem to repel it from myself. No, you were a beautiful dancer as always.” Alexander had a wistful look on his face. Jason passed the phone back to Drake who hugged Jason tightly. He walked off to talk to Melanie some more.
Jason sighed, “I could’ve sworn she was there. It was so real.” Tristan snorted, “If she knew, she’d kick your ass. How the HELL did you get caught?” My dad said, “The conversation he heard implies it would be because they are supernatural’s.” I frowned, “But they are humans that know about supernatural’s and hunt us.” My dad said, “Someone doesn’t think so.”
Tristan argued, “But that conversation didn’t happen.” My mom said, “Just because the people he thought were there, that I just wish you’d admit was fucking prank, weren’t doesn’t mean he didn’t hear that right.” She was texting on her phone. She’d get Uncle Bjourn on that.