Micah linked, “She called him Edward, not Alpha. Yet both our mates got full titles.” I replied, “Somehow that’s not on the list of things I’m curious about.” Ashley continued, “He’s also definitely fought with an allied attack. He’s killed a Werewolf. That’s just basic logic…that one would have without reading files one does not have access too.” I stared at her before linking Micah, “Sweet baby Jesus. She is the worst liar of all time.” He laughed, “I know. It’s great, right?” I don’t know if I’d say that.
She winced adding, “By the way... having someone who people KNOW is a Conners’ mate just waltz into a Hunters den… is such a bad call.” Addison hissed, “ASHLEY!” She cleared her throat, “Bad call, dudes. Very bad call.” Sierra hit her head on the table.
Ashley asked, “What? I said dudes like we are friends. Just like he said to!” Sierra asked, “Dear god, who said that?” Before she could answer Addison jumped it, “Her strange way of pointing out Duke Micah shouldn’t come back is right. They knew her was coming and who he was.”
I disagreed, “Dante suspected. Ashley, and possibly you two, were the only ones who knew for sure. Which brings us back to how she knows me and Micah. I’ve never met any of you. We did surveillance on Black Pack two years ago and Ashley didn’t live there at the time.”
She frowned, “I do now. I was sent packing…which is a nice way to describe my…” Sierra cleared her throat. Ashley waved, “after my parents died. My brother blames me for their deaths. It's a lovely pack full of wonderful people.” Now her tone dripped with anger and derision.
Micah and I laughed. I reiterated, “You’re a bad liar and clearly you hate Black Path. You used the Alpha’s name earlier without the title.” What was surprising was that Addison and Sierra agreed with her.
Ashley sighed, “Yes, I hate it and him. He doesn’t deserve the title of Alpha because he’s abysmal…. It’s kind for when you think about. Except for a few bright spots of wonderful people, the packs sucks... As a whole… the pack lands itself are…”
Sierra chimed in, “Ashley.” Ashley grumbled, “The current pack leadership is spineless. Their future leadership is different. The current one isn’t even…” Sierra butted back in, “Ashley.” Micah linked, “They should just let her talk. I want to know the end of that sentence.” So did I.
She moved on, “But the current leadership is doing shady things…” Addsion warned “Ashley.” I shot them both a glare. They needed to stop interrupting her. Ashley groaned, “Their Lead Warriors are crap. They think just because they are wolves they don’t have to train. I can beat all of them in a fight.” Sierra jumped in, “Ashley.” What was wrong with that? Other than the obvious fact that it shouldn’t be possible.
Ashley rambled, “I’m fifteen… and they aren’t… so that’s just sad. When I get my wolf, I’m going to challenge the pathetic excuse of a Female Lead Warrior for her spot. I’ll win easily… she’s practically a figurehead.” Sierra groaned, “Ashley?” She asked, “What? She is and…” I actually knew why they wanted her to stop talking that time.
I interrupted her, “At sixteen years old? What about school?” She shrugged, “I have a GED…. so I don’t go to school.” Micah frowned, “What do you do during the day?” Ashley looked away and Addison reached for her hand and squeezed it.
Sierra answered, “They have her doing chores.” Ashley added, “I work on projects in my spare time. Like hiding your mark.” Micah asked, “Let’s talk about that. How did you do that?”Micah moved his collar down. I glanced over to see that his mark didn’t show on his neck at all. His wolf tattoo was completely gone.
Ashley smiled, leaned across the table, grabbed his arm, and peeled something away. I almost gagged because it looked like his skin was coming off. I wasn’t squeamish but Micah was a brother to me through marriage in our realm. I looked again and his mark was back.
Now I asked, “How did you do that?” She grabbed a beat up purple backpack and slid it toward me. I told her, “You need a new backpack.” She shrugged, “This is all I’ve got.” The need to help this girl hit me very strongly.
I opened her backpack. In several packages were circular objects that looked like small band aids. I swore there was a stuffed animal in the bottom too. I couldn’t make out what it was without taking it out, but I could see black fur on whatever it was. Maybe even a hint of white.
She encouraged, “Put one on.” I put it on the back of my hand. If I hadn’t known exactly where it was, I couldn't have seen it. It matched my skin the second I put it on. I moved it to my mark and pulled down the collar of my shirt. Micah announced, “Your Hackura and Wolf marks, along with the tattoo of Rain, are gone. That’s wicked cool!”
I asked her, “What the heck are you three doing with Hunters? They will kill you if they find out you are Werewolves.” Ashley snorted, “As if they could. They wish they could fight half as well as I do. Plus, they know.” Micah yelled, “THEY KNOW?!” I wasn’t surprised by that since she said pups and they didn’t bat an eye. She nodded.
I linked Micah, “What the fuck?!” He replied, “I have no words. Maybe it’s a ‘we are watching you’ kind of thing.” I asked, “And they used their own daughters? They are cold hearted.” He agreed, “They are.” I asked, “Do you feel protective of Ashley? Because I do.” He admitted, “I have since I saw her.”
Addison laughed, “They do wish that they could fight like her. Several have even said that out loud.” Micah said, “They aren’t good at fighting. They are Hunters, they hunt.” That was very accurate. I frowned, “Why does your pack have you with them?”
Ashley said, “We could talk about that… or you can take what’s in the backpack for your people. It would help you on missions. Especially if you’re trying to get involved with Hunter Rings.” I sat back pondering my choices. I wanted her to trust me, but part of me screamed to throw her over my shoulder and get her the hell out of here.
I mused, “We can just take out Dante if he’s in charge.” Ashley looked murderous explaining, “He’s not in charge, he’s just a figurehead. He just thinks he’s amazing because he’s the face of the Hunters now… but really, he’s just a moron. Everyone knows you go for who you think is in charge. He thinks he’s special, but really those in charge are hoping people come to kill him instead of them.”
I asked, “Who is in charge then?” Ashley’s face darkened with hatred. She spat out, “Slade Carter.” I frowned, “Never heard of him.” She muttered, “Few have. It’s his whole annoying plan to stay off the radar. I’m really ticked about the fact that it works… he’s annoyingly smart… not me smart, but smart.” I questioned, “How do we get to him?” Ashley snarked, “You won’t, because I’ll get to him first and kill him.”
I sat back and ate some of my burger. I mulled over everything I knew about her in my head. I concluded there was only one logical reason for her to be so determined. I said, “You think Slade Carter killed your family then.” Ashley frowned, “I know he did. I’ll find him... and he will pay for what he did to me.” Whatever her pack thought she was doing with the Hunters, she clearly wasn’t. It was all over her face that she wanted Slade.
I reasoned, “We could help you.” Ashley looked away for several moments. When she looked back at me, I saw a clear decision in her eyes. Along with a need to help that I did not fully understand. She reasoned, “It would be more beneficial if I helped you. Micah doesn’t have to join the Hunters if you have me. It’s safer too, especially for him… he’s not a Werewolf but they are suspicious of him.” She was right.
I told her, “I trust Micah implicitly.” Ashley sighed, “We want the same thing here, Commander Cayden. To bring the Hunters… down… well that’s complicated.... You have to take them down. for Alpha Duchess Cassie… but there’s more to it than...” Sierra cleared her throat and shook her head.
Micah linked, “They want to do something else with the Hunters. But what?” I replied, “Isn’t that the question?” I raised an eyebrow questioning Ashley, “Which brings us back to how on Earth you know all that.”
Ashley shook her head, “You keep those concealers, and I’ll give you information on a drug bust you can hijack. We could totally just… forget the conversation about how I know things. I will be a source for you on the drugs, and the Hunters. I just want to be an anonymous source.” That she even knew to ask for that filled me with more questions.
I frowned, “Why?” Ashley shrugged, “It’s the only way I’ll do it. No Werewolves, even partial ones, can know I’m helping you.” Micah argued, “Shouldn’t you prefer the Werewolf council?” Her jaw ticked and her eyes lit with despair.
Addison interjected, “It’s a good deal and you know it. She’s offering more than she has to.” I nodded, “And I’m wondering why. The only conclusion I can come to is that this is about my in-laws. She knows a lot about the Conners.”
Ashley muttered, “Most people do... they are pretty famous in Supernatural and human circles. Human because they are billionaires so… yeah… super famous. You have the most powerful pack being taken overby childhood sweethearts and an Alpha Enforcer.” Well, the tone of how she said Alexander’s title told me a lot.
