I focused back on Alexander, “Ok, the call after the letter has you feeling what exactly?” Alexander explained, “It’s crazy. But I just think it was…” He trailed off then waved, “No it’s silly. I just need to know who it was.” I pressed, “Who do you think it was?” It clicked and even Rain growled. “No.” I hoped not.
I nearly shouted, “You think it was Melanie?! You think she’s the sniper?” Alexander rubbed his head, “No. Well, sometimes yes. Maybe. GOD! My head hurts. I know it doesn’t make sense, I really do know that. I just have this nagging feeling.” I was shocked.
He waved, “I need to know who called me. I need to know more than I can explain.” I questioned, “What does Micah say?” Alexander answered, “We can’t get a lock on it. I’ve called them back and left messages. I know whoever is on the other end listens to them because if they didn’t the voicemail would be full by now.” Interesting. Rain was quiet which told me she was talking to Oden.
He continued, “It turns on and off, but Micah can never get a location. I’ve popped to a few places Micah said the signal was bouncing off of. He insisted it wasn’t where the caller was, and he was right. I still checked and so has Max. I just don’t understand why this girl thinks I hate her. I don’t hate many people and she’s fighting the people I loathe. We are on the same side. I keep telling her that, but I get radio silence. The only thing that gets me through is…” He trailed off.
I finished, “Watching Melanie dance.” Alexander nodded. I laughed, “When am I going to see one of these videos so I know what she looks like?” Alexander blushed, “I’m not even supposed to have them.They are weird about her. Micah doesn’t even know that I use the backdoor doodad he installed in Jase’s computer does for me.”
Rain said, “So he thinks but Oden agrees.” I replied, “Micah wouldn’t check unless Alexander gave him permission. He knows it’s not for anything bad.” I reasoned with my brother, “I am aware Micah doesn’t know, but come on. I’m your sister.” Alexander shrugged, “They are what I have of her. She’s so beautiful. I feel like such an ass because they are seriously talking Juilliard, and I want to die inside.”
I touched his shoulder, “Don’t worry. I’ve got a plan all of my own. I have a time limit for this shit. We all know she’ll get in. The way everyone talks about the way she dances, there’s no way she’ll fail. Maybe all the weirdness will stop, and she’ll come home for a visit. Levi is PISSED no one listens to him about how weird all this is.”
Alexander raised an eyebrow, “Levi likes her too?” I rolled my eyes, “Not like you do, no. He has liked her, platonically, since he met her. He says it’s the same thing he feels with Elise and Buttercup kind of deal.” Alexander shouted, “EXFUCKINGCUSE ME?! Levi met Melanie?!”
I asked my wolf, “Was that a secret?” She replied, “It seems like it might have been, but no one said it was.” My jaw dropped, “Ummm yes. You didn’t know that? The night of our birthday party, the one I missed, when you stopped Charlooney’s plot.”
He interrupted, “I remember the part where she got grounded and couldn’t come.” I winced, “Well, Melanie made a jailbreak for it. Jase, T, Levi, and EJ went to stop her from hitchhiking to our party.” Alexander’s jaw ticked, “If you’ll excuse me, I need to go hunt down our cousin.”
I winced, “I thought you knew.” Alexander snorted, “I know exactly why I didn’t.” Now that I thought about it I did too. Someone could’ve warned a girl though. Alexander kissed my cheek and popped away. I groaned and laid back in the grass.
I heard Cayden laugh and bolted up. I chastised my wolf, “RAIN!” She grumbled, “I was focused on talking to Oden.” Cayden appeared smirking. He teased, “You two were so lost in your talk I actually snuck up on you.” I frowned, “You heard about….?” I tried off because I didn’t want to say anything unless he heard us.
Cayden finished, “About Melanie McAlister? I did and I won’t say anything. Plus, I already knew without knowing. I’ve heard the tail end of conversations and you yourself have mentioned Melanie to me. Besides, It’s not like I know anything about her. I’ve never even met her. I’m not really friends with Jason or Tristan. Elise mentions her dancing, but I can’t claim I’ve paid that much attention to it. I know she’s smart and likes to dance. It makes so many things make a lot of sense knowing Alexander likes her though.”
I laughed, “That about sums up what I know. Neither Alexander nor yours truly has ever met her. I thought they’d made her up until EJ admitted he’d met her. Then I was convinced they put him in an illusion or something. Levi met her though, so I knew she had to be real. He doesn’t do bullshit.”
Cayden laughed, “Something Alexander apparently didn’t know.” I cringed, “Oh god. I need to warn Levi!” Cayden nudged me, “Have no fear My Duchess, I already did that.” I smiled, “You’re perfect you know that?”
Cayden kissed me then pulled back, “I’m glad you think so.” I groaned, “You have to go now, don’t you?” Cayden kissed me again before saying, “I’ll be back later.” I nodded, “Alright, if you can try to convince Ashley to meet me, I’ll come. I know she’s said no before but maybe, eventually, she’ll agree. I really want to thank her.”
“I know I can only say thanks for the whole Cora selling me out tip, that’s big enough on its own, but I know there are other missions she’s had my back. She HAS to be the sniper who fires six times.” Cayden smiled, “She’s on your six. She does know a lot about us. You know I agree with you and think it’s her. I just wish I could prove it. Then she’d have to talk to me about it.”
I raised an eyebrow pointing out, “You could make her talk about it.” Cayden admitted, “No, I can’t. I don’t know how to explain it other than to say she feels like my little sister. She’s also an excellent source. I can’t hurt her, and bribery doesn’t work with her. It’s like she wants me to know, almost like she hopes I’ll put all these pieces together, but she isn’t making it easy. Almost as if she’s scared of what willhappen if I do. I’ve told her none of us will ever hurt her. After she didn’t get her wolf, something changed.”
I frowned, “That still doesn’t make sense. She should have a wolf.” Cayden pursed his lips, “Micah went to a coffee place in town around her pack to listen to the gossip. They say her not having a wolf means the man she believes is her dad, isn’t. That her biological father is a man who raped her mother.” I scoffed, “Oh come on! Wolves have to be in heat to have pups!”
Cayden shrugged, “I don’t know the full story. I know that it’s rumored her brother completely turned against her when she didn’t shift. So did her former pack. I guess there’s some guy she thinks is her mate that’s friends with her brother, and he took his side. Several men Micah overheard hoped she’d stop being an ice queen with them since this guy spurned her.”
I demanded to know, “Who the FUCK would blame her for that? Even IF it’s somehow true, how was there a question about who her dad was?” Cayden shrugged, “Maybe the guy got to her mom in heat. I don’t know.” I frowned, “I don’t think so. That’s all a load of shit. They are lying. Or they knew all along who her biological father was. To do this to her is cruel. Plus, what we have says her mom is a full blooded Werewolf. She should still have a wolf.” Cayden shrugged.
I questioned, “Who is the guy? The one she likes.” Cayden ground his teeth, “We can’t find his name. There’s nothing to link anyone from Missouri to a romantic relationship with her. None of them are talking about her crush. Or her brother.”
I looked him in the eye, “When you find out who he is, I want to talk to him. Is it more than a crush? Do you really think they could be mates?” Cayden sighed, “Micah thinks she believes it with her whole heart.” I stood and started to pace, “You FIND this guy then I WILL kick his ass! Who the HELL does he think he is? It’s not her fault, even IF it’s true.”
I ranted, “The whole fucking thing is just weird. That whole story is horse shit! None of my brothers would care if they were mated to someone without a wolf. NO member of my family would. Even my Hackura cousins wouldn’t care if they were mated to someone who didn’t like fighting here. That’s such bullshit to blame an innocent girl for. UGH! I HATE MISSOURI!”
Cayden stood and wrapped his arms around me, “I know. I do too.” I whispered, “Does Ashley believe this?” Cayden sighed, “I think she’s having an identity crisis. She’s angry and struggling. I don’t think she wants to believe it. She told Micah she shares features with her dad. She kicks anyone's ass who says he’s not her dad, but her lack of wolf haunts her. She’s spiraling.”
I rubbed my face, “I want to help her.” Rain agreed, “We need to.” See? That was weird. Why did we need to? Neither of us could answer, but we needed to. Cayden nodded, “I do too.” I kissed his cheek then said, “Alright. Go on and cheer her up somehow.” Cayden smiled, “I’ll do my best.” Max popped in with Micah then Cayden opened a portal, and they left.
Max sat down in a huff. I raised an eyebrow, “Max?” Max groaned, “I don't know what he’s doing exactly, but I want to know yet I can’t know. You know me, I’d spill everything to Alexander. It’s driving me crazy. Whoever their source is I know that Micah desperately wants to help her. I know it’s a her and I want to help him. I just don’t know how.”
I kissed his cheek, “Believe me, I know.” Max sighed, “You know about this girl, that's their source.” I nodded, “But I’ve never met their source. She doesn’t want to meet me. Sadly, I’m sure she wouldn’t want to meet you either.” Max frowned, “Why not? We are awesome.” I snorted, “Why not indeed.”
Max realized, “It annoys you.” I nodded, “Yes it does, and it makes me curious. Everything I’ve looked into says no one we know has ever met this girl, but she doesn’t want to meet us. That’s weird. Most Werewolves want to meet us.”
Max nodded, “That’s true. Most Werewolves would go to dad with whatever information she has. I can put the signs together. I’m around here enough.” I shrugged, “I can’t say anything about it.” Max nodded, “I know. I also know she’s giving the Hackura intel on drugs surfacing. I think there’s a little bit with the Hunting rings too. Which is making me itch. A Werewolf with Hunters is the worst idea I’ve ever heard. What I can’t work out is her problem is with telling the Werewolf council what she knows.”
