He held me, “Shhh Cass. It was a bad dream.” I shook my head, “No, I don’t think it was. I need you to send someone to check on Melanie McAlister. Like right now.” Cayden pulled back and studied me. He asked, “What happened?”
I answered, “I woke up in New York and went to find Melanie, but it wasn’t her. It was a weird zombie-like skeleton.” Rain whispered, “Like she was dead and buried.” I sobbed, “Cayden, please. I need someone to go. I’ll ask Levi if he has time. He could blend in, and he knows her. She said…” I trailed off crying.
He asked, “She said what?” I whispered, “That the Ring would get me now too like they did her. What if she’s dead?” He replied, “She isn’t dead. She’s dancing.” I whispered, “Living her dream. I just need Levi to check.” Cayden sighed, “Levi promised Tristan he’d leave Melanie alone.”
I pushed back from him. I demanded to know, “Why the HELL would T ask Levi to do that?” Cayden shrugged, “All I know is a few years back he and Levi had a text argument about Melanie and he made Levi promise to leave Melanie alone. Levi was not happy about it.” I couldn’t stop my tears or my growing fear she was dead.
Cayden cupped my face, “I’ll send someone to rendezvous with your dad's guy. Ok?” I nodded, “Ok. I just need her to be ok. No, I need her to be alive. She’s Alexander’s, I know she is. He’ll just feel awful if something is happening to her.” Cayden nodded, “I’ll send Hendrix right now. Ok? Melanie is alive.” I nodded and he walked out and got on his phone.
He sat with me for a few hours before Hendrix came back. He looked at me, “I followed Melanie around.” Rain and I felt nothing but relief. I looked at the camera on his neck, “Can I see her picture?” Hendrix snorted, “She moved every damn time I took a picture. ALL of them are blurry. None came out right.” That wasn’t possible.
I grabbed the camera and flipped through it angrily noting he was right. Not a single one of them came out. You could never see her face. I pressed, “She’s ok though?” Hendrix nodded. “I was with your dad's guy for several hours. He’s going to stick close to her this week and make sure. She’s a busy girl that is constantly on the move.”
I sighed in relief, “That jibes with what I know of her. She did always like to be busy.” Hendrix asked, “Are you ok, Cass?” I admitted, “I don’t know. I’m worried about her, but you said she’s fine. You saw her alive, which was my concern.” What was that nightmare about then?
Rain offered, “What if the pup she was died?” I asked, “What does that even mean?” She replied, “Well, all the wolves that knew her say she acts different.” So, because someone changed, I had a dream about how they were dead and in the Ring’s hands?
Hendrix assured me, “She was perfectly fine and very alive, I promise.” I breathed in deeply when he left. Cayden frowned while studying me. He stated, “You still aren’t settled.” I explained, “I don’t have a good feeling about this situation.” Cayden tensed, “Hendrix exchanged information with your dad’s guy. I’ll have him send him updates. We will keep an eye on Melanie.”
I needed a distraction, so I asked, “How was everything with Ashley?” Cayden shrugged, “Good. She’s in a super popular band.” I thought about it. I’d heard some of the Hackura teenagers talking a few weeks ago about a band. I gasped, “The Rebels?!” He smiled. I squealed, “Ashley is in The Rebels?”
Cayden nodded, “They are good. She’s pretty killer on the guitar and her voice is decent too. I’m beginning to think there’s nothing that girl can’t do.” I rubbed my head, “That sounds like what I know of Melanie from Jase.” Cayden stiffened. I got up and rummaged through our cabinets.
I nearly cried in relief when I saw the cookies that were always around my parents’ house. I didn’t know who put them there, but they were my favorite person. I ate one and told my mate, “Jase is just a friend.” Cayden snorted, “A friend you dated, went to dances with, and kissed.”
I shot back, “Well, if someone had been at Uncle Bjourn’s coronation, the dance, kissing and dates wouldn’t have happened.” I stuck my tongue out at him. He smiled gasping in shock, “Sure, throw that in my face.” We both knew I was teasing because it was proven it was Cora’s fault.
I sat in his lap explaining, “I just want Alexander to be happy, like we are.” Cayden kissed me, “He will be.” I nodded, hoping that day would come sometime soon. I hated that he felt so alone. It was because he and Oden suspected their mate. It was making it worse for him and that ache was just growing. I hated it and I desperately wanted to fix it. I should tell mom. I finished my cookie and decided to stick to my plan. Mom didn’t need to be bothered.
The rest of the week flew by. Cayden’s bachelor party had been one for the books. He’d come home amped up and I was totally there for it. Before I knew it, it was our wedding day. Cayden and I didn’t make it out of bed until noon.
When we did, we made it outside for a whole second. The whole realm was in a sexy mood because of our wedding. In seconds, my back was pressed against our house as we had sex. We did eventually make it to the pond in the backyard before getting back to our bedroom. I loved this realm.
We didn’t separate until thirty minutes before the wedding. That was only because his brother banged on the door telling him it was time to go get ready. I conjured both my wedding dresses to me. I loved both my dresses and couldn’t wait to wear them.
I jumped into the shower with a smile on my face. When I got out my mom, Aiylee, Angela, and Beagan were waiting. I asked, “Is Ashlyn here?” Ashlyn popped her head into the room, “I didn’t know if you’d want me to come in.” I laughed, “Get in here. Where’s Tenley and Aubrielle?”
Tenley jumped inside the room, “Here I am! Aubrielle is tangled up with her man.” I snorted, “Good for her.” I snapped my hair and makeup done. My hair was half up with a braid tying it all together. I snapped my ceremony dress on.
My mom smiled, “It’s just as stunning as it was when you tried it on.” I smiled at her. Ashlyn gasped, “Oh Cassie, you look beautiful. The skirt of your dress matches your ring perfectly.” It really did. My dress was A-line dress with a slight V to the neck. The top was beaded with flowers and was white. It had cut outs on the side until my waist where it flowed out with white tulle, but the skirt underneath was a pale yellow.
Tenley clapped, “Cayden’s going to swallow his tongue.” My mom frowned, “Let’s hope not. I’d have to heal him and that’s not the vibe we want for the wedding. The pack girls say the vibes are fucking vital.” Rain linked, “We have to talk to those girls. Or have our Gamma and Beta do it.” We could but this was so much fun because mom never mentioned to anyone else it was the pack girls telling her these things. It felt like a secret between us.
Ashlyn laughed, “She doesn’t mean literally swallowing his tongue. Tenley just means Cassie is beautiful.” My mom raised an eyebrow at me. Aiylee outright laughed, “I agree with my aunt, that is horrible imagery for today.” Beagan jumped in, “But they said it’s a saying. So, no one will be needing any type of healing today.” I chuckled.
We all turned our head to the door when someone knocked. Tory and Gia entered the room. They both squealed and Gia dropped to her knees bowing. I snorted, “You’ll ruin your dress.” She jumped up, “But I know a Fairy who could fix it.”
I asked, “How’s your beau?” She was dating Jed. She winked, “It’s getting pretty serious actually.” I knew that meant they were talking about being chosen mates. They’d felt an instant connection when they met, but they weren’t mates. My mom thought they were possibly second chances but they didn’t want her to ask Cousin Emmaline for confirmation. They wanted to explore the way they felt.
I told my Gamma, “I’m happy for you.” She blushed. Tory said, “I have a hookup ready to go for the sexy vibes later.” My mom nodded to her. Oh god, did they get the pack girls to tell her about vibes? Tory was still waiting for her fated mate, and I knew he’d be amazing.
Before I could ask another knock sounded. I knew who it was because I could smell my brothers and feel them in the bond. Everyone but my mom left. She hugged me, “You look beautiful baby. I’ll let your brothers in.” I laughed as they filed in one by one.
EJ and Alexander were the most emotional. Rain told me, “Don’t cry if I cry because Oden and Brutus are being sappy.” I told her, “It’s ok. You feel all your feelings, Rain.” She sniffled, “They are being so sweet.” Oden and Brutus were sweet wolves so that wasn’t surprising.
EJ stepped up and handed me a jewelry box. I opened it and gasped at the diamond encrusted necklace with a large yellow stone in the middle. I looked up at them, “You guys!” Alexander smiled and took it out of the box and put it on me. I touched it and wiped my tears away, “Thank you guys.” I hugged them all.
EJ linked me, “You look beautiful, Cass.” Alexander said it out loud, “We all think you look beautiful. Cayden is a lucky man.” They all filed out of the room slowly, hugging me as they left. Alexander linked, “I know you know, but we’d never let you marry someone who isn’t worthy of you. Aesir gave you the perfect man and he’s a brother to us.” That had me tearing up.
