Harper questioned, “How do they not see his mark?” I answered, “Magic is the only answer, right?” Gunner asked, “What magic can be on whatever Ashley put on him? That seems more like science combined with magic.” It really did.
Ashley stepped in front of Micah. She said, “I’ll drop you like a sack of potatoes if you try anything weird, Dante. I just told Micah you wouldn’t, and I meant it. Which you totally know because you laugh when I lie to you…” Several people snickered. Maybe she wasn’t a Fairy.
Ashley added, “You don’t even like guys.” Dante looked at her, “You rarely stick up for anyone. You barely have friends of the male persuasion. You hate most of the guys here. We have a pool about whether or not you're a lesbian.” Gunner urged, “Drop him, Ashley.” I agreed.
Ashley snorted, “I totally have male friends… that’s a thing… that I have… just not here, because you suck! As far as you are concerned on my sexual preference... let’s go with that. It’s simpler. There’s one man I’d ever let touch me in the way you all want to, and one man alone.” We all asked, “Who?” As if she could hear us.
Ashley continued, “So keep on dreaming. You all with your grabby hands have NOTHING that I want. I don’t want to be touched by ANY of you jerks, and you INSIST on trying knowing that… and that I can beat you. There’s a definition you should look up. Insanity.” My eyes had to be wide as saucers by now.
Ashley pointed at my brother in law, “Micah here does swing the other way which means I don’t have to worry he’s going to try and cop a feel. He’s actually a good guy, unlike you tools. Come on Micah. Let’s go get some food and catch up.”
She paused, “Samantha and Cindy do you guys want to join?” The two Werewolves we’d noted earlier nodded while glaring at Dante. Addison answered her, “Yeah, we’re coming. Dante, you know if you keep treating the new people like this they won’t join.” Harper muttered, “Which should be what a Werewolf would want.” He said it, but we were all thinking it.
Micah put his shirt back on. Dante cleared his throat, “We’d welcome you, Micah. I don’t lead this group. A man named Nate does and he will be back tonight.” Micah said, “I was prepared to join, but after whatever the hell this was, I’ll have to think about it.” I smiled, happy with that play. It was a good one. He didn’t want to appear over eager. Dante even seemed to relax at his response.
Dante nodded slowly, “Ashley, do tell him he could work with you if he joined, since you two know each other.” Ashley snidely retorted, “Because he doesn’t have ears and can’t hear you himself? This isn’t kindergarten. Tell him yourself… which you did, so… I’m not your telephone. I swear you all are a bunch of pups with grabby hands.” Which would say they knew she was a Wolf and they did nothing. She was still ranting as they walked outside.
Micah asked her, “Uhh have we met? Because I don’t think I was there.” Ashley ignored his question and led him to a car. I raised an eyebrow because it looked like she intended to drive, and I knew she was fifteen. Micah followed, not having that information and got in. Ashley got in the driver's seat and took off.
Harper asked, “Did the law change here in this realm and I didn’t know?” I replied, “Nope. She’s not supposed to be driving.” I followed them at a distance.It must not have been far enough, because Ashley was trying to shake me. She was good too. In a few years, with more experience, she might have managed to lose me. Micah was clearly messing with me by not telling her.
Eventually he said, “That’s my backup you keep trying to shake. How do you even know to look for a tail?” His voice was full of amusement. Ashley sighed, “Fine. I’ll stop trying to lose them then. Even though we are obviously not going to hurt you. It has to be obvious because I just saved you. There is no logical conclusion in which I hurt you after I save you. It’s not my style.”
Sierra said, “Ashley, you’re ranting.” Why did that sound like a warning? Ashley sighed and stopped talking. I glanced at the laptop. Micah was looking at her, so I noticed she was literally biting her lip so hard she was nearly drawing blood. Not talking must be hard for her. I’d bet she was linking the other girls in the car, but her eyes didn’t look like it.
I followed her to the edge of Nashville and Franklin. Ashley took Micah to a restaurant called King’s Diner. No one was here except them and another car. She got out and called to the guy in the kitchen, “Hey Mason, we’ll be at the back booth.”
Mason laughed, “Four burgers and fries coming up.” Ashley paused then said, “You’d better make it five, Mace. There’s an extra person who is likely to join. Whoever it is followed us all over the place… it would be a waste for them to sit in the car and miss out on your burgers. They can totally hear me too… so they will come for the burger.” Mason nodded. Oh really?
Well, if she knew I was listening, I might as well join them. I walked inside and was spotted by the girl in question immediately. Ashley’s eyes widened for a minute then she seemed to nod to herself. I raised an eyebrow because I could clearly tell she recognized me too.
I linked Micah, “What the fuck?” He replied, “I have no idea, but she knows both of us.” Someone from Missouri? How? I walked over and sat down as Mason came over with five burgers and fries.Ashley smiled, “Thanks, Mace.” So, she was nice to some people. It didn’t seem getting on this girl’s bad side was a good idea.
He grinned at her, “You know that I’d do anything for you. Hendrick and I are just waiting for you to move out of your aunt’s and in with us. We love you, Ash.” This was going to get confusing. My best friend was Hendrix and she knew someone named Hendrick. Awesome.
Ashley blushed as he walked off, the longing clear on her face. Why wouldn’t she take him up on it if she wanted to? I reasoned with myself that she could have abandonment issues. Who could blame her? Her brother deserted her. I took a bite of my burger acknowledging it was good.
Eventually Addison asked me, “Who are you?” I raised an eyebrow, “Who are you two?” I pointed at Addison and Sierra. Addison said, “I’m Cindy Blake and this is Samantha McLean.” I nodded, “Sure and I’m Santa Claus.” Ashley muttered, “He’d know you both, by your faces… so…” How did she know that?
Addison frowned questioning me, “Who are you again?” Ashley snorted, “He’s Cayden Crawford, The Commander of the Hackura Army and Alpha Duchess Cassie Conners’ mate.” Micah linked, “What is happening?” I didn’t answer because I didn’t know.
I raised an eyebrow then asked, “And how would you know that?” Her face flushed, “Lots of people around here know that…” Her voice actually raised sixteen octaves and squeaked. It was the worst attempt at a lie I’d ever seen.
She rambled, “I mean everyone knows the Hackura Army Commander is mated to Alpha Duchess Cassie Conners and everyone knows Cayden Crawford is the Commander of the Army…. Well, everyone paying attention anyway...”
I stared at her as she got back to her regular tone using those facts. She changed the subject, “Do you like the burgers? They are the best around… people say… I mean… everyone around here… they are good though… and…” I cut her off, “You talk a lot.”
Sierra agreed, “She does.” I commented, “You’re a terrible liar though. I can see why you’re so evasive, but you don’t have Fairy blood. I’ve been around enough partial Fairies to spot even the smallest speck of it. Since you appear to know my mate, I’ll call her and have her join us.”
Ashley’s panicked squeaking, “Huh? What? Cassie… I mean Alpha Duchess Cassie… she’s totally busy… that’s thing that she is. Plus, I’m a Werewolf. Lots of people think the Fairy thing though. I just know a lot about Fairies.” Micah injected, “Why?” As Addison and Sierra rubbed their temples. This must happen often with Ashley.
Ashley answered, “I studied them a lot in my old pack… not like studied like they were test subjects… I mean more like researched…. There are some partial Fairies around here that I talk to now, that I live here. I teach them how to fight and hold classes for those who haven’t been taught. It’s sad that they just want people to be defenseless around here.”
I said, “Back to Cassie.” Ashley jumped back in, “What? Cassie? I mean Alp…” I waved trying to stop her, “I know her title.” She chattered on as if I didn’t say anything, “ha Duchess Cassie… here? No… I’ve never met your mate, no need to meet her now. We… well... I’ll just go… probably I mean....”
I cut her off, “No wait, don’t go. Cassie doesn’t have to come join us. I thought you might know her since you know who I am. Since you don’t know her, how did you know who Micah and I were? You knew he’d killed rogues.”
Ashley snorted, “Of course he has. He’s Alpha Duke Max Conners mate. Logic dictates he’s been around Black Mountain when there’s been a rogue attack… not like that… I know that because I broke into files on Edward’s computer and read them. That’s not a thing that I did or do currently…” Sierra groaned, “Oh my god.”
