I punched her in the face saying, “Drake McAlister will ALWAYS be my father, you wretched snake!” The Alpha clearedhis throat, “We have these for you.” It was painful to watch myself get those two letters. I’d memorized them. The weird part was they wrote so many. I guess as they went through a range of emotion they wrote more. The letters I’d read in the office were different from the ones I’d read after the Trevor debacle. The first was from Jason.
Melanie,
I was hoping this didn’t happen, but it did. You have no wolf. You’re only my half-sister. Your biological father killed mine and my mother. Along with our big brother. I can’t look at you. Ever. I never want to see you again.
Before you think about coming back, I told Alexander about your little crush on him. He promised me he’d reject you if you happened to be his. I can’t believe you ever thought you’d be his. We joke about it because the Moon Goddess would never give you to him.
You should’ve died that night. I wish you’d died instead of them. You have Hunter blood in you, and I can’t have you be near my family. You endanger us. I no longer recognize you as Melanie McAlister. You’ll be known as Melanie Carter around here.
You are to be killed if ever found near us or our allies. Don’t come back here. Don’t make me see you die. For the memories of our family, just don’t. I will send you updates because mom would have wanted that. Never call me Jase again. To you, I am Beta Jason.
Goodbye,
Beta Jason
I felt tears on my face as I watched myself cry. I opened the next letter. A letter I carried with me at all times
Melanie,
With a heavy heart I informed Jason you didn’t shift tonight. Our worst fear was realized. Your biological father killed my best friend. I have to protect my people and my pack. My sons, brothers, dad, and I discussed it at length.
You are officially banished from this pack. You are not allowed in any of our allied territories. You will be put in any of our dungeons if you are found. Jason informed me you believe Alexander is your mate. I truly cannot believe you thought that.
The Moon Goddess would never allow a Hunter and Wolf to be together. Especially not Alexander. He’s not yours. Give up that silly notion now. I have requested you be punished for the death of my best friend and my son's future Beta. Take it as you deserve. They are dead because of you.
Alpha Kyle
I sobbed seeing his Alpha seal on the letter. Then I cried harder even though I knew what was coming. I didn’t want to be there. They had punished me. I’d done nothing wrong. No Alpha should’ve allowed that to happen, and Edward knew it. His eyes held shame every time he looked at me for what he allowed to happen.
It flashed to when I saved Jason. I saw myself with Valentina standing there staring at my brother who was barely alive. Tears clouded my eyes when I saw Jason. That had been the closest I’d been to him in several years. I’d been the sniper from afar, but I could drop someone from three hundred yards away, so I didn’t need to be that close.
I whispered, “This is my fault.” Valentina disagreed, “It’s really not.” I glanced at the Hunters who were on my side. I shouted, “Why didn’t you called me sooner?” They replied, “You were being hunted by the pack for the wolf less thing and…” They trailed off. I screamed, “AND WHAT?” One admitted, “So what if he dies? You have a purpose. He’s a useless, shitty brother.”
Valentina snorted, “Ok, that wasn’t a good thing to say at all. Mel, it’s not your fault. Everyone makes choices and Beta Jason chose to go undercover with the Hunters. He knew the risks.” I shook my head as the options of what to do flew around my mind.
JC, the wolf less pack member here, said, “You’ve made life bearable around the pack! Before you came there was no hope. YOU are people’s hope. Your life is worth twenty of his! He turned his back on you. He’s a shit brother.”
Valentina sighed, “Please stop saying that.” I argued, “That’s NONE of your business, JC! He’s what I have left of them. He’s my brother! I realize that doesn't mean anything… to him… though I think it actually does deep down to him… maybe. If Jason knew what had happened to me… I don’t think he would’ve stood for that.”
JC snorted, “None of us know exactly what happened. We just saw how you changed when you came back. I’ve heard the whispers about your back too. Are they true?” The wolf less hadn’t been allowed on pack grounds during the hunt after it was clear I was winning. Which was why he was here with Jason now.
I looked away without answering. I walked over to Jason and sighed in relief when I saw he had his watch on. I asked, “How much wolfsbane did he take on?” JC winced, “Too much.” I scanned him visually and could scent JC was right.
I ordered, “ILYX, do a scan and display data.” The display came up and I wiped furious at my tears that fell. ILYX offered the dose I should use to keep him alive in the data display. I took out a syringe with MDTJ and injected him twice. I put one in his pocket and wrote a note to Dalton and Dakota. Those jerks.
Who sends their Beta in alone with Hunters… WHO KNOW WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE?! Idiots! I looked at Jason’s watch and checked it. It was still pumping the antidote into him. Good. I sighed, “Why would you do this? You have to live…you know? You can’t die on me. Not you too.”
Jason groaned, “Ladybug?” I gasped and my heart clinched. He’d said he’d never call me that again. He must be delirious from the poison in his veins. His eyes opened and I scrambled away. I tripped and landed on my butt.
He whispered, “You’re so beautiful… I miss you Ladybug.” Tears filled my eyes. His head drooped back down. I wiped my tears. I whispered, “I miss you too Jason… You big doofus…. seriously… you’re an Idiot... you can’t do things like this…you have a pup!” I turned around and devised a plan to get him out of here.
Thank goodness I’d given him his watch. MDTJ kept him alive. I would be totally lost if he died. He was close as it was. I shook myself. No, I couldn’t let him die. I turned to my people, “I’m going to have to knock you out. We are going to make it look like he was rescued.” They sighed in relief. I hit them harder than I needed to.
Valentina snorted, “Oof. That was unnecessary.” I countered, “They were going to let him die, and he’s what I have left, Val.” Valentina disagreed, “You have us too.” I nodded acknowledging that was true. I told her, “Get us out of …”
I trailed off seeing that Dante was on his way here personally from the readout on my watch. I groaned, “Just get out of here.I’ll have to put him that tree and use our scent spray. I’ll take their punishment for letting him ‘escape.’ Get Dax here to lie, since… well…” I sucked at it.
She snorted, “I got it. I’d stay but I have…” I cut her off, “You have to take that mission. Virgil is out on his own.” She nodded then shimmered out.
