My last name came with people coming for us. No one was deterred by the fact that we knew if they were our mate, or not, the second we met them. It’s why I tended to be a recluse in the dating world to a degree. The other part of it was because of Melanie.
Ever since I heard her name, I was intrigued. Being with someone else didn’t appeal to me but right now it felt disingenuous. I felt like a total ass because Charline was into this date already and I was merely physically present. She didn’t deserve that.
Oden snorted, “Her wolf said she kind of does.” Well, I didn’t agree. I should’ve known better and not come. She had false hopes. I steeled myself to be a good date. She deserved that and my parents raised me to be a good person.
Drake said, “Alright, let’s load up. I’m your driver for the evening. Drop off and pick up.” Maybe if I showed him what agood date I was, he’d let me meet Melanie. Oden scoffed, “He knows we are a good man.” I wasn’t so sure he did, but at this point I had no idea what was going on.
The excuse about a dance came up out of the blue was new. Melanie had competitions months, almost a year out, in advance. Yet they wanted me to believe this competition came up right around when I asked Charline to the dance.
Oden conceded, “That is suspicious.” I knew that. Chelsea yelled, “Wait! Drake, you can’t go yet. We have to take pictures.” I groaned because I didn’t need to commemorate the moment at all. Charline nudged me, “It will be ok. Plus, it will look cute in the future.” The future of what? Oden said, “Obviously, we will look cute in the picture in the future. We are handsome.”
I linked Phil, “Question.” He snorted, “Are you going to explain your emotions? Or are we still pretending I don’t know.” I huffed, “Say what you want to say.” He took a beat then said, “I’m sorry Melanie isn’t there. Why isn’t she there?” I answered, “A dance competition came up.” He shouted, “ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!”
I snorted, “Nope. It’s bullshit. She has events on her calendar almost a year in advance. The ones that come up come up months in advance. I ask Charline to the dance and a random competition opens up.” He replied, “That can’t be it.”
I asked, “Do you have a better reason?” He insisted, “It has to be a coincidence.” I reasoned, “Well, Elise was telling EJ how excited Melanie was to be here and meet us. She wanted to see her in her dress.” He groaned, “I don’t know what their problem is. What was your question? Because I know it wasn’t about that.”
I questioned, “Why would someone say pictures will be cute in the future? She’s attractive and I’m obviously handsome. They will be cute now.” He snorted, “Charline is hoping to show your future pups.” I reasoned, “She’s not my mate.”
He groaned, “I swear you all need a manual for life. Let me tell you from the depths of her soul, she doesn’t care. She wants you to fall madly in love with her. I know you’re not going to, but I’ll say this directly. Don’t have sex with her. She’d take it the wrong way.”
Oden growled, “Not happening.” I agreed, “I can’t be with her. She’s in Melanie’s pack and it would hurt Melanie’s feelings. I won’t do that, and I don’t want to.” I literally had no desire to sleep with her. Oden snorted, “Yeah, you can’t have sex with a flaccid dick.” I yelled, “ODEN!” He cackled like he’d told the funniest joke. The fact remained I was not turned on.
Phil linked, “Hello?! I’d be worried but your feelings tell me you weren’t considering it. Color me shocked.” I huffed, “Your sarcasm is noted. Also, no there’s no chance of that happening.” He laughed, “Not aroused then, cousin?” I retorted, “Shut up!” He said, “I bet you’d be all kinds of excited thinking about a certain dancer.” Damn it if my dick didn’t jump.
I linked, “Please stop talking before my date gets the wrong idea.” He chuckled, “I’m sure she’ll say something that will deflate you. Grubby title chasers always do.” I wasn’t sure she was one. It was something about my last name that sometimes had people acting unlike their usual self.
We got done taking entirely too many pictures and were ushered outside. The second the door opened Oden took over yelling, “MATE!” I practically made sonic waves to the back of the car. I quickly conjured the most amazing smelling hoodie to my room at the house.
Phil asked, “Uhh you stole a hoodie. That’s so normal. So, she’s yours?” I replied, “Oden thinks so. She smells so good.” He said, “I mean, she smells like strawberries.” I asked, “Doesn’t it smell intoxicating to you?”
He laughed, “I’m so glad the answer to that is no because you’d kick my ass. I put the hoodie in a baggie for you and then placed it under the bed.” I replied, “Thanks.”
Oden asked, “Will you listen to me now?” I said, “As soon as we meet her, it will be official. Phil’s never been interested in Melanie. I’m not tracking down someone else who is and making them answer if it smells good to them. Do you want that?” He snarled, “NO! Our hoodie and OUR mate.” I knew he’d feel that way, and honestly, I did too. I just needed to be certain. I needed all shadow of doubt removed.
The dance went by in a blur. Charline made several comments that grated, and Oden was totally done with this ordeal. He told me, “I dislike her a lot. Something’s off about her, and I don’t like how she’s looking at us.” I couldn’t say that I blamed him really.
When EJ danced with Elise my suspicions raised. Oden whimpered, “He met mate, and we didn’t.” It was obvious he did, but that meant he’d say Melanie was real. Maybe my mom would demand to meet her and solve everything.
Oden snorted, “She would if we’d just tell her Melanie is ours.” I asked, “Do you want to risk that and disappoint mom?” He whined and I knew he didn’t. We just need to lay eyes on her then this would all make sense.
Charline had barely left my side. I’d danced a few times, but she made it awkward. She would grab my dick and yank it. Oden snarled and it had slipped out which is why we were not dancing now. He was angry enough that he might take over and yell at her.
He grumbled, “She deserves it!” Probably, but I didn’t need Red Run to have a reason to keep Melanie from me.” He admitted, “You have a point.” We both usually did. We had a great balance together that came from being together my entire life.
Cassie was dancing but suddenly EJ took off. Elise had left a little bit ago. Oden linked, “Brutus is on alert.” Which put me on alert and now I was conflicted. After a second, I decided to follow EJ out of the dance. Cassie linked me, “What’s going on?” I answered, “I don’t know, but I’ll find out. Stick with Jase and don’t leave his side.”
I stayed back far enough, then realized EJ was too upset to smell me. I popped around the corner from the trophy case. My heart stopped when EJ told Robert to leave Melanie alone. He wasn’t? Oden growled, “We kept an ear out for rumors about that! Everyone said it was done and over with.” Clearly it wasn’t if that’s what EJ was saying.
Oden snarled, “How did this escape everyone in Red Run’s attention? They claim everything they do is to protect her! She can’t leave the borders because they want to protect her but she’s getting bullied BY THAT MOTHERFUCKER?!” I wasn’t about to talk him down because I was just upset as he was. I peeked around the corner and saw red. Elise’s dress was ripped.
My parents were pinging with concern over my feelings. He’d ripped MY SISTER IN LAW’S DRESS?! THAT FUCKER! Oden growled, “You seem to have GLOSSED over the part where he said all black wolves weren’t Alpha’s! He told mate we weren’t an Alpha!”
A rage I’d never known filled me at the thought of Robert bullying Melanie and laying one hand on her beautiful raven black hair I’d never seen. He was trying to take her stuffed wolf from her. I knew it looked like Oden.
My dad said Robert and his asshole friends didn’t like that it didn’t look like their wolf. Oden snarled, “BECAUSE IT IS WHITE AND BLACK! I AM WHITE AND BLACK AND I LIKE THAT HER STUFFED WOLF LOOKS LIKE ME!” His possessiveness was coloring mine.
Now, I had the attention of most of my Hackura family. Hastein, my oldest cousin, sent me the feeling to do what I needed to do. He’d fix it if need be. I sent him back my love and decided that Robert would be set straight before we left this building.
