I left and went to my secondary place and went to sleep. I woke up to Caine linking, “You need to get to the pack.” I drove my motorcycle and parked where a group had gathered. Aunt Stephanie screamed, “HOW DARE YOU!” I asked, “Huh?” She went to slap me, and I punched her in the face. She dropped to the ground unconscious.
I muttered, “One of these days, she’ll learn.” Booker snarled, “When will you?” He tossed my unopened appeal at my feet. They didn’t even open it?! Now THEY were ignoring pack laws and Werewolf Council decrees?! They were good people! They couldn’t do that! Yet they had.
Edward threw letters at me, all in handwriting I recognized. Former Alpha Peter, Former Luna Chelsea, Jason, Melinda, Marybeth, Cooper, and Dane. Wow, Dane even said something. Ifaltered realizing Fromer Alpha Nick was in there too with Alpha Sebastian and Alpha Chistopher.
I actually jolted seeing Grandma Esther and Grandpa Ben in the mix. They hadn’t written to me since my sixteenth birthday when they disowned me for not being their blood. I gathered them all up with my appeal and ran away.
They yelled after me, but I was going to read these notes in my secondary place. I’d be punished later. I got back and emailed Buck the schedule for everyone then took a deep breath. I knew these letters would be mean, but in a way, it showed they still cared. They were handwritten. You don’t handwrite letters when you don’t care.
You just didn’t engage or interact just like my ACTUAL BLOOD GRANDPARENTS. My mom’s parents had sent their letters and then never said another word. Not one and I’d called. I left messages but they blocked my number after three months.
I shoved that hurt away while preparing for the new one. I just took it as signs that forgiveness could happen one day. I muttered, “You’re a masochist now, Melanie.” Knowing that wasn’t going to stop me from reading them.
Flashback Ends
Caine shouting brought me back to the present. “What are you doing?” He picked me up. He growled at them all. He warned, “The day I challenge you gets closer and closer, Edward.” He replied, “I am your father.”
Caine replied, “Sperm doesn’t make a father. I can’t beat you today, but I might have been able to earlier. Do you know what that man would’ve tried to do to Addison?!” Edward replied, “Booker arranged it all. Regus would’ve been good for…”
Caine growled, “Get your damn head out of Booker’s ass for five seconds. He thinks Trevor is a good person. LOOK AT MELANIE’S BACK!” Jean jumped in, “His mate died and…”Caine snorted, “And what, Jean? He got off the floor from her death and CARVED words into a she wolf who he has bullied and abused since she got here. Then he used magic on it so it wouldn’t be able to be removed or altered. When I tell you if you’d found them, you would know how evil he was.”
Edward asked, “Son, are you ok? There aren’t any words on her back.” Caine snorted, “Ask ANYONE else in the pack. Ask ANYONE about Trevor’s masterpiece. Surely you’ve heard them discuss it.”
He sneered at them, “Even Trevor knew you’d see him for the deviant he is if you could see it. So, the magic doesn’t allow you to. Just know I’m fully aware you won’t ask a damn soul because you’re shitty ass people.”
He began to carry me away then added, “Oh and don’t call me son.” I whimpered as he walked away. He whispered, “I know.” He linked, “Celia is waiting at Mason and Hendrick’s place.” I replied, “I’m sure this will make her love me more. I’m her favorite patient… obviously.” He snorted, “You are certainly her most frequent flier.”
I swore I saw Buck’s worried face in my peripheral but when I managed to turn my head he wasn’t there. Avery shrieked, “Oh goodness! What did they do?” Ceilia sighed, “I swear someone needs to get our Gamma into anger management.”
Addison screamed, “Melanie!” I waved, “It’s fine… I’ve had worse… literally.” Celia sighed, “I hate to agree with her, but she’s right.” Addison cried, “This was for me.” I muttered, “Over my literal dead body would that guy have gotten near you.”
Caine chimed in, “Her dead body and mine.” I added, “I’d have taken him out with me… but it wasn’t even really a fight. I’d studied him and how he fought… so…” I winced when Celia began to wash out my cuts.
I gripped the sofa cushion, and she gave me a strap of leather to bite down on, so I didn’t scream too loud. I really needed tostudy the science behind not screaming during the whipping but during the aftercare. It was quite annoying.
More time passed in a flash of punishments, mean letters, and saving the pack from take overs. Alpha Theo had visited with his son Lux again. He was an odd duck. He was a partial Alpha, and he’d also had his Alpha Ceremony… but in private… and he did the job of the Alpha but he refused to completely take over until his younger brother, Harrison, was eighteen. So, he wasn’t the official Alpha, but he was.
Honestly, Lux was funny and a flirt, but a nice one. That was new for me. Literally. He asked me on dates which was weird. I’d never been asked on one before. I got told I’d be in someone’s bed… or possessed…but never a date. I’d attempted to go do a dance as Addison’s date once and that was a disaster.
Flashback
Melanie spun around. Addison said, “I can’t believe you found that dress at a second hand store.” I smoothed out the light pink dress. It wasn’t my usual color or style, but it had been a good find. Addison admitted, “I don’t understand why you didn’t just go to a store or order a designer dress.”
I said, “Well, for one I don’t need your dad knowing I have the money to do that.” She scrunched up her face, “Fair point.” I said, “And two…” I trailed of and forced myself not to cry. She squeezed my hands, “Mel?”
I admitted, “I was supposed to do this with my mom and momma Chelsea. We talked about it… all the time…about how much fun we’d have. Momma Chelsea even promised to try to get my mom to agree to shopping in Black Mountain…whichprobably wouldn’t have happened but…I can’t go to some dress shop without my mom.” She nodded, “I get it.”
We walked out and Mason and Hendrick fanned their faces. Mason took several pictures and squeezed us both. He said, “You look beautiful. I’m so sorry we can’t drive you.” In the back of my mind, I knew this was a trap but I didn’t want it to be.
Hendrick sighed, “Yeah, Edward pulled us into a border patrol run.” Definite trap. No. I was GOING to this dance. Addison waved, “It’s fine. I’m driving us.” Edward wouldn’t do anything or have it planned for the car since that was the plan.
We left and got in the car. I asked, “Are Si and Paige there?” I’d had us stagger our arrival. Paige was Sierra’s date. Addison nodded, “Yup. Sierra said plenty of guy want to be on your dancing card.” I laughed, “That’s…actually oddly familiar…people used to clamor to be my partner at dance competitions.” She grinned and we took off.
I knew it was going to hell the second we got out of the car. I whispered, “Go inside, Ads.” She asked, “What’s wrong?” Trevor and his friends plus some others came out of the shadows. They had paintball guns. I told her, “Go.”
Addison said, “This was approved.” Trevor laughed, “For this reason.” He took a shot at her but I pushed her aside and took the paintball right in the gut. It was green and splattered all over my light pink dress. I took shot after shot.
Trevor said, “You can leave or we can ruin Addison’s pretty dress next.” She’d gone shopping with her mom for hers. Addison growled, “You son of a bitch!” I told her, “It’s ok. We knew this was a long shot…just go have fun with Sierra and Paige. Ok?”
