I clutched my chest. Dad…. no matter what they said… Even if he wasn’t my biological father… Drake McAlister was my dad. DNA didn’t make you a dad. Everything my dad had done for me did. Tears burned in my eyes. It couldn’t be true that he wasn’t biologically my dad… but I didn’t have a wolf.
The thing was some days I swore I did. I swore the night of my sixteenth birthday my wolf told me to fight. That she was going to get us help… then all I could feel was pain. That’s all I remembered. Even if I was just my mom’s daughter… I should have a wolf.
The Moon Goddess…. was such a terribly cruel goddess. Especially to those down here and she clearly had it out for me… personally. Or at least it felt that way. I’d clearly done something to piss her off.
Mason sighed pulling me out of my thoughts, “You know Alpha Ezra is going to lecture Trevor about you not being marked.” He growled out that last part. I snorted, “TrevorMcCann is not my mate.” Everyone knew that. The sad sack pathetic piece of crap Edward even knew that.
The pack had been in dissention about everything that came out, especially the wolf less, after that ordeal where I declared I wasn’t his mate. Edward claimed there was nothing he could do about it because they couldn’t prove it… because I didn’t have a wolf. It was complete crap and the pack knew it.
I knew who my mate was, and I always had. Whether he wanted me or not, my mate was Xander. Trevor McCann was so far from my mate it was crazy. I had no idea why he even pretended we were fated. He hated me.
To be fair, he wasn’t alone with his hatred because I loathed him. Booker kept telling him he needed to get me under control. His latest tirade about being my mate was that I’d have to quit being the Female Lead Warrior and give him pups.
I’d gouge his eyes out and slit his throat then run to my Xander before that happened. I’d let Xander reject me, but I’d also tell him why I ran to him. Whether he wants me or not... an Alpha hearing their mate was almost marked against their will would go poorly.
I’d read extensive research on Alpha’s so I knew that someone else wanting to forcibly mark what was theirs… would send any wolf, but especially and Alpha, into a rage. Xander would decimate the McCann family and probably Black Path as a whole. Whether he wanted me in the end or not.
Caine and Dax could take over then though. Caine felt he wasn’t ready, but he was getting there. If Trevor tried to push this mate issue… then he’d be meeting Xander and getting his brain exploded… since Xander could do that.
If I could see Xander without running into EJ… I had a chance of him not finding out who I was. Because the picture he had of me was old. Jason didn’t get new pictures… so there wasa chance it was probably me dancing… those were from far away and I had on a lot of stage make up.
Truth be told, even if I did see EJ… Xander wouldn’t be able to help it. His wolf, Oden, would demand that Trevor be punished for that. Xander himself would agree, I knew he would. Maybe even Jason would.
He must have felt bad because once I denied Trevor was my mate on the phone and yelled at him, my brother never brought it up again. He probably thought it was all resolved. Because my brother might hate me, but he would never spit on the grave of our mother and brother like that. Besides, I hadn’t told him in our letters it was still a problem.
I knew there was no way in hell that Jason would be ok with some guy trying to mark and rape me. He definitely wouldn’t be ok with me being marked by someone that wasn’t my mate. It’s clearly why he never brought he situation up again.
He may never want to see me, but he was still my brother. Maybe half-brother, but mom and dad would never forgive him in the afterlife if he let that happen. Tristan would probably haunt him. I was certain he haunted me in the Undergrounds. If only he didn’t look so sad it would be better.
I shrugged at Mason saying, “Alpha Ezra coming here doesn’t matter to me. He’s an enemy of my family. I will never be marked by anyone he approves of. Let alone someone who isn’t my mate.” I walked back out to the group.
I noted that Walker was enamored with Blair, just how he should be. Another reason we all knew Trevor was full of crap. He banged anyone who looked in his direction and I didn’t care. I knew that he couldn’t do that if I was his mate. Everyone did.
People cheated down here but they felt bad about it. Some thought they had to do it to keep their mate safe. Edward and Jean still gave their mates gifts after they cheated. They nevertried to hurt their feelings in public about it, and they were horrible mates.
Trevor often boasted about who he was sleeping with while spitting in my face. I think he actually thought it would hurt my feelings which was astounding. Several mates had said they couldn’t imagine acting how he was with their chosen. So, he was proving he was a liar even though I did when I turned eighteen.
I knew that my dad would’ve walked over glass before hurting my mother. So would Alpha Peter for Luna Chelsea and EJ would make someone's head explode if they’d hurt Elise’s feelings. He and Alexander shared the pushing power… so he definitely would kill Trevor for what he did to me. EJ would never hurt her himself, and he’d never cheat.
I stood announcing, “We need to go pack your stuff, Blair.” Blair looked at me nervously. Walker reiterated, “I really can come with you back to your pack. I’m certain if Ashley tells her Warriors to stand down, I’d do just fine with Buck’s Warriors.” He could technically stand at the border but that would be bad since he’d hear what was going to happen.
I snorted, “I believe you could take them…it would not even be close. It’s not necessary though. Addison will bring Blair back here in forty minutes tops.” Walker laughed, “Are you already packed mate of mine?” Blair quietly said, “No.”
The Females in Black Path didn’t have much in terms of possession. I was lucky I had Mason and Hendrick. They spoiled me, but most parents down here didn’t buy the females anything. Female Warriors were paid well under me what they should be.
I’d brought it to the Supernatural Council since they were whose purview Black Path was under but they refused to hear my case. Again. Like they always did. I took yearly trips about my family, but they still wouldn’t step in. I found it interesting the Fairy representatives were never there if I was.
I excluded them in my thoughts of their colleagues being a disgrace to their jobs. Edward didn’t want to encourage it, so Female Warriors made three dollars a day. It was pathetic. I assured Walker, “She’ll be back.” Walker smiled but said quite seriously, “You take even forty one minutes mate, and I’ll come after you.” Blair almost panicked.
I laughed, “Challenge accepted. Let’s go girls.” He jolted, “How is it a challenge for you?” I opened my mouth and Addison said, “We have to get going. See you later!” Walker’s gaze narrowed on mine. He was suspicious but I didn’t really care.
If his Alpha attacked our pack, I’d have our Warriors back down and lead him to Edward. His one of the few down here that I’d gladly let lead Black Path and mentor Caine until he was ready. He really needed an Alpha blood but all he had was me.
We all walked out of the diner. Sierra offered, “I could do the challenge.” I snorted, “You’d be punished after you won. Your dad would use that to give you to that pathetic sack of cow dung we are allies with that wants you. Same for you Addison. I can take it. Better to have two fights than three or four.” Because I would fight for them. They were not leaving for anyone they didn’t want.
Addison vowed, “We won’t let Trevor mark you.” I snorted, “They already tried to use wolfsbane countless times on me to accomplish that. I’m a freak of nature so it doesn’t weaken me like it does you guys.” Normal Werewolves couldn’t ingest or be hit with Silver and Wolfsbane.
I wasn’t normal so they didn’t affect me. Not even drugs did. I was a freak. I scoffed inwardly. I was a wolf less freak. No wonder Jason wasn’t proud of me. I’d tried my absolute best, but nothing worked. He didn’t catch on that I was Ashley Griffen.
