Before I walked in into the office I had to try something. I sighed knowing this was a bad idea. Oden linked, “We don’t know until we try.” I tried to pop to Trevor but was violently thrown back, feeling burns on my skin. I growled, “FUCK!”
My mom popped next to me, and the office door was ripped open. My dad was instantly beside me. I clenched my teeth, “I’m fine.” My mom snorted, “Oh, well he says he’s fine Eric. He is fucking burned and someone IS FUCKING DEAD!” My mom started to heal me even though I could’ve done it myself. I helped her to her feet as I got to mine.
EJ asked, “What the hell happened?” I admitted, “I tried to pop to Trevor McCann.” EJ sighed, “We have already tried that.” I shrugged, “I wanted to try.” My mom huffed, “Don’t make logical and understanding fucking points right now. Trevor is already going to be fucking dead.”
She muttered under her breath, “Now he’s just so far past dead. I’ll have Arion find a way to TORTURE his ass from the Beyond once he’s actually dead here. Yes, that’s what’s happening. Once we are done with him, your Uncle Arion will come at him. That makes me feel just a little fucking better. I need to go call Aiden.” She popped away.
My dad touched my shoulder, “Next time, tell us your plan. I understand the inclination to try. If I could pop, the people I’d have tried to go to knowing I probably couldn’t get to them is not a low number.” I nodded to him. I figured he was thinking about when my mom was taken from him.
I walked inside the office. I scanned the room, seeing Levi was there sitting with the McAlister’s. I told them, “Mel went to go talk to Edward. She’s trying to get a location on Booker and the dead motherfucker, whose name I can't say or I’ll have to kill something, known as Booker’s son.”
Peter stood announcing, “Well, let’s go back her up.” Tristan, Levi, Drake, Ben, and my dad started towards the door. I raised an eyebrow, surprised my dad wasn’t staying for the meeting. My dad linked me, “I feel your surprise. You all can catch me up. I got the most pertinent information from Cayden. Edwardis a Werewolf Council issue. Not to mention so is capturing Booker and Trevor. Then to top it off, I want one of us with Melanie. She’s family, son.” I replied, “Thanks, dad.”
I turned to EJ asking, “What’s going on?” Cayden answered, “We hit several of the drug rings that Melanie gave us, and most of the smaller Hunting rings. The ones in Nashville are in the wind. I’m sure Melanie’s contacts will reach out to her with updated locations on where they are.”
“For right now they are gone. If I was running it, they’d be on lockdown. Uncle Bjourn and I sent larger groups to the bigger ones. We were successful in most of our takedowns. Some had obviously cut and run. We are currently sheltering those that were on Melanie’s list that helped her.”
He admitted, “Most arebeggingus to let them talk to her once we separated them. I informed them I already knew they weren’t working with the Hunters. The Wolves, wolf less and the pups aren’t saying what packs they are from though. So basically, I’m telling you that we have a lot of displaced wolves right now.”
I surmised, “I’m assuming no one is claiming to be missing a bunch of wolves.” EJ snorted, “No, they’ve clearly cut ties.” I sighed, “We need to talk to them then.” I paused correcting, “Rather we need Melanie to talk to them. She’ll know what packs they are from.”
Cayden nodded, “I’d bet money she does.” Wesley snorted, “Good money. She’s a Beta wolf. She definitely has lists on lists on lists.” Dalton agreed, “She’d have multiple lists.” Cayden added, “She’s their champion. That’s what they say anyway.” Pride filled me.
He continued, “Ashley Griffen, because that’s what they call her, is the champion or savior of the forgotten packs. They won’t say anything unless she tells them it’s ok.” I nodded, “Well, she wants to see the Hackura realm. We need to get a list from all our allies about available space so we can get these wolves placed. No one will be placed with any pack we don’t trust with our lives though because I won’t set anyone up to live this life again or risk my mate. How many are we talking about Cayden?”
Cayden winced, “There are four hundred displaced wolves, and we are missing the ones from Melanie’s Nashville lists.” I gaped. EJ snarled, “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me!” Cayden shook his head, “Nope. I am afraid I am not.”
I sighed, “We need everyone to figure out how many they can take quickly then. We’ll have the displaced wolves interviewed. Melanie might have an idea of where they’d fit best. EJ, we’ll have to host an event here where Alpha’s, or their representatives, come so we can make the best placements. How many pups are there? How many haven’t shifted?”
Cayden answered, “Cassie has the youngest and my mate refuses to let her out of her sight. We’ll have to….” He trailed off then admitted, “I think the little girl is going to have to be placed here. Cassie won’t trust anyone else, and I’m not having her upset right now. Or ever, honestly.”
I nodded, “Dinner tonight, right?” Cayden shook his head, “No, Cassie and your mom moved it to tomorrow night. Cassie is helping calm the other kids down. They gravitate to her because Ashley…” He groaned, “God, I mean Melanie told them the Conners were good people. They are scared and Cassie doesn’t want to leave them.”
I agreed, “Of course we can take the pup she’s gravitated to into our pack. We can do whatever Cass needs. That is if you and Cass don’t end up with her.” Cayden smiled admitting, “She’s a cutie.” EJ growled, “How old is she?”
Cayden winced, “She’s five. They use her to bait wolves with a pup crying for help.” I snarled, “FIVE?!” All skype calls were full of growling wolves. Elise stood asking, “Where the FUCK is her mother?!”
Cayden answered, “Dead. She’s an orphan. She told Cassie her Alpha said she had to earn her keep or he’d throw her to the rogues.” Oden roared in anger. Cayden continued, “He said her parents were traitors. She knows Ashley/Melanie and said she placed her with good people.”
“She was working to get her out. They all were. The guardians and Ashley, goddammit! Melanie placed her with didn’t let them use her. Vicky, that’s the pup’s name, said once Melanie discovered her, she changed everything. The guardians told me Vicky was going to be out of their pack Wednesday. Ash, fuck me...” It was understandable he was switching up her name. He’d known her as Ashley for years.
Dylan snorted on skype from Blue Moon, “Try MelAshley, Creepy Ninja Assassin Commander. Whom I worship for making Saint God Alpha Prick’s eye twitch.” Cayden laughed, “I’m trying to get Melanie’s name right. It’s hard though. Anyway, Melanie’s plan was to fake Vicky’s death. They were going to let her pretend to be bait then get a big group out of the pack. I’d just bet Vicky was going to be heading here.” I would not take that bet.
A young, traumatized pup would absolutely be routed to my mom. Cayden continued, “The only reason I’m sure Melanie hasn’t gone to get her is because she knew I would. Vicky’s group was at the literal top of the list with a star by it.” Fury filled me and Oden.
I snarled, “I’LL KILL THE FUCKING BASTARD THAT WAS USING A FIVE YEAR OLD AS BAIT!” Wesley frowned, “Why are these pieces of shit calling themselves Alpha’s? They are going against their blood. Even if their wolves are bad. No true Alpha wolf would use a pup in that way. To take care of our pack is a matter of pride.”
EJ snorted, “They are not Alpha’s. They are greedy men using spells to keep their wolves down. Corbin confirmed that. We confiscated Edward and Jean’s belongings, and I asked him to check their things. He found they had rings that helped their human side be stronger.”
My oldest brother scoffed, “Instead of working with their wolves, they push them down. They can still shift and fight, but they can easily take back over from their wolf.” Oden roared in my head. His anger was clearly directed at his fellow Alpha wolves being treated that way.
Cayden looked at his phone, “Shit.” I asked, “What? Is Cass ok?” I instantly searched our connection. She was feeling very maternal, but she was annoyed. Cayden said, “Cass is fine, but Levi texted me. Not great things are going down in the dungeons.” He barely got the sentence out before I popped outside.
I saw Fowler running for all he was worth in the opposite direction. I could smell Melanie, but I didn’t see her. Tristan came running out of the dungeons crying. He yelled, “MELANIE, PLEASE WAIT!” Levi had him in a second.
Levi advised, “Just let her cool off, T. She didn’t mean all of that.” I asked, “What the hell happened?!” Tristan sank to his knees and cried. Drake ran out of the dungeons next. Everyone who had been down there filed out.
The McAlister’s and Peter were crying. Ben McAlister looked shell shocked. Even Levi looked grim. My dad explained, “It would appear that Edward has tried to rape Melanie for the last seven years.” I roared and my eyes blazed, “HE FUCKING WHAT?” Cayden and Micah yelled in tandem, “EXCUSE ME?!”
