Freya offered, “Your friends are mates.” I turned to see Nate staring into Paisley’s eyes. While everything happened with them, I was watching the forest line. Yet no one was coming. Why weren’t they coming? They had to know I was here. They’d heard the shots Nate fired… they should be coming after us.
I linked Dax, “Any movement?” Dax answered, “Not on our side.” That didn’t make sense. They should be storming over here. Did they retreat? No… they couldn’t or the rogue's would advance. I nearly passed out when Nate said they brought a Nashville Coven. Of course they did, Melanie! THEY ARE FROM NASHVILLE!
Oh god... no. Shadow Vice was here for Paige. My heart dropped. They were the ones who’d bought her with the intent to forcibly mark her. I took off running faster than I ever had. An eerie silence greeted me when I called for Mason.
No! Please not Mason. Freya said, “His wolf is still there, but he’s unconscious.” Ok, breathe Melanie. Hendrick was probably on the way to his mate, but I made the order anyway. I had to get to Paige. I needed her to break the channel to the spell she was working on. We could get the dome down afterwards. I saw several people trying to get to Paige.
Freya linked, “Don’t stop running, we can get to her.” I wasn’t even going to ask questions, because I didn’t care. I wasn’t planning to stop running anyway. I didn’t care if it hurt hitting that barrier. Maybe I could break it from sheer force of speed and willpower.
Paige gave no indication she heard me as she floated closer to the members of the Coven. They’d kill her if they saw her neck because she was marked already. They’d consider her useless. Everyone was shouting at me to stop, but I never would. Paige was family to me. You didn’t stop and watch your family get hurt.
I reached the barrier and ran through like it was nothing. Dax linked me, “How the fuck did you do that?” I answered, “Don’t know, don’t care. You know I’m a freak. It’s working out for me at the moment, so we are running with it.”
Dax growled, “You are NOT a freak.” I was. Freya argued, “No, we aren’t. We are special.” I replied, “Of course you’re special.” I was the one who wasn’t. I took out a gun and began to shoot Coven members who were moving towards me. They could keep their spells to themselves. My heart dropped when I realized the Coven leader was going to see Paige was marked. He moved her away from him and took out a gun. NO!
I was out of bullets, but I had a gun on my ankle from Cayden, but if I reached down to get it… Paige would die. I only had one option if Paige wasn’t going to duck, run, or shoot the guy first. I had to take the bullet myself. I jumped and dove in front of Paige. I could take a hit in the vest, I’d survive some broken ribs. Paige would not survive a shot to the head.
I heard Xander’s agonized scream, and it physically pained me to hear it. In all the times I’d dove in front of a bullet... his scream tore at my heart the most. I felt his panic shoot up from my foot. I heard my family's screams join is.
The bullet hit my vest and I nearly blacked out, but I managed to hang on. I nearly had a flashback because it hit where I’d taken a bullet when my family was killed… No, that was an illusion, and I needed to stay focused in the present.
I used Xander’s roar of anger as cover. I still couldn’t breathe, but I took out the gun on my ankle and shot the Warlock repeatedly. It was a poor decision to keep shooting him after he was dead, but it made me feel better.
KJ got to us first before several wolves from Yellow Hills did. KJ asked, “Melanie, are you alright?” I still couldn’t breathe so answering was out. Yellow Hills Warriors looked at me with reverence and awe. I raised an eyebrow. Interesting. Or it would be... if I could breathe. My ribs felt like they were on fire.
I finally took a shallow breath, but it wasn't enough. Caine picked me up and sighed, “That’s not what I meant when I said keep your head down, Mel.” I linked him, “It was the only option.” Caine didn’t say anything because he agreed. My side jostled as he carried me, and intense pain radiated from my side.
Caine linked me, “You know I’m going to call Celia over.” I sighed, “She loves me… deep down.” Caine laughed. He set me down beside the pack house. I linked Addison, “We need salt to surround Paige in gain.”
Addison asked, “Are you ok?” I sighed, “Tis but a fire in the ribs… it’s nothing.” Addison snorted. Caine checked my vest then told me to breathe. Did he think I was doing a tap dance over here? Freya chuckled, “You should breathe since it’s required to keep living.” Everyone could stop saying that like it was easy. Caine linked, “The bullet didn’t pierce through.” I replied, “It’s one of mine they bought…so of course it didn’t.” He shook his head at me…but I was right.
I was trying to breathe and stay in the present. My mind was trying to go to other places. It was a lot to try and force the body to do at once. I could feel how angry Xander still was, but I did want to see him. Freya practically sang, “Which is why Dax suggested it.”
I forced my eyes to the direction he would be standing in. Thankfully, his group was much closer now. Dang. His eyes were gold… like the color of the sun gold. That couldn’t be good. Staring into his eyes helped me finally be able to take a deep breath.
I kept watching him. It was like everyone but us faded. Celia was talking about how things were so calm back home. I told Freya, “Don’t worry. I hear the subtext here. She missed me and was bored without me.” Freya laughed in my head.
Freya added, “Mate can fix that scar tissue issue.” Of course he could, I should’ve thought of that. Freya grumbled, “Sure, that you believe, but the scars and words on our back you doubt.” I reasoned, “That's different and you know it.” Freya sighed.
Celia and I bantered, teasing each other. I had missed her quite a bit. I’d be fine though since I had my wolf now. The cracked ribs would be healing faster than they did before. I’d be fine. I’d be fine faster if Paige got Xander in here….because he has healing hands. Freya laughed. I replied, “He said it! To me even…in an email.”
I took the sniper rifle from Caine. He linked me, “If they didn’t know before that you’re the sniper that has their backs, this will give them a giant flashing neon sign.” I replied, “Maybe... but they won’t say anything about it. They want me to tell them myself.” Caine raised an eyebrow but clearly he knew I was right.
Freya growled, “This Alan that’s here is dead.” He’d definitely tipped the scales that way. Alan was on my personal kill list… but now he was here. Caine said, “Alpha Alan worked with the Nashville Hunters the most. It would make sense that he’d helped hide them. Alan is delusional enough to think he could take over Alpha Emmett’s pack while he was out of the area.” I snorted, “He is so utterly and completely delusional.”
Caine gave me a boost, and I climbed to the top of the pack house. Alan was an idiot to come here. An egotistical one at that. He was meant to teach me my place, and instead I’d beat him. He’d wanted me and hated me ever since.
Anyone with a brain knew, you didn’t truly take over an area unless you defeated the previous Alpha or killed him in a takeover. If Alpha Emmett wasn’t here… one would be kidnapping his area, not taking over. Alan was not that smart though so…he probably thought it counted.
I paused for a second when I reached the roof. I set up my gun and rolled onto my back. I winced in pain then took a deep breath and focused. I rolled onto my stomach and looked through the scope. I began to fire taking out the remaining Hunters that didn’t stand with us. It didn’t take me long to accomplish.
The rogues would take a beat before attacking. So, we could get Yellow Hills into formation. Then we could take the rogues out. Alan…. He would wait them out. He’d know we’d beat the rogues. He would think we’d be too tired to give him a good fight because his warriors would be.
Alan didn’t know how packs up here trained though. Yellow Hills would stand. The Resistance would stand just fine. Well… to be fair he didn’t know that’s who we were. I called over coms, “Hendrick?” He answered my unspoken question, “Mason is awake. They cast some spell on him and he’s spitting mad.”
Mason called over coms, “Where is Paige?” I answered, “I’m sure they moved her inside once they had salt lining the way.” Addison chimed in, “She’s safe. The pack members came out of the safe room to show us where we could put her. We surrounded her with salt in there. Paige is safe.” Mason snarled, “Then get me some fuckers to kill.” I climbed down the roof.
I yelled, “YELLOW HILLS ON ME!” I heard shifting and people ran to me. I told them, “I need the twenty best Warriors here on the west side. We will form a circle. NO MATTER WHAT, nothing breaks through the circle. Do you hear me?” They nodded.
