Alpha Theo told me, “I really do like you.” I laughed, “I like you guys too.” EJ stepped into the room. He paused, then asked, “Dear god, what’s happening?” I shrugged, “Nothing much, just the fulfillment of my word… in a meeting room… with allies… so… umm… everything is fine.” Alpha Theo chuckled.
Xander popped behind EJ and ran into the room. My mate grabbed me and glared at Lux. Lux instantly said, “Hey man, I only respectfully flirted with her before I knew she was yours. Not a single flirtatious comment has left these lips today.”
I agreed, “That’s true.” EJ winced, “You’re not helping, Ladybug.” I asked, “Why not? I just agreed with him and backed up the truth. Lux didn’t force the flirting issue. He never fought me about anything he said, and he was nice. It was the closest I got to real flirting.” I heard a snort in the hallway.
My dad came into the room, “Ladybug, let’s uhhh go have a chat.” I sighed, “Ok. Alpha Theo, how long will you be here? I can email you.” Alpha Theo answered, “Probably for a bit.” I nodded, “Ok… is everyone ok?”
Xander kissed me then pulled back. He urged, “Go with your dad, Lovebug.” Lux clapped, “Aww, that’s a good one! I’m stealing that for future girlfriends. Lovebug. Gotta admit, I didn’t know you had that in you, Alexander.” EJ gestured for me to go.
My dad grabbed my hand, and someone slammed the door shut. Eric was smirking in the hallway at me. I frowned asking, “What?” My mom came up behind us saying, “This is a mother daughter conversation, Drake. I’ve got it.”
I sighed, “I do need to get something to Alpha Theo and then I need to practice with the band... we didn’t really get to practice yesterday.” My dad laughed, “You’re still adorable, Ladybug.” That meant I’d missed something they all caught on to.
My mom laughed, “Come on, my beautiful daughter. We can have breakfast and talk.” I shrugged, “Ok. That’s fine.” I had to eat. I followed my mom down the hallways. We found our way into the kitchen. Mom grabbed the tray that had already been set out, then led me down a hall that led to an indoor patio. She sat down and smiled.
I followed her lead, grabbed my plate, and began to eat. My mom said, “You’ve grown up into such a beautiful woman.” I blushed, “Umm thanks.” My mom smiled, “We never got to have the whole... crushes… boys... and flirting talk. You implied you weren’t crushing on a boy, which told me it was a man. We didn’t ever dive into it.”
I argued, “I didn’t have crushes.” My mom laughed, “From what I understand you’ve had a crush on Alexander for a long time.” I pointed out, “That wasn’t a crush. He’s my mate… so that’s different.” My mom smirked but didn’t push.
What was so hard for everyone to understand about that? There was a difference. Freya agreed, “There is.” Thank you! My wolf chuckled, “I will always be on your side.” I knew that because she’d proven it. My mom sighed, “Any kind of flirting is going to set Alexander off. Especially right now. He can’t mark you and as an Alpha, or any wolf really but particularly an Alpha, that sets off their possessive side.”
I groaned, “I mean... most of the guys that flirt, if you can call it that... I get that reaction. Lux is different.” My mom told me, “If you liked Lux too that’s probably not going to help, and I would keep it yourself.”
I set my fork down and explained, “I like him as a person. I didn’t like him in a romantic way. He flirted, but he was kind about it. He’s basically, no he IS, the only guy who flirted with me that was kind. I don’t know if you can call telling someone you want to possess and fuck them, flirting... but that’s mostly what men say to me. Lux wasn’t like that. Is Xander mad at him? I need to go talk to my mate if that’s the case… and explain. I don’t want to cause problems with his allies… and friends. They are friends.”
My mom’s jaw dropped asking, “That’s what boys said to you?” I shrugged, “Not just boys, that wasn’t the point though. You think Xander is mad at Lux, right?” My mom grabbed my hand, “Melanie Jane they are fine. Xander and Lux are allies. Lux didn’t hurt you nor did he flirt. I’m sure now they are perfectly fine. I want to talk about this. What does not just boys mean?”
I asked, “Didn’t dad and T tell you? Edward tried to … uhh….do stuff…with me. So did Jean and Booker. I guess dad doesn’t know that, but it would stand to reason they did…. and dad thinks like me… so he knows.”
“Dax, Caine, Hendrick, Buck, and Mason are the only guys who didn’t say that to me in Black Path. Alan, one of the first Alpha’s I ever beat in a fight, he’s wanted me ever since. He tried to get Edward to sell me to him.”
My mom paled, “Sell you?” I nodded, “I was the pack slave. Booker refused his offer every time. I should’ve been worried about that because he hated me the most.” My mom wiped tears away asking, “Did they hurt you?”
I nodded, “All the time. I wasn’t lying to dad though, I’ve only been with Xander. No one but him has touched me in an intimate way.” My mom nodded, “I’m…” She trailed off then said, “god this is hard. I’m really glad that’s the case, but Ladybug…”
I held up my hands interrupting, “It shouldn't have happened. I know that. I know that Alpha Peter would never be like that... or allow that in his pack. It doesn’t change the fact that it’s my reality.” My mom sighed, “Will you call him Peter again?” I shrugged, “I don’t know. We will see.”
Mom changed the subject, “The Hunters all said things about…” She trailed off. I snorted, “Yeah, they wanted me too. They made lewd persistent comments, but they couldn’t take me on any level. Honestly, none of them could.”
“I can even hold my own against a Hackura. Not that any Hackura I met ever tried to uhhh…do stuff.. with me, they didn’t. Huh... I really should’ve gone there. They are the only dang group of people that didn’t say they wanted to possess me.”
My mom cringed, “You know a pack should’ve never treated you that way.” I nodded, “I do know that.” My mom stood and hugged me, tentatively at first, but when I didn’t back away she hugged me harder.
She whispered, “You are so strong, and I am so proud of you, Melanie Jane. I’m so sorry about all this. You made the world your dance floor, just like I always knew you would.” I patted her back, “Thanks, mom.” It had been for her, dad, and Tristan.
I held onto her tightly remembering the fight I kept seeing. My mom pulled back and wiped her eyes. She said, “Now, you know no respectful man would ever treat you that way.” I conceded, “I know that, mom. I did pay attention around our pack to how dad treated you. Even to how Alpha Peter treated Luna Chelsea. All the mates really. Even how boys talked to girls in our pack. All of it was different.”
Red Run didn’t have pack slaves either. My mom sighed, “Why did you let Trevor get away with saying you were his mate? Were you worried on some level without your wolf, he was?” I shook my head, “No, I always knew it was Xander. Anything I did to Trevor would be taken out on my friends.”
Freya told me, “Tell her all of it. Sugar said they need this.” I sighed saying, “Honestly, I thought I deserved it. You guys were gone... or I thought you were anyway. He was just another type of payment for that.”
My mom cried, “Ladybug, no matter what all your dad and I want is for you to have a good life. I don’t ever want you to punish yourself for anything that happens. I want you to be happy with Alexander.”
I asked, “You’ll be careful though, right?” My mom smiled, “I just got my little girl back, and I have a list of apologies to make. You were always suspicious of those cookies. I should’ve…” I shook my head cuttingher off, “You didn’t know.” I never wanted to talk about those cookies again. They ruined my dang life.
My mom sighed, “I’m your mother and I should’ve known. It was my job to keep you safe, and I failed.” I pointed out, “Technically, it wasn't just your job. You were not my Alpha at the time.” My mom winced, “You know Peter would never stand by and let you be hurt, especially like that.”
I nodded, “I’m trying to come around to that, but it’s harder than I thought.” My mom squeezed my hand. She opened her mouth the stopped. I asked, “Mom?” She said, “I had a necklace like you did with a lot of spells on it. I wore it thinking it would keep you safe.”
