I heard him whistle then incline his head towards a girl with black hair walking to opposite direction of me. I linked Buck, “Thank you.” He said, “Pups should be off limits. I was never taking you in anyway. I’ve never stopped you from doing what you feel you need to. I just advise you to keep your head down on occasion.” Buck really hadn’t ever stopped me when I thought about it.
I walked out of the airport and got to the holoport here. It took me to my place. I quickly went to the garage and picked out a fast Subaru. I changed the license plates and took off. I pulled up the GPS on Kai. Hendrick called me, “Mel, where are you?” He wouldn’t have said that if he was alone. He would know exactly what I was doing.
I told him, “I’m going to check on my nephew and sister in law. There was a heavy pack presence at the airport. The only time they’ve had that on me is when something happened to my family.” I heard a snarl, “You get back here! That’s an order. One of our guys is being taken the station over having a gun at the airport.”
Hendrick linked, “And thank you for that. I want to kill the man for what he did to Mason.” I replied, “Sierra did that.” He said, “And I’ll cook her quite the meal for it.” I chuckled, “I really do wish I’d gotten to see it.” Hendrick agreed, “Me too. You’ll have to hack the feeds.” I would definitely do that.
I snorted out loud to say, “Edward, I don’t give a crap about your orders. Did something happen to my brother, sister in law, or nephew?” He was silent. I warned, “If anything happens to them... I’ll find a way to tell Red Run you let their Beta’s family get hurt.” Alpha Edward snarled, “Don’t you da…” I hung up before he could finish.
I hit the steering wheel shouting, “HE IS SUCH A JERK!” I screamed in anger because it still physically hurt me to ignore him like this. Pain was nothing to me now though. I reasoned, “He’s wrong. That’s why we do this. He is WRONG! Kai is just a pup.” The pain dulled to a slight ache. Edward was truly one of the worst excuses of an Alpha.
Plus, he never even linked me about not going. In truth, I’d never linked the pack leadership. Heck… I’d never linked more than my friends, Warriors, and Buck. I only started linking with him after we’d become counterparts. He told me everyone was told not to link me, but being counterparts obviously meant he had to.
Caine called next. I answered with a question, “Did Sierra make it home?” Caine snorted, “She just did. That’s not why I called though.” I replied, “Okkk…then…. Umm… you know I…” He cut me off, “Micah has been camped out here all day.”
I winced replying, “Oh good… that’s good….because…ya know we know him…and he’s a good guy….he likes camping.” Caine was quiet then said, “Anything you want to share since we both know you’re a bad liar? I thought he was here to talk to you, but your reply indicates something else.”
So, I’d have to use my spray so he couldn’t smell Xander all over me. That wasn’t really something I was going to share with Caine just yet. I told him, “I don’t know why Micah is there. We don’t have a meeting. Something could’ve happened while I was unreachable. I did give them information on a drug ring to bust. Maybe he needs more information or something. He could just want to tell me how it went.”
Caine sighed, “My dad’s pretty mad.” I snorted, “I don’t care. Kai is my nephew and he’s just a pup. He’s innocent.” Caine told me, “There we agree. We were trying to find him, but he was on a playdate with people in a different pack and we didn’t know that’s where he was. Everyone seemed pretty confused on where he actually was. We had Virgil and Valentina out.” So that’s where they were.
I told him, “That’s where I’d rather they be.” Caine snorted, “And how did you and Si get back to Louisiana in time without them, since you went to save Beta Jason?” I winced answering, “Ummm a no questions asked favor from a guy we met on vacation. I mean... well... actually... yes. That’s all true.”
Caine groaned, “Oh good. He won’t want anything back for that. Si reeks of a guy.” I snorted, “I am aware.” Caine laughed, “Good for her.” I told him, “I need to go.” Caine ordered, “Be safe.” I teased, “Me? I mean…”
He cut me off, “Melanie, don’t die. I know you tend not to care about your life, but your nephew doesn’t need to see you die.” I gulped, “Umm true. Good point… I’d never wish that on anyone…since ya know…it happened to me…well not my Aunt…she could die in front of me…not Allison…or MaryBeth or Melinda….I mean Stephanie….she really should go…but you know what I’m saying. I’ll make it back. Ok?” He hummed and hung up.
I looked at my phone for coordinates. Kai was just outside of Blue Moon. I went through our holoport holding my breath, hoping the whole car could go through. I smiled when it worked. Paige was just so dang good. I followed the GPS to Kai.
I spotted them instantly because they were in a white van. Seriously? Could they be any more cliche right now? They were driving far too fast in a WHITE van. Nothing about them was inconspicuous. I growled and forced myself to wait until we got to an abandoned road.
Once it was safe, I rolled down the window and shot out one tire. They pulled over and I continued past them, then pulled off the road where they couldn’t see my car. I used the tree line as cover. A guy yelled out the window, “What do you mean you don’t know what happened? It’s an ABANDONED road. We ran over something, and the tire blew. We should’ve stuck to the main roads!”
Another guy yelled back, “We have kidnapped a pup in the back! You don’t stick to the main roads when you’ve kidnapped someone! They put out amber alerts with the humans for that!” I was almost behind the guy who was trying to change the tire.
I inhaled getting their scent, then jolted. They were rogues, but recent rogues. Which would explain why they weren’t completely feral yet. Well, they really should be better aware of their surroundings. I grabbed the tire iron and slammed it into the guy’s Adam's apple. He clutched his neck and stared at me in horror. I pointed my gun at the driver side.
I told the dying man, “You really should stay away from people’s nephews. I’ll always come for him.. and I’m kind of the big bad around here…not kind of…I just am…I’m the one in the shadows who is every single bad person’s nightmare.”
I heard a thump against the door. Fury lit through me because that meant they’d tied Kai up. The driver jumped out and I shot him in the head. I didn’t hear other heartbeats beside Kai’s, but I checked the vehicle anyway.
I tucked my gun away before I opened the back. Kai looked up at me with tears running down his face. My fury I kept a tight lid on was rattling in its box. This was the first time I’d seen my nephew in person. I’d always wanted to come meet him and now….this was not the moment I’d planned.
I told him, “I’m not going to hurt you, I promise.” I jumped inside beside him explaining, “I’m going to untie you, ok?” He nodded. I took the gag off first. I kept talking, “I’m Melanie… I mean... I’m your… well... it’s a little complicated... not like technically speaking just... like, well… oh good lord... this is harder than I thought. I’ve written to you though... so... there’s that.”
Kai jumped into my arms and hugged me tightly. I nearly started sobbing. I was holding my nephew and he was hugging me. Which…duh…I saved him…but this was a whole moment for me. Kai whispered, “I know who you are. I did the second I heard you outside and then it was confirmed when I saw you.”
I was stunned. I thought the letter would be how he knew. I stared at him asking, “You do? I mean did? I…you…know me? By my voice?” Uhh what? That would mean he’d seen home videos with me in them. Why would Jason let him see those?
Kai nodded. I shook myself then promised, “I’ll get you back to safety. I just need you to stay inside the van here for another minute while I….uhhhh take care of some things… ok?” Kai nodded, “I’ll do that. Youramble just like people said you do.” Umm…people talked about me to Kai? They said he’d never know me….so what?
I jumped out of the van before I questioned my nephew and called Virgil. He answered, “Mel?” I told him, “I need you for a brief moment.” Virgil laughed, “Are you killing people already? That was a quick transition from vacation.” I snorted, “Some people take their time adjusting. I just jumped back in. You know me…except this wasn’t my fault…when you think about it.”
He shimmered in, set the bodies on fire, then leaned around the truck. He smiled greeting, “Hello, Kai.” Kai frowned his eyes narrowing on Virgil. Kai commented, “I’ve seen you before. You came to a t-ball game my daddy couldn’t come to. No one could come but mommy.” Yeah, Kai was all Beta right there with his observation skills…and it made me really proud.
Virgil nodded admitting, “I did. I keep the bad people away.” Kai glanced at me before saying, “Ok. Thanks then.” I laughed, Virgil got out of Kai’s eyesight, and I hugged my friend. When I stepped back, he raised an eyebrow. He commented, “That’s is uhh not a smell I expected to get off of you.”
I flushed whispering, “Shut up.” Virgil snorted, “Ohhh, the gossip that will be started from that intense scent.” I rolled my eyes, “They won’t smell it when I get back.” Virgil teased, “I hope you got a whole bottle of your stuff with you. Because GIRL, you reek of sugar cookies and sexy things.”
