I ran down the fire escape faster than I’d done anything in my whole life. I threw the sniper rifle in my car. Someone would have to take it back. I didn’t have time to switch out the plates right now. I couldn’t take this to Black Mountain since it was registered to me.
I took out my gun from the glove box and took off running towards the fight. All I could see was Elise. Tears were trying to fill my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. For the first time, in a very long time… I was going to fight beside Elise.
I ran to her side. We’d fought together before. Heck, we used to practice together every day. It was easy to fight by her side. I couldn’t help the smile that was on my face. We were always meant to be like this. We weren’t supposed to be apart or fighting battles without the other with us.
The moment was cut short when I heard shots fired. I knew I paled. I was not going to watch another person I loved get shot. I screamed, “NO!” Then dove on top of Elise and felt the tranquilizers hit me. Well... that was lucky. They didn’t affect me.
Freya snorted, “You still haven’t figured out why.” I replied, “You sound better… also… I did figure it out. I’m a freak. Mystery solved.” Freya huffed. I rolled up and returned fire, shooting the three people who’d fired. I took the darts out of me and tossed them to the ground.
Elise giggled, “That’s cool. Are you like a superhero? Those did not feel good when I got hit with one. We should get drinks. I’m fun, ask anyone. Hey, how did you know those weren’t bullets? Is that one of your superpowers? Knowing the difference between a bullet and a tranquilizer being shot?”
Freya urged, “Tell her who you are.” I asked, “Are you crazy? We can’t tell her that. Alpha Kyle is her dad.” Freya hummed, “And that’s another weird thing. Alpha Kyle is her grandfather. You are aware Alpha Peter goes by his first name. Why would he ask you to call him by his last name?” I didn’t have time to figure that out, but I’d thought it was because he didn’t want me to say his first name. Which did now seem odd.
Mason ground out, “She didn’t know. What the fuck Bravo One?” Right. Elise’s question. Elise gasped, “You took what you thought could be a bullet for me? Why?” If only she knew I’d do way more than take a bullet for her. She was like my sister, the one I’d never had.
Elise continued, “You’re always so nice to us. Now we HAVE to have to get that drink. My wolf will revolt when she comes back. She’s coming back, right? I miss her.” I knew that feeling of thinking you had no wolf. It was horrible.
I checked Elise over assuring her, “Your wolf will come back.” I nearly called her wolf Rhea. Great job, Melanie. You can’t explain how you know that… so don’t call her wolf by her name. Elise asked, “What are you? I feel like you’re a Werewolf. Are you a Werewolf? You think we won’t like you, but we will.” They would not.
“EJ wants to buy you a bakery. I swear he said he would. He so would because he can’t lie. Why are you mad at my dad? You seem familiar. Like no, it can’t be. That’s crazy talk in Elise’s head is what that is. I can’t even blame Rhea. She’s not here right now to be the crazy voice.”
I let myself be relieved that while I could see she’d been slapped and drugged, she was otherwise ok. I didn’t really know the answer to her question other than I was a weird werewolf. Freya scoffed, “We aren’t weird. We are special.” Sure. Freya had to say that since she was my wolf.
I jolted, “Wait, did she say that EJ wanted to buy me a bakery?” Freya answered, “Yes.” I asked, “What? Why on earth would he want to do that?” Freya replied, “I can’t answer that since you never baked for them. If you had, that would be obviously the answer because you have phenomenal baking skills.” Caine joined us, pissed off about her question about Peter.
He snarked, “Because your dad is a fucking asshole.” I warned, “Bravo Six!” Caine snorted, “Bravo One, you might want to spare her feelings, but I don’t give a shit. Her dad’s a tool. Go run on home, little Duchess. Ask your daddy what he’s hiding from his precious daughter.”
I linked him, “She is DRUGGED and doesn’t understand! Give her a minute. She was kidnapped for gracious sakes alive!” He stared at me, so I punched him in the shoulder demanding, “Shut up!” Dax joined our conversation, “Why? Tell her!” Of course he chimed in. He always agreed with Caine.
Elise argued, “My dad is a good man! He didn’t do whatever you think he did.” My heart broke. She really didn’t know, and part of me felt comforted by that. The other felt bad for her because she would be upset that she didn’t know. She would never understand why her dad did this. Hell... I didn’t understand and I’d had years to try and figure it out.
Addison snarked, “Your dad may be a good guy to you, but he’s one of the villains in other people’s stories.” I linked her, “That was not subtle! Or even a veiled comment.” She replied, “It wasn’t meant to be.” I gave them all an exasperated look they ignored.
Elise stood and wobbled, but I held her steady so she didn’t fall. She looked at me surmising, “They mean my dad is the villain in your story. They are upset with him because of you. Why?” I had zero desire to answer that question. Ever. Plus, that was a long explanation, which she would NOT understand.
Crush and Virgil drove up in separate cars. I held my hand out for the key from Virgil. He gave them to me, and I palmed him my keys. I didn’t need Elise to see the type of car I drove. I told them, “I’m taking her home.”
Freya offered, “I don’t see this going over as a popular decision with our friends, but I agree with you.” It was absolutely not going to be popular. Freya snickered, “Freak out in three, two, one.” Everyone except Avery, Virgil and Valentina shouted, “WHAT?!” “NO!”
Caine grabbed me asking, “ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?! You can’t do that!” It hurt me to do it, but I pushed him off me. I replied, “I don’t recall asking for your permission. I WON’T leave her here!” The stare he gave me had me wanting to submit, but I couldn’t do it.
Freya agreed, “We can’t leave Elise. I’m sorry this hurts though.” I knew why it did. A Beta desperately wants to follow Alpha bloods. Advise them, yes. Go against them, never. Plus, it wasn’t that Caine was a bad Alpha, he wasn’t. He was a good person, but I was right about Elise.
Dax shouted, “WHY do you keep fighting for these people?! They abandoned you! Yet you send out an emergency text to us to come save her ass. Then you show up bleeding. We need to get you treatment. You’re hurt. They don’t DESERVE YOU!”
Elise never abandoned me though. Caine linked, “You do need treatment. Clearly.” I nearly groaned. Stupid white shirt. Freya snorted, “Yes, it was the shirt.” It was. She argued, “He is an Alpha blood with a great sense of smell. There is also dried blood on your head where Booker hit you.” Oh yeah…that.
I told the group, “I won’t leave her here.” We all knew I couldn’t. She was not safe in this territory because of who she was. She wouldn’t have been safe as a Kyle, and she absolutely was not safe as a Conners.
Dax argued, “They will come for her. We can leave and they will come. Hell, we can even give them the coordinates.” I linked him, “Of course they would. They still couldn't get to her. This area was spelled against those not from here. Like our pack… like the place where people are punished.”
He didn’t reply and kept talking out loud, “She’s going to pass out in a few minutes anyway. We can just get her outside their little dark Witch spelled area.” I gave them a look. We didn’t just drop people off and abandon them. That was NOT our thing.
Caine insisted, “Just this once because we know they will come.” I wasn’t doing that to Elise. Elise joined the conversation, “I am not going to pass out. Why do people keep forgetting I am an Alpha wolf?” That was not a thing I ever forgot.
Addison snorted, “Yes, you are. Trust us. We deal with this kind of thing all the time. All of us are FULLY aware of your Alpha status. ‘Elise this’ ‘Elise that.’ We know everything about you.” Everyone was being too snarky right now.
Paige said, “Bravo One, you need treatment.” I would get treated. Eventually. When I had time. I still needed to challenge Sierra’s dad. I replied, “Then I’d better get going. Bravo Four, are you coming with me? It will make it faster.” Valentina answered, “Of course. I’m with you always. You know that.”
