I let Oden tear people apart. I used my pushing power, but I was getting nothing. No flashes or anything. ASSHOLES! They’d hurt my mate. I saw the Alpha of Walker’s pack had Alpha Edward Davis down. That was good since Edward needed to suffer. He did not deserve a quick death.
Melanie’s scream stopped everything. The McAlister’s were close to her, but not close enough. I took off like a shot with EJ right by my side. I roared when the sad, pathetic excuse of man hit my mate in the head. Melanie whispered an apology to me for passing out then she started to fall.
She looked towards her parents and Tristan’s voices. They’d shifted back. My mom snapped them all clothes. Melanie disappeared from view. I tried to pop to her and was thrown back. GODDAMN IT! Drake was down the hole. We all heard her tell him she missed him. It gripped at my heart like a vice.
I snarled and jumped on the man who hit her. I tore his arms off first then slashed my claws into his chest and ripped his heart out. For fun I ripped his head off. So many would suffer for this. To all our shock my mom popped back up top with both Drake and Melanie.
My mom looked over at me announcing, “I’m going to heal her, but I know you want to be with her when I do that.” I popped to my mom. EJ was asking questions, but no one answered him. I popped over and put my hand on Melanie. I said, “You’re going to be ok, Mel.” My mom started to heal Melanie.
When she stepped back, I asked, “Why isn’t she awake yet?” My mom answered, “You know sometimes things take a minute. She will be ok, Alexander. I promise. She will open her eyes.” Drake didn’t let her go, but his gaze was focused on something behind us.
I turned around begrudgingly. Melanie’s friends were shaking their heads and backing away from Dalton, Dakota, and Jason. All three of my friends looked hurt. Addison whispered, “No…” She then feebly argued, “but you have a mate!” Jason frowned, “Umm yes, it’s you.”
She shook her head asking, “How can you have two mates?!” Jason argued, “I don’t!” I gently urged her, “Addison, look to your left.” She turned her head in my direction then her eyes widened when she saw Tristan.
She screamed, “WHAT THE FUCK?!” Sierra snorted, “Join the club, Addison.” Addison turned back to Jason, “You hurt Mel! What is wrong with you?!” Jason frowned saying, “I would NEVER hurt my little sister or you. Could you please stop looking at me like I’m about to hit you? I would NEVER hurt you either! You’re mine.”
Addison wrapped her arms around herself, and Caine ran over to her. Jason growled at him. Caine snarled back, “Stay away from my sister.” Tristan chimed in, “Ok, look obviously, we’ve all been lied to here. Let’s just take a beat and talk.”
The girl Dalton was staring at snorted, “Yes, well obviously you all are a bigger bunch of assholes than we thought already you were. To be fair to my wick, it’s mostly his dad.” Dalton told her, “None of us would do anything to Melanie.” She snorted but I was certain it physically pained her.
I asked, “And you are?” Cayden answered, “That’s Paige. This is Avery.” Avery was the girl Dakota was staring at. Ok then. Buck warned Dakota, “You may be an Alpha but you will stay away from my sister if she wants you to.” Avery’s eyes widened in surprise. She whispered, “Buck.”
Buck was shaking from not backing down from Dakota’s stare. He was nearing bearing his neck in submission when Dakota closed his eyes. Dakota would be happy her brother defended her, and Buck wasn’t actually challenging Dakota.
Dakota declared, “I’d never hurt Melanie. She’s family.” Peter said, “She is family to us all and she had no literal reason to be here. In fact, she wasn’t supposed to be.” That made them all look confused. We clearly needed a subject change.
I asked, “Mom, how can you pop to my mate, but I can’t?” She answered, “I popped to Drake not Melanie.” I nodded happy that at least one thing made sense. Little noises behind me caused everyone else and their problems to fade away. I whirled around to face my mate.
Melanie started crying, “I miss you, daddy.” Drake held her tightly whispering, “Come on Ladybug, wake up. Open those beautiful green eyes.” Melanie did, then she cried harder and clutched onto Drake. He whispered, “It’s ok now. We are all here. I love you so much, Melanie Jane.”
She whispered, “You’re not real. Why can’t you be real?” I answered, “He is real.” Melanie’s head snapped to me. She turned back to Drake and screamed and pushed out of his arms. Tristan chimed in, “Ladybug, we missed you.” That was probably not helpful right now, but I understood his inclination to talk to her after all this time of talking to the fake her.
Melanie tripped over a branch. I quickly walked over to her and helped her up. Her eyes were shooting between her parents and Tristan. I held onto her, and she backed up into me. I told her, “You’re safe now. Everything is going to be ok.” She nodded slowly.
Addison said, “This shit is SO fucked up.” Melanie turned, her eyes widened, and her jaw dropped. She asked, “What the actual hell is going on with you three? Why are those guys circling you like… oh you are FREAKING KIDDING ME! SELENE YOU ARE SUCH A HORRID GODDESS!”
Melanie rubbed her temples admitting, “Although… I did think you guys would be cute… when I thought about… stuff… and people who would be cute together…so… I kind of saw this coming… somehow….in a way.” What?
Addison snorted, “Sadly, we aren’t kidding. I have no idea what to do right now. Crying seems like a good option.” Drake said, “Ladybug, we need you to explain what’s going on. We don’t understand. You were supposed to be in New York at that high school then at Julliard.”
Melanie flinched but didn’t answer him. She just kept staring between Dalton, Dakota, and Jason. She asked, “How can Jason have two mates?” Jason shouted “I don’t! I have one and it’s Addison Davis! Everly is T’s mate!” Melanie flinched again.
Tristan begged, “Ladybug, look at me please.” She didn’t. Sam tried, “Melanie Jane, why won’t you talk to us?” Peter said, “Mel, your parents want to talk to you.” Melanie snorted, “Dead people can’t talk. I saw them die, Alpha Kyle…which… you know that.”
“So… this is because I got hit in the head very hard. Hallucinations aren’t uncommon after head trauma, but in case anyone was curious… talking to hallucinations tends to land you in a psych ward. So… I’m not talking to hallucinations….and I don’t have time to be in the psych ward…nor would I do well there…so…I’m avoiding that whole thing.” I replied, “No one is taking you anywhere that is away from me.” That had her relaxing.
Peter frowned, “Since when do you call me Alpha Kyle?” Several people snorted, including Melanie. She shot him a look of pure malice but didn’t answer. Drake growled, “We aren’t hallucinations.” Dylan jumped into the conversation, “So Melashley, I have questions. Nice to see you again, by the way.”
Melanie tilted her head, “Umm... ok? To the questions…good to see you too.” Dylan smiled saying, “Well Melanie has a dad, but Ashley is technically an orphan. I’ve been looking up such things, and I’m pretty sure I can adopt you.” Drake snarled, “YOU CAN’T ADOPT MY DAUGHTER!”
Dylan sighed, “Ummm Drake, you clearly weren’t listening earlier. We aren’t supposed to talk to hallucinations. Abide by the rules of the very truly and utterly terrible territory.” Drake yelled, “I AM NOT A HALLUCINATION, AND YOU ARE NOT ADOPTING MY DAUGHTER!”
Dylan nodded, “I hate that you’re making me break the rules of this horrible place, but Ashley Griffen is technically not your daughter. Which makes her available for adoption. What do you say, MelAshley?” Melanie shook herself, “This is so weird.”
Dylan smiled replying, “That was not a no. I’ll take it! We will keep this conversation flowing. I hear what you’re putting down.” Lucas nudged him. Dylan shrugged, “What? She thinks she got a bump to head and now she’s Bruce Willis seeing dead people.”
Melanie frowned, “Are you talking about theSixth Sensemovie?” Dylan nodded, “But of course. You think you’re seeing and hearing dead people.” Melanie frowned, “But that would make me the kid because Bruce Willis is the one who is dead.”
