The McAlister’s argued, but my mom shut them down in her typical way. They backed down. I looked at Jason completely conflicted. He was one of my oldest friends. The apology was in my eyes, but I couldn’t let this go farther.
I knew he needed answers and wanted to be near her, but I needed to do what was best for Melanie. She was my mate, and I had to protect her. Sam and Drake were going to stay in our home, but the rest of them had to go.
Melanie clearly told her friends to go with them. Jason, Dalton, and Dakota stared at her in astonishment. No one really understood her at this moment, but I did. Melanie was never a selfish person. She knew they were hurting, and they needed their mates. My mate wasn’t going to hold them back.
Everything she’d been doing, even while she was mad at Red Run, showed how much Melanie loved everyone there. Especially the Kyle’s and the McAlister’s. She was just hurt. Julian walked over and popped them out since Jared was frozen. The Richards all shook themselves then popped out.
I popped Melanie away from the group to collect herself. My dad linked me, “Good god. I should’ve seen that coming from a mile away.” I agreed, “You should have. Mom clocked it.” He snorted, “Your mother is smarter than me and I admit that. Make sure Melanie is ok, son. To be thought of as a Hunter’s child, which makes no goddamn sense, would have crushed a Beta blood.”
I snarled, “There were definitely those who knew she wasn’t. Their pack leadership absolutely did. The rest should’ve but Phil said they weren’t told things like that according to his source. Still, they should’ve known Melanie has no Hunter blood in her.”
Melanie lost her composure, and I couldn’t blame her. I just held her as she cried. A few tears of sympathy leaked out of my own. EJ linked me, “We need to talk, little brother.” I told him, “I have nothing to say.” EJ shot back, “I do.”
I scoffed, “Good for you.” EJ sighed, “Please just let me explain.” I brushed him off, “I’m taking care of my mate right now.” EJ replied, “Elise really wants to see her.” I told him, “I’ll tell Melanie you want to come out here when she calms down but it’s her choice.”
EJ warned, “Eventually, you’ll have to talk to me.” I agreed, “Eventually I’ll be calmer.” EJ’s sadness came through when he said, “You’ve never blocked me out like that before.” I reasoned, “If I told you that you couldn’t go straight to Elise in a battle, you’d do the same. I’m so fucking tired of being kept away from Melanie. I’m done with that now. Forever.” EJ grumbled, “I didn’t. Just let me explain.” I reiterated, “I’ll talk to Mel. She’s still not calm.”
I rubbed her back. Oden was just as distraught as I was. They’d hurt my Lovebug mentally and physically. They tried to break her, but she stood together with her broken pieces and refuses to them go. She was everything to me, and I’d never let them touch her again.
They’d have to go through me personally now. That thought made me smile. The people that hurt her had no idea the hell that was in their way now. Come what may, I’d protect her. From anything. Oden agreed, “We will. These people have made an enemy out of us more than ever before. That was a mistake they will pay for.” Yes, it was.
When Melanie calmed down, I was surprised she was ok with EJ coming out here with Elise. I didn’t really want to see him. Melanie convinced me even though her explanation made me want to wince. In retrospect of what was going on with her siblings, this wasn’t that big of a deal.
Micah linked me, “Corbin insists I tell you he needs to speak to you before you and Melanie have sex tonight.” I asked, “How big of an asshole do you think I am? She’s on emotional overload. She’s been physically and emotionally hurt. I’m going to fucking hold her tonight. Plus, I’ve still got an Alpha and Beta to beat the ever loving shit out of.”
Micah snorted, “I don’t think you’re an asshole. It’s been a weird night and I’m just passing along what he’s saying. Just so you know, Corbin’s being weird. It’s got me being weird on top of the guilt I feel for all this shit with Melanie.” I sighed. Great.
Oden said, “We can’t have mate out of eyesight of someone we trust.” Not for the foreseeable future we couldn’t. People I trusted were going to be on her. I couldn’t get Melanie’s scream of pain out of my head. It was on a loop, and someone needed to pay for that besides my mental state.
I linked EJ, “Mel said it was fine if you guys popped here. She wants me to hear you out.” EJ admitted, “That does sound like her type of advice tonight.” He popped in the next second with Elise. Both EJ and I were tense watching them.
Melanie made a weak joke, but it still felt the olive branch it was. Elise broke down sobbing trying to take the blame, but Melanie didn’t let her. Oden told me, “Rhea is so relieved that Melanie and Freya don’t blame them. She also feels guilty because she knows that her family is not exempt like she is.” I replied, “That has nothing to do with her.” The problem here was that feelings weren’t rational.
EJ let out a sigh of relief. I linked him, “And you were worried.” EJ glared at me retorting, “After the lovely welcome most of the Kyle’s got, yes I was. Elise has been an absolute wreck. You were worried too.” I admitted, “None of this is going how I thought it would.”
EJ looked at Melanie and Elise cuddled together on the couch. He acknowledged, “Me either.” Both our mates were broken by forces we didn’t see coming. We locked eyes. I knew no matter what he said here and now, we’d be united on making everyone pay.
The explanation of what happened shocked me. I teased my brother over link, “Now you’ve done it, brother. Your mate full named you.” EJ was trying not to laugh. Angela popped to us and explained her vision. Seriously? EJ could’ve just said that. Did he think today was too light on drama?!
Oden said, “Not only did Elise explain that, Rhea snarked it at me as well.” Well, ok then. Melanie’s comments had us raising eyebrows about Walker’s mate’s loyalty to her. Melanie literally shrugged Elise’s concerns off, and reiterated Blair would tell her.
EJ linked me, “I find that confidence INCREDIBLY interesting, and somewhat of a bad omen.” I agreed. Micah linked me, “Ok, Corbin is going to shit his pants if you don’t come back soon. Seriously. He looks so nervous. It’s odd and unsettling. We took a vote and everything.”
Max linked me next, “Seriously Alexander come back here. Corbin is a nervous wreck. He’s wringing his hands and muttering about being a bad guy and a prick.” I shifted through my bonds until I found Corbin’s. He was in fact a wreck and felt like an asshole.
I asked Max, “Are Sam and Drake still in the living room?” Max answered, “They are and still sobbing their damn eyes out. This situation is fucked in every way. I don’t know who I feel worse for yet. I have a bad feeling it will be Melanie.” So did I. I did feel bad for all of them though.
This was an impossible situation, but Melanie was my priority. Oden said, “Freya said Melanie really doesn’t care about them being at the house and seeing them. Freya thinks it will help her really.” Well, at least that was one awkward conversation that I didn’t have to tell someone to have them leave so we could come back.
I reiterated to Max, “You tell them Melanie is done for the night. I might punch anyone if they say anything else about this situation.” Max assured me, “I’m on that.” Corbin’s wince across the bond I held close to me didn’t give me the warm fuzzies about what we were coming into.
We popped back in. Corbin smiled nervously at Melanie while I raised an eyebrow. To everyone’s astonishment, Melanie knew Corbin. EJ linked me, “She has not gotten better at lying. How is that possible when she’s IN the Resistance?” I answered, “She evades, or they don’t ask her directly about it. That’s the only answer.”
Oden boasted, “I bet mate will end up knowing every member of our family before we introduce them.” She had to since she’d been protecting them. I shot my cousin annoyance in the bond when he brought up her wolf. He couldn’t form a sentence. I had never seen him at such a loss for words.
I linked EJ, “What is his deal?” EJ replied, “I have no clue. I was with you. Before that, I was in my own treehouse with my own sobbing mate.” Aunt Katie said I couldn’t mark Melanie. I couldn’t stop my roar of anger.
EJ grabbed my shoulders as Oden fought me for control. Thor yelled down the link, “PUP, CALM DOWN!” The only thing that stopped me and Oden was Melanie's hysterical laughter. It was actually terrifying, because it sounded hollow.
