Melanie shooed her, “So get in your rental car, and yes….I said rental car. You did NOT buy that car. That little grey box is standard for tolls in rental cars so they can charge you on the bill for them. Speakingof the car, it didn’t impress Eric.” Gage linked, “Your mate talks with her hands.” She did and it was adorable.
My mate pointed at her siblings, “I know that because again... brothers. You mentioned the car six times, and he never so much as glanced at it. Or picked up on the hint you wanted him to talk about it. Men don’t do subtly. They are direct….especially Alpha’s. There are literally hundreds of papers out in our community about that.” There were? I glanced at Phil and Gage who were staring at the sky to avoid my eyes.
Melanie continued, “So, the reason Eric never shut down your little hints... is because he never saw them. Women play the mental games and do subtle jabs. Men can punch each other and be best friends five seconds later….I mean outside of training….but women are not that way.”
She genuinely sounded confused now, “How are you older than me and you haven’t realized that? Whatever, if you make it out of here alive, which I have doubts about… email Eric the next time you have something business you want you talk about.”
“If he doesn’t end your partnership, and odds are he will dissolve it… or that he already linked his Beta to do so….and he could link one of three people…or all three…with separate tasks all involving you.”
“It’s at about ninety nine point nine nine nine percent that he did that already. Given his proclivity and reaction to anyone upsetting Haley….you’re probably bankrupt now.” How the FUCK did she know that? She watched our dad’s reaction to people who hurt mom? Oden was purring.
My dad snorted, “It’s fascinating you know that. She is in fact bankrupt and I have no business with her now. I did link one of my Beta to draw up the paperwork. Amy and my partnership is over. I’ll never allow someone to hurt my Angel. Or disrespect her the way she have been.” My dad turned to my mom and crossed the gap between them before scooping her in his arms.
He whispered, “I’m so damn sorry I didn’t see it. I would never allow someone to disrespect you. I love you. You are my world. Our pups and our life together mean everything to me.” We popped over and hugged our parents.
Melanie whispered, “Run while you can Amy…. It’s going to be a race.” Uncle Bjourn snorted, “No, it’s really not. I’m standing right here.” Melanie squeaked, “Oh…Hi, King Bjourn… I did not see you… I was focused on not punching her for disrespecting my Xander… so… I missed you, but… uhhh that’s no good for you, Amy.” She knew my Uncle Bjourn already?
Cassie took off her charm and winked at me. I heard Sam ask Drake, “How did Melanie know that was Cassie?” Drake answered, “I have no clue. Not a damn one.” My mom looked at me saying, “She’s one of a kind. All your mates are.”
I turned when I heard a splat. I actually chuckled and my mom full on laughed. Phil grabbed Sierra from behind shouting, “My girl’s got an arm!” Sierra had thrown two eggs directly at Amy’s face. My mom popped to Amy.
I didn’t even bother to try to control my lust. Jason groaned, “Ew, man. That’s my sister. I don’t want to see that.” I didn’t care in the slightest. I popped over, grabbed Melanie, and popped to our room. I linked EJ, “You might want to tell the McAlister’s to leave.” EJ snorted, “Gee, you think? Your Gamma already did that.”
I kissed Melanie hard and unhooked her bra through her dress then snapped it away. I slid my hand up her dress. She gasped, “Xander.” I pinned her against the wall asking, “Do you have any idea how goddamn hot that was?” She whimpered.
I growled, “You were out there defending my parents, our whole damn family, and our pack.” Melanie flushed, “I was... just… saying…” I slammed my lips on hers and pinched her nipple. She moaned against my mouth.
I claimed her lips with everything in me. She was mine. Oden growled his agreement. I ripped her underwear off. I pulled back confirming, “You don’t want me to take off your dress, do you?” She looked panicked.
I kissed her again and linked, “I won’t.” I bit her skin through the dress then snapped my clothes off. I threw her onto the bed and jumped on top of her. I slid between her legs and went to work with my tongue. Melanie’s hips were bucking against my tongue.
She screamed, “XANDER!” I entered a finger and didn’t come up for air until her legs were shaking. I climbed up her body and slid into my mate. I grabbed her hand and threaded our fingers together. I told her, “I love you, Melanie Jane McAlister.” She smiled, “I love you too, Alexander Marcus Nathan Conners.” I lowered my mouth onto hers and slowly made love to my mate.
When we came, I slid onto my back and pulled her on my chest. This time I saw that my hand was glowing. I whispered, “I love you so damn much, Lovebug.” She looked up and smiled lazily at me.
I put my hand on her chest and shared my light with her. Melanie moaned and climaxed again. I rolled her over and slid back into her. We were forever. We were twice light bound.
Dark Feelings
Melanie woke up and looked around. I smiled knowing I was home. It had been a long time since I felt I was somewhere I could call home. I had places I lived, but I hadn’t called Black Path home ever. Even my own place wasn't really home. It was where I could breathe and protect people….but it didn’t have that feeling of home.
Elise was still sleeping beside me. I looked at the clock noting it was three thirty in the morning. I quickly got up and grabbed another one of Xander’s hoodie’s off the floor. I watched Elise making sure she was really asleep before I undressed in the bathroom without closing the door.
I turned around to face the mirror and looked at the scars that Trevor carved into my back. Tears filled my eyes when I landed on the words he’d carved. I wiped the tears from my eyes before putting on Xander’s hoodie.
It was my fault the scars were there. I could’ve given Trevor what he wanted, I just didn’t….nor did I even want to. I shook myself off from the memories. That was over. It was in the past. Freya linked, “Mate could fix them if you wanted.” I questioned, “How? I was healed by his mom, and they didn’t go away.”
Freya answered, “She healed what was physically wrong with you. A scar is not physically hurting you; it’s emotionally hurting you because of how they happened. Just tell him.” I shook my head arguing, “No, he can’t know about them. Because then they would all find out. It was embarrassing, and… Jason. I know that Jason didn’t know this was done to me.” It would gut him.
I added, “Even before I knew he didn’t know where I truly was… Hell, I’d even known Alpha Kyle didn’t know. His punishments weren’t like Black Path’s. That's not what they would have meant if they asked that I was punished. As mad as I was at them, I knew that they never would’ve wanted what happened to me.”
Freya insisted, “That doesn’t mean you should have to live with them if you don’t want to. At some point you deserve to protect yourself and your own mental health. You deserve to have mate protect you. You don’t always have to protect everyone. You live with the physical reminders that you don’t have to now.”
If my scars came out now… it would hurt them all. We had enough hurt to navigate past. I knew they all felt guilty enough as it was. My past wasn’t something I needed to burden them with. Especially not the darkest depths of it.
I knew I’d blocked some moments during that time from myself. Freya could probably see it in my memories. I remember what Trevor did to me… but the time in the hole… the terror I felt… I’d blocked that all from myself.
I walked into the kitchen and quietly found what I needed to cook. My eyes burned with tears. I should’ve told Cayden after the ordeal with Trevor happened. I knew that. It would’ve changed everything though.
