Meanwhile, Melanie and the Hunters were arguing. Drake snarled, “My hearing isn’t as good, so SOMEONE tell me I didn’t not just hear my daughter shout about having knives in her back. If she did, she means metaphorically, right?”
I admitted, “You did not hear wrong, and I’m impressed you heard it at all.” I really was. Melanie was shouting, but we weren't that close. Oden growled in my head. I asked, “Is Freya talking to you?” He answered, “Yes.” Good.
Emmett snorted, “They won’t be outgunned if they get to the armory.” Carry whispered, “Addie told Melanie where it is.” Emmett muttered, “Well then, problem solved on being out gunned.” Cayden spoke, “Some of those Hunters will be on Melanie’s side. She has people in every Hunting group.” Emmett nodded, practically vibrating with anger. I couldn’t blame him because that was his territory.
Carry turned and looked at the McAlister’s. She pointed at Jason and Cayden’s watches announcing, “Addie linked me saying their watches are coms. I’d imagine that you can tap into them. She described them to me, and I thought they sounded familiar. I’ve seen Jason’s before. The ones Addie described look like both of yours.”
Cayden shouted, “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me! This WHOLE time I’ve had access to their coms?! Goddamn it. MICAH!” My brother in law went to him. Cayden ordered, “See if you can figure that out.” Jason began fiddling with his own watch and Micah grabbed Cayden’s.
Micah quickly found a hookup for a small USB. I snapped him an adapter to his computer for it. He said, “Thanks, big brother.” I nodded, “Anytime.” Micah started laughing. We turned asking, “What?” Micah smiled, “This is a GPS tracker too. She could always find you if she wanted to.” Cayden sighed, “I figured that out already.”
Jason rolled his eyes muttering, “I got chipped by my little sister.” Shots began firing rapidly. Carry jumped into Kincade’s arms. Both were tense. Then Carry started crying. Kincade told her, “Our Warriors are with Addison Davis now. They have Addie. Melanie was the distraction.” I growled, “Of course she was.”
Gage linked, “I feel you. My mate is a part of this damn defensive plan and I hate it.” I could smell rogues all around now. Micah had found the coms while I linked Melanie. My mate was teasing Addison about having to calm Jason down.
Jason growled, “Oh really?” Tristan answered, “We both know our sister is right. Micah, can you fix Jase’s too so it’s getting their coms system?” Jason snorted, “How about Micah shows Jase how to do it his damn self?” Micah showed him and they both had coms up.
The barrier shrank a little bit further and we stepped forward with it. One of our pack members came running up to us on the other side. Great. That what we needed. Elise whispered, “Paisley.” Paisley’s eyes were wide. She stopped at the barrier.
Paisley cried, “I just crossed because something smelled so good. I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have crossed. This is my fault because I lied to Luna Elise. This is my karma.” I raised an eyebrow asking, “What?”
Paisley explained, “I wasn’t honest with her. Melanie told me I should be, but Addison and Avery weren’t sure. We’ve just never been in a pack like this. Melanie was and I should’ve listened to her. I’m so sorry. I smell rogues all around. I can’t get back to the inside where Yellow Hills pack is. I’m cutoff. I can’t fight them all, they’ll kill me.” Elise pushed people aside, so she was standing in front of Paisley.
Elise questioned, “What do you mean saying you lied to me, Paisley?” Paisley cried, “I told you my story with embellishments and things left out. The Luna did tell the Alpha the things I told her in confidence, but she didn’t want to. It’s like she was compelled or something. Melanie helped me reject my mate so I could run away. He would just watch me get hurt and it killed me.”
“God, I should've stayed. He wasn’t a bad man. It tore at my heart when he watched me get beaten up before we mated. He told me to stay in the house, but I didn’t listen. I’m sorry I lied. I’m so sorry!” Elise told her, “Hey, that doesn’t matter. What matters now is that you stay safe.” Paisley tried to calm down.
I looked over when I heard a twig snap. I ordered, “Paisley, get out of here and hide. Now!” A shot was fired, and Paisley froze. Someone chuckled, “Too late. Look at this, boys. It’s Paisley, the Omega we were promised until she turned eighteen. Then she found her mate and he tried to protect her.”
He whistled, “My, my, my, the little runaway finally comes home.” Paisley screamed when they grabbed her. I was snarling. Oden said to them, “This is not your home, but it is hers. Release our pack member now.” They faltered hearing my wolf’s Alpha command.
Paisley used that to start fighting them off. There were too many for one person though. Arrows shot through the air. Emmett growled, “ALLISON, I SWEAR TO GOD THAT HAD BETTER NOT BE YOU!” TJ was growling.
Gage said, “They aren’t accurate enough to be Allison. She does dead center heart shots.” He was right. Melanie’s voice cut through his, “PAISLEY, RUN!” She appeared with a bow. Drake asked, “My daughter can shoot a bow and arrow?” Cayden snorted, “By the way, Melanie got bored and learned archery once.” Tristan actually managed to laugh.
Melanie buried her arrows into everyone she could. She made it to Paisley who was now injured. It was Melanie versus ten men now. My mate smirked greeting, “Hey guys, long time no see. I’d say I missed you, but GOSH I really didn’t.”
One smirked, “You’re coming with us, Ashley.” Melanie pursed her lips, “Yeah, that’s a hard pass.” The man pointed a knife at her saying, “It wasn’t a question.” Melanie rolled her eyes, “I know it wasn’t. I’m still not coming….. It’s pretty definite. The math doesn’t lie, boys.” The math?! Tristan snorted, “Oh here we go.” Jason rubbed his hands together.
Before Melanie could explain another man spoke, “I knew you were a traitor. How unsurprising and unoriginal.” Melanie tilted her head calling him out, “You lying, obnoxious, know nothing twit. You had no idea. I’m terribly sorry though…since I don’t really like being bored or being boring… so I guess I’ll have to be more surprising then....”
She held her watch up and said, “Mason, I need a beat… to be more surprising.” I raised an eyebrow. What now? Paisley was in pain but started laughing. Oden said, “You’re not going to like this plan.” I asked, “What’s happening?” He asked, “What does our mate do when music plays?” Fuck me.
A song began to play over the coms and Melanie started to dance. I gasped, “What the hell?!” Tristan yelled, “MELANIE! Now is NOT the time to dance.” Melanie kicked out her leg and pushed a button on her watch at the same time.
My mate’s shoe sliced through the neck of the man closest to her. Then sliced the next one from his sternum to his pelvis. The song stopped playing. Melanie sardonically asked, “Was that surprising enough for you. Deline?” I growled, “DELINE?! AS IN THE FUCKER TALKING TO YOU EARLIER?” Melanie nodded.
I heard Dylan crunching on popcorn. I turned to him, and he smiled. Dylan said, “She has killer dance moves, guys. KILLER DANCE MOVES! God, I crack myself up.” A few people snickered until they caught my glare. |
Dylan sighed, “You are so like your father, Mini Moody. Ok, does anyone else have thoughts?” Everyone remained silent. He hummed, “No, just me. That’s ok. It's what I’m here for. To kickstart your own thoughts. Ok, so remember a few years back when ALL the rage for kids was to have wheels in their shoes?”
Dylan cackled as he said, “MelAshley over there was like I see your wheels and I raise you to blades in shoes. Hers are just cooler. Keep in mind I have caught onto you Conners keeping knives in your shoes. I had special shoes snapped just for myself for the specific purpose of knife hiding, not that it helps much when you shift.” True.
He shouted, “HOWEVER, now I must have the blade hiding shoes. Does ANYONE want to see her fight in heels? Because GOD I do. She probably upped the ante. Like my sneakers have blades, but my heels are VENOMOUS! I like it. It needs to be a thing.”
I rolled my eyes and linked Melanie, “People are coming at you from behind.” She didn’t answer. FUCK! Elise began waving her arms trying to get Melanie’s attention. By all appearances Melanie wasn’t focused on us.
My mate was snarking at the three remaining men. Paisley gasped as she stared at the group approaching. Oden said, “One is her mate.” SERIOUSLY!? EJ linked, “Fuck me. Really? Her second chance mate is a Hunter, that’s just great.”
