I frowned saying, “I am damn proud of her.” Paige smiled boasting, “You don’t know the half of it. When more comes out, just give her a little grace. Ok?” I growled, “Grace for what?” Paige reasoned, “No one is infallible. Not everything she did was roses. Pain does strange things to the mind. So does guilt.”
“Her guilt was something the rings were perpetuating. The need Melanie felt to pay for what happened. It wasn’t just her own thoughts or the letters. Her thoughts were fed upon by the spell. They plunged them to darker places. It wasn’t all Mel’s fault. Just remember that.”
Only one word came to mind. Swiffer. Paige was talking about Melanie being Swiffer. I sighed, “Alright.” Paige smiled teasingly saying, “Have a good night, Melanie’s Xander.” I snorted, “Have a good night, Dalton’s Witch.” Paige laughed, “I’m telling you, I never thought that would be me but I sure as shit am his Witch.” Dalton tickled her.
I popped back to the treehouse grateful Melanie was asleep. I called Jason. He answered, “Alexander, is Melanie ok?” I sighed, “Yes, she’s fine. I’m calling because I just got some interesting information. Are you around your family?”
Jason replied, “T is here along with my grandparents. I can conference my parents into the call.” I walked back out in the living room are and sat down, still keeping an eye on Melanie’s rising and falling chest.
Drake and Sam came on the line. I announced, “Paige just told me one of the spells on the rings was feeding Melanie’s feelings about punishing herself for your deaths. I thought that might ease some of your minds about certain things we know.”
Jason sighed, “Swiffer.” I closed my eyes but said, “It makes a difference. Part of her couldn’t help it.” Tristan pressed, “Part of her?” I admitted, “She stopped when I asked her to. To a degree, she might have been able to fight that; however, we all know spells feed off our feelings. They plunged her to a dark place, and I thought you should know.”
Drake spoke, “Thank you, Alexander.” I replied, “You’re welcome. Let’s all try to get some sleep.” Jason snorted, “You know, I really thought when Mel came home I’d get better sleep. I don’t wake up from the Hunter nightmares anymore. Now, I just can’t sleep thinking about how fucked up this all is.”
I admitted, “I know it is. None of this is going how anyone thought it would. Not even the Ring. Mel beat them at their own game, and they don’t even know it.” That made everyone feel better and I hung up the phone.
I climbed into bed with Melanie whispering, “I’ll always protect you, Melanie. I’m so sorry they hurt you, but I won’t let them get away with it. They won’t ever take you from me. You are mine and I am yours.”
I woke up in a cold bed. I sighed and spotted the note I’d written to Melanie from what felt like forever ago. The things in here were from Elise’s ideas of what Melanie would like. I might have asked her when Melanie turned eighteen It kept Oden happy, and I’d wanted my mate to be Melanie. I’d also asked Sierra recently so everything was up to date with Melanie’s preferences.
EJ popped to me. I raised an eyebrow surmising, “So I take it Elise found Melanie.” EJ nodded, “Melanie disagrees that Stephanie almost killed her. I called Mason King, and he added that their new pack doctor, the one here the other day, disagrees as well. Celia said Melanie could’ve survived a lot longer than she should’ve been able to. Your mate was severely dehydrated, but not on the verge of death.”
I growled, “Stephanie starved and dehydrated my mate?” Oden linked, “Make that evil she wolf go days without water.” EJ answered, “Yes, and it appears she locked her in the cellar. By the way, Alpha Theo is coming with Claire today.” I sighed, “Ok.”
EJ snorted, “Apparently our Luna’s just left the dungeons.” I ordered the Warriors there, “Withhold water from Stephanie McCann until she can’t take it. In fact, be sure to put some across from her cell just outside her reach.” They replied, “Yes, Alpha.” Oden hummed, “I approve of this, it’s even fair.” It was.
I told EJ, “I’m guessing Melanie didn’t like that Stephanie said that to us or her family.” EJ shook his head commenting, “I’m guessing she didn’t.” EJ stilled then said, “Um don’t freak out.” I growled, “I don’t like anything that starts that way. I don’t think anyone does.”
EJ rolled his eyes before cautiously saying, “Lux is here too.” I shrugged, “Ok.” It’s not like he was hanging out with Melanie. Lux was here for pack purposes. EJ sighed in relief. We popped to our office. Several Warriors looked visibly nervous over our appearance.
I raised an eyebrow asking, “What’s with you guys?” One eventually answered, “Lux and Alpha Theo are in the waiting room.” EJ stood saying, “I’ll go get them.” I snorted, “I have no idea why that would make them nervous.” EJ shrugged.
The Warriors literally scurried out of the room. I looked at Phil asking, “What the fu….?” I trailed off because I heard EJ ask what was going on. Then to my astonishment I heard Melanie’s voice. I linked my Warriors, “YOU LEFT YOUR UNMARKED LUNA ALONE WITH A FUTURE ALPHA THAT LIKES HER?! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!”
KJ linked, “Please be kidding because I didn’t follow her into the main house.” I replied, “I’m not kidding.” He huffed. I felt how KJ did. I popped behind EJ. Melanie, Lux, and Alpha Theo were together. Oden growled in my head.
I ran into the room and put distance between Melanie and Lux while glaring at him. Oden said, “Lake said they respect our mating.” Of course he did. Lux wasn’t a bad person, but my Alpha blood was ready to tear shit apart anyway. I really needed my family to figure out how I could mark my mate. This constant need to lose my mind on my friends was not how I operated.
I didn’t want Lux near my mate knowing he’d flirted with her in the past. I knew he wanted her, even if that was past tense. Melanie was making it worse, which had Alpha Theo biting his lip to suppress a laugh. My eyes were blazing even after Drake took Melanie out of the room.
It was soundproofed, so she wouldn’t hear us now. EJ slammed the door shut. I linked Phil and Gage, “YOU MAKE THOSE WARRIORS LIVES HELL!” Gage said, “I’m already in the gym and all over that. These jerks will never let that happen again.” Good.
I growled, “She’s fucking mine, Lux.” Lux smirked admitting, “I’m actually quite happy about that. I thought I couldn’t get a woman who loved some guy from Missouri. MISSOURI! Can you imagine? I could run circles around those guys. To know it was you she was in love with all along does soften the blow.”
I said, “You wanted her and she’s mine.” Lux raised an eyebrow replying, “I did and it’s past tense. Melanie is attractive, in case you hadn’t noticed. I never pressured her. Honestly yes, she’s hot and I would have had sex with her; however…” I roared in anger.
EJ popped in front of me demanding, “Talk faster, Lux.” My dad stepped into the room. Lux laughed, “However, I do feel very protective of her as does my wolf. Lake and I wanted her out of Black Path. I would’ve treated her with respect and kindness.”
He paused saying, “I never even held her hand. I did flirt with her, but she didn’t flirt back. I’m perfectly content losing out to you. You’re a good man, and you’ll treat her well. I do genuinely like her, so make sure that you do treat her well.”
I snarled, “She’s mine! Of course I’ll treat her well.” Lux nodded, “Good. I am truly sorry you’re having to wait to mark her. That must be hell. I can’t say I’m actively looking for my mate, but I can say Lake is restless about your situation for her. He can’t imagine it, and I honestly can’t either. I am sorry, man.”
EJ linked me, “Melanie doesn’t want him and never did. You know if she did, they’d have slept together.” I closed my eyes and tried to gain some sort of calm emotion. EJ was right they didn’t have sex. Even if they had, we hadn’t met yet. GOD, not marking her was hard.
I opened my eyes acknowledging, “It’s a little hard to control my possessive side right now. Every fucking time I turn around some asshole says they are going to take her from me and mark her.” Alpha Theo and Lux snarled.
Lux held out his hand vowing, “I swear to you, that won’t happen. She’s gone through enough. Our pack will be hunting right beside you if someone took her. Your woman is fierce though, and she was insanely loyal to you before she met you. I’d imagine it’s only increased now. She even believed you hated her, and I STILL could not get a single flirty smile out of the girl.”
