I answered, “Yes. Make sure Sierra is sprayed with our scent concealing spray and keep her away from your dad.” Dax sighed, “Yeah, I already had that plan. She’s staying at Hendrick and Mason’s with you tonight.” I disagreed, “No, take her to my place to stay. If Micah is still around… go discreetly.”
Dax asked, “Why?” I evaded, “Si will tell you.” Dax said, “Alright. Be careful. They are really angry.” I snorted, “When are they not angry?” Dax laughed, “That’s a valid point. I don’t think I’ve ever seen my dad happy.” I hung up.
Freya linked, “They shouldn’t be that mad that you saved our nephew.” I grumbled, “They probably had something to do with him being kidnapped.” Freya growled, “HOW DARE THEY!” Somehow her anger seemed to rattle the car windows. I shook myself because that wasn’t possible. I took off Alexander’s hoodie and threw it into the back.
I pulled into the pack and spotted Buck standing there, clearly waiting for me. I rolled down the window teasing him, “Did you miss me that much you’re waiting for me, Buck?” I quickly sprayed myself and stepped out.
Buck questioned, “What was that?” I tapped his nose, “Perfume.” That wasn’t a lie….technically the chemical formula mimicked perfume. I teased, “What? Don't you like it?” Buck stared at me, “You don’t smell like anything.” I rolled my eyes, “Men. You just don’t get it.” Buck grabbed my arm. I looked down at my arm and back at him.
I was surprised to see the worry in his eyes. He whispered, “I don’t know why they are so upset, but they are scarily upset. For once in your life just don’t say anything.” I raised an eyebrow asking, “Is that actual worry I see? Are you worried I’ll get demoted? No one can challenge me and win.”
Buck chuckled, “There’s the Melanie I know.” I pulled my hair out of a ponytail and flicked it, “That's me. I actually thought they’d be here…waiting for me.”
He winced, “They are in the punishing grounds.” I admitted, “I should’ve figured that….but normally they like for people to hear them yell at me and sending me to the punishing fields. Don’t worry. I won’t make you look bad and not go. I’ll go talk to them. Go home and stay safe.”
Buck frowned saying, “I should go with you.” I snorted, “For what? You couldn’t make me go if I didn’t want to. Everyone knows that, including you. You know this is wrong… but you won’t say that to them. Going is superfluous.”
Buck whispered, “Avery isn’t here on pack grounds, is she?” I rolled my eyes, “You could just text her… or call. I don’t get you….” He ground out, “Melanie, please just tell me she’s not here.” I answered, “She’s safe.” I squeezed his arm admitting, “I’ll always make sure she’s safe.” He nodded tersely and walked away. That man was a walking contradiction. He refused to accept that he could change things.
Buck turned and asked, “How’s Paisley?” I told him, “I don’t know why you would think I know the answer to that question.” Buck laughed hollowly, “We both know why you would know that and you can’t lie so I know you know. Just like I know you are how she got out.” I shrugged, “That’s your opinion and you can’t prove it.”
Buck frowned, “She never would’ve rejected me and got away without help.” It was my turn to laugh, “Sure Buck, it’s every little girls dream for their mate not to mark them and let their men beat her up. I can’t imagine why she wouldn’t take her chances away from here.”
Buck replied, “She’d have been stuck here if I marked her. I’m sure you’re aware I told her I wanted her to be ready for my mark. We were given more time than the forced mates because we were fated. I wanted her to stay in the house.”
I reasoned, “Which doesn’t actually make sense. People are punished for…” I jolted and stared at him. Because men were punished if they waited to mark their mates which meant he’d taken it. Buck shrugged, “It was not big deal.” Freya growled in my head.
I whispered, “You let them punish you for her.” He answered, “I did. Don’t worry, you were in the hole when it happened. You didn’t miss something, and they had to go light since I protect the pack.” I gaped at him. Had we discussed Paisley before? It was hazy to me and that was weird.
Buck sighed, “It’s just…” I cut him off, “How things are. Yes, I’ve heard the excuse countless times. Eventually Buck, you should’ve let her know you did that. Being complacent makes you culpable. Honestly, since Paisley left you’ve done more than your usual stand back routine. Then the Avery thing happened, which you admitted your part in…I just don’t get it.”
He grinned slyly before he wiped it off his face. I just didn’t see why he didn’t do it himself. I urged, “Keep questioning things Buck. Things are done here that don’t make sense and you know it.” Buck frowned and walked away.
Buck muttered, “Maybe I’ve always questioned them. I just do it differently than you to survive.” That was a heck of parting line. He did more than most and he was the reason the pack was surviving before I got here. I also know he made payments and did things the Alpha was supposed to.
I actually believed he’d be better and flourish in a pack under good leadership. His sins weren’t as bad as others. He’d never raped anyone here. He’d never even hit someone who didn’t deserve it. He didn’t treat women badly; he'd just walk away and let it happen. He had a chance. It might be small, but… for Avery’s sake... I hoped he could take it and change to be more of a vocal protector than a silent one.
They would have to work back to that special relationship they had… but with therapy, maybe they could get there. Or maybe I was projecting my own feelings for Jason and myself onto them. What happened with Buck himself was Avery’s choice though. I could admit I might not have seen Buck for who he really is. Maybe no one really did except Buck himself.
I made my way to the punishing grounds. I laughed when I entered the area. Not unlike the real pack areas, it was spelled by my creepy “uncle” Ajax. He was here with Aunt Stephanie. She charged me and I laid her out. I spit on her commenting, “You’re an idiot.”
She jumped up and tried to hit me, so I broke her wrist and headbutted her in the face. I asked, “Will you ever learn?” Alpha Edward snarled, “You disobeyed a direct order.” I agreed, “Yes, I did. Given that it was a stupid order that could’ve brought you into war… I’d think you’d be happy that I ignored it. Also… me ignoring direct orders isn’t new.” They all paused.
I laughed, “Oh come on. You had information that a Beta’s son was getting kidnapped. Instead of warning them, you tried to lock me down. Which was a horrible and very dumb decision…. Considering you can’t pull it off in the first place. Also, it was executed so poorly.”
“You tipped your hand to me. Red Run and their allies would’ve looked into the kidnapping, hard if Kai was still missing. WHEN they discovered you knew and let it happen… all your dreams of staying off their radar would crumble to dust. They would decimate this pack in a heartbeat for you allowing that to happen, and no one, not one pack, would say a damn thing about them doing just that.”
Edward’s anger dissipated. Jean cleared his throat, “You still can’t disobey a direct order.” He was right and wrong. I shouldn’t be able to disobey an Alpha’s command. Edward’s orders never had an effect on me though.
Freya snorted, “He’s no Alpha. He is a pathetic human, and his wolf is very apologetic. The wolf deserves better than his human.” I replied, “You got that right.” I told Jean, “In case you haven’t noticed… I ignore his stupid orders all the time. Because they are dumb and if I’d listened to him…. you’d all be dead. Not that I care about you all, but there are good people here who would’ve died for your stupidity yet again.”
Booker snarled, “Take off your shirt.” I asked, “Why?” He answered, “You injured Stephanie!” I took off my shirt and tossed it. I told him, “Not that you care, but she charged me first. As the Female Lead Warrior, I could’ve killed her or thrown her in the dungeons. Ya know what? I should do that because it would be fun. Throwing her in the dungeons has a nice ring to it.”
Booker snarled, “Don’t you dare! I’ll have her out in minutes.” I laughed, “Do you think people are more afraid of upsetting you or me around here? Here’s a spoiler alert... it’s me. Because when things go south, I’m the one they want protecting them not you.”
Booker’s face turned purple, “My son needs to tame you.” Freya snarled in my head. I told Booker, “Your pathetic excuse of a son couldn’t tame a house cat, and he WILL keep his person far away from me. Unless you want the Werewolf Council down here.”
Jean asked, “What?” I explained, “I’ll file the paperwork that Trevor’s claiming to be my mate when he’s not. In fact, I have it all filled out and ready to go. Should he EVER mark me, additional papers of being forcibly marked will be sent to the Werewolf Council automatically. I have to stop it from being sent with a special code every so often. If I don’t enter it… away it gets sent.” They all gaped at me.
