Flashback
Melanie was on a mission. Self-appointed, but a mission all the same. I watched a pack that’s soon to be leadership had contacted me about training. I was up in a tree taking notes. This was a forgotten pack, just like so many. The future pack leadership was being snubbed by their dad’s just like Caine and Dax had been until I arrived.
I wasn’t going to be able to do workshops with this pack, but I could work the future Alpha, Beta, and Gamma into my fighting schedule. I’d have to assess them and see where they were up to, and we could go from there.
A white squirrel caught my eye, and I watched it jump over to a much bigger squirrel. I stared at the bigger one. I said, “Just so you know… I know you’re a Supernatural. You don’t feel like a shifter though… oh my gosh!”
I excitedly asked, “Are there Weresquirrels? I might be too excited about that. Do you think you could work with me on my climbing skills? It would be super helpful… and…” The squirrel tilted its head, then took off.
I said out loud, “That was totally an obvious invitation to follow. I feel like they think I can’t, but I can… easily.” I started hopping through the trees, following the path of the Weresquirrel. I followed it up to the top of a tree where there was a ripple and it disappeared. That was clearly a portal. They had another realm for Weresquirrels? That seemed silly.
I went through and realized I was in the same realm, just a different location than where I’d been. People stared at me. I waved, “Hi… so… I’m… I have a card.” I pulled out my Female Lead Warrior business card.
A man stood in front of me and took it. He hummed, “Ashley Griffen. It’s nice to meet you in person, we have heard about you.” I asked, “Really? That’s… ummm, well. You’re squirrels. You’re kind of the best spies ever.”
“Dang… Alpha Prince Eric would totally love to have you spy for him… especially on packs. You could make… gosh…. millions of dollars… maybe billions. I’d have to run some projections for exact numbers.”
The man chuckled, “What if I just wanted you in my bed?” I sighed, “I’m good… but the millions, possibly billions, thing is…” Several people busted up laughing. He admitted, “I have not been turned down in a long time.” I bobbed my head, “That makes sense. You’re attractive, objectively speaking…. and you have a powerful aura…people are easily attracted you just based on biology alone.”
He teased, “And yet you don’t want me.” It wasn’t a question. I admitted, “I’m kind of… no, not kind of… just not like officially… but officially to me… taken… so…” He snorted, “Of course someone has already snatched up the beautiful, smart, talented Ashley Griffen.”
I asked, “Have you been spying on me?” He winked, “Yes, and you always notice so we have to leave.” I hummed, “Well, could you teach me how to jump around trees faster than I do?” He chuckled, “How would I be able to do that?”
I answered, “Well… you’re a squirrel. I could teach you more about hunting game or tracking because I’m a wolf… so it stands to reason… you could teach me about jumping around trees… logically speaking.”
He chuckled, “Maybe I’ll steal you away from your chosen.” I corrected, “Fated and no… but that’s nice? I think…of you…to say…Maybe? Not to my fated but to me… Do you want to go on my list of unknown Supernatural’s for other unknowns to contact? I have a whole network.”
He hummed, “I see.” I realized, “You knew that already.” He winked, “You are so smart.” I grumbled, “I’d have to lose several I.Q. points to be smart.” He laughed, “I’ll take a note that you prefer to be called a genius then.”
A woman called, “Brother, maybe she’s into women. I should give it a shot. Damn. She is FINNNEEE!” I said, “Not into women… but you are also… objectively speaking, attractive. Do you guys have flying Weresquirrels? That would be cool.” They all stared at me.
I asked, “What? Are they like, your rival scurry’s?” The original guy laughed, “You know what a group of squirrels is called?” I replied, “Umm, yes. I feel like a lot of people do.” He said, “I know they don’t know that, but you’re you.” Of course I was.
He inclined his head, “Come on, my parents and other siblings are waiting to welcome you with dinner.” So, he’d gotten my attention on purpose. Got it. Maybe some unknown Supernaturals were in touch with others. That would be interesting.
Flashback Ends
I focused back on the task at hand. I dropped down on the back of one of the men kidnapping Angela and snapped his neck. The guy fighting Angela whirled around. I told him, “You know, we don’t really like rogues around here… or men who try to hurt little girls.”
Angela used that to pull a knife from her shoe, stabbed him in the thigh and twisted. I added, “Also you forget that little girl is also a partial Hackura. She just stabbed you in your femoral artery.” The one from the van tried to get out, but I ran to him and slammed the door on his head. He fell to the ground, dying instantly.
I grabbed Angela instructing, “Climb that tree. I’ll take these two.” She nodded, “You’re my blurry vision. You’re Alexander’s mate.” I tilted my head asking, “Blurry vision? Well, I mean... I am... that’s just... go climb that tree.” She giggled and took off. Freya snorted, “You handled that well.” I sensed sarcasm but I didn’t know what blurry vision meant… if we were being fair.
While I waited, I considered her words. She claimed I was her blurry vision. Angela couldn’t see me in her sight? She was supposed to be the strongest Fairy with sight to ever live. Why couldn’t she see me? I decided to think about it later when two other rogues came around the corner.
I smiled greeting, “Hello.” I pulled the gun from my back and shot them both in the head. Angela jumped down from the tree. She told me, “I didn’t even get to climb up all the way up.” I laughed, “Next time, I’ll make the kills more interesting then.” She smiled commenting, “We make a good team.”
I agreed, “So we do… but that’s not surprising… when you think about it…” Angela nodded, “You’re right. It makes sense because you’re my brother's mate.” I asked, “How did you know I was here with those on your wrists?”
Angela smiled teasingly asking, “Did my naughty brother not tell you how good our hearing is? I heard you on the bike.” In all the talking Jason and Tristan did, they NEVER mentioned the Conners hearing being that good. No one ever had around me, even Elise! What the hell?
I gasped, “Really? That far away?” She nodded. I laughed, “How about that?” It was interesting and cool. I bet their mom didn’t think that was fair at all since she had Fairy hearing. I asked her, “What did they hit you with?” She answered, “Wolfsbane, silver and iron. The standard for me and my siblings.”
I assured her, “We’ll get your wolf back to you, and get those iron bracelets off. I don’t want to jolt your system bringing your powers back… since it would hurt a lot. Once the bracelets come off, I’d imagine you’d have your sight back before you leave Black Path.”
Angela’s eyes widened and she asked, “You’re from Black Path? Wait, are you Ashley or Melanie?” I winced, “I mean... who is anyone really...? When you think about it… it’s just a name. Do names really matter?” Angela laughed, “You’re funny.”
She studied me, “You have to be Melanie. You look like the McAlister’s.” I winced, “That could be a coincidence.” Angela grinned wider, “I’m a Fairy, Melanie McAlister. You’ll have evade better than that.” Good to know.
