The McAlister’s were all getting ready to talk, but Melanie cut them off. Oden admitted, “I honestly have no idea what mate is going to do.” I admitted, “I have an idea.” Then she took off directly into Drake’s arms. All of them looked shocked.
My mom, Cayden, Micah, and Melanie’s friends all seemed to understand. I actually did too, since that had been my prediction on why she wanted to say something first. I looked at my parents and my siblings. If I’d thought I couldn’t hug them for years, even if I was spitting mad at them; I’d hug them now too.
Melanie seriously seemed to consider if she was going to hug Jason. Oden linked, “Freya said she is debating it.” I winced. The entire Red Run group’s sorrow was overwhelming to those of us Fairies in the room.
I linked my dad asking, “Where is Angela?” He answered, “Upstairs with TJ, your Grandpa Titus, and Grammy Veronica.” I nodded knowing that was a good call. TJ didn’t need to be around the onslaught of emotions everyone here was going through.
My mom waited until Melanie was done getting her hugs before she moved us all into the living room. I sat down and everyone followed suit. Then we all plunged into silence. I raised an eyebrow at the McAlister’s, but each of them were staring at Melanie in shock.
They had learned a lot in a short period of time, and none of it was how they thought things were. Wesley linked me, “Maybe you should say something.” I replied, “She and I have talked. They are the ones who wanted this right now. I don’t think she’s going to make the first move to speak. Which is a feat in and of itself. She’s a talker.”
Oden linked, “She’s talking to Freya and Sierra to avoid talking out loud.” Naturally. EJ linked me next, “Is anyone going to say anything? Elise is about ready to jump in.” I replied, “I mean it couldn’t hurt. This is getting awkward.”
Alpha Kyle apparently couldn’t stand the silence. Oden linked, “Thunder has a lot to say. He’s been talking to me.” I asked, “How many wolves are you talking to right now?” He answered, “A lot. Pepper is irate.” As that was Drake’s wolf, I couldn’t blame him.
Micah linked me, “Umm he might have been the worse choice to speak first.” Micah turned out to be right because Melanie snapped at him. I linked Cayden, “She believes that Peter knows what’s going on, doesn’t she?” Cayden answered, “She does.” I cringed.
Oden said, “We knew that.” We suspected and had very bad feelings about it. If there was ever a time for a Karina cookie, it was now. This was going to be rough. My mom jumped in before anyone else could. I couldn’t help but smile. She probably should’ve jumped in first.
I winced when my mom said she was confused because she shot me a pointed look. My dad linked, “We are all in SO much fucking trouble.” I wondered if that was a direct quote from my mother. Melanie knew exactly who my mother was, which was unsurprising.
Cayden linked, “How she knew me makes a lot of sense now. By the way, she seems to know everyone on sight.” I asked, “She knew you when you met?” Cayden answered, “At literal first sight. As the Commander of the Armies, my name, and that I was Cassie’s mate. She knows A LOT about Fairies and the Hackura. Which makes sense now because she’s always loved you.” I couldn’t stop my grin.
Melanie started to explain what happened to her that night she’d left. Which led to discussion about border crossing. Oden snarled, “We always knew it was a lie!” We did. I linked EJ, “I want that goddamn answer. If that’s true, they’ve been plotting since Melanie was born. I will kill them all brutally for that.”
EJ assured me, “Not alone you won’t. We will be by your side, little brother.” I could feel all my sibling’s anger. My mom got Melanie back on track with her story. She explained what we knew, then got to part about being taken from her house.
I couldn’t help it when I growled. Phil linked, “So, we already knew that.” I snarled, “SHE SAID SHE WAS SHOT! THAT IS DIFFERENT THAN FEELING A SCAR! MY MATE WAS SHOT!” He pursed his lips, but I could feel he agreed from the bond.
My mom linked, “You cut that growling out right fucking now, young man. Let her tell this story her way.” I reiterated, “They shot my mate!” My mom answered, “And they will all wish for fucking death for that alone, but we need to hear to rest. So, NO fucking growling. You kids and your dad are in enough trouble as it is.” I winced.
My mom urged Melanie to continue. She explained her version. I linked my dad, “That was an illusion, right? They had to have put her in an illusion.” My dad answered, “Since Tristan was mating with Everly, and her parents did not leave early yes.”
He added, “In fact, Drake didn’t even make it home that night. He got wasted and he and Sam stayed here. I’m pretty sure it was to avoid their house because she wasn’t there since any Fairy would’ve taken them home. It had to be an illusion. I am so sorry, Alexander.” I replied, “It’s not your fault.”
Then Melanie added that she woke up in Nashville where Jason and Alpha Kyle sent her. I frowned as both men denied that. I linked Cayden, “Why does she believe that?” Cayden frowned, “She has letters she hides in her backpack. I’m guessing it has something to do with those.”
Oden linked, “Ajax does not like mate calling him the Beta.” I replied, “Well, he is actually Christopher’s so that’s…” He interrupted, “Ajax doesn’t care about that. He’s not listed as the Beta.” Fair enough.
Melanie ignored all the questions asked of her, which was annoying since I wanted answers to those questions too. Whoever shot her was going to wish they’d never laid eyes on her. She did have an extremely valid point in her confusion.
Warriors in their pack should’ve come to help her. I linked EJ, “Are we talking about more than one traitor?” EJ sighed, “With as much time as they apparently had to plan this? There could just be one. The Witches she mentioned had to have done something to the Warriors.”
“Everyone’s memory was altered. Drake questioned everyone there the next day, with Peter. They wanted answers about why they just let Melanie leave. They all said the same thing.” I frowned. That was just great.
Melanie stunned us all saying Peter banished her. My eyes went wide and I gripped her tighter to me. Peter looked astonished and hurt. Drake was in complete disbelief. Meanwhile, Sam hadn't stopped crying. Tristan and Jason looked completely confused and pissed off. Dalton and Dakota looked guilty and confused. I could sympathize.|
Oden said, “Their wolves are howling in anger and pain.” I looked at EJ and knew he could relate too. If this has happened to someone in our pack, we’d feel a tremendous amount of guilt. Hell, I felt a ton of guilt now. God damn it, we all did.
I could feel it in all my connections. My dad’s was pretty strong and was rivaling mine. I looked at Melanie in my arms knowing I’d failed her. I couldn’t do that ever again. She deserved the world. Oden linked, “Thunder said Peter is going to link mate.” I knew when he had because she jumped six feet which had me standing up with her.
EJ linked me, “Are you ok?” I replied, “She was tortured, and I couldn’t get to her. I let her out of my sight against my better judgement, twice. Then she was beaten and tortured. So, no I am not ok.” EJ put a hand on my back.
Melanie didn’t understand what was happening. Her friends were all nodding along with her as she ranted. I needed more information about what all this meant. Phil and I shared a look. Phil linked me, “So it’s not just us. She can link anyone she wants. That’s weird and unheard of.”
I told him, “We will look into it quietly.” Phil scoffed, “I feel like that’s all we do now. Don’t mind us, everyone, we are just looking into things quietly per our new normal. You have a strange tattoo and so does she, we look into it quietly.” So, he was going to list it all off then.
He continued, “Your mate lights up like a glow stick and we look into that quietly. Now, she can link whoever she darn well pleases, and we look into that quietly. It’s my new motto. I’ll look into it, quietly.” I rolled my eyes at him even knowing he wasn’t wrong.
