My mom wanted the conversation back on topic. Melanie’s determination to prove she was right shot up my foot. It was apparently in my room. Drake’s face when she asked to leave physically hurt. His eyes told me he just wanted to be in the same room with her longer.
It rivaled Peter’s face every time my mate called him by his title. Oden said, “Thunder doesn’t understand why she doesn’t say Alpha Peter. That’s what he went by. His dad went by Alpha Kyle.” Again, that was true and weird.
Peter looked like a knife was stuck into him when she said it. The Ring had dealt a heavy blow to this room, but I was going to pay them back for it tenfold. I popped us out and watched her rifle through an old backpack that was pretty beat up. She had a newer one beside it though.
I was getting a sick feeling in my stomach. I linked EJ, “I see envelopes and letters with handwriting from Peter, Chelsea, Chrisopher, Sebastian, Dane, Cooper, Dalton, Dakota, Jason, Ben, Esther, Melinda, and Marybeth in her bag. I’m sure her Aunt Allison and her uncles are there too.”
EJ argued, “But none of them are actually from them.” I replied, “I know that. I’m just telling you that’s what I see. Most letters appear to be from Jason...” I trailed off then groaned, “OH FUCK ME! I see Everly’s handwriting too.” EJ groaned, “Fabulous. This is truly a god awful day.” Sarcasm noted. God, had it only been a day? It was awful.
Melanie eventually found the letter she was looking for. The hurt and the pain that had to be in those letters broke my heart for my mate. I should’ve listened to Oden. I should’ve gone to her. Oden linked, “Something stopped us, Alexander. Something or someone has to pay.” I assured him, “They will.”
I pulled her into me and kissed her gently. I needed to taste her lips again. I conjured the letter back into her hands and I popped us downstairs. She handed it immediately to EJ even though I literally felt her debate who to give it to.
Peter frowned, clearly thinking he should’ve gotten it. Oden linked, “Rhea is roaring in anger.” That made sense given the look on Elise’s face. EJ looked at Melanie with pity and sorrow while the bond flowed with it. Peter practically flew across the room for the letter.
I linked my brother, “What does it say?” EJ linked, “The high level overview would be it does say she’s banished. It also says Drake is not her father.” I winced. EJ continued, “They told her she was a Hunter’s daughter. Specifically, the Hunter who she believed killed her family.”
Hot searing rage burst through me even though I was certain Melanie believed Ashley Griffen’s backstory already. Edward Davis and Jean Kiern were not prepared for me. Oden offered, “Peter’s Alpha seal was stolen.” I knew that even before Sam mentioned it.
EJ muttered down the link with our siblings, “She could’ve continued the story. They didn’t just let it go that his Alpha seal was stolen. They were told the kids burned it in the bonfire when they got drunk. They didn’t just say ‘oh well. it’s missing.’ We need better story telling skills stat.”
I pointed out, “I think Sam is in a bit of shock. Her daughter was not where she thought she was. She was being tortured, thinking she was banished, and they were dead. I’m not a parent, but I’m pretty sure that would make me feel like shit.” EJ nodded.
I linked dad, “Hasn’t mom been making everyone tell the truth?” My dad answered, “Not your mate, but she told me she hasn’t once tried to lie.” My mom’s question to Peter seemed silly to us, but all Melanie’s friends actually gasped over his answer.
Melanie looked confused, hurt and dejected. God, I wanted to have our Hackura ceremony yesterday. I could take some of her pain then. Sierra ran to her and the rest followed. Melanie looked like she was forcing herself not to break down. How many times had she done that over the years?
Oden snarled, “Once was too many times.” I agreed. He then warned, “Apollo says T’s questions are intense.” Nope, that was not happening. We needed to have some ground rules on what they could and couldn’t ask.
We were NOT confronting Melanie about being in the Resistance. Not tonight. Hell, not ever if I got my way. She would open up and tell us when she wanted to. She needed time to adjust. This was a lot. Maverick linked, “I got your back, brother. It’s fair that Melanie gets a break.” I nodded my head to him.
Buttercup linked, “I’ve got this.” She took Melanie and her friends to the office. Sierra knowing I knew Melanie’s real name and not saying anything during our vacation was one thing. Knowing we all knew they were in the Resistance was not a secret they would keep from my mate.
I held up my hand in a ‘wait’ gesture until I heard our office door shut. Tristan growled, “Don’t tell me what I’m allowed to ask my own damn sister, Alexander.” I stood warning him, “I’ll remind you that this is MY home, and she is MY mate.” He made a face, but he knew I was right.
I continued, “I damn well can tell you what you can and cannot say here. She is on emotional overload and she’s trying really hard not to break down. She’s devastated and hurt. There is a bag full of letters in our room with handwriting ranging across MULTIPLE members of your pack. Most of them are from Jase.”
Jason snorted, “They are NOT from me.” I sighed, “I know that, I really do. I’m just telling you it’s your handwriting. They, whoever they is, are going to fucking pay with their lives. They manipulated her as a pup. Those people emotionally and physically abused her.”
Drake choked out, “Please explain that statement.” Phil winced. I used an example I’d seen. “When we were in Switzerland Melanie freaked out after cooking a gourmet breakfast for us that I MADE her eat with us. She’d left the dishes out and not soaking and nearly had a panic attack.” They flinched.
I continued, “There is A LOT we do not know about what happened down there in that shit stain sad pathetic excuse of a pack. Cayden could probably elaborate, but I know she didn’t just get in a car accident last year.”
Micah offered, “She did, it just wasn’t only a car accident. She had bite marks all over her.” I snarled. Oden roared, “ALEXANDER THEY TRIED TO MAKR HER AND SHE IS OURS!” EJ stood, “Alexander, no one marked her. Melanie is ok and she’s here. She’s home now.”
Phil threw a hoodie at me that I caught on a reflex. I inhaled Melanie’s scent off it then raised an eyebrow. Phil smirked, “I snagged a hoodie or twenty-five. Melanie has an ass load of hoodies. Always be prepared and quietly look into things. That’s my motto now.” I shook my head at him.
Tristan asked, “Look into what quietly, Phil? Because something tells me that involves my little sister.” I turned around saying, “It does. We all know she didn’t break ties with Red Run, but she can link people in Black Path. She can also link both myself and Phil.”
Drake frowned arguing, “That’s not possible.” I shrugged, “Yet she can do it.” Jason sighed, “While it kills me that she looks at me with hurt and mistrust in her eyes, I do actually like seeing her in the same room as me. So, what don’t you want us to ask her about?”
I said, “No one, not just you all, will ask Melanie about the Resistance or being in it.” Ben McAlister snorted, “The hell I won’t, boy.” My mom stood, “Don’t ever speak to my son that way again. I like you Ben, truly. I understand where you’re coming from, but my son is not a boy anymore. He’s a man, and I agree with him.”
Ben frowned, “He’s your pup so of course you do.” My mom touched my back and said, “True. I will always have my kids six. However, I’m saying this as an expert on trauma not his mom. If you force Melanie into a corner, she will snark back and retreat.”
“Which means she will not tell you want to know. If she feels safe and comfortable she will share more with us. We need to give her some space here. You are throwing a lot of information at that woman on top of the fact that she’s found her mate.”
“That’s a lot to balance. When you add in that she’s clearly been manipulated to think we all hated her for something that never happened, nor would we have hated her for. Because I would charm the fuck out of anyone who agreed to let her hurt that way especially for something that wasn’t her fucking fault even if it had happened.”
