I replied, “For the people that were guarding Jase. They were under my command as their Female Lead Warrior, and I hit them… really hard when I knocked them out for not telling me Jase was there sooner…. and…”
Tristan cut him off, “That watch kept him alive.” I answered, “Yes… it monitors biometrics, and it would’ve taken blood samples.” Everly asked, “It did?” I replied, “Just like a pinprick that he wouldn’t have noticed… it’s only if his biometrics fall to a certain point… so…”
Tristan rubbed his face. I replied, “I was helping.” Tristan shouted, “AND WHO HELPED YOU?” I said, “I mean… my friends… and…” Tristan scoffed, “Who you ignored. You’ve been going against Alpha bloods.”
I reasoned, “They were wrong so… that’s a factor there….and if you look at the data… when I did listen to them… their ideas or thoughts were wrong… so… the times I did go against them shouldn’t really count considering I was right.”
Tristan growled, “I am not from a pack that doesn’t know that those decisions physically hurt you. Mentally, it shattered you.” I replied, “That’s true and not… there are things that can shatteryou after you’ve been shattered and think there are no more pieces of you together to shatter…. but it’s not a crappy Alpha.”
“That’s heartbreaking… don’t get me wrong. Going against Caine and Addison did hurt… him more so…. but he didn’t live how I did… he didn’t have all the data and his feelings about Red Run skewed his logic…. none of them were impartial judges… and I won’t deny it hurt to go against him and say he was wrong… but I was right.”
Tristan huffed, “Your leader shouldn’t have put you in the position to have those disagreements with Alpha’s. It’s an assignment.” I mean… technically the Alpha bloods put themselves in that position because the Resistance wasn’t a democracy.
Tristan started crying and Everly put a hand on his back. He whispered, “I was supposed to protect you. I promised you that I’d always have your back and magic fucked that up. I gaslit my own little brother about his memories about my little sister.”
I reasoned, “I mean if we are being technical…. Peanut butter cookies basically gaslit you… so… it’s all messed up. I told you I hadn’t met Ryan multiple times… I told multiple people, but they acted like it was brand new information every time I said it.” Tristan cried, “I know.”
I said, “They ran you off the road and left you for dead.” Tristan grabbed his hair, “I was so close to answers.” I replied, “They are jerks… and if I’d have known you were alive… Robert would’ve been dead for causing that accident.”
Tristan asked, “Then why can’t you understand we want to kill people for hurting you?” I asked, “When did I say I didn’t understand that? I get it better than you do… I just give into killing people more often than you … well…I’d bet do… I could find out… but I’m going to be right.”
Tristan replied, “Because you’re acting like an Alpha blood still and that has to hurt you.” I bobbed my head back and forth,“Yes and no. I’ve come to the understanding that the Hackura have it right… see a problem... kill it.”
“When I’m talked out of that way of thinking problems arise. Uncle Duncan would be home… if I went and killed that Alpha…but that would cause problems for Xander…and send several people into meetings…. I thought Jase would have to investigate it to a degree…but it would’ve been you.”
Everly snorted, “Duncan will come home the second he’s back in the pack.” I agreed, “My tables tell me that. The probability is over ninety-nine point nine nine nine percent.” Tristan nudged Everly, “I told you that she doesn’t like to say one hundred percent.” Everly squeezed his thigh, “So you did.”
I said, “You have to give yourself a margin of error… but that’s not really the point. I’m just saying… Uncle Duncan would be home… and our aunt would be alive if…” I trailed off and started crying. Tristan moved over to the couch that I was on to hug me.
I sobbed, “I was late… and it was all my fault. I was trying to get the patterns downs… but rogues are unpredictable… I had Paige put the holoport on the east side of the territory… it was the wrong side, and she died… Uncle Duncan was so sad… and it hurts.”
Tristan asked, “You were there?” I whispered, “Yes… and I made sure he got to kill the rogues that killed our Aunt… but it’s my fault and he will hate me for real now.” Tristan surmised, “That’s why you haven’t gone and pulled him home from his mission. You think he’ll hate you. I did wonder about that, given your mentality to just do what you want now.”
I whispered, “I can’t… he’s… it broke him… and I was late.” Tristan said, “I’ll tell you here and now, that wasn’t your fault. The weight of the world isn’t on you.” I sobbed, “I was punished… and in the hole… If I wasn’t… I’d have gotten there… and saved her.”
Tristan replied, “Melanie Jane, you cannot fix the world. You cannot track and pinpoint actual rogues and their patterns.” I sniffed, “I mean… I almost had it.” Tristan comforted me, “Of course you did. Because you’re you. Uncle Duncan has never hated you for one single second in his life.”
Everly said, “I know for a fact Duncan’s sad that he hasn’t seen you. He’s thrown glasses and broken them about your school refusing to let us see you. Duncan goes out for that pack to distract himself because he misses you.”
I mumbled, “He wouldn’t if he knew I couldn’t save his mate.” Tristan disagreed, “He would. Uncle Duncan adores you and he’s missed you so much. Our Aunts missed you too. Uncle Duncan obsessively contacted that pack in New York after his mate died to make sure you weren’t crossing borders on runs with their pack. He warned them to keep an eye on you or else.”
I hummed, “So, he’s going to be mad he wasn’t actually talking to them.” Tristan said, “As we all are.” I sighed, “Grandpa Ben is mad at me. Jase is too… everyone is.” Tristan sighed, “I don’t think there’s an accurate word to describe all these emotions.”
I replied, “Because you’re mad at me.” Tristan disagreed, “I’m disappointed you thought I’d want you to be hurt because I died for you. I would die for you to live your life and be happy.” I shook my head, “Nope….don’t say that.” Tristan growled, “Yes, I would step in front of anything or anyone coming for you. You’re my baby sister.”
I whispered, “I can’t lose you again… and it’s all messed up because… you guys think it’s you but it’s me.” I cried, “It’s me. I’m different… I don’t know how to do this anymore… and…” Everly gently said, “That’s not true. You’re coming here to T, and I heard you always used to do that.”
I wiped my tears, “I did.” Tristan said, “This is a lot of emotions for you. Let’s go.” I asked, “Huh? What? Where?”Tristan replied, “Follow me and find out.” I grumbled, “You’re using my curiosity against me… you know that I have to follow you.” Tristan winked.
We all walked out to the forest where our family was waiting. Kai called, “I’m riding on Freya!” Freya agreed, “Yes, let’s run with our nephew on our back.” It hit me. I whispered, “It’s a family run.” Grandma Esther quickly said, “We don’t have to go with you, but we’d like to.”
A sob bubbled up in my chest, “No, stay… I… this… umm…” Mom brought me into a hug with my dad. Freya urged, “Just let it all out.” I broke down into a sobbing mess. A family run… with most of the McAlister’s… Uncle Duncan wasn’t here… nor was Aunt Allison… but this was everything I’d wanted.
I pulled myself together, “Ok… umm… let’s run.” Everyone backed up and shifted. I shifted into Freya. I linked Kai, “Hold on tight.” Kai squealed, “YES!” He jumped on Freya’s back, and we took off. Tristan linked, “You were fast as a pup, now it’s just crazy.”
Kai shouted in excitement, and we lapped everyone. Pepper was playing with Freya and so was Sugar. Ajax whined and we went to play with him then dodged and began to play tag. Kai shouted, “You’ll never catch us, suckers! Team Aunt Ladybug and Kai Fooorrreeevvvveerrrr!”
MaryBeth, Melinda, Grandma Esther, and Granpda Ben tried to catch us, but they couldn’t. Freya said, “Bali is coming.” I dodged Everly’s wolf and Apollo then took back off. Eventually they started shifting back. I didn’t want to because this felt like a way for us to be normal together.
