I asked, “Where is Cayden?” I might need to check on his schedule. Cassie smiled, “He will be joining my brothers shortly.” Evasive. My sister in law snapped us all into outfits. I gasped, “Umm… I… this….” Paige cat called, “Ow Owwwww. You look hot, Mel.”
Elise laughed, “I picked out our group's outfits and showed Cassie beforehand.” I asked, “Did you think about who we wouldhave to walk by to get out of the house? They aren’t going to want me to leave. You guys would probably be fine… but me? They are going to throw a fit.”
Elise asked, “Do you want to go, Ladybug?” I sighed, “I had a whole plan… that involved going out the window... or Valentina shimmering me in… I had options.” Elise snorted, “That’s so you with your plans. We are getting popped there, end of story. It’s only Supernatural’s in the club tonight.”
Cassie asked, “Melanie, if we don’t go what are the odds it looks like we are scared or hiding something? It’s going to get around that Alexander chased after the white wolf. If the women of Black Mountain don’t go to something they’ve had planned for months what will everyone think?”
I closed my eyes and quickly came up with the answer, “It’s a pretty high probability people would think the allies were shaken. I’d estimate eighty percent, because everyone knows Black Mountain doesn’t deviate from their plans. More people would believe that the white wolf is real if the Luna’s change their plans. That would play because the Alpha’s would want to protect their Luna’s.
Paige snorted, “Her brothers are going to flip out about that outfit. If I know that… someone who grew up with them certainly does, Elise.” I grumbled, “I’m twenty years old, not fourteen. Besides… my dance outfits were way worse.” Elise agreed, “They were.”
Avery laughed, “It’s not going to matter.” They were probably right. Elise straightened her shoulders declaring, “Well, Ladybug looks great, and Alexander will definitely back me up on that. Plus, she deserves to have some fun.” We all walked downstairs.
My brothers were immediately against my outfit. Mom linked, “You look beautiful, Ladybug.” I replied, “Thanks, mom.” I didn’t think my brothers were going to win an argument withElise… in Black Mountain’s territory….and they had to know that on some level.
Plus, their reaction actually made me want to wear the dang outfit even more. I blushed when Xander agreed I looked good. My mate’s eyes were promising that he’d peel me out of it later. Freya snorted, “He’s probably thinking it would look better on his floor.” I blushed furiously from her words.
Elise grossly undersold my estimations on the odds people would find my lack of attendance weird, but that got everyone to back off. Grandpa Ben was still upset though. Cassie linked me, “Don’t worry, I brought in a ringer.”
Huh? I smelled the person she was talking about before I saw her. Grandma Esther came around the corner. I managed not to make a face about the fact that my aunts were already waiting at the club with a larger group. Joy. Sierra linked, “It’s ok.” Uh huh.
Cassie popped us to the club in the next second. I snorted, “I don’t think they were done arguing about us going.” Elise shrugged saying, “That’s their problem. I heard them calm down about it, and we jump on those moments. Give that group of men a chance to change their mind, and they will take it. You’ve got to run with the decision you want, or you lose out.”
False. I’d just adjust my plan and leave anyway… so… it was fine. Freya laughed in my head. Several women squealed about Elise being here. Elise smiled introducing me, “Mel, this is Emma Frost.” I nodded, “I know.”
Alexandria Daniels smiled at me and asked, “Do you know me too?” I nodded, “Yup. You are Alpha Emmett’s mate, Luna Alexandria.” I knew her entire family too, the Thunders side. Ok…no it was all sides…I knew a lot about her.
Alexandria laughed, “I like her, Elise.” MaryBeth offered, “Most people do.” I laughed really hard until Paige slapped my arm. I snorted, “What? People decidedly do not like me most of the time.” Paige raised an eyebrow.
I shrugged because I was right and walked to the bar. Everly walked up beside me and smiled. My sister in law greeted, “Hi, Melanie. We haven’t got to talk much.” Well, that was certainly true… but didn’t feel that way.
I nodded, “I guess not. Though, I thought we had. It appears… we didn’t actually have a single conversation in these years you were mated to my brother… but ummm thanks… for the whole helping me destroy those gravestones thing. That… umm felt like a whole moment for us.”
Everly looked worried but nodded. My sister in law told me, “I’ll always help you. Plus, anything with my mate’s name on it signifying he’s dead needed to be gone.” That was fair. Freya agreed, “It is. Bali said they like us and are upset we were lied to.” I didn’t need to ask who Bali was. At least I got that part right about Everly’s wolf. Not who she was mated to because I believed a lie…but I did have her wolf.
My drink was given to me with a nod, but I raised an eyebrow in response. I asked, “The mate of the Beta of Yellow Hills is the bartender for the evening instead of enjoying girls night?” Adlee Miller laughed saying, “It was a last minute thing. I was just coming to enjoy the night, but we had a few people call in sick.”
I asked, “From the pack?” Adlee shook her head, “No, we hire some humans that know about our world since some events are Supernatural events. Like I said, I was coming for girls’ night anyway, and I know how to mix drinks. So, I’m behind the bar.”
I linked Addison, “Be on alert. Something’s up.” Addison groaned, “Come on. Can we just have a fun girl’s night?” I answered, “I’m like seventy-five percent sure something is going to go down… so… probably not, no.”
I tapped my watch and sent a grey screen to the girls here with them. Everly asked, “What’s that? The grey screen deal seems like a code. Also, did you just text a whole group of people from your watch?” I answered, “It was a grey screen… notwords… so…” It looked like a background, but the girls with the watches would know… it meant be on alert.
Everly snorted, “Uh huh. Do I have a watch?” I answered, “Umm… you’d… well yes… I just didn’t think you’d want it….but I do have one for you… and Kai, obviously… since he’s my nephew.” Everly said, “He’d love to spend more time with you.”
I inhaled sharply and nodded. I whispered, “Ok… I’d…. Um, I’d really like that.” I’d always wanted to know Kai… but I thought they said I never would get that chance. I thought I’d always be in the background of his life.
I needed to change the subject before I broke down crying in this club. I linked Paige, “Don’t drink anything not given to you by the Beta of Yellow Hills mate.” Paige asked, “As in Adlee?” I answered, “Yes, Malachi’s mate whose name is Adlee.” My friend nodded.
Elise grabbed me urging, “Let’s go dance.” I nodded, “Sure.” I could survey the area. I looked around once we reached the dance floor. It wasn’t just a girl’s night in the club. I swayed to the music and threw in a few steps because I couldn’t help it.
I linked Sierra, “The guys at my two, six, and eight… they are keeping their backs to me.” Sierra reasoned, “That could be a coincidence.” I snorted, “I don’t think it is, and neither do you. They aren’t here for us. This isn’t about us at all actually… because no one knew we were coming. I think this is about the other girls. This is an attempted strike at the allies.”
Sierra replied, “They didn’t plan it then because you’d know.” Which meant it would be somewhat easy to circumvent. I replied, “Yeah, they are reacting because we struck at them pretty hard. Now, Trevor’s plan didn’t go well and it’s going to be obvious he’s capture. Now, they are looking for a win.” Freya growled in my head.
I asked Elise, “Do you guys do this a lot?” Elise laughed, “Oh yeah. It’s our way to get away without guards. Well, Cassie’s arehere tonight, but that’s different.” I asked, “So… guards aren’t normally here?” Elise shook her head, “Nope. Those are the rules.”
Addison linked, “Well, fuck. You’re probably right then.” I knew I was right. I walked back over to where my Aunt Melinda was. Freya urged, “Maybe just call them Melinda and MaryBeth since you never called them Aunt Melinda or Aunt MaryBeth because you are so close in age.” Yeah… that would probably be more normal.
