I heard myself coming, she was crying. The other me had a bottle of vodka in her hands. Trevor, Mark, and Francis stepped out. Trevor asked, “Where are you going, mate?” I barely held in Freya’s growl.
What surprised me was I still heard it… from the other me. Trevor stepped back in surprise. Freya linked me, “I broke through a few times when things like this happened.” The other me spoke, “You’re not my mate, Trevor! I hate you! I’m going to see him because…”
Trevor interrupted, “You’re my mate, and you’re not going to see Alexander.” Now I wanted to growl. The other me yelled, “HE IS AN ALPHA! One who deserves respect! Unlike you, reprobates!” Francis sneered, “An Alpha who doesn’t want you. So, just take the guy who does.”
The other me took a drink then started to chug the bottle. She threw it away and dropped her backpack. I smiled because it was the one from Cayden. The other me urged, “Bring it on, you dicks. I can take you injured and drunk. It’s my birthday, and I want to see my REAL mate… just see him. I’m not staying or anything. Can’t you let me have anything happy? It’s MY BIRTHDAY!”
I clapped my hand over my mouth so I wouldn’t laugh. The only thing that stopped me was the reminder she’d been whipped earlier. Trevor smiled evilly saying, “You’ll bear my mark by the end of the night, Ice Queen”
I was shaking. Crap. I could not shift. I could not shift. Wait… yes… I could. I wasn’t her… this wasn’t my reality. They wouldn’t know it was me… even if they saw Freya in wolf form. Freya agreed, “True.” I let her take over to shift. We were waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
The other me snorted, “I won’t bare your mark… ever. I’d kill myself if it ever happened and no one could save me.” Dang… I was hammered….because I didn’t remember this conversation.Mark sighed, “Come on Melanie, it’s not that bad. Dying is extreme.”
The other me snorted, “A demented, sick and twisted man who is not my mate is claiming to be… it’s pretty bad. Especially when you consider the jerk is the one who whips me… who has hurt me since I got here… he BRANDED my back.”
“Just let me go see my REAL mate. I’m not going to introduce myself… or anything. I just want to see him… in person. It’s my happy birthday to myself to cap off a super crappy day ruined by your stupid, wet dog smelling friend.”
They moved to attack her. I snarled and jumped on Francis. I told Freya, “Use that electricity thing and shock them all.” My wolf easily did and they went down in a heap of limbs. I shifted back. Freya linked, “They will be out long enough for us to get her to Xander and then some. They aren’t dead though.” I wouldn’t have cared if they were because I knew they deserved to die.
The other me laughed, “MAN! I am so drunk I’m seeing another me… and the white wolf… gosh… we should call Micah! He’d laugh.” I raised an eyebrow agreeing, “Sure… or… we go to the holoport so you can see Xander.”
Drunk me jumped up, grabbed her backpack, pulled out another vodka bottle, opened it, and took several pulls. The other me wiped her mouth with her sleeve and nodded, “Let’s go other me. Onward to the edge of Black Mountain!” I laughed, “Let’s.”
She grabbed my arm and pulled me through the holoport. The other me ran to a tree, climbed up it, hiccupped, took another swig, and pulled out her phone. I asked, “Who are you calling?” Drunk me smiled, “Micah.”
I could stop her… but I might as well let her do it. I intended to make sure she and Xander met. Micah would find out eventually the truth of who she was…So, why not now? Micahanswered, “Hey, Ashley. What’s going on?” The other me sighed, “UGH that name.”
Micah asked, “What do you mean by that name? It’s your name.” I snorted, “Not really.” Micah questioned, “Who was that?” The other me snickered, “Oh don’t worry… it’s just the other me.” Micah shouted, “What? The other you? Ashley, what's going on?”
Drunk me sighed, “You didn’t call to say happy birthday to me…. which wasn’t nice. We are friends… aren’t we?” I reminded her, “He doesn’t officially know it’s your birthday… remember? Because you have a different one Black Path claims is your birthday.”
Drunk me hit her head, “Oh yeah… never mind… I won’t be mad at you anymore, Micah.” I snorted. Micah questioned, “What the hell is going on, Ashley?” The other me explained, “I’m just waiting for someone to come outside then I’ll head back to my crappy life. I just want to see him. Just once for my birthday… then I’ll go back to reality.” She hung up on him.
I snorted, “They will track you down after that call.” Drunk me shrugged, “Who cares? It’s still my birthday. Why isn’t Xander outside? It’s not fair!” I smirked saying, “You could always call him and tell him to come outside. You’ve memorized his number.”
The other me smiled and kissed my cheek. She spoke out loud, “I’m a genius. I mean you are… but you are me…. so… subconscious… you’ve done it again. Brilliant as always. So simple… call him.” I bit my lip while watching myself call Xander’s number from memory.
My mate answered, “This is Alpha Alexander.” Drunk me giggled, “I know that, silly… it’s obviously you, because…. I called you. Why aren’t you outside?” Xander asked, “What? I’m in the gym. Who is this? Is this who I think it is?” He sounded so hopeful.
Drunk me pouted, “But it’s my birthday and I just want to see you… but you’re not outside. It’s not fair. I can’t see inside the gym… Of course that’s where you are though… you’ve got muscles for days… those shirts you wear in the videos you put out DO NOT hide your muscles.”
“I drool… wait… don’t tell Xander that. Oh hey! There’s EJ. Why aren’t you with him? It’s my only birthday wish. It’s been a VERY bad birthday so far but seeing you will make it better… for sure… so much better. So, PUHHLEEAASSEEE come outside?”
Xander asked, “Melanie? This has to be Melanie. Are you drunk? Are you home?” The other me laughed, “SHHHH don’t tell…. but I’m quite possibly very drunk. I’ve had several bottles… of vodka at this point. Please, please, please, come outside!” Xander popped to EJ.
Elise came running out of the house to join them. Xander said, “Ok, I’m outside.” Drunk me giggled, “I can see that. Thank you. BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!” The other me hung up the phone and gasped. She looked at me saying, “He’s so handsome in person.”
I bit my lip agreeing, “He is. EJ and Xander can also hear us. So… keep that in mind.” Drunk me rolled her eyes at me, “Werewolf hearing is good… but not that good. Silly other me.” I saw EJ and Xander shoot each other a look.
I told her, “Yes, normally that is true, but our mate is a partial Fairy Hackura, AND Werewolf. His hearing is out of this world good…. Which our brother did NOT tell us. Nor did Elise. Which is rude… when you think about it.”
A portal opened. I said, “And now it gets interesting.” The other me laughed, “Now? You electrocuted people earlier… you’ve got to tell me how to do that. You should’ve seen the look on Trevor’s stupid annoying lying face. GOD, I HATE HIM! He’s such a liar!”
I snorted, “Ok, even Elise heard that.” Drunk me took another drink. I wasn’t surprised to see Cayden and Micah had stepped through the portal. They went to meet up with the group outside. I snorted, “I actually wish I could hear them figuring things out.”
The other me sighed, “Xander is so perfect. Dang… I thought I drooled over his videos… he’s even more good looking in person.” She started to cry. Drunk me asked, “Why is everything messed up? Why does everyone blame me for everything?”
“I just want to be with him. I hate it! It wasn’t my fault! I swear! I wish I’d died and not them… I miss Jase… I miss my home. I miss Elise… I miss Xander… I HATE IT IN BLACK PATH! I HATE IT! Everything’s backwards and messed up. Everyone treats me like a traitor and I’m not!”
