I’d drank a gallon of coffee at this point. I needed more things to do. I quickly piled up a lot of food and made my way over to the pack house. Freya hummed, “There are not Hackura around us at this exact moment. Probably because they thought you would sleep.” Probably.
I had just sat down the last tray on the table when some teenagers walked in. They were clearly just now getting in. I wondered if I would’ve had crazy nights like that if I’d never been kidnapped. Heck, I really wished I’d known I was kidnapped in the first place.
I could smell the alcohol on them still. One clapped their hands and yelled, “MUFFIN LUNA!” I smiled, “That’s me… I guess… seemingly… it’s what people around here call me.” One girl bounced up and down and asked, “Will you get me some HoHo’s out of the pantry? It’s SO FAR… like so far to walk right now.” I laughed, “Sure.”
I walked back to the kitchen and flipped on all the lights. I opened the pantry door and sighed. I probably should’ve pretended I didn’t know where this was… they were drunk… so, they probably didn’t notice that I just happened to walk to the right place. They could think Xander gave me a tour… it was fine.
Of course, the HoHo’s were actually in the back. I walked to where they were and started to climb the bottom shelf to grab them off the top shelf when the light shut off and the door slammed shut. My arms and legs went limp, and it felt like the walls caved in.
I fell from the shelf and landed hard on my butt. I could barely breathe. I crawled to the door and tried to open it, but it was locked. Freya was trying to talk to me, but I couldn’t hear her. The air was so thin in here. Why was it so thin? I couldn’t breathe.
I felt hands on me and knew they were going to hurt me again. I tried to get away. Something was nagging me aboutit. I just couldn’t focus enough to figure out what it was. In a moment, I felt air on my face and sunlight.
I was able to catch my breath a little bit because I was outside. Probably at the punishing fields, but outside was better than locked in. Suddenly, my mom was there telling me to focus. She looked worried and part of me wondered why.
I realized the arms holding me were Xander’s. That’s how I got outside. I wasn’t in Black Path, I was safe. I quickly explained what happened as best I could. Haley wanted to start our session immediately after breakfast.
I couldn’t eat if I wanted to at this moment. I just wanted to shower. Xander popped us away, but I saw the concern on everyone’s their faces first. Just great. I let the water from my shower crash down on me.
Freya whispered, “Melanie.” I apologized, “I’m sorry. I know you tried to help.” Freya snorted, “I was about to take over and shift for you. I would’ve knocked that door down and ran outside.” I told her, “That’s not a bad plan… honestly. If this happens again just… do that. Even if you have to force me back.” Freya said, “I will.” I replied, “Thank you.”
I got dressed and walked back to Xander. Breathing in his scent helped center me. I could tell Xander was upset about the teenagers prank they pulled on me. If I’d stayed in Red Run… it would’ve been a simple prank. I just couldn’t be normal for five seconds.
We stayed in each other’s arms until I was ready to go see his mom. Xander popped us to join her. He left and Haley popped me to her outside office. I gasped, “This is stunning.” Haley nodded to her chairs that she had set up.
I asked, “Aren’t I supposed to lie down on a couch and confess all my secrets?” Haley snorted, “I don’t think a fucking couch would get you to share all your secrets. I prefer my sessions tofeel like a conversation between us. Before we begin, I would like to thank you.”
I asked, “For what?” Haley smiled saying, “Many things, but I’m referring to your brilliant fucking idea about me taking a bad person’s wolf and giving it someone else. Aiden and I looked into it and it turns out, I can. I took Robuffoon’s wolf after speaking to him and paired him with a nice young man named Vick. He was wolf less, but both human and wolf are getting along really fucking well.”
I admitted, “That’s great!” It also meant my theories about her powers and the rest of the Conners jumped up in the percentage of me being right. Well… not just them. The Lyons, Tuckers, Richards… and well… all the partials.
At least with Haley being able to grant wolves, Selene wasn’t getting a chance to mess up for that wolf again. Haley was a much better choice for pairing people since they couldn’t lie to her… and she wasn’t a complete wench like Selene.
After several moments Haley asked, “Would you like me to start?” I shrugged, “Sure… I’m not sure where to… to be perfectly honest.” Haley said, “I’ve observed you doing a few things that are coping mechanisms that concern me.” Only a few? That felt like a win. Freya snorted in my heard.
Haley continued, “You shove everything aside. It’s almost like you lock it away. I’d fucking know since I did that too with all my trauma. It doesn’t work long term, and eventually it comes out. While I agree the wedding rings you used to wear made you lash out, I think some of those were things you wanted to say.”
“Just not about the situation you said them for. Cassie told me you were so sad while talking to Avery’s family that your sorrow called out to her after Dalton stepped in. It was before that though too. My daughter explained the story, and I don’t think she is correct in why you were sad.”
“I think Dalton, whom you saw as an older brother, defending someone as his family made you sad because it is something you damn well prayed for in Black Path. You wanted Dalton to show up and defend you. You wanted him to show up and bring you home.” Dang… Haley was good.
Haley added, “I think you hold so tightly to secrets you feel protect others. You make yourself a fucking island, so it doesn’t hurt if someone leaves you. Because you are already used to being the alone. Your friends found a way onto that island though.”
“I don’t think you meant for that to happen. You planned to be an island, but your friends kept showing up. There’s nothing wrong with being an island sometimes. So long as you remember there are neighboring islands, and people who inhabit them.”
“You’re not alone and you don’t have to be. If those are uncomfortable topics for you, we could start with the rifuckingdiculous prank played on you today.” I whispered, “I can’t do small spaces.” Haley nodded, “I understand. I’m sure you know Ezra informed us a little about the why of that. What I haven’t heard is your version.”
I asked her, “Does it ever bother you? Hearing other people’s trauma?” Haley answered, “Does it bother you?” I shook my head saying, “Not hearing it… just that it happened to them. I hate that things that upset my friends… and people I know… were hurt by them.”
Haley smiled, “I can empathize and sympathize with people’s trauma better than most. Bother is such a weird fucking word. It bothers me that people feel the need to victimize other people. That they feel the need to make someone feel small so they can feel like a better fucking person. I hate that this happened to you, of all people.”
I frowned asking, “What do you mean me of all people?” Haley sighed, “I never wanted my children, or their mates, to gothrough the shit I did. You and I have a whole lot in common that I never wanted to fucking share with a daughter in law of mine. I wanted to have other common ground that didn’t involve abuse.”
I muttered, “I agree. I wish what happened didn’t happen to either of us. Not to change the subject… but has Aiden ever talked about when Fairies started disliking partial Fairies?” Haley tilted her head saying, “This isn’t about me, but I’ll answer that one question. I’d assumed it was a long standing dislike among the Sky and Earth Fae.”
“Though that doesn’t make sense in a way I suppose. They kept on having partials with humans. I used to think it was because I lived there, but they were bringing other partials there to torture who lived in this realm. Plus, there is no fucking way I was the first partial to live in Faerie now that I know there were others.”
“Maybe I was the most prominent one, but who knows? I might have to look into where the hate came in. Now, back to you.” I wanted to keep on that subject because I knew she wasn’t the first one to live there. Nor was she the most prominent one. I just didn’t know why she didn’t know that.
