I asked EJ, “Where is Booker?” EJ answered, “We don’t know.” I asked my dad, “Where do you think he is?” My dad sighed, “Logically, Booker is somewhere we wouldn’t want to go. He wasn’t with Ezra, which I find odd. I think he’s quite possibly been taken to wherever their headquarters are.”
I tilted my head, “You think he’s in trouble.” My dad answered, “I think he and Ezra were in trouble. I think the Ring encouraged Ezra to attack Alpha Theo. It was likely he wouldfail, but if he succeeded, great. If not, they punished him for this whole scheme failing before they were ready.”
“I think Booker is probably in as much trouble. Their main job for the Ring was to keep us out of Black Path and to keep Melanie from you, specifically. All of us as well. To have someone who should’ve been on our side forcibly marked and used.”
“They have to suspect since all the Hunters were hit that Melanie had something to do with that. They have to worry about what she knows. I think Booker is probably trying to hang onto his life after Trevor failed to strike at us.”
“I’m sure the goal of attacking our celebration in Blue Moon was to kidnap Melanie. They didn’t get to make sure she was there before they attacked because you threw off their plan. Plus, Trevor was captured. It was a serious failure.”
“The Ring is not made up of honorable, or good, people. They are giving up their pawns, keeping some for information, and I believe they have Booker for information or to die at the right time. I have no idea what they would deem as the right time. They deemed Ezra no longer useful because Melanie would, at minimum, piece together that this happened to her because of Ezra. She knew their families were enemies.”
Dad’s thought process had merit. I asked, “Has Keaton given us an assessment?” My dad answered, “No, he has not.” I asked, “Why the hell not?” Dad chuckled, “I’ll ask Chase to have him do one.” Good. We needed his mind because he was adept at stuff like this.
Caleb walked up to us. My dad groaned, “I know that look, Caleb.” I did too. The Supernatural Council was always all over my dad about paperwork and situations. That was Caleb’s face right now. He’d had to deal with the Supernatural Council. They were like this with my Grandpa Nathan too.
Caleb snorted, “Some new paperwork came up in conversation with Supernatural Council. There’s an interesting thing about that, because they claim it was messengered over to us an hour ago. We didn’t get it, so they are sending it again.”
I asked, “Why didn’t they email it?” Caleb shrugged, “They claim they did. They sent a read receipt, and we didn’t open it. No Werewolf Council member has received it. I’m sure it’s a clerical error. It’s happened before.”
My dad snorted, “We never did get that paperwork they claimed this happened with the last time they called us.” Caleb laughed, “I’m hoping this turns out to be as unimportant. Since that just disappeared off everyone’s radar.”
Oden linked me, “That’s weird.” I asked, “What time was it supposedly dropped off?” Caleb answered, “Around ten this morning.” Oh my god. EJ asked, “What?” I explained, “Melanie and Sierra were acting weird around that time.”
My dad picked up my thought process, “You think Melanie and Sierra intercepted paperwork from the Supernatural Council.” I sent to him in the bond that I did. Caleb’s face told me now that I said it, he suspected that too.
Dad questioned, “Why?” I sighed, “I’m not sure. That doesn’t track if they work for someone on the council.” EJ argued, “Except it does. If they got a heads up about the paperwork that their boss didn’t agree with, they would stall it until it went away.”
I groaned, “I hate this whole veil of secrecy and not knowing the answer. GOD damn it! I sound like Phil.” Caleb said, “If Melanie and Sierra had something to do with it this time do we think they did it the last time this happened?”
My dad muttered, “Dear lord, who are we dealing with here? I just want the real name. Estelle is not the real name of the person behind this. I don’t understand why they wouldn’t just unite with us for help. It’s not like your mother has ever madeanyone think she won’t hesitate to call people on their shit. Or side with someone fighting on the side of wrong. Even if they are a member of the Supernatural Council.”
I sighed, “The Supernatural Council members all would know that Drake McAlister wasn’t dead though. I can’t imagine this person is on Melanie’s good side at the moment.” EJ snorted, “The Supernatural Council member would know a hell of a lot. If we know that Melanie does too and she has to be upset about it.”
Caleb sighed, “With our current theory, she does need them at the moment. Melanie might not know that Alexander will support the need she has for revenge. That’s what her initial note to us said all those years ago. Your mate ultimately wants revenge.”
“Melanie’s family being alive doesn’t change that Melanie has to want Slade Carter dead. For her, he started this. Her life went off the rails because of him. A Coven might have placed her in that illusion, but from what I’ve learned from Micah, Melanie wants Slade dead at her hands.”
Everything in me froze because he was right. Melanie would still want to get to Slade. EJ said, “We would help her.” Caleb replied, “I know that, and you know that. The question is, does Melanie know that?”
My dad said, “Haley said Melanie would hold onto the Resistance the tightest. We just need to prove to her we have the resources to help her and that we will. If anyone could cut someone out, it would be Melanie. The person behind them can’t do anything or they’d be outed themselves.” It was still dangerous.
I linked Fowler, “Make sure Melanie eats something.” It was around dinner time. Fowler replied, “Mrs. Blanch took care of that.” Zoey walked up to us with sandwiches. She smiled, “I know it’s well past lunch time, but Nana Blanch wasn’t happy most people missed it. So, it’s more like Linner.”
EJ asked, “Lunch and Dinner?” Zoey nodded and walked away. I announced, “I need to go the Hackura realm for a bit, for training there. My Squadron probably misses me.” EJ nodded. I’d planned to take Melanie, but it was probably best to let her do her thing.
I linked her, “I’ll be in the Hackura realm for a while trying to work off your hyper energy.” Melanie snorted, “Good luck… and see you later. Love you… lots… well… you know that. I think you know that. That’s probably a thing that you know… because…”
I cut her off, “Decaf. Switch to decaf.” Melanie huffed, “Can’t… there’s too much to do… and not enough time… there’s several more layers… and the…” I encouraged, “Consider decaf in thirty minutes.” Melanie said, “Uh huh… consider… I can consider… that’s a thing… I can do… ok.” I laughed, “Love you too, Lovebug.”
I told EJ, “Get someone to switch her to decaf soon.” EJ sighed, “I feel like you’re our best shot at that, and you’re leaving. I could try Elise. “I smiled teasingly saying, “Best of luck.” I popped to the Hackura realm.
Cayden came over and studied me. He said, “You seem to have an extra pep in your step today.” I snorted, “My mate is inhaling coffee.” Cayden’s lips twitched to a smile. My brother in law questioned, “Why? The only time Micah saw her drink coffee that heavily it was about you.”
I shrugged, “She’s not sharing what’s going on at the moment. It’s driving Phil, mostly Toby, insane. Gage, Genevieve and Gia are apparently living their best lives being in the know and telling all the Beta’s they are welcomed to the Gamma side of life.” Cayden nodded towards his office.
We walked inside together. Cayden asked, “What’s your theory about whatever Melanie is working on?” Micah walked in. I answered, “My dad is missing new paperwork from the Supernatural Council. Apparently, this has happened beforetoo.” Micah asked, “You think Mel hacked the Supernatural Council? Why?”
I laughed, “She could, but we think whoever is on the Supernatural Council that is behind the Resistance gave them a heads up. It’s got to be paperwork someone doesn’t want pushed through.” Cayden nodded, “Or, and I think you really need to hear me when I saw this, it’s paperwork Melanie doesn’t want pushed through. Which would be about her friends, you, or possibly herself.”
