EJ snorted, “The unknown is such a jerk.” I wryly retorted, “That’s putting it nicely.” EJ nodded, “At least the scars on her back are gone.” My eyes blazed. Toby yelled, “YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO CALM HIM DOWN! Not rile him back up, EJ!” EJ rolled his eyes and yelled, “That’s Phil’s job.”
EJ turned to me and continued, “Anyway. Mom is fucking pissed off about whatever it was. It’s breaking Elise. My mate has gone to bad places she’s imagined about the whole thing.” I snorted, “Whatever she thinks it is, it was worse. So let her live in her imagination.” EJ cringed, “Good god.”
I told him, “When we get our hands on our Trevor McCann, he will not die for a long ass time.” EJ agreed, “He shouldn’t. I assume Trevor will be going to the Hackura realm then.” I snorted, “Yes, he will. He should be used as practice for any member of our family. Or anyone who is super angry and needs to get some frustration out. He’ll be there.
“Trevor tried to take Freya from Melanie. He tried to take my mate from me. He tried to blackmail her into sleeping with him. He whipped and beat her. That piece of shit carved VILE things into my Lovebug’s back.”
EJ sighed, “He tried to forcibly mark her too. Alpha Theo sent over the paperwork from Ladybug to the Council. She told him she remembered everything now.” I growled. EJ said, “He didn’t though, little brother. Melanie is stubborn, fierce woman who has always only wanted you.”
I snarled, “Oden seems to believe the only mark that would stay on her is ours.” EJ raised an eyebrow asking, “Uhh why?” I shrugged admitting, “I don’t know because my wolf won’t say.” EJ was quiet then added, “Dad thinks other than the electricity thing, which he equates to Fairy stuff, that the Moon Goddess is trying to get Melanie to forgive her.”
I snorted, “Fat chance of that happening.” EJ nodded, “Oh, I agree. It’s not happening, but it’s the best theory we have.” I conceded, “Yeah, I guess it is.” Oden offered, “It's wrong but it’s not a bad theory.” I rolled my eyes grumbling, “All Oden has to say is, we are wrong but basically good try.”
EJ laughed, “Why is he being so tight lipped?” I sighed, “My wolf is not going to get over me not believing him about onething, until the end of time. I even told Oden I would believe him and never doubt him again. I regret not listening to him in the first place.”
EJ offered, “I’m sure after Melanie shifts, he will get over it.” I asked my wolf, “How about it, Oden?” Oden snickered, “I’ll stop being cagey, but over it? Oh no. That’s going to get brought out every so often.”
I sighed telling my brother, “My wolf has agreed to stop being cagey once Melanie shifts, but he intends to bring up the fact that I didn’t believe him about her sporadically.” EJ snorted, “He has to understand that you had some sort of reason. You’re not a possessive asshole, but you did have a reason to give you pause.” Oden scoffed.
I shrugged, “He doesn’t seem to care about that, and to be fair he’s not wrong, I should've trusted him, and I wish I had.” EJ replied, “We can’t all live in we wish this or that land. Melanie is here now.” I snorted, “You say that as if I can’t feel your guilt about this situation, big brother.”
EJ hopefully said, “Maybe one of us can take my advice.” I smiled, “Let’s go with you. You take your advice. What if this was Elise? Wouldn’t you feel horrible?” EJ hummed, “So neither of us will be taking my advice.” Toby snorted, “Great.”
EJ clapped me on the back, “Let’s go to bed, little brother. Focus on the fact that Melanie is here AND she’s your fiancée. Congratulations on that by the way.” I smiled saying, “Yes, she is.” EJ told me, “I’m really happy for your guys.”
We both popped back to the house. I quickly jumped into the shower, got into bed, pulled Melanie to me, and fell asleep. I woke up when Melanie kissed me on the cheek but waited for her to go outside. I watched her run across the lawn.
I followed and couldn’t help but be entranced by her dancing. I saw KJ, Fowler, and Chason watching from the opposite side to me. I nodded to them and headed to the gym. I decided togo ahead and run a few laps before I put in some work with the heavy bag.
I could smell Melanie’s muffins from here. Oden snickered, “Mate is happy.” I turned as Warriors walked into the gym with said muffins and raised an eyebrow. They stuffed their faces and mumbled, “It would be rude not to eat the Muffin Luna’s muffins.” I laughed and popped to the front yard to wait for everyone.
Once my brother’s started filing out, they all congratulated me on being engaged. Calvin added, “And we all thank you for the muffins we will be eating post run. Continue making her ‘muffin making’ happy for the family please and thank you.” I rolled my eyes, “I’ll get right on that, Calvin.” My little brother responded, “It’s a small thing that benefits the group as a whole.” I laughed before we shifted and took off running.
Once we made it back, I shifted. I quickly snapped my clothes on and walked into the house. Melanie had some batter on her face and looked utterly adorable. Oden purred in my head. When I saw her engagement ring on her finger, a strong sense of possessiveness went through me.
I kissed my mate with everything I had. EJ linked me, “Damn, get a room.” I snorted, “Uh huh. It’s a kiss.” EJ snorted, “Keep telling yourself that.” Melanie was blushing hard when I pulled back. I’d seen some of my brothers having sex in the Hackura realm, so they couldn’t say anything.
They were just giving me crap, displays of affection didn’t faze our family at all. Melanie put a plate of food together for me. I was happy when she put a plate together for herself and sat down next to me. This felt like good progress from her freak out in Switzerland about not doing dishes. No one had to ask her to sit down and join us, my mate just joined.
Once she finished, she told me she needed to get ready and headed out of the room. I could feel her nerves shooting up frommy foot. EJ frowned asking, “Did she change the time or….?” He trailed off intentionally. I answered, “She’s just nervous.”
My mom offered, “Sam is coming today. So, I’m sure Melanie is nervous because she wants it to go well. Plus, she has her new friend group merging with her childhood friend group. That’s a lot to fucking process and worry about everyone getting along.” I hadn’t considered that.
I shrugged, “Elise will get along with her friends.” My mom smiled offering, “I know that, but merging your two worlds is always a little fucking scary when they have been separate the whole time. In Melanie’s case, there were lies told.”
“Those women had strong feelings about us and your mate’s family because of those lies. I think they’ve all done a remarkable job of coming around to the truth. That doesn’t change the harshness we all heard when they were talking to Melanie about bringing Elise home. They did NOT like her even though it’s quite clear Melanie loved her. It’s a scary thing to your mate to think they might not get along.”
My mom was really worried. I frowned wondering if she was she worried about all the girls. Or just Melanie. Everyone started to go about their days, but my dad made no move to leave. I knew he wanted to talk to me, so I kept eating slowly.
Eventually, it was just the two of us left in the kitchen. I asked, “What’s going on, dad?” My dad gently asked, “How are you, son?” I answered, “For the most part, I am good. Hell, I’m really good. I’m engaged to the woman I have loved for a while now.”
“She’s finally here with me. Knowing Melanie suffered guts me. Knowing what that fucker did to her while I sat around on my hands waiting for her to come home makes me furious. My mate needed me, and I did nothing.”
My dad frowned saying, “Come with me.” I followed him to his office. He shut the door and motioned to his couch. We bothsat down. Dad sighed, “Your mother told me what Melanie’s back said. She had a flashback…” I interrupted, “Someone carved something into mom’s back?”
Dad shook his head saying, “No, and your mother knows I’m telling you this. Hexxus shaved your mother’s head then carved the word abomination with iron. It’s faintly still there.” I shouted, “What the fuck?! Mom could heal that!”
Dad explained, “Your mom wasn’t at one with her light at the time. She’s been healing it over time. I think, and your uncle Aiden agrees, since there is an iron component and her own trauma associated it’s taking her longer to heal it.”
