Ezra jolted, “Huh?” My mate said, “You have no hope left. It’s dead…just like you tried to keep killing mine. So, I wonder how it feels to be on the receiving end….instead of trying to make it happen… given that I’m better at it then you…I’d say it feels devastating on a level it didn’t for me because we just saw you give up…and I never did.” Ezra gaped at her before she sardonically smiled at him and took off.
I grabbed my mate’s brothers and popped up above the dungeons where Melanie was already waiting. Tristan immediately asked, “Is he telling the truth about your back?” I snarled, “I told you that’s her choice to talk about, not his.”
Melanie answered, “Ezra often lies, but I’d bet he told you the truth… statistically speaking, he would choose to inflict the pain of that knowledge on you.” Tristan’s eyes filled with tears and so did Jason’s. Drake asked, “What does her back say?”
Before I could say anything, Melanie huffed, “She is right here. So… don’t talk around me when I’m standing right here. It’s rude.” Drake pursed his lips agreeing, “Ok, you’re right. Ladybug, what does your back say?”
Melanie questioned, “What good does answering that do? Tell me one good thing that would come out of you knowing that. You’d all be guilty and punish yourselves... probably cry and look at me with pity.” Dad urged, “Let’s move this conversation inside the house.”
I grabbed Melanie and popped inside. I told her, “You don’t have to tell them anything you don’t want to.” My mate kissed my cheek then whispered, “Thanks for saying that.” I asked, “What woke you up?” Melanie snorted, “For a Beta… it was an impressive roar of anger coming from Tristan. I knew it was him…. and I was worried.”
The rest of the group walked in. Elise squeezed Melanie’s hand when she walked by. My mom looked uncomfortable while everyone sat down. Before anyone could comment further mymom stood, “I want to make something perfectly fucking clear. You have NO idea what you are asking right now, but I do. If Melanie is uncomfortable the topic is closed. Are we clear?” Everyone looked at her.
Mom sighed, “I asked if we are fucking clear? Because so help me god if ONE of you pushes it past the point she is comfortable, I will banish your fucking ass from this territory.” My eyes widened. Mom hadn’t done that in a long time.
Once she accepted her Fairy side, mom could banish Wolves and Fairies, technically the Hackura too. Wolves because she was the Luna of the pack at one point, and Hackura and Fae because those were a part of her.
Jason agreed, “Ok.” I noticed Addison had shown up. Melanie sighed, “Why aren’t you guys off celebrating being married? And… doing… ummm married stuff… that I am not going to think about.” Addison frowned, “We were worried about you, Mel. T called about the whole your Xander getting his wings and shouting incident. I wanted to check on you and so did Jase.”
It hit me that Addison knew. In fact, all Melanie’s friends knew what was on her back. Elise offered, “I stand by what I said to you in the meadow by the pond, Ladybug. Healing is what comes from the truth.” Melanie laughed, “Yes and no. Pain comes from the truth too.”
My mate picked at her sleeve saying, “I think there is enough pain in this room. Particularly when it comes to me. None of you can look at me without a hint of guilt in your eyes. What happened to me, happened. It’s my past… and you can’t change it.”
Sam whispered, “You shouldn’t have to bear that burden alone.” Melanie shrugged, “Plenty of people know what happened to me. If I want to find someone to talk to about it… there’s a pretty long list… so… that’s not really a good argument either.”
Tristan surmised, “Your friends know then.” Melanie answered, “Yes, they do… which you knew… before now… so I’m not sure why...” Drake’s eyes narrowed interrupting, “It’s more than them that know.”
Melanie agreed, “Yes, it is. Black Path as a whole knows, as does Ezra’s former pack… along with others… that I did workshops for…. and several packs around… Trevor bragged about his… masterpiece.” Everyone snarled.
My mate shrugged, “His words… not mine.” Addison agreed, “That’s true. He did say that.” Melanie grumbled, “All the time… he’s such a deviant.” Oden growled, “He is.” EJ asked, “Talia knows about your back?”
Melanie answered, “Yes, she does. Not everything, but Talia’s got the basics.” No one said anything else for several minutes. Drake asked, “What did they do to your back, Ladybug?” Oden grumbled, “They all clearly want us to get mad again.” No, they just wanted answers.
Melanie replied, “Whipped me frequently, but you had to have guessed that already. Probably even before Ezra ripped my shirt collar and you saw the top of it.” I was honestly stunned that she answered the question. I glanced at Addison, who didn’t seem surprised at all.
My mate and her were giving each other meaningful looks. Tristan asked, “Why are you telling us outlines of things but not telling us details?” Melanie winced but answered, “Trust is not something I have a lot of anymore… it doesn’t matter that it was ripped away based on lies… they felt real.”
She continued, “What I do have is logical conclusions. Logically, Ezra’s aim is to hurt our family. You’re not going to stop going back to him for answers. He’s going to metaphorically make you bleed with each piece he gives you.”
Melanie straightened up saying, “So I’ll make you a deal. You stop going to Ezra for information about me that’s just going toupset and hurt you….and I’ll tell you what my back says.” My eyes went wide. Jason said, “I want to see it.”
Melanie was quiet for several moments then said, “If you, and I do mean specifically you Jason, give me your word that will not go to Ezra for information about what happened to me then I will show you.” Drake frowned asking, “Not all of us?”
Melanie replied, “Isn’t it bad enough to know the words themselves? You’d just torture yourself and that’s what Ezra wants. I don’t expect any of you to answer now. I want you to think about it…before you answer….and I don’t want Tristan or Jason to tell anyone what Ezra told them.” Tristan’s jaw clenched. It was silent for several moments until they nodded.
Tristan agreed, “We won’t say anything.” Sam whispered, “Ezra said you were in the Undergrounds, but we policed those fights. You weren’t there.” Melanie raised an eyebrow evading, “No, I was not.” My mate didn’t say anything else.
Tristan sighed, “Oh come on, you’ve got to give us something.” Melanie stood rebutting, “No, I do not have to give you ANYTHING. You want to be sad and punish yourself for what happened to me. I do not have to give you the means to do so. It happened to ME… not you…. and I know you wish it was you.”
Tristan growled, “You’re damn right I do.” Melanie replied, “I don’t. I would, and tried to, stand in front of a bullet for you… I tried to change it every year when I saw it…. I’d do it again… because real or not I won’t watch someone I love get hit by a bullet. I won’t… no, I can’t… maybe it’s both.”
My mate waved, “The point is, I don’t wish it was you or Jason. It’s my past and they are my problems to deal with. You don’t like it, then… well… honestly? Tough?” I don’t think she meant for that to sound like a question.
Sam frowned gently saying, “We are a family.” Melanie replied, “I haven’t had a family for years now. Well… I had theone that I made… but you can’t expect to waltz back into my life and think everything will be the same.”
My mate looked down saying, “I am not the same. I am trying, but you can’t just snap your fingers and change what happened. I don’t see how you all knowing any of this makes it better. Do you think I can’t see how this hurts you?”
Drake questioned, “What about what it does to you?” Melanie continued on and I was certain she didn’t hear him. “Do you think waking up and hearing my brother’s roar makes me feel good? Do you think knowing Xander was in agony makes me feel good?”
