I disagreed, “No.” My mate disagreed, “Yes.” I held her tighter apologizing, “I’m so sorry you went through that alone. That never should’ve happened. I’ll find that Warlock and Trevor. They will suffer for what they did to you. I can promise you that.”
Melanie clung tightly to me before whispering, “It will kill my parents.” I replied, “It will hurt them because we all want toprotect you, but it won’t kill them. Telling them is up to you. I told you, I will handle them. My anger, though I suppose rage is a better word, is why they know about it. I’ll fix it.”
Melanie shook her head, “It’s not your fault. Even before that happened, they all wanted to know why I was scared and saying you being in pain was my fault.” I snorted, “Yes, how do you have a GPS tracker on me?” Melanie flushed and held up my right hand.
I laughed, “The ring you gave me? Oh my god. EJ is chipped too.” My mate blushed bright red. I linked EJ, “Our rings have GPS in them.” EJ shouted, “SON OF A BITCH! Ladybug’s too smart. I can’t even do anything about it. This is my wedding ring!” I barely managed not to laugh.
Melanie started kissing up my neck. I groaned, “Mel, we don’t have to do anything.” My mate replied, “I don’t want to remember what Trevor did and said to me. I locked it away inside myself a long time ago. Take it away. Make me forget for now.” I studied her.
My mate’s lips tentatively touched mine. She’d never seemed more unsure of her movements before. I gently cupped the back of her neck and kissed her back. I linked her, “I love you, Melanie McAlister.” My Lovebug pulled back and put her forehead on mine declaring, “I love you, Xander Conners.”
I don’t know what she saw when our eyes locked, but my mate’s lips moved back to mine. I picked her up and took her back to the bedroom. Melanie took off my shirt as I laid her down, running her hands up and down my body.
My mate flipped us so she was on top and grabbed the bottom of her shirt with shaking hands. I told her, “You don’t have to take off your shirt, Lovebug. It’s ok.” Melanie whispered, “I know.” Her hands were still shaking. My mate’s eyes showed panic and revulsion, but there was a lot of trust in them too. Mybeautiful, strong Lovebug closed her eyes, probably talking to Freya.
In one quick moment my mate ripped the shirt off. I touched her sides gently before my fingers touched her back. I could feel the scars beneath my fingertips. I called my Fairy side forward so I wouldn’t have my eyes turn gold. I leaned up and kissed my mate again.
I gently ran my hands up her back. My fury was on the edge, but right now wasn’t the time for that. That’s not what Melanie needed from me. I unclasped her bra, flipped my mate around so I was on top of her, and snapped my fingers removing her pants.
I studied her completely naked for the first time. I kissed her neck, “You’re beautiful.” I could feel my mate’s tears on my face. I wiped them saying, “None of that.” Melanie said, “You haven’t seen it.” I admitted, “I saw it in their reality.” Melanie flipped onto her stomach.
White hot rage surged through me again. My mate had more scars on her back than the sixteen year old version of her. Melanie cried, “I’m not beautiful…like you thought…Trevor… he mutilated my body. He carved into my back and branded me. He…” I kissed the scars on her back one by one.
I linked my Lovebug, “You are the most beautiful woman in the world. You are my mate, my Luna, my one day wife, and my everything. If you want these gone, they will be gone.” I kissed down to where all her scars stopped, right above her butt.
Fury lit through me again at seeing Trevor's name branded into her skin. I kissed each letter. I flipped her over, “I see a Warrior. I see a leader who got up every day and protected others. I see a true Luna and a fighter. I see someone who persevered, never giving in to the Ring when it would’ve been easier. I’m more than proud that I can call you mine.”
Melanie crashed her lips into mine. I didn’t rush us though as I slowly made love to my mate. A few more tears left her eyes as Iwhispered how much I loved her and how perfect she was to me. Eventually my mate’s eyes drifted shut.
I kissed the top of her head urging, “Sleep, Mel. I’ll be back.” I wrote her a note just in case she woke up while I was gone. I wasn’t surprised to find my dad, Uncle Bjourn, and EJ waiting for me outside my treehouse.
EJ said, “That was some intense rage that we all felt multiple times. Which doesnotcalm anyone down.” I simply popped to the gym and started to beat the crap out of the heavy bags. Fowler linked me, “Chason and I are where Alpha EJ was. We told KJ to grab some sleep an hour ago. He’ll join us again and Chason will tear off. I am assuming the Muffin Luna is around here.”
I answered, “Yes. Stay there with her and thank you.” Fowler replied, “You are my Alpha, and she is my Luna. Even if she was Luna of this pack, I’d take pride in guarding her. We all do. The muffin Luna is amazing and we are proud of her.” As the whole pack should be.
Eventually I turned to the group that had gathered in the gym. I looked at EJ demanding to know, “Where is that motherfucking asshole?!” EJ evaded, “We are trying to find him.” I growled, “So, the answer is we don’t know.” My big brother nodded.
I snarled, “Trevor needs to be found NOW! Because as all the gods and goddesses are my witness he will pay. If you don’t want realms to burn until he’s handed over, I’d suggest a quick turn around on the plan to capture his ass.”
I paused then added, “Also, from this moment on, NO ONE can call Selene a goddess in my presence.” Uncle Bjourn raised an eyebrow. Jason’s broken whisper reached my ears, “Why?” I snorted, “You can’t be asking me why right now.” My friend shot back, “I am though.”
I answered, “Selene let a wolf be suppressed. The goddess of our race has turned her backs on she wolves being forcibly marked to save their damn families. Selene has turned a blind eye on horrible Alphas doing beyond shady things.”
I nearly shouted, “Do you know the ONLY way for that to happen and us not here a SINGLE word of it? Or get a whiff of something fishy? All we had was hey we suspect Nashville is up to shitty things, but we can’t prove it.”
No one answered. I looked at my dad, “Youhadto have reviewed what Melanie gave you by now.” My dad nodded. I looked into his eyes saying, “Then you know the only way for all that to go unnoticed is by honest to god literal DIVINE intervention.”
“Selene hid this from us. From the good Alpha’s. The wolf goddess allowed hundreds of her children to be sacrificed because she’s hiding the evil ones from us. Selene did this. This is HER fault, and she’s no goddess of mine.”
“I will not claim her after what she allowed to happen to my mate. To be clear, I’m talking about what happened after Selene helped facilitate my mate being kept from me all these years. Letting Mel suffer what she did is barbaric and a true goddess of any race wouldn’t have allowed it.”
I heard a crunch of popcorn and turned to face the man who was always around to make people laugh. It was a tall order today but if anyone could manage it, it was Dylan Frost. Dylan smiled at me offering, “I almost went to Blue Moon for the night. How sad that would’ve been for me. I would’ve missed your roaring return from the Ribbonwithyour wings.”
“I’d also have missed you just casually declaring a goddess no longer being worthy to be called one. Me, myself, I agree with you. So does my wolf and that’s just a whole barrel of fun. Fang’s ever so conflicted. You, though, are quickly just inching up to your father’s title. Because don’t you just know everyone is goingto agree with Moody Mini King Alpha Prick over there?” I stared at him.
Dylan sighed, “Don’t look at me that way. You have to work your way to Saint God Alpha Prick status. It’s a ladder. You are moving on up it though, have you no fear.” I retorted, “I literally don’t care about the damn ladder.”
Dylan gasped, “For shame! Maybe that’s the secret to moving up it. WHICH MEANS YOUR DAD HAS CARED ABOUT MY LADDER ALL THESE YEARS! I LIVE!” I rolled my eyes. Dad said, “I can tell you, that’s definitely not it.” Dylan whispered, “It totally is. He cares deep down.”
