3

Our pack members sighed in relief because we were running behind. Sharon and Garrett’s were on vacation so we didn’t have our partial Fairy help. Luna Emmaline was looking at the pictures frowning. I looked at what she was staring at. I laughed, “Melanie takes her stuffed wolf everywhere. That’s why it’s in all the pictures.”

Luna Emmaline was about to say something when I noticed, “Oh my god, we are missing something!”

Luna Emmaline looked relieved, “What’s that?”

I explained, “Sam’s favorite family picture, it’s not here!” Luna Emmaline frowned, “I’m assuming a lot of pictures didn’t make it here. There have to be some with Melanie in them.” I frowned looking around. Every picture had Melanie in it. Several at her dance competitions.

I shook myself, “Can you PLEASE pop to their house and get the picture? It’s Sam’s favorite.”

Luna Emmaline studied me, “Is it an emergency?”

I nodded, “Yes, please!” She thought about it, “I’ll pop to your house then walk over. You’re not Drake.” Huh? Whatever. The McAlister’s were due any minute, and I needed that picture.

People had started to file in. Jason texted me there was a slight problem, but they were on schedule. I didn’t even want to THINK about a problem right now. Luna Emmaline popped back in frowning. I grabbed the picture she was holding as relief filled me.

It was around their Christmas tree. Drake had Melanie in his arms. She was smiling brightly, and the boys were both leaning down with their arms around their mom. They all looked so happy. Melanie of course had a hold of her wolf. Emmaline asked, “This picture? Are you sure?”

I nodded, “I don’t know how you even knew, but bless you.”

I kissed her cheek. She went to say something, but I needed to set this picture out.

I set the picture in the place of honor as several other packs arrived. The guests outside our pack looked confused as they looked at the pictures. I wasn’t sure why, but it didn’t matter. I walked back to my mate. EJ and Cassie looked confused, while Alexander looked somewhat angry. I didn’t have time to figure out what was going on.

When the McAlister’s walked in my face fell. I linked Tristan, “What happened? Where is Ladybug?”

He answered, “Dad wouldn’t let her come. They didn’t know it was a party and no argument got him to agree. You know my mom’s always weird about Mel leaving the territory anyway.”

He looked sad. My heart sank. I should’ve anticipated this and told my mom to say she was with us. GOSH! Why didn’t I think of that?

Of course Drake didn’t want her out of our territory. He never did. He had no idea most of us would be here tonight and not at home. It was a surprise. Dang it! Plus, she was grounded for punching Charline in her stupid face. Even though we all wanted to do it.

Alexander’s eyes were flickering between his and black. He looked really angry when he found out they hadn’t let Melanie come. He walked out of the room with Eric right behind him. Haley looked really confused but I knew she’d let Eric talk to Alexander.

I cursed myself knowing that had to be what Emmaline wanted to tell me. She knew Melanie couldn't come to the party. Emmaline was around a lot, but all these things popped up, so she’d never met Melanie. She had now though so, the weird series of events were over.

After the party, my dad’s face and tone pulled me up short. I reached for EJ instinctively loving that his hands instantly comforted me. It was as if ice hit my veins when I realized something had happened to Melanie.

Tristan linked me, “If those assholes TOUCHED my sister while we were gone and injured her, I’ll kill them.”

I snorted, “EJ will help us kill them. We’d involve his cousins. If they put her in the hospital, we are having EJ’s family go Hackura on them.”

He agreed, “I know that’s right.” Duke Levi Cambridge was one of his best friends. We could manage this.

When EJ popped out my dad grabbed my hand. He said, “The others can handle tear down. We need to get home.”

I nodded and we ran for the car. I asked, “Do you know more than you told Drake? Was it those bullies? Did they attack her?”

My dad answered, “The preliminary report I have says we were attacked.”

I yelled, “What?!”

My dad said, “Most of us were here. Drake had a Warrior's mate babysitting Melanie. I don’t know her status either. Your mom’s phone died. She told me over link that we needed to talk in person.”

My dad broke the speed limits getting home. We ended up getting back at the same time as the McAlister’s. Jason and Tristan piled out of their car, and we all rushed into the hospital. Melanie's eyes were closed but swollen and puffy. She had a sling across her chest wrapping up her arm. My mom was playing with her hair.

Sam cried out and ran to Melanie. Her eyes snapped opened. My mom locked eyes with my dad and he pulled her into a hug. I wanted EJ more than I could express. Drake consoled his pup, “My poor little Ladybug, what happened?”

My mom squeezed her good hand and said, “It’s ok Mel.”

Melanie asked, “Did you have fun at the party?”

Drake had tears pouring down his face. He nodded, “We did. I’m so sorry we didn’t let you go.”

She shrugged, “It’s ok. It was a surprise. You didn’t know.”

Dalton walked in with her wolf and handed it to her without a word. She hugged it and cried into its fur. Drake looked like his heart was being ripped out. I linked my brother, “That was a good call.”

He said, “I wish I had my wolf so I could shift and rip something apart. They made her cry and hurt her. I want blood.” I agreed.

Drake knelt down and touched her face, “Ladybug, what happened?”

Melanie whispered, “I was upstairs when I heard Mrs. Dutton screaming. I ran downstairs and found her being attacked.”

Melanie wiped her tears. My mom said, “She’s healing, Melanie. You saved her.”

Melanie continued, “I fought them… I….”

She whispered, “I killed one of them... but I didn’t mean to daddy! I didn’t!”

Drake pulled her into his lap, “Shhh Ladybug, it’s ok. You defended yourself. It’s ok.” She whispered, “I broke mommy’s table. He fell onto it, and it just sliced through him. The rest ran. I’m sorry mommy I ruined your towels too… I had to stop the blood… from Mrs. Dutton… and…”

Sam interrupted, “Mel, I don’t care about the table or my towels. Those are just things that are replaceable. I care about you and Mrs. Dutton. Neither of you are replaceable.”

Melanie looked off in the distance musing, “There was a Witch with them….and she was chanting something. I think she stopped Mrs. Dutton from shifting…or I guess it might not have been…but it looked like it.”

My mom added, “A few other houses were broken into, but no one was in them. They were vandalized though.”

Tristan questioned, “How did you get hurt, Mel?”

Mel winced, “I had to drag Mrs. Dutton to the hospital. We ran into more of those people. I fought them, but they pushed me…and well…. I was trying to avoid falling on Mrs. Dutton and landed on my arm wrong.”

My mom added, “She dragged Mrs. Dutton here by herself screaming for help. A few of the interns heard her. She’d made it most of the way here on her own.”

Drake rocked her, “I’m so proud of you, Ladybug. You did so good. I’m”

He choked up managing, “God I’m sorry.” She cried as he rocked her.

My dad asked my mom, “Did we catch any of them?”

My mom shook her head, “No, we didn’t have enough people here. We have the guy who died. The body hasn’t been moved because I knew Drake would want to see the house before we had it cleaned. Maybe we can get a clue off the man in their house, but they were gone when I got here. I even called Sharon on her vacation and had her pop me in.”

I should’ve noticed Sharon showed up at the party. Maybe she met my mom outside though. My mom continued, “Our Warriors and Trackers are out searching. They haven’t reported finding anything except the site where the vehicles were.”

My dad asked, “Where?”

She answered, “In between our land and Alpha Raven’s. I reached out to him, and he checked his border. He said they’d been running a patrol an hour earlier and there was nothing there then. He found the tracks too and is willing to offer whatever help they can.”

My dad snorted, “Sure he is.”

My mom sighed, “He’s not his father, Peter.”

My dad shrugged. I ran out of the room with Ray right behind me. I went straight to my room and called EJ. I wanted him with me more than anything because for once I was worried that Drake and Sam weren’t paranoid. That someone was after their family. His voice calmed me down immediately.

When we hung up it felt like I could take my first breath. My mom came in, “She’s ok, sweetie.”

I frowned, “They could’ve killed or kidnapped her.”

My mom argued, “But they didn’t. Mrs. Dutton is healing now and awake. They didn’t kill anyone.” I whispered, “Melanie did.”

My mom acknowledged, “I wish she hadn’t had to do that at her age, but that’s a part of our lives. Rogues may not have attacked in nine years or so at this point, but we kill to defend our pack.”

I frowned, “She’s just so young.”

Mom nodded, “I know.”

I asked, “Is this Alpha Ezra?”

My mom replied, “We have no evidence of that. It appears as if this was rogues. The man Melanie killed smells odd and could be rogue but new to the life. Mrs. Dutton told us he’d said he was going to rape and kill her. Melanie defended herself and saved Mrs. Dutton.”

I nodded but something told me that this wasn't a simple rogue attack. This was organized and rogues weren’t that.

I knew not even my mom believed that. This felt like the beginning of something big. I closed my eyes and fell asleep promising myself I’d be ready for what was coming. When I woke up, I went for a walk and wound up on the border. I took in the silence and felt something wrong.

I sniffed the air and smelled blood. I slunk down and went towards the smell and found a border patrol unit down. I linked the pack, “GET TO SAFETY! WE HAVE A BORDER PATROL DOWN!”

My dad linked me screaming his voice full of terror. “ELISE WHERE ARE YOU?!”

A shimmer started in front of me. I yelled across the pack link, “DEMONS ON THE NORTHERN BORDER! GET READY!”

I didn’t have a weapon, but I heard shifting behind me. Ray flew over my head and killed the Demon that appeared in front of me before I could blink.

More shimmers started. I punched a demon as Ray proved why he was my guard. My dad linked, “We are coming!”

A Demon threw a fire ball at me, and Ray’s wolf tackled me to the ground. He got hit but so did I. I screamed as my arm burned. Ray jumped up as if he didn’t feel it.

He ripped a throat out and I got back to my feet as fast as I could. I turned and felt someone on my back. I knew that form because we practiced together. I yelled, “MEL!”

She hit a Demon and nodded to me. Gosh, she was so fast to run all the here from her house in that record breaking time.

I grinned, “We’ve got this. You and me, together.”

Like it would always be. There was only one left when my dad got to us. Drake shifted back once my dad killed that Demon. He yelled, “MELANIE JANE! You JUST got out of the hospital!”

She frowned, “But Elise needed help and… well I’m fast. I know I am…. and…I would obviously get her the quickest…so…” I chuckled, “You know if you don’t stop her, she’ll ramble on and on.” My dad shifted back as Sharon popped in.

He asked, “Ladybug, are you hurt too?”

She answered, “No… I…”

He cut her off, “Good. Sharon, pop me, Ray, and Elise to Black Mountain.” Gosh, we were really cutting into their family vacation. Melanie pouted and Drake put his arms around her. I shot her a sympathetic look. Sharon popped us out.

EJ saw me and smiled before he snarled. He yelled, “MOM! ALEXANDER!”

Alexander popped to me and began to heal me before I could tell him Ray took the worst of it. I let myself float away in the hazy feeling of being healed.

When my eyes snapped open EJ had me in arms. I whispered, “Hi.”

His eyes were blazing gold, “Hi.”

I touched his face, “Don’t be mad. I kicked ass.” He snorted, “I am mad at the Demons who dared to attack my mate.” He cupped my face and gently kissed me. He said, “Your mom is here now. I’m going with my Uncle Logan and sending a goddamn message to the Demons.”

I frowned, “We kind of did that.”

He growled, “And I will hammer that point home. No one burns my mate and gets away with it.”

Alexander chuckled, “I feel like I’ll be the one reigning you in this time, brother.” EJ said, “I prefer you join me in sending a brutal message.” Alexander grinned, “Gladly.”

I innocently said, “Melanie reached me first.”

Alexander stiffened. EJ asked, “She did?”

I nodded, “Yup. We took them on back to back as if our fate is intertwined to fight together.” EJ shot me an amused look. Alexander growled, “Was she hurt? They didn’t bring her…” I interrupted, “She wasn’t.” Alexander nodded and gave us a minute.

EJ teased, “You wound him up.”

I winked, “And now he’ll be on your side about sending a strong message. Hurry and come back to me.”

He put his forehead on mine. He whispered, “I did not handle smelling or seeing your blood well. I’m so glad you’re ok.”

I cupped his face, “Ray was right there, and I was holding my own. Then Melanie showed up. The scales were in our favor before that, but that definitely tipped it into a landslide.”

He kissed me so hard my knees were weak. He told me, “I’ll be back soon, and no Demon will so much as LOOK at you again.”

It shouldn’t excite me, but it really did. My mate loved me in the way I always dreamed of and I couldn’t help but revel in it