The Ring Resistance

EJ is Twenty-One Years Old

EJ watched Elise practically hum with excitement. I smiled at her. She clapped excitedly, “Can we go now? Ladybug should’ve shifted and come back from her first run.”

I laughed, “You’re very excited, babe.”

Elise squealed, “Of course I am. She hasn’t been home since she left! I haven’t seen her since before my Luna Ceremony. She’s finally home and the ONLY reason I was not there the second she got home was because NO ONE heeded my warning about not filing disputes today.”

I told her, “I think our pack seriously regrets not listening to you about that.”

Alexander snorted, “I know they do. You will too if you listen to the pack link. ‘Don’t mess with Elise’ is basically the topic of conversation.”

Elise snorted, “I have NO sympathy for any of them. I WARNED them.”

Rhea took over for Elise and added, “We did. So many times.”

I laughed, “Rhea, give Elise back control.” She immediately did. Max called, “I can guarantee they will listen next time.”

Brutus chimed in, “I warned them all too. This is on them. Mate is beautiful and kind. She warned them and they didn’t listen. Now they know.”

Elise shrugged, “Then they learned their lesson.”

She turned to me, “Please EJ, I want to see her and her wolf! I’m going to give her such crap for getting so busy she couldn’t ever come see us!”

I smiled agreeing, “Alright, let’s go. She’s still coming over for dinner tomorrow, right?”

Elise nodded, “It’s technically today since it’s pretty early in the morning, but yes. That’s all scheduled. I’m going to get her and bring her back here myself.”

Alexander smiled and I nodded to him. Finally. This was happening.

I grabbed Elise and popped to her parents’ house. Brutus growled at the sight that greeted us. My heart felt like it sank into my feet. Drake was sobbing in Peter’s arms. I could hear Sam sobbing outside with Chelsea consoling her. Tristan and Jason were drunk, but their eyes were rimmed red. There was also a glaring absence in the group. I didn’t see Ladybug.

Elise asked, “T? What’s going on? Is Mel ok?”

I knew in the bond Elise was getting a sinking feeling, but she was clinging to hope. Jason threw his glass against the wall that shattered. I snapped the area clean. He told Elise, “She’s fine.”

That stopped all conversation.

After several minutes I asked, “Where is she then?”

Drake pulled away from Peter and wiped his eyes. He whispered, “She’s in New York.”

Elise yelled, “WHAT?! NO! She…” She trailed off. Brutus said, “EJ, mate is devastated.” I knew that because I could feel it.

Elise cried, “We have plans!”

Peter sighed, “Her flight had mechanical problems. She stayed at the airport as long as she could trying to get on a flight out of there. She barely made it back to pack lands for her shift. Her wolf is a beautiful golden brown named Ember.”

Mother fucker!

I linked Brutus, “I needed the universe to give me a damn break.”

He was angry and confused. I linked my dad, “Have I mentioned before that I hate people?”

He asked, “What? No, you don’t.” He was wrong, I did.

I asked, “Can I ask how this was not declared an emergency?”

Tristan answered, “We didn’t know. We were told her flight was delayed. I was worried we were going to be running out of there with Mel screaming and writhing in pain. We got called when she made it back to pack lands at midnight.”

Elise started crying.

I locked my jaw as Drake sat down, looking completely broken. He whispered, “I did this.”

Peter argued, “No, you didn’t.”

Drake insisted, “I did. I held her too tight. Now, her teachers don’t even want us to come visit her so she can focus. I should’ve pulled her out of that damn school the second they sent that letter!” Sam walked back inside.

She hugged him and whispered, “Ladybug begged you to let her stay. She’s living her dream.”

Drake sighed, “If I hadn’t held her so tightly, this wouldn’t be happening. How can she not even want to see us?”

No one had an answer.

My dad linked, “Is there context to this conversation? Because I have theories I don’t like.”

I replied, “You’re going to hate it.”

He growled, “FUCK!” Yeah, that about summed it up. My mom linked, “EJ, are you ok?” I answered, “Yup.” I felt her sigh across the bond but accept my evasive answer. I was physically fine, but emotionally I was not great. Alexander was going to be worse though.

Drake broke our silence, “Did I really fuck up that badly that my own daughter doesn’t want to physically be in my presence? God, I fucked everything up.”

Brutus said, “Pepper is howling in agony.”

I winced hating this for both the man and wolf.

Jason assured him, “Dad, that’s not true. Ladybug loves you and she misses us. They are dangling Julliard in front of her every five seconds. If she does this extra thing and this competition it makes her resume look better. I hate those assholes.”

Wait, what?

I frowned, “That’s why you guys haven’t seen her? The school told you not to come?”

Drake snorted, “We would be, and I quote ‘a distraction to her.’ We can watch all her recitals and competitions online, they send us links. I should’ve told them to shove that idea up their ass! THAT’S MY DAUGHTER!”

Sam wiped her tears away. She took his hands saying, “We agreed because she begged us. It’s what she wants.”

Drake argued, “I’m her goddamn father. We missed our youngest pup's first shift. A fucking border patrol found her out there. She started out shifting alone. FUCK THIS!”

He looked nearly sick.

Tristan reasoned, “She’s fine though. We all talked to her. She was excited. Granted, she was upset she didn’t make it home to shift but still fine.”

Brutus linked, “Not to state the obvious but the girl who had to get POPPED back home during three day long competitions is totally fine missing being at home for her first shift?”

Yeah, he had a point.

Drake threw a glass against the wall that also shattered. I snapped that clean too. Elise sent me he gratitude in the bond which I let her know was not necessary. I’d do anything for her. Drake bitterly said, “And now we will NEVER see her. This was the ONLY time she was scheduled to come home. I ruined our family.”

Sam whispered, “No, you didn’t. She’ll come home.”

Drake laughed humorlessly, “When? She hasn’t come home in two years. The last time I physically saw my little girl, we fought. She’s staying away because of me.”

Sam said, “If she’s staying away because of you, she’s staying away because of me too. She never called you dad monster. I was the mom monster.” What?!

Brutus linked, “That seems weird, yes?”

I asked, “Mom monster?”

She answered, “She’d always call me that.” Tristan muttered, “Only after you ate a cookie and stopped believing her.” He grabbed a trashcan and threw up. I urged, “Maybe back off the whiskey, T.” He shrugged and hugged the tiny trashcan to his chest.

I looked at my watch noting it was five in the morning. Pain hit me like lightning out of nowhere. I dropped to the ground like a rock; unable to breathe. Elise screamed, “EJ!”

The pain was blinding. I felt through my connections trying to find who it was.

My parents were panicked. Cassie was down like me. That took me to Alexander’s bond mostly to brush it off. It was too hard to physically hurt like this with his enforcer status. Our bond had my heart stopping. It was Alexander who was in this much pain.

Alexander was down. Brutus howled in agony calling for Oden. What on earth could do this to my brother? They were going to die. Elise screamed, “EJ!”

She had my hand. I gripped her hand, “Alexan…”

My mate’s howl of pain had me stalling my effort to tell them who needed help.

I watched in shock as everyone in the room went down. What the fuck?! I crawled over to where Elise had fallen away from me. It took a great amount of effort as Brutus cut himself off from me in pain. Elise whimpered in pain as I reached her.

I cradled her in my arms. I linked, “Brutus, what the fuck?”

Brutus was howling in my mind, but he wasn’t cut off anymore. Then, just as suddenly as it came, the pain was gone. I pulled Elise in closer to me.

Peter yelled, “What the shit?! The entire pack went down.”

I linked Toby, “Did everyone there just go down? Where is Alexander?”

Toby whimpered, “The whole pack went down like a rock. Your mom is freaking the fuck out. Alexander was the first to go down. He was perfectly fine one second hitting the heavy bag then he just howled in agony. It was horrifying.” Shit.

Alexander popped in and looked at me. He looked crazed. He yelled, “WHERE IS SHE?!”

I raised an eyebrow. Drake asked, “Who?”

Alexander yelled, “MELANIE!” My jaw dropped. He declared, “She’s hurt! Where is she?”

Drake demanded to know, “What the fuck are you talking about? She’s fine! I just talked to her.”

Alexander frowned initiating, “No, it HAD to be her. A wolf contacted me begging for help. Oden thought it was a new wolf. Mel’s the only wolf around here that had a birthday today that was shifting. The wolf begged for help and then the connection cut off before anything else could be said. I went down after that in pain, but I wasn't hurt. Where is she?!”

I told him, “Brother, everyone went down.”

Alexander frowned, “What?”

I nodded, “We all did here, and Toby said our pack did too.” I looked at Peter, “What could even do that?” Peter snorted, “Nothing. I have never heard of this.”

Dalton and Dakota ran inside, their eyes were wide with fright. Dane and Cooper were right behind him. Dane had MaryBeth in his arms. He yelled, “What the HELL just happened?”

I didn’t actually have an answer. I knew from my connections my siblings were fine and wanted to be left alone. My mom was freaking the fuck out and I felt that was justified.

My phone vibrating gave me a task. Emmett was calling. I picked up on speakerphone, “Did this happen to you guys too?”

Emmett growled, “What the fuck was that?!”

I admitted, “I have no idea. Our pack and Red Run went down.”

Alexander yelled, “BLAH BLAH BLAH! WHERE IS SHE?! IT HAD to be Melanie!”

Emmett asked, “Wait, what? Are we going to storm Red Run? Isn’t she there?”

I answered, “No, she’s not.” He said, “So, New York? Uncle Heath probably has eyes there already I’ll call and…”

Drake’s phone rang. He interrupted Emmett saying, “It’s my daughter.”

Emmet said, “So, we are back to having no clues. Goodie.”

I snorted at him. Drake answered the phone, “Ladybug, are you ok? Yes, it happened here too, but you’re ok? We’re all fine, sweetie. No, you go shift and enjoy being in your wolf form. Call me tomorrow, ok? I love you, pup.” He hung up.

Alexander shut down, “She’s not here?”

Jason snorted, “Planes suck ass, Alexander. I never knew planes were my mortal enemy, but they are.”

Alexander’s jaw clenched. He asked, “But she told you she was fine?” Drake nodded, “She asked if we were ok. The pack in New York went down too.”

I questioned, “Why was Alexander the only one contacted?”

Peter shrugged, “We don't know that he was the only one yet. Maybe he’s met someone we haven’t. He makes an impression as a protector.”

That was true.

Alexander frowned, “I guess. It wasn’t a pack member and that’s ends the list of people who should be able to link me.”

Yet no one picked up he thought it was Melanie when she shouldn’t be able to link him. I’m not sure what magic he thought that was.

Brutus linked, “The wolf contacted Oden. We can contact any wolf from any pack.”

I reasoned, “Newly shifted wolves usually can’t unless they are nearby. Alexander would’ve heard someone in pain and popped there.”

He replied, “Unless they are a very strong new wolf.” True.

Alexander pressed, “Melanie’s fine though?”

Drake nodded, “I just talked to her. I appreciate your concern though Alexander.”

He just nodded. Jason was looking at Alexander oddly. Was he FINALLY going to get a clue?

We stayed for a few hours making sure everyone was ok. Alpha Raven and Alpha Theo called. Their packs had gone down. Alpha Ezra also called. Brutus snorted, “To cover his bases. He sounded excited.”

He was right. Alpha Ezra was clearly a masochist who liked pain.

Dalton and Dakota hate Alpha Ezra and all dealings with him, but they honored the alliance made by their grandfather. When it came down to it, this seemed to be widespread. Werewolves all over the country went down.

My dad called and I could hear my mom fussing over him in the background. He told me, “It was all over the globe. Everyone with Werewolf blood went down. Even some who had no idea they have wolf blood. We’ve got some people at hospitals because several were taken to human hospitals for the pain.”

That sounded like a massive headache.

No one had any idea what could’ve happened to make us all go down like that. The rumor was that our Moon Goddess was injured. Alexander and I snorted at that theory. She was a Goddess who was an immortal being. She couldn’t be killed. She shouldn’t even be able to be in that much pain to send it to us. Because any mother I knew would’ve kept that pain from their child. Selene wasn’t Alania.

Honestly, I believed everyone knew that, but the rumor hid the fear that someone figured out how to take us down. A new group of Hunter’s had emerged onto the scene. They were better at hiding and they were good.

For some odd reason they seemed to be working with the Ring. It was somehow as if the Ring convinced them they weren’t supernatural’s. I really didn’t know how it worked. I needed to figure it out though.

Two weeks after that strange event, we had another meeting with a different dealer for the drugs we were trying to stop. Uncle Bjourn was helping us with aliases for our people going to the meets. This time Nick Kyle was going with Cameron Daniels. There was a lot of backup with them waiting around the area. We waited for word.

Brutus said, “We agreed not to do it this way after last time. I don’t wait well.”

No, we didn’t. I reasoned, “But we didn’t send one of our siblings this time.”

He sighed, “Thank the Moon Goddess, or we wouldn’t be sitting here.” Also true.

The time for the meeting came and went. Emmett got more and more tense on the skype call with our allies. We were waiting for word from our guys, and then one of us was going to pop to them. We had a drop time set.

When that rolled around, I nodded to Alexander and Max. They popped to the group and popped back in less than a minute. Nick had been shot in the arm. Elise’s devastation and panic hit me like a lightning rod. Alexander quickly healed him.

Elise ran to her grandfather. He looked at his arm then at my brother. He said, “Damn kid, thanks. That hurt like a bitch. There’s more than one sniper in that group, EJ.”

I asked, “What?”

Cameron snorted, “This was a different sniper. Not as good as the original one. Same symbol, not as trigger happy as the more accurate original sniper.”

He rubbed his temples, “Can I just say? I want that one back. This one was helpful, but Nick got shot. I thought trigger happy sniper was a little intense. I have since changed my thoughts. That sniper is amazing and I’m putting it out into the universe that I want him or her back. I’ll have my Beta send Former Beta Dylan a memo. He has manifestation powers I want him to use for the trigger happy snipers return.”

I groaned, “Did anyone get eyes on the new sniper?”

My dad chimed in, “Please don’t send that memo.”

Several people snickered. Cameron sighed, “I already told my Beta to. He probably knows already. As for eyes on the sniper it took us awhile to find their hide.”

I asked, “Why?”

He answered, “It wasn’t like the other ones. I don’t know where the normal sniper was, but this definitely wasn’t them. Non trigger finger aside, their hides are completely different. This person had been set up waiting and wanted us to know that. They knew we were in trouble but didn’t warn us.”

I nodded, “Which lends to your theory there’s more than one sniper.”

Trigger happy sniper tried to warn people ahead of time with a first shot. He nodded, “Whoever this circle and line thing is it’s more than one person. Again, I want the A team back.”

Nick snorted, “Same. I don’t like getting shot by a sniper. I just think it’s the number one versus the number two we want back. We got the A team just not the top shooter. Or the angriest one. This shooter was deadly accurate but…”

He trailed off.

I asked, “But what?”

Nick admitted, “In the other shootings it’s clear there’s some anger, but we’ve argued the sniper wants us to live. This sniper seemed to not care either way.”

Cameron grumbled, “Like I said I want the A team back.” Nick chuckled, “No, you want the trigger happy angry one that has a strong desire for us to live back.” Didn’t we all? Was the trigger happy sniper ok?

We needed to get our own snipers if the other side was coming with them now. I ran my hands through my hair. We’d been trying for quite some time to get a name for this group and the sniper. We’d put it out there we wanted to meet with them every way we could. Could the trigger happy sniper have been caught?

Brutus said, “They would’ve advertised that.”

He was right. The Ring hated the circle group almost more than us. Which was quite a feat. I knew that Cayden had been working on something, but he couldn’t get a lock on it. He started hitting on the drugs last year. We knew he had a source, but no one was sharing with us who it was. Which meant the source didn’t want us to know.

None of us were getting anywhere on the circle group. Not even Cayden, but his frustration with it seemed different than mine. Like he knew something but had no proof. I’d offered to help but he’d shrugged me off. I knew that meant he couldn’t tell me but wanted to.

Our pack had tracked buyers of equipment down for the Blue Circle group to where it had been bought. It was different people every time. A mix of male and female. They never showed their faces on the cameras. Heads down, always in cash, and wearing gloves. They were insanely and annoyingly smart.

This was a group fighting the Ring. I growled, “I want a damn name! It’s been two years! This is obviously an organization! They HAVE to have a damn name! They are helping us all the time! So, why the FUCK won’t they reach out to us?”

My mom answered, “They don’t think they need to. They have our six when we need them to. I don’t think we will hear from these people until they run into something they can’t handle.”

I asked her, “Why wouldn’t they want help? If we combined forces, we could shut this down.”

My mom patiently explained, “Some people don’t feel safe taking their information to those they don’t know or trust. This could be someone who either escaped the Ring or knows about it. Maybe their family is involved, and they are rebelling in the only way they can.”

“This is someone who is very fucking smart and is doing what they feel is right. They want us to know they are there, but they don’t want us to know who they are. Until they want us to, I don’t think we will. They are clearly good at avoiding us and we can't pop to them.”

She paused then said, “Then the ONE chance we had, we didn’t have a Fairy with the group. That seems intentional. It’s always the same sniper usually, but this time it was different. We are going to have to have Fairies at these meets now. If it’s more than one sniper, maybe we can pop to the others.”

Alexander said, “Our sniper is never out when it’s me though, but I don’t think it was the one who was there today.”

I agreed with that. My mom muttered, “Maybe you make the sniper nervous, remind them of someone, or they have assignments.”

Wait, what? Alexander tilted his head.

My dad and several others rubbed their heads. I linked my dad, “Is there a theory you want to share?”

Because that was a valid point. He said, “We’ve discussed theories because the shootings when Alexander is there don’t match the pattern. Things have been strange there though.”