I focused back on the conversation about Charles. I sincerely hoped the man found his second chance mate. I could talk to Cousin Emmaline or Aria. They could give him one and then he would move firmly into the real friendship Melanie believed they have.
That was a somewhat selfish noble request on my end. Oden snorted, “I like it. Plus, mate thinks he’s cute with someone. That’s likely someone in our circles, or she’d have introduced them. We can make this happen.” Charles did deserve to be happy after what he’d been through. He just couldn't have it with my mate. That was decidedly fair.
We lost ourselves in each other. Afterwards I took Melanie outside for breakfast. I could feel her studying me. Hell, I could practically hear the wheels turning in her head deciding if she was going to tell me something. I gave her the silence she needed to decide.
I was stunned she revealed the deep need to kill Slade Carter. It was a need I’d come to understand. In her shoes, I’d need him dead too. In her mind, he was the stick of dynamite. Slade took her away from her life.
Oden told me, “Freya said it’s non-negotiable to them.” It didn’t need to be negotiated. Melanie needed vengeance, and justice, for the girl she was that night that lost everything. I couldn’t blame her. I should’ve been there to protect her.
Oden said, “We couldn’t have been.” I reasoned, “I should’ve insisted on meeting her after the dance, then this wouldn’t have happened to her. She wouldn't have had to fight for everyone on her own. She could’ve done it with me by her side.”
Oden replied, “We were messed with by magic.” I lamented, “My cousins would’ve had their mates sooner too. Because I have no doubt Melanie would’ve found a way to be people’s champion without being in Black Path.”
Oden agreed, “Mate is smart that way, but we were messed with by the Ring.” I wished the Ring had try to come at me like they had Melanie. I would’ve killed them all by exploding their damn heads. Oden snorted, “Which is why they will never come at us.”
I shook those thoughts and thought about other realities. I actually couldn’t wait to find out how Ribbon Melanie’s pulled it all off, by another me’s side. I knew they would. I knew it meant a lot for my Melanie to tell me, even though she already had.
That first communication she’d left, outright told us she was going to kill Slade. I wanted to help her. Hell, I would help her. I wasn’t surprised to find out she had hacked my computer. I couldn't even find a part of myself that was upset about it.
Oden snorted, “Do you have memory loss? We’ve long since known mate hacked us.” I replied, “I think this is the first time she outright admitted it though.” Oden reasoned, “Knowing is knowing, and it’s not the first time she admitted it.” I wished Melanie had hacked further and found the files of her dancing that I had.
My mate would’ve known I’d wanted her or been curious as to why I had them. She probably could’ve figured out I’d had Micahhack Jason for them. It would’ve piqued her curiosity. I wished it had happened, but it didn’t. Maybe it would for another reality.
It meant a lot to me that thinking the worst of us all Melanie still cared enough to keep tabs on me. If I could've hacked her, I’d have done the same. I might need to take lessons from Micah to keep up with my mate.
Oden snorted, “Mate would still run circles around you.” I sighed, “You are me. So, I think you mean us.” Oden replied, “Me is not going to attempt to learn about the computer. I know it’s a losing battle.” That was true. I could work with Micah to maintain some set of skills on hacking. I’d be able to help Melanie with basic things then.
I was stunned when Melanie told me about the visions she got. They seemed ridiculously unhelpful. Maybe now, with her powers unlocked there would be more to them. Oden agreed, “One can only hope. Freya is not happy with how vague they are.” Which said they used to be more helpful for her.
If I were her, I’d be frustrated too. Melanie could’ve warned Cayden and Corbin if she’d seen Blaise and Tenley were the ones kidnapped. I knew she would’ve done that. I didn’t like the new vision that hadn’t come to pass, not one bit. Oden growled, “I don’t like this.”
Someone got caught in her vision. The look on Melanie’s face told me she believed it to be herself. Oden growled, “No.” I replied, “We both think it’s her and so does her face.” My wife confirmed, saying it was a trap. Oden reasoned, “She thinks it’s a trap, mate doesn’t know.”
Logically speaking, Melanie was their leader. If someone was walking into a trap, she’d have it be her. Oden growled in my head. On a technical level I understood that line of thinking because I’d do the same with my own men. I just hated it.
I needed her to warn me or at least talk it through with me. I couldn’t have her somewhere with the Ring believing she’d trulybeen caught. Knowing it was a trap was going to be bad enough. My anger would sell I believed she was in danger.
Because the undeniable truth was, even if it was a planned trap my wife would be in danger. I really wished the Ring had been snuffed out already. I wanted to kill them for what they’d done to my mother, to countless women, men, and Melanie already.
Now, I was pissed at them for something they were going to do. As if I needed more reasons to hate them. I’d help Melanie get her revenge on Slade. I just wouldn't let her run off into a situation where she could get seriously hurt because he was there.
As many mistakes as the Ring has made… they had to know Melanie would want revenge against Slade. We’d have to make sure that this trap was perfectly timed. Especially if my mate was the damn bait. I’d make it practically fool proof. No, wewouldmake it fool proof.
Melanie was upset that she couldn’t be like she used to be with her family. Honestly, that was going to take time, and everyone knew it. The McAlister’s would get back there. If we didn’t have centuries to live I wouldn’t be so confident, but we did.
Oden growled, “Mate thinks she’s not that girl anymore but she is.” That was true. My mate was still that girl they knew. Her personality didn’t change; she was still the smart and caring girl she always had been. My wife had just taken some beatings on the chin. Which hurt me more than I cared to admit.
Melanie had to shoulder being an Alpha, which never should’ve happened. That would hurt any Beta blood, but she wasn’t going to live with that pain anymore. I was here now. I hated that this situation had my mate so much. I knew it hurt the McAlister’s too, but Melanie shouldered it all alone while theyhad had each other. So, she had some justified walls up, and that was understandable.
I knew Tristan and Jason were struggling that the teenager they last saw had grown up and was now a woman. She froze in their minds at that age, I could understand that. They also felt like they’d failed as brothers.
I knew that was a tough pill to swallow. Because in their shoes I’d have destroyed our gym too many times to count. Oden snorted, “At this point all gyms would be unrecognizable if what happened to mate happened to any of our siblings.” That was a very valid assessment.
Somehow that brought up the topic of Cassandra. I felt Melanie’s anger in our bond that Cassandra hurt me. That woman hurt everyone else more than me. That was another situation I should’ve talked to someone about.
I should’ve gone to dad and told him what Cassandra was doing to my mom. I just knew that my mom was dealing with it for my dad. I wanted him to be happy too. I could honestly care less about Cassandra at this point. She wasn’t really a grandmother to me. She was a woman who tolerated me, and that wasn’t what a grandma did. I had Nana Blanch instead.
I was stunned Melanie wanted to go see Cassandra. I didn't think that would end well for Cassandra if it happened. My mate was protective. Oden snickered, “As if we aren’t of mate.” My wolf had that right. I was making sure Trevor and that wretched warlock Yuri were suffering for what they did. I had no doubt Ezra was suffering. I’d pay him a visit eventually too.
