No Longer Hidden
Melanie looked around the room Xander popped them into to meet his family, before his mom’s fight. I linked Elise, “The tension in this room is… umm… well… high.” Elise snorted, “It was higher until Alexander told the family your theory.”
I replied, “I really don’t do well in high tension situations… that did not change about me. What I told Xander was logical… so they should all know that.” Elise chuckled, “Yes, well I can’t say that doesn’t make me smile. I love when you are wonderfully you.”
I asked, “What was it like at home this whole time?” Elise answered. “I swear to you that Eric was up pacing all night. EJ even joined him. They are all so on edge and trying to block it from Haley so she could sleep and focus on the fight.”
I replied, “Haley shouldn’t need much sleep because of her Hackura side. Actually, Fairies don’t need much sleep either and she’s accepted her Fairy side.” Elise laughed, “Yeah, I know that and so do they. Haley has rolled her eyes at them several times.”
I was not sure why any of them worried to this extent. Worried, sure. Pacing worried… was odd. Haley would win this fight easily. I looked at my mate and noticed where Xander was looking. I linked Elise, “Is Preston ok?”
Elise answered, “Yes. One of his friends finally dumped his girlfriend. Preston thinks something else is going on.” I surmised, “You mean Keaton… good… gosh that girl was shrill. I’m not sure if Supernatural’s can have permanent hearing loss… but Keaton might. What else does Preston think is going on?”
Elise shrugged admitting, “I’m not sure. I just know several people are extremely excited that Keaton dumped this girl. Itseems many do not like her, including you.” I asked, “Do you not know her?” Elise chuckled, “I’ve never met her.”
I snorted, “Umm, well she’s kind of evil looking… really. I nearly killed her… Something tells me I should’ve… I’m just saying.” Elise snorted, “Let’s not kill our allied pack members.” I replied, “I mean if she’s actually evil… odds are I will. I was told not to deep dive into her because solely because her voice is shrill and annoying… but there are weird things about Lisa.”
Elise chuckled, “Yes, well that’s not really a reason to look into her.” I disagreed, “Odd things are a reason to look into someone. I was just rather… busy… until recently… not that I’m not busy now… but I have more time on my hands.”
Elise snorted, “Let’s not investigate her. How exactly did you see Lisa?” I answered, “Ok… I guess I won’t… but I still feel like it could have merit. Keaton and Lisa were on the Ring’s radar the first six months after he turned sixteen.”
“They snuck away for a weekend together. We had to make sure they were ok. Her voice is quite… annoying… and that’s putting it mildly… plus she’s mean. I’m not sure why Keaton liked her. She complained the whole time about how they were roughing it.”
“Sierra linked me that I couldn’t kill her for that… which I maintain is not true. They were in a cabin with plumbing and air conditioning. I’m not sure Lisa knows what roughing it means. I’m surprised Haley hasn’t charmed her for being annoying.”
Elise replied, “Haley has never met her.” That surprised me. I asked, “How is that possible? Lexi Daniels is one of her best friends… and Keaton is her godson… they don’t even live that far away. How on earth do you all not hear her shrieking all the time?”
Elise shrugged, “Lisa isn’t around if Haley is.” Did no one besides me find that suspicious? Because I did. Freya offered,“That does sound weird.” Sierra linked me, “I know that look. There’s no nefarious plot there, so stop thinking it.”
I argued, “But…” Sierra interrupted, “Lisa’s probably just a god awful she bitch. The woman has survival instincts like the rest of us. Lisa probably knows Haley would call her on her shit and doesn’t want her to catch onto her title grabbing game.”
“It’s one thing for Keaton’s friends to say something, it’s another for the Princess of the Fae and Hackura to say Lisa just wants to be a Luna. It’s not a crime to be a ladder climber, it’s just annoying. We have no time for her.”
I mean… I did have time now to look into Lisa….but Elise and Sierra said I shouldn’t… yet I still wanted to. Sierra quickly added, “Plus, Keaton and Lisa are now broken up. Phil said his sources say Keaton has never broken up with her in their on and off relationship before. He’s resolute this time though. They are done.”
Well… that meant killing her wouldn’t upset… most people. Sierra warned, “Don’t get your easier to kill someone face on.” Well, it would be easier if Keaton didn’t like Lisa anymore. I asked, “Did Keaton meet someone new? His mate perhaps?”
Sierra admitted, “I don’t know. Phil said he hasn’t mentioned anything, nor introduced anyone to his parents. Maybe Keaton overheard Lisa say something, or he caught her cheating.” I frowned and asked, “Wait, Lisa cheated on him?”
Sierra answered, “Phil said she’d cheated on him a few times. He said her reasons were to make him jealous.” I gasped, “Lisa cheated on an honorary Resistance member, and you don’t want me to kill her?!” Sierra groaned, “Being a serial cheater is not a reason to die. They aren’t marked mates.”
Still. That had to make it hard for anyone in the Daniels family to like this girl. Did Lexi Daniels not know about the cheating? How did anyone stop the Black Arrow from sinking anarrow into Lisa’s heart for breaking her sons? Why wasn’t the Hood doing something? Keaton’s family ran the Shroud.
Xander was off with Preston trying to help with the Keaton situation too. My mate was a good brother and man. Freya purred, “Let’s just take him off to a spare room because he’s hot and he needs some stress relief. His mom’s fighting today. It’s the least we can do.”
I snorted, “You are something else.” Freya teased, “Say what you want, but I know that you want to. You think it’s a good idea too.” It was. When I reached for my husband’s hand to do just that Eric walked into the room.
Freya snickered, “You snooze you lose, Melanie. Commit that lesson to memory.” My wolf yet again had a point. I also committed most memories to memory. I evaluated my father in law. Eric looked like he hadn’t slept in a few days.
Jeez… these guys really needed to find some logical calming skills. Buttercup linked me, “It’s the Alpha in them. Plus, Eric has issues with Fairies who don’t like partials because of how they treated Haley has a child.” That was fair.
The logic didn’t match up, though. Haley wasn't a defenseless child anymore, and it was beyond time other Fairies understood that. Well… the bad ones. Obviously, the good ones had figured that out long ago.
Lucinda tried to ease Eric’s worries. I had to admit… Eric had a point. I looked at Xander, knowing I would have faith in him if he were fighting someone to the death. I knew my mate would be victorious, but it would worry me because I loved him.
Freya agreed, “Yes, Thor has a point. In our case, as a goddess, if someone challenged mate I could electrocute them.” I could get behind that rule she’d clearly just made up. Xander was the love of my life, my mate, and my husband. The right to defend him was mine.
I didn’t sleep much anyway, but Eric looked like he could use a few hours. Angela assured every one of the outcome, then winked at me. I couldn’t help but bite my lip trying not to laugh or ask a question. I was surprised no one had asked her before.
