Honestly, I smiled every time I saw Gerard. James had convinced cousin Idel to use one of his family names. Idel only agreed because she got to choose Gerard’s middle name. I smiled greeting, “Cousin, fancy seeing you here.”
Lux explained, “Melanie called.” Then he shifted while I growled. EJ linked, “Seriously? Your wife is sending us help.” I asked, “Did it have to be Lux? I’m going to need Aria or Emmaline to find him his damn mate so seeing him doesn’t irritate me so much.” EJ snorted.
Gerard told us, “Esmerelda took Harrison and a group to Blue Moon to help out there.” Esmerelda was our cousin and his sister. I asked, “What about the rest of your siblings?” Gerard laughed, “They are in Faerie with mom and dad.” I nodded.
Emmett and Alexandria showed up with Bryce, TeleTed and Matt’s Fairy / Hood pup, and several Warriors. EJ teased, “Let me guess, Melanie called?” Alexandria answered, “She did and I have to admit that I really like her. Luna Melanie was annoyed with how my mate answered the phone. Announcing it was him when she already knew that because she called him.”
I snorted, “That sounds like my wife.” I asked EJ, “Isn’t it weird this is the one time they don’t have snipers?” Dad linked us both, “Your mom has protections around the area for thingslike that. They’d have to come closer into the territory and we’d smell them.” Of course she had.
Mom went all out with her protection for the family. At least that was working in our favor. We did not need to deal with being sniped at right now. Oden chuckled, “Particularly without our own sniper in the trees.” Except Oden and I did have a sniper, and he was in the pack.
Shots started being fired. I looked at our house and spotted Hendrick behind the scope. So, we did have our own sniper, just not my sniper that I’d called and left voicemails for. Melanie’s fury filled me as she screamed for EJ to put up his shield. My wife called out seconds before shots rang out from their snipers.
Bradford linked, “I’m already on one of them!” I warned, “You be careful! They aren’t fighters but those are silver bullets.” Bradford replied, “Yes, Alpha.” It started raining. EJ linked our family, “Whichever one of the four of you that can do that, stop it.” I replied, “I don’t think it was us.”
I was looking directly at my mate’s hands, which were lighting up. EJ sighed, “I’ll rephrase. Did any of the four that can do that make it rain?” We all answered, “No.” EJ linked me, “We need to work with Melanie on her white wolf powers and your Fairy power she’s got.” I nodded because my big brother wasn't wrong, it just wasn’t a top priority to me.
If Melanie didn’t know how to fight so well, it would be. Hell, my wife could start electrocuting people that were going to stab her. That would make me happy. Melanie’s family was yelling her name as she ran to the armory.
Lux shifted back, “Yeah, she’s not going to stop. Your mate is single mindedly focused on her goals.” Sometimes to the point of recklessness in my opinion, but it further annoyed me that Lux wasn’t wrong. I saw my guard.
I told them, “I’m going to pop to Melanie since she’s climbing a building like she’s a damn monkey. I’m going to bring her backhere. When I do, you do not let anyone within fifty feet of her. Am I clear?” Egres, Gordon, and Hutchins nodded, answering, “Yes, Duke Alexander.”
I muttered, “Running off and getting stabbed, and diving in front of bullets like a damn maniac.” Angela linked me, “To save mom, but sure you keep on ranting.” I answered, “I just don’t like it.” Angela teased, “Melanie doesn’t like you keeping her out of the fight.”
I replied, “Then she shouldn’t have let herself get stabbed. That’s fair.” Angela cackled in our link, “Again, it was to save mom. It’s not totally fair, but it’s also not not fair.” Before I could answer I heard the shot and based on the direction it was fired at my mate.
I snarled and used my pushing power on everyone bad in my vicinity. Their heads exploded in record time. Dylan squealed, “YES! THE HEAD EXPLODER HAS COME OUT TO PLAY.” I snorted, “So, I take it Blue Moon’s attack is under control.” Dylan crunched on popcorn.
Eventually the man answered, “Of course it is. Your Water Fairy cousins could’ve handled it all on their lonesome. That my valent self was there to help made it all go faster helped, of course. It could’ve been our copious number of Warriors as well.”
Dylan waved his arms saying, “I’m going with it was all me. Not that Yellow River and Yellow Hills showed up to help. It’s been a momentous day for us. Yellow River came. People were twitterpated.” I rolled my eyes and popped to Melanie.
My wife wanted a new scope. I wanted her out of the damn line of fire, but I would get what I wanted faster if she had the scope. Once the threat was taken care of, I lifted up her shirt noting she was healed. Oden linked, “I would’ve told you if she wasn’t as would your healing light.” I knew that.
Oden took over and I popped us down to my Guard. I used my pushing power again. Furious at the entire situation. I watched my Guard surround Melanie. I could feel her annoyance, she even tried to get by me several times.
Oden linked, “Our Guard has this.” True. I shifted and let my wolf have his moment since he was upset too. I heard Gordon stop Melanie and felt her extreme irritation with me for keeping her out of the fight. I was past caring because my mate kept getting hurt!
Regardless of how fast Melanie healed, I was tired of seeing my wife get hurt while I was powerless to stop it. I realized it said more about me than her because it was about how powerless I felt at seeing my mate get hurt, but she could deal with it.
I knew we’d talk about it later. If Melanie wanted to fight about my decision, that was fine by me. My mate just had to find a way to stop getting injured. That was a reasonable compromise in my head. I snorted when I heard shots being fired from behind me.
Oden chuckled, “Mate seems to be unable to stop fighting even when she knew she was not going to be a part of the physical fight.” It was honestly adorable. EJ linked me, “You’re going to get in trouble for that move, little brother.” I replied, “Yeah, well she’s going to get in trouble for continuously getting hurt.”
I was sure dad was going to have a chat that would go nowhere with our mom about what she’d done. We all knew mom would never change, and we didn’t want her to. It was not good the Ring had realized after all these years the way to get to my mother was through those she cares about.
Oden agreed, “Yes, because mom wouldn’t, or couldn’t, stop going to the aide of those she loves. We are fucked if they continue to use that.” We all knew that. Once the fight ended Cayden brought over those that surrendered.
I was startled when I felt pure dread coming from Melanie. I turned to see her literally hiding behind my Guard. All of whom now looked amused, if not perplexed. Dad linked, “This is going to be good.” EJ linked, “Is Ladybug hiding?” I responded, “She does appear to be.”
I looked around at Melanie’s friends and noted they were all trying not to laugh. So, they knew these guys. Dylan was happily crunching on popcorn. Dylan Frost linked me, “You have noticed your mate is hiding, right? GOD, I LIVE! MelAshley is hiding. This is going to be GLORIOUS. She knows them.”
I linked Lacy, “Please keep your mate from shrieking about the fact mine is hiding.” Lacy snorted, “I am one person, Alexander. Plus, your mate hiding is rather interesting.” Well, I was glad she’d joined both packs after Dylan had so I could link her. I replied to Dylan, “I figured that out.”
Dylan said, “Something I take full credit for, being around you so much as a pup. My Beta brain rubbed off on your Alpha brain. You’re welcome, and please know I accept gift cards.” I rolled my eyes at him.
I listened to Tristan talk to Melanie. Everyone turned to face her when she altered the pitch of her voice. Hastein snorted while Uncle Bjourn and Uncle Marcus outright laughed. EJ sighed and Oden was actually cacking.
