I growled, “Just stop getting hurt.” Melanie sighed, “I mean… I’ll try, but I can’t really promise that and…” I cut her off by kissing her. When I pulled back, Warriors had started coming back into the gym. Gage linked, “Ok, that wasn’t that bad.”
I snorted, “Where are you?” Gage answered, “Hiding in the bleachers on a video call with Phil. We are both relieved. Phil’s linking me that his mate said we are silly because all we had to do was talk about how hard it was for your Alpha blood. Melanie has done a massive amount of research on it.”
Oden snorted, “Well, that works for us.” Yes, it was because I could explain other things the same way to her. Chason linked me, “I think that went well. I was kind of expecting an all out sparring war between you two. I had ice cold water ready and everything.” I rolled my eyes at him.
Over the next few days, I planned my first Valentine’s Day with Melanie. I popped her to the Maldives for the day. She’dloved every second of it, and so did I. When we came back, the focus was on the Summit.
Phil told me, “Melanie has warned us, through my mate, that we need to prepare for someone in our group to be incredibly angry at the Summit.” I asked, “Who?” Phil said, “Sierra didn’t say, and I was thoroughly convincing. I did find out that Toby and I were intentionally left off a Beta Memo. Along with your other brother's Beta’s.”
Gage said, “Not that it’s a shock, but no Gamma’s were included either. So, I wasn’t left out technically speaking.” I asked, “So, is it EJ that is going to be mad?” Phil snorted and slapped the back of my head, “No doofus it’s your dad. Dylan Frost messing with your dad.”
I groaned, “Great. That’s just great.” It was made even better by the fact that my mate knew what it was. Phil added, “I asked the other Beta’s, but all they do is laugh and say I’ll have to see it to believe it.” That sounded ominous when you were talking about something Dylan Frost was planning.
Melanie had approached me about the group therapy session she wanted. My wife was so nervous the people on her list wouldn’t agree to come. I assured her they would all show up. I even warned my dad she wanted him there.
I could feel and see his surprise when I told him. Dad agreed, “Of course I’ll be there, I’m just not sure why I’m wanted.” Oden snorted, “I could guess.” I could too. I told him, “I knew you’d come.” I suspected Melanie wanted his presence for my mom. My mate and mom were alike in that way. They both thought of everyone else before themselves.
The day before we were leaving for the Summit, I walked into my room to pack for Melanie and me, surprised she’d already packed. Sierra seemed to believe I was going to have to pack for her because Melanie wouldn't pack enough. Abigail even agreed.
Phil had snorted that Sierra was prepared to stay at the Summit for two months with what she’d packed. She told him she had to be ready for all occasions. She’d warned me that Melanie would only pack a few outfits, and I would have to help.
When Melanie burst into the room, letting me know my mom had packed for her, I knew it would be fine. Calvin linked me, “God, these muffins are so good. I’m so glad your mate is opening a bakery. I’m going to have to do more cardio or I’ll put on muffin weight.” I snorted in reply.
While I was driving Melanie was happily working on her computer. Maverick got bored and decided to be nosy looking at what Melanie was doing. My younger brother linked me, “Umm, your mate is rich. Like really rich, Alexander.”
I reasoned, “I mean we are incredibly wealthy as a couple. What’s mine is hers.” Maverick linked, “Have you guys talked about how much money she has? I think I want her to re-do my investments. She’s smart.” I snorted, “You knew that.” Maverick chuckled in our link.
It made sense Melanie had a lot of money. The equipment I saw and the buildings the Resistance owned, and the cars. All that meant she had to have money. I was about to tell Maverick to cut it out because Melanie’s sadness was echoing in our bond.
It turned out she was sad about her friend that was missing. I found it hard to believe that someone could keep a person off Melanie’s radar. I linked Gage and Phil, “Ask your mates about who my mate would be looking for, because she can’t find her friend. That makes me believe there is magic in play.”
Gage replied, “Or it’s the end of the world. Abigail said she didn’t know.” Phil replied, “Sierra is groaning and hitting her head against the window. It’s a girl who used a fake name, but I’m getting the sense Melanie might be the one who knows the real name. Maybe. I do know she sang in with their band.”
“Or it’s because my mate doesn’t want to talk about it because it’s why they forced Melanie into taking a vacation when we met them. Sierra said she spent a lot of time looking for her and took a beating for lunch being late by a minute. Melanie had just healed when you met her.”
Oden snarled, “ALEXANDER!” I replied, “I’m just as upset.” I circled back to this having to be magic because Melanie seemed to be everywhere. So, the only thing that could stop her from finding someone was magic. Wasn’t it? I shook myself from those thoughts.
If Melanie wanted my help finding her friend, she’d ask. Oden snorted, “Or we just ask our uncle and cousin.” Yeah, I’d have to ask Micah. He’d been the one to mention the girl that sang with the band, but he hadn’t met her.
The rest of the drive went by quickly. I was on the lookout for what was going to make my dad upset. Other people seemed to know what it was because people were snickering at him. I could feel mom’s confusion and annoyance.
Mom’s irritation was mounting with the rest of ours the longer we were here. Finally, at lunch I asked Melanie what was going on. She said Dylan had statues made. Oh, dear god. I could feel in the bond Melanie was fretting over not digging into it.
Sierra sighed, “This is going to bite us in the ass. We had a brief moment of backed off Melanie and this will just bring her back to digging into every little thing.” I had a sense Sierra was right. I watched mom walk right up to a table and demanded they stop laughing at dad.
Mom’s statue was beautiful, which wasn’t surprising. I linked EJ, “I’m getting a really bad feeling about dad’s statue.” EJ replied, “I’ve had a bad feeling since they all were snickering at us. No one would dare to laugh at our dad.”
When they finally showed my dad’s statue, I couldn’t stop my reply. I was actually stunned. Since when did Dylan Frost havea death wish? I was staring at an exact replica of my dad, on all fours in pink basketball shorts.
Dad had a ball gag in his mouth and a leash around his neck that was being held by my mom. It was the same likeness from her statue. Wesley linked, “Oh motherfucking shit balls.” Phil linked, “This is bad.” Phil was going for understatements today.
Gage linked, “Oh my god. What?! Just…” He trailed off and clearly ran out of words to say. Buttercup’s jaw was on the floor. I linked my sister in law, “You didn’t know about this?” Buttercup couldn’t even reply, she merely shook her head no.
Dad lost it. I felt my mom’s concern in our bond. There was more to it that I got shut off from harshly, which I didn’t understand. I barely kept my eyes from going gold with how pissed dad was, and now he was on the move.
My siblings were stunned into silence. No one at our table had even moved until mom popped away. I quickly stood and put a generous tip on the table. We were going to have to help mom keep dad calm. I grabbed Melanie and popped to Dylan.
The man sighed, “I guess the jig is up. One of you knows.” I warned, “Dad saw it, so you need to run far and fast. He will be here…” I trailed off when a roar shook the booth Dylan was sitting at. People began to flee the area like rats sinking from a ship.
