I wrote ‘Alpha Mate’s’ in its place. So now it read: The Alpha Mate’s Brunch. I said aloud, “I don’t know who made the sign. Ok I do…. but clearly, they just got stuck on the wording. Obviously, they didn’t mean to be sexist.”
I glared around the group saying, “I mean, of all people the she wolves know that until about twenty some odd years ago, we were the ones looking for opportunities and being denied them. In some packs women still have to fight against those antiquated ideas and ways of life.”
“So…. this the wording was clearly an oversight by the planning committee. I’m surprised it hasn’t been updated…. since we had Former Alpha Male Teke around when Alpha Sophia led her pack. Beta Male Ted was around too.”
“I’d think the planning committee had… plenty of time to update the wording to include everyone the goddess… that you all believe in…. gave to Alphas as mates. I myself think Selene’s a… well nothing nice… a horrible wench really… but not everyone does.”
“You don’t get to pick and choose what you worship her for. Either you follow and respect her mated pairs…. or you don’t. With mixed Supernatural couple’s that took multiple gods to agree on…. You should probably agree. Those are better matches… statistically, since more than one person was involved in the decision.”
“If I were in charge…. I certainly wouldn’t want to anger a whole group of gods. Should such things concern me… which they don’t… but I am certain they concern you. Or they should… maybe I should look into the other shady things you do.”
They didn’t need to know that I already knew, and considering the amount of them that paled… I was tempted to tell everyone their dirty laundry if they kept this up. Freya snickered in my head. I walked over to Haley and handed her the sharpie.
My mother in law smiled at me then looked at Cayden and Micah. Haley apologized, “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize those signs bothered either of you. I’ve told them to change it. I snapped it done more than once for Former Alpha Teke, but…” She trailed off seeming to remember what happened.
Haley shrugged, “I should’ve pushed.” Cayden declared, “It doesn’t bother me.” Micah said, “It annoys me more than anything. You have nothing to be sorry for, Haley.” I agreed,“You don’t. The planning committee… and those who are sticks in the mud, do.”
Haley asked, “Sticks in the mud?” I smiled saying, “You’ll like this one. Sticks in the mud refers to people who are stuck in the past. A stick in the mud doesn’t move…. and when the ground dries, they stay there. Stuck.”
Haley laughed, “I’ll give them that one then. The score is still Haley: a fucking million, the earthly realm saying person: one.” I smiled at her. Luna Lena passed our table with her daughters to get food. The woman had the audacity to scoff when she passed Haley.
Haley sighed. I stood asking, “Luna Lena, do you have something to say?” Cayden spit out his drink. Elise linked me, “Haley let’s that stuff go, we all do. They don’t like us.” I replied, “I don’t.. let these things go. Bullies… back off when confronted… statistically speaking.” Freya agreed, “I’m with you on this.”
Luna Lena flushed and turned around to face me. The woman actually said, “I didn’t say anything.” I said, “False. You said plenty earlier…. when we walked in. Then your body language, and your scoff, said more. I’ve been told I’m not the best at reading those cues.”
“So, if I caught it… everyone did. If you have something to say… you can say it to our faces. If you think you’ll continue on with your piss poor attitude towards my mother in law, or my brothers and sisters in law, you are sadly mistaken. I don’t like bullies.”
I paused while Luna Lena gaped at me. I asked after a beat, “So… what’s it going to be? Are you going to cower away and go back to your table…. and make biting comments until I address you again? Or are you going to grow a pair and say what you have to say to our faces?” Her daughters growled at me.
I said, “Ohhh, now I’m shaking in my heels. A little pup growl from two girls… and yes, I said girls knowing your ages… who have never attended training a day in their lives. In case you haven’t heard, I was down in Nashville being a Female Lead Warrior, without a wolf, kicking Alpha butt.”
“Take your fake righteous indignation and shove it. I’m the one with decency here… and by calling you out instead of talking behind your back… it makes me different than you on that level as well as the others we all know exist between us.”
“Or… we could call it in your case… exactly what it is. A coward… who is a bully…. talking loud enough so everyone with superior hearing can hear you when you disparage the person who can’t. It’s very brave of you…. and in case you didn’t catch my heavy sarcasm because no one talks back to you; my tone is dripping with it.”
Luna Lena gasped, “You can’t speak to me that way.” I said, “I just did. So… in fact, I can. It’s not as fun when you’re the one being talked about is it? At least I said it to your face. Mostly because I’m not a conniving, backstabbing jerk who knows… that if the person I was talking about could hear me…. they’d kick my butt.”
“We both know… I’d destroy you in a fight… which is why you haven’t made a move. You might talk a good game with your whispering…. but everyone in this room knows my mother in law could destroy you in a fight. Or… anyone who doesn’t is deluding themselves.”
“So, which is going to be? Keep in mind… that statistics tell me the probable outcome… none of which are favorable to you. Not being a coward and bully…. saying it here and now… probably goes a little better for you. So… are you going to say what you have to say to our faces or not?”
Haley chugged her drink. Luna Lena hotly said, “I have nothing to say.” I warned, “Keep it that way then. Even thoughthe probability outcomes say you won’t. Just remember… I can hear you…. and I’m not above kicking your butt to put you in your place. As stated… I don’t like bullies.”
“I’ve had to kick a lot of butt over the last…. oh gee… seven years. It won’t be any skin off my teeth. I haven’t had a fight… in a minute. I’d say good fight…. but I think we all know it wouldn’t be one. You haven’t trained in what?”
I tapped my chin then said, “Thirty years…. give or take a year?” I enjoyed her paling further. Her daughter asked, “How do you know about us?” I answered, “I like to know things… something you should try on occasion.”
The other sister gasped, “We know things.” I retorted, “Then you should know… that I was a Female Lead Warrior. Since I just said it…. and you should’ve known before then.” The first sister questioned, “What does that have to do with anything?”
I snorted, “Your pack should be ashamed of the education… or lack thereof… it provides. As a Female lead Warrior… I did threat assessments on the Alphas and their families. Spoiler alert… your family isn’t considered to be one.”
Cayden tried to cover his laugh with a cough. Luna Lena scurried off with her daughters. I sat down and took a drink of the champagne. Haley said, “Thank you Melanie, but that wasn’t necessary.” I disagreed, “On the contrary…. it absolutely was.”
I paused then added, “See… down in places like Black Path… taking the high road… it doesn’t get you anywhere. Bullies should be confronted. Because they are cowards… who should be called out. Olivia, I’ve got a twenty that says Luna Lena… says something dumb in the next thirty minutes.”
Olivia laughed, “I’m not taking that bet.” Micah snorted, “No one would.” It didn’t even take fifteen minutes before they were snarking. It was about me, so I simply sipped on my champagne and smiled at their table. They flushed when I raised a glass to them.
Cayden teasingly chided, “Melanie.” I replied, “Cayden.” Cayden laughed, “You’re playing with fire.” I snorted, “No…. they are. I was serious…. and people say I’m a bad liar… so people would also say those women should know… I was dead serious.”
