I punched Mark in the face. Wesley gently said, “Now, now, Alexander. He can’t tell us anything if you knock him out.” I growled, “I don’t care what he has to say.” Oden snarled, “Rip him to pieces!” Mark stammered, “I never hurt Melanie. I tried to get Trevor to give her up, and I tried to get her to stop pissing him off so much.”
I incredulously asked, “So you subscribe to the theory it’s MY WIFE’S fault because Melanie didn’t just turn into a docile, submissive she wolf and let someone who isn’t her mate mark her? You knew they suppressed her wolf and did nothing.”
“You didn’t help my mate. You didn’t tell anyone what had been done. I don’t know about anyone else, but to me that’s not ‘doing nothing’ to Melanie. I’m the one who matter here to because you’ll be my prisoner.”
Max offered, “It’s actually doing something quite horrible. I can’t imagine not having Magnus. I’ve had him since I wasborn, but he’s a piece of me. You took part in taking a piece of Melanie’s soul, and you say you did nothing. You are disgusting.”
Mark frowned. Wesley added, “Melanie was going to kill herself because of the lies you allowed to be perpetuated.” I glanced sharply at him. I linked, “How did you know that?” Wesley answered, “Elise was crying in the hallway with EJ before he popped her to their room. I heard her say it.”
Mark argued, “No way. Melanie wouldn’t do that. She was determined to hang on because of…” he trailed off then pointed at me, “him.” Max questioned, “So you thought telling a sixteen year old, who was told she was wolf less and that the man she thought was her mate would reject her, that her father wasn’t her father, telling her that her biological father killed her family, punishing her, throwing her in a hole, to bring her up to carve vile words into her back would just what? Have no effect on her mentally? Then saying her nephew would never know her was simply not scarring. Please let me hurt him, Alexander.”
Mark looked at me reiterating, “I’m turning myself in.” Levi spoke from behind me, “Because you knew we were close to you.” Tristan was growling. Oden told me, “Apollo is NOWHERE near as pissed off as I am. Despite what he thinks.” I would imagine Apollo was plenty pissed.
Mark said, “Can’t it count for something that I’m turning myself in?! I never physically raised a hand to Melanie.” Mark’s hand began to turn into a rock which made him scream in pain. I lifted an eyebrow at Max because that was his power. He could turn people into rocks. They would feel the pain as a loss of a limb.
Max asked, “What? I’m not physically raising a hand to him.” Levi laughed heartily. Tristan urged, “Do his leg next, Max.” Max smiled, “With pleasure.” Mark fell to the ground as his foot turned to stone. He swung out with his hand that turned to stare at me.
I rolled my eyes, “Your hand looks and feels like a rock to you, but it won’t hurt anyone Max loves. It feels like a feather.” Mark cried, “Please stop.” Tristan asked, “How many times did you stand back and listen to my sister say those exact words?” Oden roared in my head.
Mark cringed, “Don’t you have a pack to help run with your Alphas?” Tristan growled, “I find it interesting you know that since my sister believed I was dead.” Mark groaned, “I knew you weren’t dead because Trevor did. I was under an Alpha command not to tell her.”
Wesley snorted, “If only you could’ve come to literally anyone in our allies and told them what was happening to Melanie. Or sent them an anonymous email, letter, or a smoke signal even. There were options.”
Mark snorted, “If I wanted to die, sure.” I asked, “So, if I have my mom or my sister make you tell me the truth there won’t be some sort of compensation for you not turning on those people who were hurting my wife?” Mark paled.
Max said, “I think I’ll turn his kneecap to rock next.” Mark howled, “No! No! I…” He trailed off again then admitted, “was to be rewarded.” I asked, “How?” Mark sighed, “I was going to be paired with a Gamma’s daughter, or a Beta’s, as my mate. I never got to meet any of the girls because Melanie fought for them, then they ran away from their families and they never found them.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. I said, “So you were going to forcibly mark some girl.” It wasn’t a question. Mark emphatically stated, “No, I wanted to get to know the girl first. I wanted her to agree. She would’ve had to stay in my house until we got to know each other better and she was marked; however, I never intended to use the threat of my given mate’s family dying.”
Wesley snorted, “Given mate.” Mark said, “That’s what they were. People say chosen mates, but there was no choice. She wasn’t going to be my fated mate. She would’ve been given to me.” There was actually some logic to that.
I looked at Levi saying, “You were tracking him down.” Levi nodded. Tristan said, “I’m working with Levi on tracking down all of Trevor’s friends. We’ve killed a few.” I smiled, “Of course you have. Good work, cousin.”
Mark sighed, “I could tell you Francis will be somewhere around. He won’t be with Trevor unless Trevor needs him to do something stupid.” I said, “Trevor and Francis are in the Hackura realm.” Mark snorted, “Of course they did something dumb and you caught them.”
Levi sneered, “You’re one to talk.” Mark argued, “I still turned myself in.” I rolled my eyes saying, “You’ll still suffer for the decisions you made.” Mark asked, “Can I please talk to Melanie?” Tristan growled, “She won’t save you.” Mark laughed, “I know that. I just want to talk to her.” I thought about it and told him, “That’s my wife’s choice.”
Suddenly, dad pulled me to him. I announced, “I have to go. Levi, do you have him?” Tristan asked, “Is something wrong with my sister?” I answered, “My dad pulled me, not Melanie.” Tristan relaxed. Levi assured me, “I’ve got this, cousin.”
I nodded and popped to dad with Max and Wesley. I looked around seeing my guard was here with my dad, along with a border patrol. My stomach dropped and I closed my eyes. Oden growled, “This is about mate.” I could tell that.
Wesley said, “So, Melanie left. I’ll call Levi since we don’t want T to think we lied.” Max snorted asking, “Who cares? We can’t lie, and we didn’t.” Dad said, “Max.” Max looked away. I asked, “What’s going on here? Where is my mate?” I could tell she wasn’t here in the bond.
Dad sighed, “Melanie was working on something. She said she had an opportunity to save you and her friend.” Egres went to speak but I held up my hand. I tried to pop to her and was thrown back. I yelled, “SON OF A BITCH!”
I called Melanie. Oden said, “Freya is in so much trouble right now.” Melanie was ranting like always. I linked dad, “Why is my mate worried about Hastein getting to Kingsley?” Dad replied, “I just know Melanie called Aaron to get H to K.”
Egres was on the phone, probably getting that answer. Melanie was going to turn herself over in place of Kingsley. Gage linked, “This is the worst plan EVER!” Oden growled, “We need more time to come up with a better plan.”
I asked, “What is Freya saying?” Oden grumbled, “That she has a plan and they would miss the opportunity if they don’t take it.” DAMMIT! My mate was actually giving herself over to Vampires?! VAMPIRES! This was a terrible plan!
I liked it better when I thought she was going to fight them, but no. She was just letting them take her. Perfect. Just what every mate wants to hear. Gage linked, “Your eyes are very golden.” I shot him a look, and he held his hands up.
Oden snorted, “Oh good. Mate’s had a plan for years. WHAT IS THE MOTHERFUCKING PLAN, ALEXANDER?! I was without her for OVER A DECADE after I smelled her. I want her back. NOW!” I retorted, “Because I don’t? We have a stubborn, smart, gorgeous mate. What do you want from me? I can’t make her come back any more than you can get Freya to agree to come back.”
Oden growled, “They want to protect us. That’s why they are doing this. We are perfectly capable of protecting ourselves.” I told him, “I am aware.” Oden said, “Mate’s not going to be able to sit down for several days when we get her back. SEVERAL.”
I agreed with that. My wife was getting spanked. A lot. I might even use a paddle. Oden muttered, “We are one hundred percentspanking the shit out of them.” I reasoned, “I still agree with you.” A green code flashed on my watch.
