I said, “I do believe we should have ourselves a hunt. In a Fairy enclosed space with these fuckhead shitbags.” Hastein chimed in, “We could set that up. My mate would LOVE to be there too. She hates that waste of space.” Oden scoffed, “Freya hates him a lot too.” I knew that.
Francis snorted, “That really doesn’t narrow down the list of suspects for who your mate is. I’m working on it though. There’s just a long list of people who hate Trevor.” I asked, “Why do you care who my cousin's mate is?” Francis said, “I like to know things, and I’m bored.”
My dad snorted, “No fucking way.” I asked, “What?” My dad turned his phone around. I looked around and noticed the McAlister’s had left. I wondered when that happened. I saw the calendar invite my dad had up. Melanie had gotten a meeting with her boss with all of us. Interesting.
Cayden snorted, “Freaking finally.” That was good. I had things to say to her boss. A lot of people did, but I was going tocall dibs first. Someone was going to argue that I needed to go last, but we’d see who would win that fight in the end.
Suddenly, I felt Melanie pull hard on our connection. I frowned asking, “EJ, did anyone link us about anything being wrong at home?” Gage and Phil simultaneously said, “There better not be.” Which meant no on linked them.
EJ answered, “Elise said Melanie went into the Ribbon when she was trying to take a nap. Your wife grumbled about taking one when she got back, then a few moments later Sierra went to get her coffee.” I sighed, “We probably need to head home. Melanie tugged on our connection.”
I searched our bond and found she was pretty annoyed and worried. It was mostly worried, but border lining on terrified. I announced, “I have to go.” I popped to Melanie, worried something was wrong. I didn’t see any immediate threats when I got to my wife. Sierra left in a hurry.
I linked Phil, “What the HELL is going on?” Phil answered, “So, as is the case in life lately I don’t know. I know Beta Dylan called and he’s going to bring Lucas here, and Beta James called so I know Alpha Theo is coming too.” Oh shit.
Those two tended not to be in the same place. I linked, “I’m sure Melanie has a reason.” I linked my dad, “Incoming.” Dad replied, “Caleb just told me. This is going to get tense rather quickly.” He wasn’t wrong.
Melanie’s anxiety was growing because she’d found something in Ezra’s files. I linked dad again, “Whatever happened involves Ezra.” Dad groaned, “Of course it does.” Melanie didn’t want anyone to hear us. I spoke my space unheard chant.
Next, I linked Cayden and Micah, “You two need to come upstairs and wait outside my room. Melanie wants to talk to you two after me.” Cayden snorted, “Coming.” Micah said, “Ditto.”Melanie started rambling worse than normal about what she needed to do.
Oden linked, “Mate said mom knows, but that doesn’t help. Mom is one of the smartest people I know.” I knew that. My mom also always respected people's privacy. I’d never be upset with my mom about that.
I figured out this was about her boss, which pissed me off. Now her boss was giving her anxiety. Oden told me, “Freya is laughing so I’m not sure how to prepare for whatever is coming.” Ok, that didn’t match my emotions at all. So, I wasn’t sure how to prepare either.
Melanie tried to convince me everything with her boss was fine again. I tried to explain where I was coming from, because I didn’t trust someone I didn’t know. Not with her. It clicked for me what my mom knew. Oden realized it too, “Mom knows who runs the Resistance.”
I agreed, “I got that. Mom also told me it was fine. Who would mom trust implicitly not to hurt Melanie?” Oden admitted, “I would think only a member of our family, but they’d include us. They wouldn’t have left mate to suffer.”
Exactly. I couldn't come up with an answer because it obviously wasn’t family or someone that would’ve hidden Melanie from us in the first place. Damn this was confusing. Oden admitted, “I literally don’t have a guess at this point. If mom is settled none of ours are correct.” I knew that.
Melanie blurted out she wasn’t going to be upset with herself and everything stopped. Herself? What the ever loving shit?! Oden told me, “Freya confirmed it. Mate started and still runs the Resistance. She is her own boss.” Oh. My. God.
Everything began to piece together in my mind. Melanie was always in the lead on coms. She was sending herself into these situations instead of her people, because they were her people. Holy fucking shit balls. Of course a Beta ran it and sentthemselves into danger. Because as much as my wife acted like an Alpha, she wasn’t one.
EJ linked me, “What’s the deal with your emotions? Our guests are here, and none of them are happy.” I replied, “When you find out you will feel EXACTLY how I do.” Phil linked, “Your feelings confuse me.” I snorted, “Well, I’m gob smacked.” Gage linked, “You good? Phil is worried about your feelings.” I replied, “Uh huh.” Gage groaned in reply. I’m not sure why since I couldn’t lie and I wasn’t.
How the hell did a fourteen year old start the Resistance? That’s why she fought for money as Swiffer. To fund her own business and opposition. I felt moderately guilty she’d done it for me and my family. Oden chimed in, “It was for Ajax too.” True.
I told my wolf, “I still can’t believe this.” Oden pointed out, “Mate is a Luna at heart. She did it to protect innocents too. It’s in her blood.” That was all true. Melanie was a Luna, and she had Beta blood. The need to protect others was embedded deep within her. Caine should’ve taken over though and issued assignments.
Oden replied, “Mate disagreed with him. He couldn’t take over.” Nor would he attempt it because she trained him, but he should have. He was the Alpha blood who could make the tough calls. Damn Edward Davis to the pits of hell for not teaching his own damn son that.
I mentally reviewed the names I knew. I practically rolled my eyes at myself because those were fucking anagrams and I didn’t see it. Of course my mom figured it out. Damn my Fairy blood not coming through for me.
Now that my wife admitted it was her behind the curtain, it was obvious. Estelle was a front for Melanie herself. Shit. This was huge. The company name was weird and nonsensical because it was an anagram ‘for mom, dad, and T.’
I’d been ranting about wanting to kick her boss's ass. Lord, could I sound like more a moron? Oden offered, “We couldn’t have known.” Yeah, well I’d been talking about things that weren’t even remotely true. My wife wasn't taking advantage of herself at all.
Melanie was protecting her people by sending herself out on dangerous missions. Kingsley wouldn’t get in trouble doing what she wanted because Melanie didn’t care. That’s who was behind the curtain, my mate. She got all her friends to their mates because that’s what’s mattered to Melanie. Their happiness.
Son of a bitch. Melanie was ranting again, worried I’d be upset. Upset? No. Impressed as all get out? Yes. This was impressive. I was worried about how much physical pain she was in as a Beta blood going against Alpha blood’s and basically being the Alpha of the Resistance.
Ultimately, Melanie was the one doing all the recruiting for the Resistance. No one used her grief to pull her in. My wife used her grief to create an opposition to protect those she loved, and it was damn impressive.
Melanie was watching out for everyone and amassing a huge group to fight against what we’d been unable to see. It made sense with all the other things she’d done. Thank god it wasn’t logical to assume a fourteen year old had started the Resistance.
Otherwise the Ring would’ve looked into Melanie a long ass time ago. At least her age would keep her safe from suspicion as the leader of the whole damn thing. From not only good people but bad ones. Oden offered, “At least we aren’t going to have to keep this secret very long.”
