Page 80 of The Alpha and His Song: Volume One

I snorted. Was she serious? Magic? Jarchi must be in the technology business. The man from the picture with my mom stepped forward saying, “It’s not like magic.” Thank you. At least he wasn’t crazy, just in organized crime or something.

Beatrice whispered, “Noxus, I’m so sorry about all this news we keep bringing. I can’t imagine your pain. I can’t believe Morgana would do this after leaving the way she did.” I gasped in shock. My mom left that guy? Was Beatrice serious? Wait. If that was Noxus then I knew the other guy on the throne.

I looked back at him and whispered, “He’s Caspian then. That has to be it. Why would a mob boss have a throne made of seashells? That’s weird. They know that’s weird, right? Ugh. Get it together, man. This isn’t real.”

“Caspian doesn’t have a throne of seashells. A mob boss would have a darker chair, mahogany probably. Your subconscious thinks he has a throne of seashells for some reason. My brain is so far past normal it’s getting ridiculous.”

Six pairs of brown male eyes jerked towards me. I squeaked in fright. How did they hear me? Who were the other five guys? One pair of eyes was Caspian. To be fair, the others looked like Caspian. Was I making up siblings for this guy now?

Caspian broke the silence, “Odette, that has to be you.” Why did it have to be me? Everyone gasped. Oh, crap on a cracker. Caspian continued, “Please don’t go, just say something else. Please little sister, talk to us.”

I snorted, “He can’t be serious. Is he serious? Who are you talking to, Odette?! This is the strangest dream ever. What I do know is I’m not talking to a mob boss. That’s how you get whacked, I think. Well, I’m pretty sure it is. He doesn’t know it’s me. It could be anyone, that’s a thing.”

One of the men came and stood beside me. I gasped, “How are next to me? Can you see me? Everyone outside ignored me. Oh god, was that to lull me into a false sense of security? I’m so getting whacked by the dang mob.” Someone tried to cover their laugh as a cough.

Caspian said, “No, we can’t see you and no one here lulled you into a false sense of security. We probably don’t have much time to talk about the things that need to be discussed. I need to know where you are.”

I rolled my eyes, “I’m not telling the mob boss I probably pissed off where I am. That’s a terrible idea, even in a dream. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen that movie, and it ends badly for me.” Caspian groaned, “I’m not a mob boss, and this is not a dream. You need to tell me where you are so I can protect you.”

I countered, “A mob boss would say it’s for your protection. I’m pretty sure the mob is big into the protection scene, according to my books anyway. Can you really not see me?” The guy beside me answered, “No, but we can hear you.”

I sighed, “That’s weird. My subconscious is so weird. I have GOT to figure out how to be normal. Any chance any of you have advice on that? I doubt it, since you sit on a throne made of seashells but stranger things have happened in my life.” Now, someone was definitely laughing.

Before they could say anything Noxus spoke, “Odette, who is your ex-boyfriend you mentioned in your emails? The one your mom wants you to marry.” I snorted, “Luke Merrick.” Caspian hissed, “LUKE MERRICK?!” Did they know him?

Noxus yelled, “She said Luke’s name? Odette, stay away from him! Someone, tell me she said she would stay away.” Someone else whispered, “This is war.” WAR? Oh god. Was Luke in the mob too? Why was this my life? Did I date a mob boss’s son? Oh lord. Of course mom hooked me up with the shitty, evil mob Prince.

I asked, “Why can’t Noxus hear me, but you guys said you could?” The guy beside me answered, “Because he’s not related to you. How did you know that was his name?” I ignored the last question and asked him, “So are you my cousin or something? Is that why you can hear me?”

The man snorted, “No, I’m your half-brother.” I groaned, “Sure, this is just great. I’m so lonely I’m making up long lost brothers in a weird place under the ocean.” I paused then conceded, “I guess that would make it the bottom of the ocean.”

I rubbed my temples, “Man, I am tired. I’m at the bottom of the ocean where there’s a whole society on land. Because that makes total sense. People just walk around just breathing and talking. I need therapy. So much therapy.”

Caspian argued, “No, you don’t need therapy. You do need to stay away from Luke like my dad said. DO NOT trust that whelp. When you find out who he really is, you’re going to be mad. That’s a discussion to have in person though. You don’t want to be anything with him. If you won’t tell me where you are, just know that.”

I sighed, “Well, at least my subconscious and my thoughts align there. I don’t trust Luke. I do have to comment on the fact that you say the word trust a lot. It’s really lining up for me that you’re a mob boss with a weird chair.”

“Don’t worry about Luke though. I’m not going to be with an abusive jerk who keeps trying to teach me lessons I don’t want to learn. OH MY GOD! HE IS TOTALLY IN THE MOB TOO! I’m going to get whacked, aren’t I?”

“You know what? You all better watch out! I have a gun, and I know how to use it. I took to it really well too. Crap! I’m so related to the mob. I got too good at shooting a gun too fast. It’s definitely in my blood.” Connie had learned quickly from Liam too in their book.

The man beside me hissed, “That’s why she’s surfaced. Because of Luke and his lessons.” I said, “Uhh I’m pretty sure I’m nowhere near the surface of anything. Something pulled me really far down here, which is crazy.”

I waved my arms like they could see me, “Look, I’m really sorry if I upset you guys. I don’t want to be with Luke or involved in whatever family mob war you’ve got going on with him. I want no part of it. He just shows up.”

“I lost all my friends that I made because of him simply because the man didn’t like them. I haven’t found anything or anyone he does like so it’s not like that was new either. Honestly, Luke’s looking for a wife several centuries too late who never speaks or is heard. I have opinions, and I mean he’s just awful.”

“We had to move, and mom came back because Luke said he couldn’t get into my apartment. Which he didn’t even try to do! I didn’t even know Luke was in town. It was all just so ridiculous. He’s stalking me and AHHH!” I screamed as I was pulled backwards out of the room.

I saw those six guys running after me. One demanded, “Tell us where you are! Let us help you protect you!” I yelled, “I can help and protect myself! I always do. In the end, all I have is me. It’s always going to land back to me taking care of me.” Melanie was gone now, and I had me, myself, and I.

I woke up to my alarm. That whole dream was weird. I shook myself in utter disbelief I’d actually invented what Noxus and Caspian looked like. Along with five other brothers! My brain is just out here trying to convince me that I had seven brothers. As if.

I realized Keaton was still at my place. Oh no, his parents were going to hate me. That’s just great. I’ve built this whole future around Keaton in my head, and now his parents are going to convince him not to be around me.

I ran into the bathroom and stared in the mirror. I had to admit Caspian and the others shared some features with me, but I must take more after my dad. I shook myself, “That was not real.” The song inside me sang contentedly.

I think it thought that dream was real which made it happy to be around those people. Plus, Keaton was still here. I could hear him talking to Keith. It was silly for them to stand outside. I invited him in. I checked my phone.