Page 95 of The Alpha and His Song: Volume One

Melanie Conners was far from weak, and it was one of her first ideas. She was a very black and white person from what I’d learned about her. She was also a genius. I was going to fight for Odette Melanie’s idea just reworked my plans.

After she left, I went back to my treehouse and paced. I didn’t know how long passed before I broke down. I linked May, “How is Katie?” May sighed, “She wasn’t good when we left, Keaton. Katie’s really pale and won’t eat. It’s bad.” I immediately called Odette.

I could hear water sloshing around when she picked up. My mate was barely conscious and in the bathtub? I was going to have to call Ken. I heard her get out of the tub and sighed in relief. When Odette told me I could come over I felt like everything might be ok. Finally.

Channing perked up too. I jumped out of my treehouse and flashed to the main house. I made it to my truck in record time and nearly groaned. Of course, Lisa was waiting. My ex cried, “How could you?” I sighed, “I don’t even care what you want me to ask of how I could do what about. No part of me is curious. Because we aren’t together, we broke up.”

Lisa tearfully explained, “I needed you, gave you good advice, and you ignored me.” I snorted, “No one got hurt, Lisa. I was fine.” My ex got closer and shrieked, “You need to listen to me!” She grabbed my shirt, but I pushed her away.

I declared, “I’m leaving.” Lisa growled, “You aren’t leaving me for her.” I told my ex, “Honestly, I would even if we were together, but we were broken up when I met her.” Lisa snorted, “I’m better for you. Katie can’t be what you need, she doesn’t know about us. Goddesses make mistakes.”

I stared at her, because that comment meant Lisa knew what Odette was to me and was still in my way. I snarled with Channing fully behind me, “I’m leaving.” Lisa shrieked, “Then you’ll have to run me over! We aren’t done talking!”

Channing said, “It’s not the worst idea. The pack members around would agree she came out of nowhere.” I nearly laughed. Instead, I shouted out loud, “I am done talking!” Lisa shot back, “You can’t want that human over me!”

Channing snorted, “We would if mate was human.” Yeah, easily. I retorted, “You wish she was human.” Channing offered, “More like buries her head in the sand so she can say she’s better than mate. WHICH SHE IS NOT! By the way, Freya believes her human may kill Lisa.” Meh. That wasn’t really my problem.

Lisa yelled, “SHE MAY AS WELL BE!” I stared at her in confusion. Melanie chimed in, “I’d run her over, Keaton. Her voice is like nails on a chalkboard. Must you make your voice so annoying, Lisa?” Her friend snorted. I wanted to groan because I didn’t want to defend Lisa, but she couldn’t control her voice.

Lisa asked, “Who the hell are you?” Channing snorted, “Our ex is not smart.” Lisa was self-centered and didn’t pay attention. Melanie answered, “Uhh Melanie McAlister… no wait. I got married. I’m Melanie Conners. I should definitely go with Melanie McAlister Conners. I don’t know… decisions, decisions.”

Oh my god, she was hammered. Channing snorted, “Yeah, the wind shifted and that’s a powerful smell of alcohol.” I asked, “Are you drunk, Luna Melanie?” Her friend answered, “She is. We call this version Drunk Melanie. Dylan Frost thinks she needs a different name though.” He would.

Melanie said, “Hey now... that’s neither here nor there.” Lisa asked, “What?” Melanie waved me away saying, “Go on and get out of here. You have plans, Keaton! Lisa and I are going to have ourselves a little chat. To think I wasted time getting Keith to show me your picture when all I had to do was wait for you to talk to Keaton.” Oh god. She’d talked to Keith. Channing was cackling in my head.

Lisa sneered, “Keith hates me.” That was very true. Melanie hummed, “For several good reasons, I’m sure.” I nearly laughed again. Channing growled, “We need to get to mate.” Yes, we did. Melanie’s friend said, “I’ll actually agree, since you seem quite annoying. Seriously though, stop making your voice sound like that. It’s going to ruin your vocal cords.”

Lisa growled weakly, “Don’t make fun of my voice.” Before I could say anything, Melanie karate chopped her in the throat. I groaned, “Oh shit.” The pack link went off, “OH MY GOD! Did you guys see that?!” “Yes, it was amazing.”

“Luna Melanie is one of the people who could get away with this too. She’s Alpha Alexander’s mate, she’s drunk, and it’s her birthday. We bow to the Queen.” I rolled my eyes at that one. Channing was greatly amused.

Melanie’s friend urged me, “Just go, Keaton Daniels, I’ve got this.” This was now a pack issue, but Odette needed me which trumped this situation. I opened my truck door. Lisa coughed then asked, “How can you leave me here like this?” Holy shit! Her voice was totally different.

The pack link went off again, “I KNEW IT! No one’s voice is that horrible! Not even humans. Supernatural’s would never have a voice that HURT ALL OUR EARS!” Everyone else was saying, “Yeah!” “God, I hope that gets a punishment.”

I whirled around snarling, “Oh my god, they were right? You make your voice sound that way?” Lisa paled and I knew then it had been a ploy all along. I linked her, “You fucking bitch! What didn’t you lie to me about, Lisa?” Her eyes were panicked.

I muttered out loud, “You had me fighting for you over people making fun of your voice and it was never your damn voice. I’m leaving.” Channing was snarling in my head. Melanie clapped, “Good for you, Keaton! Don’t let her use your Alpha blood against you!”

Alexander’s mate whispered, “Because that’s the only reason he defended you. Alpha blood… and not being a jerk… just saying.” That fucking bitch used my blood against me then said I was a bad Alpha with every other word! Channing was irate. I slammed my door so hard I was impressed it didn’t come clean off.

Channing huffed, “Freya’s human is pretty funny.” Yeah, I had to agree since Melanie karate chopped Lisa in the throat. That thought had me feeling rage like I’d never known flow through me. I felt the fur growing on my hands and growled.

I said, “Channing, Odette needs us.” That had my near shift under control, I was still pissed though. I’d defended Lisa over her voice for years. Against the pack, my future Beta, my family, and pretty much everyone I knew. It wasn’t even her real voice.

I linked Keith, “Lisa’s voice is fake, you were right. You might want to warn Emmett about the fact Melanie hit her. I’m pretty sure she was going to do it again. I just have to get to Katie because she said I could come over. I have to go because she doesn’t sound good.”

Keith replied, “Oh hello little disappearing brother. I’m doing fine, thank you for asking. Drunk Melanie spilled a lot of beans and now we have questions. Emmett is actually annoyed because he was hoping the crazy tech genius might know more about Katie.”

“Which is reasonable since Melanie appears to know so much. He pretended not to know you were seeing someone, but she didn’t know anything about your mate. Now I find myself seething over different details.”

I had no idea what Melanie knew, or could’ve said, really. I snorted, “I’ll tell Emmett most things about Katie.” Keith sighed, “As I said when you get home people have questions, including me.” I told him, “I’ll answer once I know Katie is ok.”

Keith conceded, “Ok, fair enough. The Resistance members are running around proving no one can catch them. They are right, Emmett is studying them though. Sadly, we can’t factor Melanie’s moves in since her plan was to threaten Lisa. I’m a real big fan of that plan.” I snorted. Of course he was.

I threw my truck in park on the curb of Odette’s place. I threw the keys to Ken who nodded to me. The man linked, “Katie was wrecked when she came back thinking you were with Lisa.” I assured him, “I wasn’t.” Ken answered, “I know. Take care of her, Keaton.” I would.

I knocked on Odette’s door for several minutes, but she didn’t answer. I pulled my lock picking kit out of my wallet. I quickly got inside her apartment door. I made a mental note to remind my grandpa to put deadbolts in his apartments. That was far too easy.