The Alpha Enforcer and His Dancing Warrior

Getting Out Some Anger Pt. 1

Alexander drank his whiskey as the guys filtered out onto the porch to join me. This whole thing was a complete s**t show. A portal opened and Cayden stepped through. I nodded to him. He sat down and I snapped him some whiskey. I asked, “So, Cayden. How was your day? Mine was both horrible and amazing.” Cayden threw back his head and laughed. He answered, “I just hold onto the knowledge that Hastein, Hugo, Arvid, and Louis will be back soon. Maybe we will be lucky and Gabe will be back soon too. I will promptly be extremely busy when someone explains what the HELL has been going on here to them. They will be pissed that no one bothered to update them. Actually ....ALL your cousins will be pissed no one at least sent them a coded message.” I snorted. Hastein was my oldest cousin, and he would be the next king of the Hackura. Hugo, Arvid, Gabe and Louis were his siblings. They were also my cousins. They all knew I thought Melanie was mine. I’d imagine Louis would give me s**t for not calling him immediately after the times we’d talked about Melanie together. I shrugged, “I’ll take the hit with them. We’ve just been so busy since we found her….I should’ve sent them a message though. I have talked about her with them often.” Cayden snorted, “Oh no. None of them will blame you. You found your mate, and it’s a girl you’ve wanted for a long time. They will understand you had other priorities. It’s the rest of us who are royally screwed.” Jason laughed, “Not me. I don’t know have any of their numbers.” Cayden snorted, “Sure…that matters to a pissed off Royal Hackura. That’s a thing. They go with excuses. You do know Levi and he could’ve given you their numbers.” Jason snorted.

Tristan laughed, “Oh don’t look so worried little brother. They will definitely direct their anger in house first. I sense a lot of morning runs for the army….there are definitely long runs in all their futures. They’d just better hope Hastein doesn’t hold a grudge and do something to get them back once he’s king.” EJ snorted, “He won’t wait that long. He and Hugo will have something cooked up shortly after discovering it all.” Jason said, “As fun as this subject is….I’m changing it…someone snap me another whiskey…and maybe pinch me. My sister is the white freaking wolf. I would not have seen that twist coming in a million years. Hell, I didn’t see any of the twists with Ladybug coming.” Cayden snorted and took a drink. He said, “There is a lot to unveil when it comes to your sister. I have to say…none of us were prepared for any of them that have come out. The only one I knew…was that she was in the resistance. I just couldn’t prove it.” I snorted, “Agreed. I definitely had ideas about how all this would go…..none of it has matched the picture in my head at all. Except I did get to take Melanie to one of the places I have on my list to take her. So…yay me. I’ve got one whole thing, and she was screaming in agony when I took her there.” EJ said, “You’re in the ribbon. You can fix it for other versions of yourself and her.” I snorted, “My life was fine. I’m fixing her f****d up life after she was kidnapped. Which I had no clue about. My own mate was kidnapped and I had not a single clue.” EJ sighed, “There has to be a reality where you show up before it happens.” I shrugged.

I downed my whiskey and snapped myself another. Tristan said, “I get it. That’s my little sister.” Jason sighed, “Ditto.” Cayden added, “All of us can say things about where we messed up. I’ll tell you right now….the meetings….the looks people give her….it’s all going to get on her nerves.” Tristan snorted, “How else would you propose we handle talking about her being the white wolf?” Cayden raised an eyebrow, “Without her. She will undoubtedly have her own plan. You make yours. All this is….too much for someone in her position. She’s used to be in control. She’s used to people looking to her to make plans. She is used to people staring at her but not for any of the reasons you all do.” I cringed, “He’s right.” Micah added, “Plus, she hates the attention. Of all the things your sister has wanted since I’ve known her….the top one was to be normal. She wanted to be loved by the man she believed was her mate. She thought her love for Alexander was unrequited. In fact, it went further. She thought he hated her. She desperately wanted to be normal though. She wanted to have a wolf, and go for a run with her friends.” I glanced over, “Do you know if she went to the school dances? I was thinking I would organize one for her. She shuts down when I talk about school.” Micah cringed.

Max put his hand on Micah’s shoulder. I growled, “What?” Micah sighed, “I would hang out around the town trying to get information about Ashley…who we now know is Melanie. For all Black Path’s faults….not one SINGLE person messed up and called her Melanie. I wish to god they had. I was listening for things Cayden and I could use….particularly to see if we could connect Ashley to the resistance. I heard one of the wolf less girls talking about a dance when Ashley was fifteen.” I frowned, “What happened?” Micah sighed, “She had a GED. She didn’t go to school, so she was actually Addison’s plus one.” EJ said, “None of that is bad so far…. I’m sensing a not so fun but coming.” Micah sighed, “But she never made it inside. A group of fifty of their guys jumped her. Addison fought with her. They made a hole for Sierra to go get Caine and Dax, but they had ripped the dress Melanie has gotten at the thrift store. The school wouldn’t let her in after that. She told her friends to go have fun and went home. The group I’d been listening to realized I was listening to them and stopped talking after that. I did not get the sense that was the end of the story. Given what we know now…I wonder if they whipped her or something for some standing up for herself….or claiming she caused a scene.” I growled.

Jason snarled, “Causing a scene?! They jumped her!” Micah put his hands up, “It’s just something in line with what I see now that we know about what they have done to her. I don’t know that it is what happened.” Tristan sighed, “If we hadn’t promised to not ask Ezra….he’d know.” I told them, “We can’t do that. We can’t go to him every time we have a question about her.” Jason snorted, “You can. We cannot. We promised.” I shrugged, “I’m still not doing that. It’s her story, and she needs to tell it in her own time.” I finished my drink. I heard a van in the distance. I looked at EJ and asked, “Are we expecting anyone?” EJ frowned, “No.” I heard a motorcycle revving. I looked at EJ, “Does that sound like a car chase to you?” Max offered, “I’d more go with a van and motorcycle chase than cars…but sure.” EJ jumped up, “s**t! Elise just linked me….Something happened at girls’ night.” Micah said, “Correct me if I’m wrong, but I do believe the only one of those girls that knows how to operate and ride a motorcycle is…” I growled, “Melanie.” I took off running. I linked my dad, “GET OUT HERE NOW!” I shifted into Oden on the fly. He could run faster than I could. He had four legs. I snarled at what I saw when I came over the hill. I shifted back and snapped myself clothes. This was one of our weaker zones in our territory. A van was zooming in. Melanie was chasing it. I yelled, “MELANIE!”

She stood up on the bike, and I swear my heart stopped as she jumped off it. I gaped at her. I said out loud, “Aesir…please help her.” She grabbed onto the van’s door handle and smashed the window with her elbow. The scent of her blood filled the air. It snapped me into action. I took off running, growling at the van. I was about to reach it when it disappeared. I snarled, “KIDNAPPERS HAVE A f*****g HOLOPORT IN OUR GODDAMN TERRITORY?! WHAT THE f**k EJ?!” Another car slammed on its breaks. The other girls piled out. My gaze zeroed in on Paige. Dalton ran to her. I asked her, “Where did they go?” She marched towards the holoport. She said, “I don’t know yet. Give me a second.” Cayden linked me, “Does anyone want to say one….Just for fun?” I rolled my eyes. Paige started chanting. EJ grabbed Elise. Cayden already had Cassie. I asked, “Are you alright, Cass?” She frowned, “I wouldn’t have been.” Cayden glared at Cassie’ guard. He asked, “What the f**k does that mean?” Cassie said, “I was drinking water. Addison and Sierra here filled us in that hunters have a special type of drug they use. I know what it smells like now, but they have been around it so they know. Melanie knocked the drink out of my hands and then….it all went to hell. I guess technically it went to hell before then.”

I asked, “Who is in the van?” Cassie winced, “MaryBeth and Emma.” I heard two growls of anger behind me. Dane snarled, “WHERE IS MY MATE?!” Finn asked, “Who took my mate? Who would DARE to do that?” Dylan said, “Ohhh now we are asking for it. LSGAP activate your legends and your powerful children. My daughter in law has been taken….and I need you to assemble your collected Pokémon to battle!” I said, “My mate is already with them.” Dylan took out some popcorn, “Oh….then why are we worried? She’s LITERALLY electric. We just need to figure out where they are.” Dakota’s phone rang. He quickly walked away then jogged back, “They are in Red Run. Melanie just got the girls to the hospital.” Avery said, “Then there’s cleanup to do. She would’ve killed everyone in the van besides MaryBeth and Emma” I popped to the hospital. I saw several crying faces, but I didn’t see Melanie. The rest of the group popped in. I grabbed a doctor, “Where is Melanie McAlister?” The doctor frowned, “We tried to get her to stay…..she just took off. She’s sick though.” I hissed, “f**k! Of course she is.” Paige sighed, “She’ll be able to be here tomorrow. I’ll bring the brew by.” I took off outside. I ran into Nick Kyle who was on the phone. He hung up frowning. I asked, “What?” He sighed, “Ladybug…she was really sick, but she just took off running away from me. She’s so damn fast.”

A warrior came up, “Umm…I think Ladybug…might have destroyed the former beta’s home. It’s been vandalized.” Nick frowned, “I seriously doubt that. For several reasons.” I added, “I agree. That’s not like her.” We walked to the McAlister’s house. I walked inside. Pictures of the family were smashed all over the place. Melanie’s room was a wreck. I walked back downstairs and picked up a picture. I did a double take. EJ asked, “What?” I turned the picture around, “I can see Melanie in this picture.” I looked at the other photos. I added, “I see her in all the pictures now.” My dad said, “So do I.” EJ nodded, “Me too.” Paige said, “Oh, I did that. It was this whole complicated mirroring…type…whatever it was complicated and I fixed it. Let’s go with that. Just pop to Melanie, Alexander.” I frowned, “I can’t.” Paige sighed, “Yes, you can. One of the spells on the rings was to prevent popping or portaling EXACTLY to her location. You could have gotten near her….or around her but if you tried to go directly to her it wouldn't work. Now….you can.” I was gone in the next second.

I was pleasantly surprised I actually ended up right next to Melanie. Good to know. I could finally pop to my mate. That would be handy. Apparently the guy Melanie had was the one who’d vandalized her parents’ house. That made more sense. I seriously doubted she would do that. Melanie knew this guy. Oden snarled in my head, “If he’s from Black Path…” I answered him, “He probably is.” Turns out the asshole was one of Trevor’s friends. Of course he was. I could smell Melanie faintly on Trevor. I looked down and pulled out her old hairbrush. Fury lit into me. They were going to use witches to pull her to him. Oden snorted, “It wouldn’t work….but they would start to get the clue that she wasn’t a normal wolf.” Great. Just great. I linked EJ, “Pop to us. We have the culprit who wrecked the McAlister’s house.” EJ popped in with Elise. I walked over to Melanie. Her skirt was still messed up from riding the motorcycle. Freya took over and taunted Francis saying his plan wouldn’t have worked. Francis was stunned her wolf had actually come out. Apparently they knew the plan. Oden was furious. Melanie wanted to know where their other friend was, but Francis didn’t know. I actually believed him, and it seemed Melanie did too. Great. Just another person to worry about popping up. I needed another one of those obnoxious people to look out for.

Melanie didn’t want me to kiss her because she’d been sick. I pulled her skirt down. Her reaction told me that she’d forgotten all about it. I nearly killed Francis when he made a comment about her ass and called her Ice Queen. Luckily for him, I had to assure Alpha Raven’s wolves…I was not here for them. I popped Melanie and I home in the next second. We had so much to discuss. The need to claim her was pounding in my ears…but that wasn’t what needed to happen right now. Oden growled, “She smells like other men.” True. That was solvable. She could shower and brush her teeth and I could go for a run. Once she was in the shower I took off outside. I ran past everyone in the living room without a glance backwards. I shifted the second I was outside. I could hear someone behind me. I could feel in my connection it was EJ. I ran for a few miles and shifted back. I snapped myself clothes. I punched a tree and turned around, “What do you want?” EJ snorted, “What do you mean what do I want? You took off like a bat out of hell….Of course I followed you.” I sighed, “It’s been a f*****g day.” EJ nodded, “I know.” I hissed, “She shifted alone again. How many times can the universe victimize her? Even if it took a few seconds….someone should’ve been there. I should have been there.”

EJ said, “I know, but we had no way of knowing when she would shift.” I snorted, “Selene just keeps proving she’s a shitty goddess. I don’t know why this surprises me at this point anymore. I expect this out of Azoney….I’m done with all of them EJ…All the goddesses are dead to me.” EJ nodded, “Me too. This has pained you…mom…and Elise. I’m done too. We have Aesir, and that’s good enough. Selene allowed a wolf to be suppressed. I don’t care if it hadn’t been someone we knew. Or your mate. No one should have to deal with that as a sixteen year old kid. That’s wrong. Now, that knowledge is out there. We can protect our pack, but what about the ones Melanie knows about that can’t protect themselves?” I sighed, “I think she took ten years off my life tonight.” EJ snorted, “So you are changing the subject I see.” I put my head in my hands, “She’s strong. She’s capable, but when she jumped off that bike….onto a van, and went through a holoport….bleeding….EJ. She’s in the resistance….she hasn’t even told us that yet. I don’t know how to handle her going off for them because she will. She runs off into the unknown….she always had I just didn’t know that. This whole time I thought she was safely in New York dancing her heart out. Instead that’s not true at all. She’s been running around and in danger. She’s got to be on so many people’s most wanted list….and not for anything good.” EJ said, “They don’t know who she is though.” I snorted, “That doesn’t really make it better.”

EJ sighed. I threw my hands in the air, “She’s the white wolf, EJ……the white wolf. The white wolf is REAL, and she’s my mate. What the HELL do we do with that? I told her I’d protect her…Can I even do that?” EJ answered, “Of course you can. You’re my Alpha Enforcer, Alexander. You are also a squad leader for Cayden. You are also an Alpha. Plus, Melanie is not now nor has she EVER been defenseless.” I yelled, “That’s not the point! I know she’s not defenseless, EJ. No one here is…and she’s like this super werewolf. She was already insanely good without a wolf! Now she has one…and Freya is the freaking white wolf. We should’ve known that for four years. We should’ve had four years to plan….now we are scrambling and I feel unprepared to protect my mate. I already feel like a failure at every turn with her.” EJ interrupted, “You aren’t a failure.” I raised an eyebrow, “I let some stupid cookies convince me she was fine MULTIPLE times….when my instincts were SCREAMING at me that she wasn’t. I was drawn to Ashley from the first time Phil said her name. Her emails to me furthered my need to know her….but did I go see her? No. Because I felt guilty because I believed Melanie was my mate. I could’ve saved her so much pain had I simply satisfied my own curiosity about her. Or had Phil go do it….or Levi…or you…or if I’d had her brought up for Elise’s party. There was even a plan!”

EJ titled his head, “Ok…I did not know there was a plan, but technically the plan would be called kidnapping. It’s probably for the best that you didn’t start your relationship out that way…I don’t know if that would’ve ended well…for anyone you sent to get her.” I sighed, “I feel so helpless and….” Oden and I stiffened. EJ asked, “What now?” I frowned, “Something is wrong.” EJ sighed, “Not much has gone right lately but….” I shifted and took off back towards the house. EJ yelled, “Wait for me!” I was not waiting and I was much faster than EJ was now. I ran back into the house. My dad raised an eyebrow. The McAlister’s were all here too….because of course they were. I ran past them all and their questioning gazes. I ran into Melanie and I’s room. My dad and EJ were behind me. Melanie was gone. I turned, “Did she come by you guys downstairs?” My dad shook his head. I linked Julian, “Where are you?” Julian answered, “With Valentina and her brother. She wanted to come see him after the whole night went to crap.” I asked, “Have either of them left?” Julian answered, “No…what’s wrong?” I linked, “Melanie is missing.” Julian said, “She could be in the ribbon then.” I closed my eyes. My mom said, “If she feels near but far away….” I sighed, “We haven’t had our Hackura bonding ceremony yet. It’s probably going to be this weekend. That’s what she said when we talked about our mating ceremony.” My mom smiled, “That’s great, sweetie!” I tried to smile. My dad said, “She’ll be ok, Alexander.” I snorted, “We don’t know if she went off for the resistance or if is in the Ribbon. We can’t ask her friends directly because they don’t know that we know they are in the resistance.”

EJ said, “I seriously doubt she went out. She was exhausted. I could see that on her face. She’s had….a day.” My mom snorted, “Then it’s settled she’s absofuckinglutely in the Ribbon. She’s had a day…I think we all have, but more than anyone else she definitely has. The Ribbon is crappy with its timing.” My dad snorted in derision and added, “Your mother is right.” Elise said, “I’m sure her friends would have an excuse ready for her if she wasn’t here because of the Ribbon.” That was all true. I’m sure Sierra would know. I linked Phil, “Has Sierra said anything about Mel?” Phil linked, “Yes, she’s worried about her, and we are almost to your room.” Sierra burst into the room and looked around. She frowned, “Where is she?” I shrugged, “We are guessing the Ribbon.” Sierra gaped, “Oh come on! She needs a freaking minute! She saw her old house for the first time….she’s been having that stupid dream where she’s pulled in every year and sees their deaths all over again.” Drake spoke, “What?” I winced. Sierra sighed, “Every year on the anniversary of your….not deaths? When she was taken? I don’t know what to call it anymore, but she was put into this…Paige said Illusion where she saw it all over again. She tried to change it every time, but she never could.” Sam started crying. She buried her face in Drake’s chest. She sobbed, “Why did they torture our baby like this Drake? She didn’t do anything wrong. She didn’t deserve any of this.” Drake had silent tears coursing down his cheeks.

I took one look at my best friend since childhood. I grabbed him and Tristan. I popped us to the gym. EJ popped in seconds later with Elise. I saw a group of warriors. I told them, “Your Luna’s brothers need a fight. Give them a good one.” I turned and EJ said, “You and me little brother.” I told him, “I don’t want to hurt you.” EJ shrugged, “You can heal me…it will be fine. You were manic after you came back from the Ribbon. I can handle it.” I took the first swing. I wasn’t trying to injure him though. He wasn’t really going full force at me either. I sensed someone behind me and ducked. I snorted, “Cayden.” He nodded, “I heard you needed a good fight.” I fought him and EJ for what felt like hours until I heard a pop. Angela sighed, “She’ll be coming back in ten minutes….you should shower Alexander.” I whirled, “So she’s in the ribbon?” Angela nodded, “Yes, she wasn’t blurry at all this time. She’s actually been clear since she took off those rings…she…she’s had a rough day. She needs you.” I nodded, “She has me. Thank you Angela.” I turned to Cayden and EJ, “Thank you.” Angela said, “She’ll be in the living room when she returns with company.” I smiled, “You are great.” Angela snorted, “If you all could remember that I see things….that would be great.” She popped away. I had to smile. EJ sighed, “She might have a point.” Elise snorted, “MIGHT?! SHE MIGHT?! Oh dear god.” I popped into the shower in my room. I quickly snapped myself into clothes once I stepped out. Then popped downstairs. 

A portal opened, and to my surprise Melanie walked through. I grabbed her and crushed her to me. I nearly fell over when my cousin, Hastein stepped through behind her. He must have just gotten home. Everyone talked around me as I breathed in her scent. I didn’t care where she appeared back…she appeared…she was found by my cousin, and now she was home. Hastein teased me about Melanie being mine. EJ and Elise came in. EJ linked me, “Where was the heads up little brother? Like oh hey….my mate is finally back.” I bit my lip, “My bad.” EJ rolled his eyes at me, but I could tell he actually understood in our bond why I hadn’t thought to link him yet. Melanie explained the basics of what happened. EJ linked me, “So drunk Melanie is chatty. I sensed a challenge in that, little brother.” I snorted, “Yeah….It’s not a bad idea. Not too drunk…but she rambles sober…drunk I’d bet it’s a fountain of information pouring out of those lips.” EJ snorted, “I wonder if it’s awkward rambling like sober Melanie but….easier to get talking.” I linked, “Maybe we should find out.” EJ smirked, “Maybe we should.” Melanie described her eighteenth birthday to us. I couldn’t stop my roar of anger. Hastein’s eyes were blazing. EJ sighed, “It’s like the punches I took mean nothing anymore….he just gets all worked up less than hour after we calm him down. Why do I do this to myself?” Elise answered, “Because Alexander is your brother, and you love him.” EJ sighed, “You’re so smart.” Elise snorted, “Remember that.”