The Alpha Enforcer and His Dancing Warrior

Have Some Fun Pt .1

Melanie/Ashley is Twenty-Years Old

            Melanie’s friends were watching her closely. I found I was highly annoyed. By all of it. Their looks of concern and their reasons for being concerned. The upcoming week, and the Odette situation. They’d decided I needed a vacation after our gig in Louisiana. I did NOT need a vacation. LORD knows the trouble my brother Jason could get while I was missing for two weeks. Without me watching his damn back…..he’d be dead. Multiple times by now. My friends all PROMISED they would watch out for him. 

            This was all because of Morgana. That vapid b***h…..If I could find the new name she was going by…..I would be going to kick her ass to the east river! Morgana was Odette’s missing in action mother. She’d returned, apparently. I imagined she flew in on her broomstick. The wicked witch of Nashville was on the loose. I hadn’t heard from Odette. She’d missed a gig. She loved to sing in our band. She had an amazing voice. Odette was beautiful with blond hair and blue eyes. She was a sweet kid despite being abandoned by her mother. Even after being kidnapped...albeit briefly….she was still the kindest soul. With a killer voice. She was naturally good at fighting. The strange thing was Odette thought she was human. She actually thought we were all humans. She had no clue about the supernatural world. We didn’t burst her bubble, but she was definitely not human. She was most definitely a partial werewolf, but she didn’t have a wolf. She was turning seventeen in a month. I didn't see the need to break her into our world. I was of the opinion she was something else too. I just didn’t know what that was. 

            I’d gotten to her apartment and found the phone I’d given her with a note. A note from Morgana to leave her daughter alone. I couldn’t stop my snort. Leave her alone? Like she did? My mother would NEVER do what she did to Odette. Morgana always got an apartment for Odette. Even if she managed to stay in town with her newest fling….Odette didn’t leave with her. She was a kid! A teenager and Morgana had been doing that to her….her entire life. I didn't have much to go on finding Odette’s dad. Odette said she had some blood disorder from him that she took medication for. None of the men I could find linked to her wretched mother had such a condition. I really didn’t know what werewolf could even have a condition. I suspected Morgana had the condition and lied to Odette because she didn’t want to take responsibility. I’d never met the woman...so I couldn’t tell. If she did have some weird disease she kept it on the down low. I’d tried to get Odette to stop taking them, but she’d shut down. She’d tried that once before I guess. I couldn’t get it out of her what happened. I just needed more time. Time I didn’t have now because Morgana just up and disappeared with her. Morgana always changed their names. I had to hope that Odette went to Black Mountain or one of their allies. I’d given her all the city names the good packs were in. I’d told her to try to convince Morgana to try them out. 

            I ran the ring resistance, and I couldn’t find my friend. Odette looked up to me, and I was letting her down. I was trying to run down patterns of names Morgana chose for them. I knew living in Nashville Odette was called Danielle Vertend. Odette didn’t tell me any of her other fake names though before moving here. Or who the hell they were hiding from. God damn Morgana’s timing! I just wanted to help Odette. That’s all I wanted. She needed someone to look out for her. She had a mother….in a way. She was alone in this world though. I knew what that felt like. I knew that hurt. My mom was dead, but I didn’t get ferreted away in the middle of the freaking night because I made some friends. At least the gun I’d given her was gone. Hopefully she still had that to protect herself. Plus, I had the knowledge she could defend herself now. She was really good. I looked up at the sky. Yet another failure on the part of Selene. The moon goddess. More like the moon’s joke. At this point I was convinced Selene didn’t know her head from her ass. She had to be the most worthless goddess of all time. The ring resistance shouldn't exist because the RING shouldn’t exist. 

            Selene turned her back on me when I was fourteen, but she’d turned her back on the people I helped long ago. When I’d arrived….I had NO clue how sheltered I was. I thought packs were like I’d seen. Now  I know…..when the Alpha is bad….it can go south. People around here paid with omega’s for protection from hunters. Instead of hunting them their DANG selves like ranked wolves were supposed to do. Black Path sent in wolf less and teenagers under the age of sixteen to help. I still honestly couldn’t believe they didn’t know we hadn’t been helping since I got here. My mind flashed back to the day I got the call about Jason. My heart had stopped. 

            *Flashback*

            My phone rang. I frowned. It was JC. JC was wolf less pack member in Black path like me. He’d been expecting not to have one though. He was with one of the other pack members who hadn’t turned sixteen yet. I answered, “JC? You ok?” JC sighed, “I think….You’ll be mad if we don’t tell you this….” I frowned, “Tell me what?” JC sighed, “Your brother infiltrated a hunting ring.” My throat caught. I hissed, “HOW THE ACTUAL HELL DID WE NOT KNOW THAT?!” JC sighed, “They kept it pretty close to the vest. He was doing great but….Dante showed up instead of Nate. He knew him.” I hissed, “Where is my brother?” JC said, “He’s in bad shape. I don’t think he’s going to make it.” I couldn’t breathe. Valentina came up beside me, “Mel? What’s wrong?” I hissed, “JC, you tell me where my brother is RIGHT NOW AND YOU MAKE DAMN SURE HE DOESN’T DIE BEFORE I GET THERE!” Valentina’s jaw dropped. JC sighed, “We are in that building on the outskirts of Nashville…..I don’t know if you can save him this time, Mel. They worked him over good.” I hissed, “Get on YOUR KNEES and PRAY I can save him. I can save him! You should’ve texted me the SECOND Dante made him!” I had Xander’s number memorized. He’d come get Jason, and I’d deal with the fallout….He’d save my brother. They were best friends.

            I snapped the phone shut and looked at Valentina, “The hunter building Dante prefers. Get me there and then get the hell out of there. Let everyone in the resistance know what’s going on. I’ll do what I have to save Jason. That might mean I might not come back.” Valentina’s eyes filled with tears, “Mel….” I shrugged, “If I have to...I’m calling Xander. If he rejects me…..he’ll still save Jason….I just…” I cut off as a sob reached my throat at the thought of my Xander rejecting me. Valentina rubbed my back. She told me, “You know I understand why you have to save Jason.” I knew she did. Valentina and Virgil had an older brother. One who knew what had happened to them. He’d tried to help them, but in the end….it came down to his children or them. He’d told them he’d tried to get them taken to a nicest place he could. They still kept tabs on him and his family. They got it over everyone else. These last few years...sucked, but there were fourteen years where Jason was the best big brother with Tristan. No matter what….he was my brother. That meant something to me, even if being his half-sister meant nothing to him. 

            Valentina grabbed my hand. She shimmered us outside the building. I could smell the blood. I wouldn't have needed anyone to tell me it was Jason’s. I knew that scent. I knew that smell. I threw up my lunch. What had they done to him? Valentina rubbed my back, “Mel?” I told her, “Get out of here. Warn everyone. I don’t know what will happen to me after this.” Valentina had tears in her eyes. She told me, “Let me know if you need me to take Jason home. If they dare put you in a dungeon…..We will get you out.” My gut clenched. Ever since my sixteenth birthday…..and what followed. I couldn't be in enclosed dark spaces. It wasn’t great before my birthday, but after….I’d have a panic attack. I could do a lot of things…..but dark enclosed spaces….never again. I shook myself and told her, “I’ll survive. It’s what I do.” Valentina frowned, “I know you believe he’s your mate…..he can’t do that to you if he is. Even if...and I don’t think he would reject you; however, even if he did….causing you pain would hurt him.” She was hopefully right. I nodded to her and she shimmered away. 

            I walked into the building. Tears clouded my eyes when I saw Jason. This was the closest I’d been to him in several years. I’d been the sniper from afar, but I could drop someone from three hundred yards away. I hissed, “WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO HIM?! Why didn't you call me right away?” JC sighed, “Because….you have a purpose! You’ve made life bearable around the pack! Before you came….there was no hope. YOU are people’s hope. Your life is worth twenty of his! He turned his back on you. He’s a s**t brother.” I hissed, “That’s NONE of your business! He’s what I have. He’s my brother! I realize that doesn't mean anything….I think it does deep down to him. If Jason knew what had happened to me…...I don’t think he would’ve stood for that.” JC snorted, “None of us know exactly what happened. We just saw how you changed when you came back.” I looked away. I walked over to Jason. I sighed in relief he had his watch on. I asked, “How much wolfsbane did he take?” JC winced, “Too much.” I took out a syringe and injected him twice. I put one in his pocket and wrote a note to Dalton and Dakota. Those jerks. Who sends their Beta in alone with hunters….WHO KNOW WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE?! Idiots!

            I looked at Jason’s watch. It was still pumping the antidote into him. Good. I sighed, “You’re such an i***t Jason. Why would you do this?” He groaned, “Ladybug?” I gasped and my heart clinched. He’d said he’d never call me that again. He must be delirious from the poison in his veins. His eyes opened and I scrambled away. I tripped and landed on my butt. He whispered, “You’re so beautiful….I miss you Ladybug.” Tears filled my eyes. His head drooped back down. I wiped my tears. I sighed, “I miss you too Jason….You big doofus…..seriously….you’re an Idiot...you have a kid!” I turned around and devised a plan to get him out of here. 

            **End of Flashback**

            Mason touched my arm, “Are you ok Ashley?” I shook myself. We had a gig to play. I nodded and hoarsely said, “Fine.” Everyone looked at me like they didn’t believe me. My heart ached. I missed Jason. I missed my home. My throat closed as I thought….I miss my Xander. I miss him. I miss my wolf….she had to be real…..I was pretty sure she was. Blair told us last year that her mate told her that hunters can’t fight so there was no way I had hunter blood. We’d looked into it. Her mate was right. So Slade Carter killed my family…..either he was something else….or….hope filled me that my dad….that Drake McAlister really was my father. That thought brought up more questions. Then where was my wolf? Why did she abandon me? We walked out onstage and I let my mind go numb with playing the notes on the guitar. I lost myself in the music. Tristan had taught me how to play the electric guitar. I missed his smile. I missed his voice…..Why did he have to come home that night? That same scenario had happened countless times. None of them had come home early. Why did it have to be that night? Where were the pack warriors? Why didn’t they save us? 

            Before I knew it the concert was over. We packed up our stuff. Everyone was still eyeing me. Sierra touched my side, “It’s a good time to get away. I know the past knocks on your mind in these upcoming days.” She was right. Next week was the anniversary of Tristan, mom, and Dad’s death. I’d never seen where they were buried. It was in Red Run. I wasn’t allowed in. I couldn’t visit them. I couldn’t even say goodbye properly. Everyone else gave Sierra and I hugs. I looked at Hendrick, “You’ve got Jason, right? I know Dax and Caine….just don’t like him.” Hendrick hugged me, “Go be a kid. Have fun on vacation. I’ve got this, I promise.” I nodded, “I know.” Hendrick squeezed me and let me go. Addison pouted, “I wish I was going with you. My dad sucks.” I snorted, “Preaching to the choir.” She smiled, “Have fun.” She left. I sat down. 

            Sierra sighed, “We need to get moving.” She was right. We walked back out up to the box where a ring member was. I snapped his neck. We spilled alcohol on him staging the accident we had planned. Once we walked out the most delicious scent reached me. I turned in the opposite direction that we were supposed to go. It was a sugar cookie. A sugar cookie I desperately wanted. My mouth was actually watering. I’d never smelled something so good. Sierra caught up to me to ask where I was going. I didn’t actually know the answer. I just needed to get to that cookie. We could leave as soon as I had my cookie. It smelled even better than the ones my mom and grandma made at Christmas time. Sierra told me she smelled chocolate pie. Yeah well….her wolf was crazy. Right along with her. That was NOT chocolate. 

            I could tell I was getting closer to my delicious cookie. We turned the corner. Someone growled Mine. I looked up as Sierra gasped. My jaw dropped. Sierra’s mate was Phil. Phil Kruthers was here….but….he was Xander’s beta….I looked next to Phil as the sexiest voice declared me his. My jaw might need to be surgically repaired. He looked better in person than he did on video. He was the sugar cookie. Our eyes met, just like the movies. Then an intense pain hit me hard. I couldn’t stop screaming. I knew I needed to not scream. We couldn’t be seen here anymore. The pain was killing me. Something warm and tingly was holding me. That made the pain somewhat tolerable. It felt like someone was drilling into my head. Suddenly I felt tile beneath me. The warmth and tingles left. I needed to move. I tried to crawl, but the pain was unbearable again. The warmth and tingles came back. I heard someone tell me, “FIGHT! COME ON! Mate is here this time! We can do this!” Fight? What the French toast? Who did I need to fight? If someone would stop drilling on my head...I was positive I could beat whoever it was. I leaned into the warmth. I felt strength coming from the warmth. It was comforting. 

            I felt something prick my arm. Jokes on whoever did that. I don’t know if they wanted to sedate me, but it wouldn’t work. I did feel lighter but that wouldn’t last long. I heard someone with the most beautiful voice tell me I was ok. I’d believe that voice any day. Sounding like a god himself….who could doubt him? Not me...that’s who. Someone sighed, “Finally.” Who said that? I felt so comfortable. I could’ve opened my eyes, but I didn’t want to. I wanted to stay here forever. Eventually someone said, “Open your eyes…..right now.” What an obnoxious annoying voice that  I didn’t recognize. I wanted to stay in the warmth with the god-like voice. I opened my eyes and inhaled. Sugar cookie. I needed to find the sugar cookie! That’s what I was looking for. I jumped up and looked around. I found Sierra….but we were definitely not in the place I remember us being in. What the heck happened? She said she didn’t know where we were. A voice sighed, “Look AROUND the room. Remember the Sugar Cookie….I know you smell it. Come on...spot the sugar cookie smell.” I frowned. Who was that? I asked Sierra but she said she’d said it. No, she said she didn’t know where we were. The voice sighed, “I know this is new and all…..but don’t be a crazy person. LOOK for the sugar cookie.” I asked who said it again. 

            Another voice said I did. I whirled and spotted Phil Kruthers. Oh god….that was real….he was there and Sierra was his….but that meant….I turned and there my Xander was. The voice purred, “MINE!” I screamed and covered my face. MY WOLF? MY WOLF HAD BEEN TALKING?! I looked at Xander wide eyed. I linked my wolf yelling at her, “WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?” The voice snorted, “Trapped in your mind. It was NOT fun. Let’s not do that again.” I frowned, “How were you trapped? Who are you?” The voice sighed, “I’m your wolf. Freya. I don’t….it’s fuzzy….I feel there was magic….we will remember more now that I’m back. It will probably come slowly. I’m going through your memories Melanie…..I’m so sorry. I know you needed me.” Tears filled my eyes. It could all be different. I had a wolf. Jason could…..he could take it all back. Xander and I could be together. I could still stay out of Jason’s way if that’s what he wanted but…...I could be with Xander. 

            Xander spoke soothingly, figuring out why I was panicked. My wolf was talking to me. Yeah….bit of a shock after four years of NOTHING! Freya snorted, “Hey! That wasn’t my fault! It wasn’t your fault….but it wasn’t my fault either.” I frowned, “Am I going to shift tonight?” Freya sighed, “I’m too weak right now. I’m getting stronger….” I frowned, “Will we shift?” Freya thought about it, “I don’t know…..we need to stick by mate though.” I linked back, “You know that we can. He doesn’t actually want us. I go by Ashley Griffen. That’s who he thinks I am. Sierra would’ve called me Ashley.” Freya growled, “He...well….Oden wants us. Xander does too….he could change his mind. Jason could be wrong.” I was drowning in Xander’s ocean blue eyes. I wanted to stay with him. Sierra appeared in the way of my staring contest. She told me her wolf sensed my wolf now too. She asked what was going on. I didn't know anymore. It all came crashing down. It was all for nothing. All the horrible things Jason had said to me. He wasn’t my half-brother. He was my full on brother. Drake McAlister was my father. It was as if several pieces of me clicked back into place. Freya whispered, “I’m so sorry you suffered so much Melanie.” I cried harder. How could someone do this to me? How could Selene let this happen? Freya whispered again, “I don’t know.” 

            It seemed to genuinely bother Freya that Selene let us hurt this way. Xander wrapped me back up in his arms. I was now hysterically sobbing because I never wanted to leave his embrace, and I’d probably have to. He’d hate me when he found out. I asked my wolf, “Did it hurt you Freya? To be locked away.” Frey seemed to cringe, “You suffered….as did I.” I cried for both of us. I told her, “If I knew you were locked away inside me…..I’d have found a way to bring you out.” Freya said, “I know.” I asked her, “It’s because of Xander isn’t it? You were unblocked because of him.” Freya purred, “Seems likely. Wouldn’t you break any hold on you to get to him.” I would. Freya laughed, “Oden is actually pretty funny. You should say something to our Xander. He is very worried about you.” I looked up into his eyes. His concern melted me. It had been a long time since someone looked at me with that much love and concern in their eyes. It made me feel like a fraud. He didn’t know me. All the cute things I’d planned over the years of what I’d say to him….flew out of my head. I simply said hi. HI?! After YEARS of planning our first meeting….I went with hi? Open up the heavens and take me now. GOD!

            He said Hi back, but he didn’t say Melanie. He called me Ashley. Freya and I growled. I didn’t like another girl's name coming out of his mouth. I linked Freya, “DANG! Be cool! WE are Ashley…too.” Freya linked back, “No. WE are Freya and MELANIE!” I sighed, “He doesn’t know that.” Freya linked, “I wouldn’t be so sure.” I was sure. He’d freak out if he knew I was Melanie McAlister. No one knew Ashley Griffen was Melanie McAlister outside of Black Path. Xander said he’d just call me his Lovebug. My eyes filled with tears. The endearment matched with what people called me for fourteen years. Ladybug. My heart clenched at the loss of my family, but it wasn’t as bad with Xander here. Phil was talking, but I couldn’t hear him. My own thoughts and being lost in the fact that Xander really was here with me. We were together. I couldn’t stop myself from touching his face. He was so beautiful. I was in his arms. This was real. I had a wolf….maybe…..maybe this could work out. 

            Xander said he’d conjured out stuff here. I asked where mine was. I blushed when he said his room. Sierra linked me, “Hey….you can finally live out those fantasies we’ve caught you m**********g to. This time...Xander will be there.” I linked, “SHUT UP! You guys were the ones who said I need an orgasm. Then you just waltz into my room...no knock!” Sierra snickered, “You did need one.” Xander asked if I was ok. That was an incredibly complicated question. I had never been better….or more confused in my entire life. If I had a wolf….was everything for nothing? Every scar…..everything I’d let myself endure….No I still deserved that. My family was dead. Freya whispered, “You didn’t deserve any of that. That should never have happened.”  Xander took my hand, and I lost my train of thought.

            We walked outside. We were really out of the country. We were in a mansion in Switzerland. I couldn't stop talking about it until Xander wrapped his arms around me and told me I was prettier than the view. I couldn’t stop myself from melting into him. Freya purred in my head. Sierra told him he was hired for stopping my rant. I stuck my tongue out at her. Phil told Xander a moment before an alarm sounded he needed to do something about it. Xander popped away with me. He quickly put in a code. My back was against the wall. He asked if I wanted a tour. That would be nice...he didn’t have to do that though. He called me his Lovebug. Freya purred, “Let’s go throw him down….in the next room we get to. He’s so sexy.” He was very sexy. I asked Freya, “How many humans have you had before me?” Freya linked, “None. You are my first human half. I’ve been around though for a long time. Waiting for the perfect human half.” I frowned, “I’m sorry you got me then.” Freya snorted, “Nonsense! You’re perfect! None of this was your fault. I’m proud of you! You are so smart! You’ve made ways for Xander to be safer. You’ve started the resistance and you’ve started taking them down. Now with mate and his family….we can take it all down.” I smiled, “You’re proud of me?” Freya said, “Mate will be proud too. Your parents would be too. No one is going to be proud of letting yourself get beaten to a pulp….but….hey...you can’t win them all.”

            For the first time, I felt embarrassed. Maybe Xander wouldn’t find out about that. Freya snorted, “Optimism. I like it.” I rolled my eyes at her. Xander said he had a mission he needed to leave on later. We had two weeks here though. Two weeks. Maybe it could just be us for two weeks before everything came crashing down. That’s more than I thought I’d ever get with him. Xander took me to the library and off handedly mentioned he’d read the thoroughbred series. Freya linked, “Mate knows.” I linked back, “Jason probably didn’t tell him I read that book series. He doesn’t know….he just know Ashley Griffen….isn’t my real name.” I got flustered. Xander walked over and caged me in his arms. I’d imagine he’d gotten many people into this position who didn’t feel safe. I couldn’t have felt safer though. Freya was purring in my head. How did people do this? I’d almost answered her out loud a million times. Our lips met. It was better than I’d ever imagined….and I’d daydreamed about it a lot. 

            When he pulled back...I couldn’t help the small but loudly terrified part of me that was scared he would break me. He could. I needed him now. I longed to be with him. What if he rejected me? Would I lose my wolf again? Freya whimpered in my head. Xander asked me not to be scared of him. I didn’t know how to tell him….I wasn’t. I was scared he’d leave me. Because I was Melanie McAlister….the family killer. Freya hissed, “That wasn’t your fault! There’s someone….off about that too.” I frowned, “What do you mean?” Freya sighed, “I don't’ know yet. It just feels off.” Xander promised to never physically or emotionally intentionally hurt me. Freya linked, “There you go. He won’t reject you. He can’t. He just promised.” I linked, “He also promised Jason to reject me. What if this hurts him?” Freya sighed, “You don’t know he really did that. Jason could’ve been hurting and he didn’t want you to come home and see if Xander was really yours.” I bristled, “I’ve always known that he was mine.” Freya linked, “I know.” It wasn’t a question. She knew that I knew. I frowned. Weird. Most people assumed I was a kid with a crush. 

            Xander asked what was going on in my head. He had no idea. I couldn't stop my tears. This could work. It was unquestionable now that I was Drake McAlister’s daughter. Maybe…..if I stayed out of Red Run’s way….they wouldn’t fight me being with Xander. I didn’t have to go to stuff there. It stopped being my home four years ago when Peter Kyle banished me. Xander assured me he didn’t care if I had a wolf or not. If only that was the problem. If only the problem was my lack of a wolf. I’d been freakishly good at fighting without one. I was still a lead female warrior. Freya linked, “Because we are special.” Sure. Special. That was me….the freak of a wolf. I asked Freya, “Will silver and wolfsbane affect me now?” Freya linked, “No.” Then she clammed up. I didn’t want to upset her since I’d just gotten her so….I physically forced myself to not keep talking.