White Hot Rage #11
I grabbed Melanie and led her up the stairs. When we got to our room I turned, asking, “You’re surprised I would marry you?” Melanie looked down, “I mean... we haven’t talked about it, really…. you did say you wanted to marry me, but not when.”
I told her, “Whenever you want. I meant what I said downstairs. If you want to be married now, fuck the tradition. We can have a mating ceremony with the pack and allies after we are already legally married, and you are marked. No one will say anything about it.”
My mate smiled saying, “I’ll think about it.” I took her hands, “If you want to start planning with my mom, yours, Elise, Cassie, Addison, and any or all of your friends I want you to do that. You will be my wife.”
I heard someone banging on the door downstairs. Moments later someone whisper, “Ashley Griffen.” Oden growled, “They said mate’s alias.” I heard them. I growled, “Fuck. Someone is downstairs. I’ll be back.” Melanie nodded so I popped downstairs and opened the door.
EJ came up behind me. I raised my eyebrow greeting, “Officers.” Something was off about them, I just didn’t know what. One sneered, “It’s detectives.” I replied, “Ok. Can we help you?” The other officer said, “We received information that Ashley Griffen is here.”
EJ asked, “Why would that matter if she was or wasn’t?” The Detective answered, “We are here to bring her back home. Ashley’s probably off her meds and we have an ambulance waiting to transport her. She’s a very sick girl, and her husband is worried.” I growled.
Both look startled by that response, but they shouldn’t be since they were Warlocks.
EJ gripped my shoulder hard. Tristan casually said, “Ashley Griffen lives in Nashville. Why would you look here?” I linked Melanie, “Do not come down here.” Melanie linked, “Ok…I mean… I wasn’t coming…
in the first place…but I’ll continue not to?
” I could sense her confusion but appreciated she’d nearly made me laugh.
The detectives sighed, “Ashley is a runaway from Missouri. They’ve been looking for her for about seven years, and we got a tip that she is here. I’m honestly stunned she was able to survive. Her brother and husband are worried about her.”
EJ asked, “Her husband?” I felt my uncles faded back grab me so I didn’t lunge. It was weird to be grabbed by a person you knew was there but couldn’t see. Oden snarled, “OURS!” I agreed, “Melanie would have told us if she was married.” My wolf calmed down.
EJ said, “You just said she’s been missing for seven years, and we’ve heard of Ashley Griffen from Nashville. So, I know she’s twenty years old.” The detective snarked, “And?” EJ questioned, “Is her husband in jail for marrying a fourteen year old?” They blinked at him.
My brother continued, “Or should I go get my lawyer to explain to you how if a woman is so mentally unbalanced you need to medicate her in a psychiatric hold, there is a want of understanding in their marriage, and she can get it annulled.”
The detectives faces went red. I felt my siblings pushing calm at me.
Cassie put her hands on my back and TJ did as well.
My Uncle Bjourn was on my other side. It was Uncle Marcus who was faded back because he was pushing that he was here for me.
The detective said, “Look, we just need to get Ashley home.” I growled at him again because my mate was home.
Oden growled, “Mate is with US.” I knew that.
EJ asked, “Do you have a warrant to search this house or to take her? Ashley’s not a minor.
She’s done nothing illegal, that you’ve stated thus far.
You cannot simply take someone off the street.
” The detective shot back, “She’s been reported missing.
” I could smell Melanie closer to us. God damn it.
Aaron Crawford came around the corner greeting, “Hello, I am the attorney for the Conners and EJ is correct. If Ashley’s been reported missing all you need to hear from her is that she’s not missing. She’s an adult.” The detective argued, “She’s not allowed to make those decisions.”
Melanie linked me, “Conjure me a license with my real name. They will have to leave if they can’t prove I’m Ashley. They will just come back if you make them leave.” I linked EJ, “Melanie wants to come down with a license with her real name.”
EJ cleared his throat saying, “Give us a minute, gentlemen. We have a lot of tenants, though I do not recall one with that legal name.” My big brother closed the door then asked Aaron, “If Melanie had identification that she was Melanie McAlister, they would have to leave her alone, right?” Aaron nodded, “Yes. If they didn’t, we could file harassment charges. ” I conjured Melanie a license.
EJ opened the door declaring, “I’ve had my assistant check our electronic files. We do not have anyone named Ashley Griffen here.” The detective’s face went stony as he said, “We know Ashley’s here and she needs to go home.” Melanie walked into the room.
He pointed at her, “THERE! THAT’S HER!” I warned, “Don’t you dare talk to my mate like that.” He jolted looking at me. Melanie turned around to face him and I saw the recognition flicker in her eyes. My mate smiled sweetly asking, “Me?”
The detective tried to step into the house, but EJ blocked him. EJ warned, “Careful, detective. You have no warrant to enter this home.” The Warlock demanded, “Hand over Ashley and we will be on our way.”
Melanie said, “You must have me confused with someone else. My name is Melanie McAlister.” The detective scoffed, “You lying bitch.” Uncle Bjourn grabbed my fist before I could punch him. Melanie tilted her head and just looked at him.
The partner demanded, “Get over here and stop lying. Melanie replied, “I’m not lying. My legal name is Melanie McAlister. This is my older brother Tristan McAlister… this is my other brother, Jason McAlister... my parents are around here somewhere.”
Drake rounded the corner announcing, “Right here, Ladybug. I don’t know who you think you are detective, but this is my daughter. She’s not missing or married.” Melanie frowned asking, “Married? I’m definitely not married.”
Melanie rambled on, “No one asked me to marry them… I’m not like… jewelry crazy… but I want an engagement ring… I also want to be asked… besides no one got a license… without me… that would be illegal… and it would not have ended well for them.”
Addison joined, “As someone from Nashville, I’ll tell you Ashley Griffen isn’t married either. Nor is she unstable. Do you all do your jobs? Or just take a fake file as gospel?” EJ chimed back in, “I’ll be filing a complaint with your superiors.”
The detective said, “People saying this girl Melanie McAlister doesn’t make that true.” Melanie took out her license asking, “How about this?” She showed it to him. He snorted, “It’s fake.” His partner took out a blue light and flashed it over her license and paled.
He said, “Smalls, it’s not fake. This girl is Melanie McAlister.” Melanie told them, “You could also google me. I used to win a LOT of dance competitions… my face is all over the internet… so… you could’ve saved on gas and stayed in Nashville.”
I finally spoke, “You will leave because if you continue to harass my mate, I’ll bury your department in lawsuits for fun.” They blinked at me. Gage hummed, “They don’t know who you are.” Phil added, “Yeah, you gotta say that part, cousin.”
I chuckled humorlessly, “How silly of me, my Gamma and Beta are right. I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Alexander Conners. Get the hell off my property and stay the hell away from Melanie.” I slammed the door on their faces.
Addison snorted, “What a load of shit. You’re not married, Mel.” Aaron confirmed, “She’s really not. I was worried they faked a marriage license with her signature; however, there is nothing for either Ashley or Melanie.”
Melanie sighed, “I would never let that happen… ever.” Addison snorted, “No joke. Drunk Melanie would’ve come for throats. Mel here literally told everyone she’d only ever marry her Xander. She said that sober and drunk. A lot.” Oden purred.
Melanie offered, “I could go with them, and you could follow to see who is behind it.” I grabbed her and slammed her into me. I snarled, “MINE!” No one spoke. Melanie said, “Umm… I know that… but that didn’t have anything to do with what I said? So… the going with them isn’t a bad plan.”
I disagreed, “Absolutely not. You are not bait, and they’d have to know we’d plan something. They have some plan, and I am not losing you. I’m not exactly in a good place right now after the Ribbon experience.” Melanie paled and nodded, “You’re right.”
Addison gasped, “I’m sorry, just like that? He says no and you agrees? What sort of magical Fairy is he?” Melanie huffed while Oden chuckled. Aaron spoke, “I’ll take care of this, Melanie. They will not bother you again.”
My mate replied, “Thank you Aaron, but they aren’t cops. They are Warlocks from a Coven in Nashville. Tristan, you need to warn Dalton... they want Paige way more than they want me. They will easily go to Red Run and try their luck there.”
EJ snarled, “They won’t leave our borders. Are they affiliated with the police in any way?” Melanie shook her head, “No… not even kind of. It’s why they said they were detectives… they don’t have uniforms… or badges.” EJ nodded.
Phil said, “Yes, that’s why when people come to the door a Beta answers and asked for I.D.
” I replied, “Well, maybe they just pissed me off and I didn’t think of that yet.
” Gage said, “So, the moral of the story is you don’t answer the door.
” I replied, “They were talking about my mate and I could hear them.” Phil groaned.
I popped Melanie to our room and crushed her against me.
I kissed my mate hard. With great effort I pulled back and took a deep breath.
“Ok, I do want to talk about us and our Mating Ceremony before we talk about what just happened.” Melanie blushed but nodded.
I was going to get it all out there so she would believe that I truly did want her. I always had.