Interesting Meetings #6
I winced admitting, “I don’t know… there’s a whole thing… since my wolf was suppressed…. They are trying to look into making sure I shift before I’m marked.” My old friend blew out a breath saying, “Well, that makes sense, but it sucks ass.” I agreed, “Yeah, it does.”
Tiffany told me, “I can hear that it hurts you in your tone.” I admitted, “It does… a lot… and it’s annoying because it doesn’t make sense.
” Tiffany realized, “And you still don’t like it when your feelings and logic battle each other.
My god, I missed the hell out of you Melanie McAlister. ” I’d missed her a lot too.
We talked a little longer before we hung up.
I called Tristan. My big brother answered, “Ladybug.” I whispered, “You gave Tiffany my number.” He groaned, “I should’ve asked you first. I’m sorry.
” I replied, “No… it’s fine… I missed her…
and I probably wouldn’t have reached out…
since statistically she totally moved on from a childhood friendship…
and I thought she left me on read… which she didn’t. ”
Tristan agreed, “She didn’t. I wouldn’t have given her your number if she had.
” I replied, “Well… thanks. I… umm… it felt normal talking to her and I never feel normal anymore.” My brother said, “You are exceptional, and you always have been.” Freya offered, “He’s right.
” We talked some more before we hung up.
I called my dad next. He answered immediately, “Melanie Jane?” I asked, “Did T text my number to everyone? That’s silly…
of course he did.” Dad answered, “He did and I hope you don’t mind.
” I admitted, “I don’t... it’s less awkward…
since… I thought you they knew my number…
which obviously I didn’t think you did… so… ”
I groaned, “Sorry this is weird… I’m not used to you actually being able to answer when I talk to you.
” Dad asked, “When did you talk to me?” I admitted, “Umm… I kind of bought a plot of land and put gravestones on them for you, T, and Mom…. and… those… yeah… that’s not the point.
I just want to say thank you for … umm having a Vampire help Tiffany…
it was nice… ok… um thanks… bye.” I hung up.
Those gravestones were still there, and they were lies. Dad linked me, “Melanie Jane, I can help you with whatever you want to do right now.” I knew my dad would figure out what I was doing… eventually.
I was walking to find Xander when I saw Cassie. I grabbed her insisting, “I need you to pop me here.” I showed her a picture of the plotted area. My mate’s sister agreed, “Ok.” Cassie popped and in a matter of seconds I was right where I wanted to be. I stared at the gravestones I’d put up.
I asked, “Can I get a sledgehammer please?” One appeared in my hands.
Cassie offered, “I can hit it with my sunlight.” I muttered, “You could… except… I’m stupid…
and I had Paige put all kind of spells on them so powers couldn’t bring them down…
with Nate using Fairy charms…. because… well…
I thought Trevor would do something dumb at some point and try to take them down…
. so… it’s for laser’s… we could blow it up… that’s a thing we could do.”
Cassie calmly said, “We can do that. My mom can anyway, easily. You do what you need to do though. My Hackura side fully understands you need to hit these gravestones. I can do that too.” I agreed, “Definitely conjure a sledgehammer and hit them if you’re mad about something.”
Cassie snorted, “I’m incredibly mad about what the Ring and Black Path did to you, you’re my sister in law.
These gravestones are meant to be something beautiful you did for your family.
They are dripped in pain because you weren’t allowed at their funerals.
Even though you know now it was a lie, that had to tear at your soul. ”
I admitted, “It did… I thought I was doing right by them having these commemorative beautiful stones here… but it’s not… it’s just a symbol of how I bought the lie… how I believed Jason abandoned me… that my Alpha and pack did… that my mom, dad, and Tristan were gone AND THEY AREN’T!”
I gripped the sledgehammer and yelled as I hit them all. They were cracking but it was going way too slow. I cursed myself, “Stupid…Melanie… spending money… on nice headstones THAT DON’T WANT TO CRACK! I PAID FOR TOP OF THE LINE… AND GOT IT! BUT IT WAS LIE! JUST brEAK!”
Xander popped in. I knew it was him… because I could smell him.
I could also smell my family with him. Tristan whispered, “Ladybug, what’s going on?
” I explained, “They won’t freaking break!
I literally got what I paid for… any other time…
.this would not be annoying….but it wasn’t true!
You’re not dead…and they need to be gone! ”
Dad ordered, “Conjure us sledgehammers, Alexander.” Yes… more people breaking the headstones would work. Freya said, “If I was at full power, we could take care of this easily.” I wondered how. I jolted in surprise when Everly hit the one the opposite of me.
I stared at my brother’s mate. Everly had come and was helping. Addison joined us too…but her having my back wasn’t shocking. Xander nearly made me hit my own foot when he took his own shirt off and got to work. I studied him for several seconds before I shook myself.
Everly and I got Tristan’s gravestone to break in half. I cried as I hit the broken piece, trying to smash it into rubble. I screamed as I swung at my dad’s next. Mom was working pretty hard on it. I watched as the hammer hit his name and started to crumble. Dust came off of it.
I screamed, “brEAK! JUST brEAK!” Freya said, “I got you. Swing with everything we’ve got. I’m at the front of your mind.” I screamed again and swung. The top half actually flew away from the group and everyone paused.
I stared at the sledgehammer and the top of the gravestone… and where it landed. I told Freya, “You’ve got juice.” My wolf agreed, “I do.” Haley offered, “I can blow it all up now.” My future mother in law had popped in with Eric at some point.
I looked at the graves. Dad and Xander had gone after mom’s with Jason and Tristan so it was pretty much destroyed like I wanted. I looked at the ones for my dad and Tristan. I nodded, “Do it.” Xander grabbed me and popped me further back. I grumbled, “I wish I could make them explode.”
My mate kissed my temple. Haley blew all three up and gathered the dust of them all in a box. My future mother in law told me, “I’ll use so a charm so it’s flammable. You can throw it in the fire pit we have.” I admitted, “I like that idea more than I should.”
Everly argued, “I think you like it the right amount. This was a good plan to remove these markers of the lie you were force fed.” I replied, “I mean… it wasn’t so much a plan…
more an idea… that required an immediately reaction…
.because it just hit me that I had to take them out.
” Addison hugged me. My friend knew how much I came here to dance and talk to them.
Xander popped us back to the pack where Aiden was standing, waiting for us. He and Haley used the charm, and he started the fire before she handed me the box. I took the lid off, dumped the remains of the markers, and watched them burn.
My dad came over and wrapped me in his arms with my mom.
Eventually Tristan and Jason joined us. It really felt like our first step towards…
maybe healing? Freya said, “It was definitely a step, and I can tell how much better you feel with something physical being gone.” It was silly, but… I really did feel better.
I addressed our group, “Thank you for coming… since… I didn’t tell you to… but you did and… clearly, I would’ve been there forever… and Caine probably would’ve shown up because of the yelling.” Addison interjected, “Caine was there.” Oh… well… he didn’t say anything.
Mom said, “We will always show up for you, Melanie Jane.” Unless a compulsion made them not do that… she was right. Even with the mom monster cookies they showed up for me. I hugged them tighter and then sat down and watched the flames in the fire.
Xander sat behind me and pulled me into him.
He linked, “I’m glad you took Cassie.” I replied, “I was coming for you… but I saw her first and those gravestones had to go.” My mate acknowledged, “I get that. I would need them gone too.” I nuzzled into him and felt like everything was going to be ok again.
The rest of the weekend went by drama free.
It was nice but I found it highly suspicious.
I was definitely on alert for something to go wrong.
It was all smooth sailing though. I planned to go with my friends on Wednesday to look for my Mating Ceremony dress.
I’d invited Haley, Elise, and Cassie along with the other Conner’s sibling’s mates.
After a lot of internal debating… I’d invited my mom.
I knew she was really happy about me asking her to join us.
Personally, it was like a weight had lifted from my chest. So, I knew it was the right decision.
I debated Grandma Esther, but not Grandma Haskins…
it felt wrong to invite one and not the other… .probably mean.
Freya snorted, “Grandma Esther has talked to us. Grandpa Ben has been around for a lot of meetings. The Haskins haven’t.
” My wolf was right. They were basically ignoring me at this point, but that wasn’t any different to how they’d acted since I was fourteen…
except that was a lie. I don’t know what to do with all that…
so I just wasn’t going to think about it.
Before I knew it, Monday rolled around and it was time to listen to Luna disputes. As I listened to all the disputes come and go, I knew my assessment about Elise being a fair Luna was accurate. In person data was preferrable to reviewing the cases after they were filed. So, this was fun for me.