Interesting Meetings #7
Elise’s decisions matched the situation along with Buttercup’s. I was really proud of Micah when he was making his decisions. They considered him an Alpha Male, but as Max’s mate... he was part of these proceedings since he clearly wanted to be.
I felt a little bad watching Jane, Theo’s mate. I avoided her a little bit because… she could out me. Jane didn’t see my face, but she’d heard my voice, so I limited our interactions… it seemed mutual on her end though so… maybe we were avoiding each other. She was a really good Luna though.
The last case of the day stepped into the circle to present their dispute.
I already had a feeling this one was going to test my patience.
The guy who’d filed the dispute looked haughty and had an expression of I’m holier than thou.
My annoyance level was already high before he even spoke. Freya chuckled in my head.
The arrogant guy stated his case. I nearly snorted.
Holier than thou was upset that the gardener planted the wrong colored flowers in his yard.
You have got to be kidding. I bit my lip.
I mentally chiding myself, “Do not say any words, Melanie. No words. Do not punch the asshole in the face for this absurd dispute. Don’t do it. ” Freya cackled.
My mantra was interrupted by the haughty holier than thou guy speaking to Elise, “No offense Luna Elise, but I want to hear how the Muffin Luna would handle this. In fact, I want her decision to be what’s implemented.”
I couldn’t stop myself from speaking. I snorted, “No, you don’t.
” Elise cracked a smile. Jane was staring at the ground smiling while Buttercup actually laughed.
Micah looked deeply amused. Which made sense…
he knew better than anyone here, well… the me I became…
obviously Elise knew me…. back… before… I left.
I spotted Haley in the crowd. My mate’s mom looked very interested in what I would say. I was astonished to find Dylan in the crowd crunching on popcorn. Was he everywhere? I actually spotted my parents, Tristan and Everly in the crowd. Why was everyone here?
I was about to link them when Elise broke the silence, “Bradford, are you sure that’s what you want? I will enforce Melanie’s decision. I won’t listen to a dispute if you don’t like her decision. I’ll make sure EJ does not either.”
Bradford? HIS NAME WAS brADFORD? This just got better and better. He sounded like a spoiled rich kid, and he acted like one. Freya admitted, “He does.” I added out loud, “It’s not a good call on your part, Bradford.” The gardener was trying and failing to hide his smirk.
Sierra caught my attention by laughing out loud and not quietly. Bradford was apparently overly confident and didn’t listen well. Holier than thou said, “Luna Elise, I will abide by the Muffin Luna’s ruling. I think this pack and I deserve to know what type of Luna she will be.”
He added, “She has been exposed to more Luna dispute hearings than this one. She was raised in Red Run and is a Beta by birth. The muffin Luna would’ve attended Luna Chelsea’s hearings.” Bradford was right, I did. It was the first thing he’d said that was correct.
Elise acknowledged, “You are correct, Ladybug did attend Luna meetings and disputes.” Elise turned to me smiling as she announced, “Melanie, the floor is yours.” I sighed, “Well, I mean… I warned you Bradford. You have some kind of audacity about you… along with the fact that you clearly don’t listen, but that’s your fault.
.. and probably a little bit the fault of those who raised you. ”
I waved saying, “We will get to that though. I don’t think I have ever heard a more entitled, spoiled rich person problem in my entire life.
So, let’s dive in, I guess. Did you go to the gardener and inform him he made a mistake in the color of the freaking flower you asked for?
” Freya was wheezing she was laughing so hard in my head.
Bradford’s face was bright red as he sputtered, “No.” I replied, “I didn’t think so. Did you go to the head gardener... about any of this? Or to... I’m so sorry sir, I do not know your name.” I looked directly at the other man in the dispute.
The gardener spoke, “It’s Mitch, Muffin Luna.” I nodded, “Thank you, Mitch. Bradford, did you go to any of Mitch’s superiors about this since we already know you didn’t go to the man in question himself?” Bradford flushed, “No.”
I nodded, “Naturally. Did you... I don’t know, think about the fact that you could re-plant the correct flower yourself?” Bradford growled, “I AM A WARRIOR! I do not do gardening.” I said, “I can tell you are a Warrior… but like… did anyone hear me ask his status in the pack?”
Sierra answered, “Nope.” I replied, “They didn’t hear it because that’s not what I asked you, Bradford.
So… let’s answer my question.” Bradford growled, “No, I didn’t think to do it myself.
” I clarified, “From my understanding… the flower in question is the type of flower you wanted… just the wrong color. Is that right? Dear god, please let me be misunderstanding that point.”
I muttered, “Not that it being the wrong flower AND color makes this any better… it just makes you less of a tool. Not much... but a little… and I feel that distinction is very important… so.” Bradford’s shoulders sagged, “It’s just the wrong color.”
I asked, “Did you consider dyeing the flower the proper color? Or doing anything other than running to the Luna to fix your… and know it pains me to call it a problem, but I guess we will… problem?” Bradford stammered, “It’s the Luna’s job to…”
I cut him off, “I don’t know what rock you’ve lived under that you believe a Luna’s job is to get involved in a gardening issue before it’s gone through superiors, or the head gardener…
but you're wrong. Or call me crazy… you could’ve just kept it to yourself and found a solution all by your lonesome.
.. but you want everyone else to pity you. ”
I fake pouted, “Woe to you, the gardener planted the wrong colored flower. Then you didn’t even talk to him about…
you came here. It’s absurd. That’s not the intent behind these disputes.
If you read our histories, Alpha’s and Luna’s hold these to make sure cohesiveness exists in the pack.
AFTER they have gone through the structure in place to make sure it’s truly a dispute of something that has occurred. ”
“This didn’t go through any channel as you believe yourself superior to the process. Because your problems should go straight to the top… because I’m guessing you were raised to believe you were better than others.”
I warned, “I have news for you that you should’ve been told a long time ago. That’s not how a pack works. From the Alpha down the Omega’s, we all have jobs to do. Part of that job is working with each other. I personally spent the last several years in a pack that didn't know that.”
I asked, “Do you want to know what your attitude breeds? A pack that has to struggle for scraps. A pack that doesn’t look out for each other. From the top of the pack to the bottom everyone is out for themselves. Not their friends, family, mates, or pups.”
I warned, “A pack where a Warrior sees an Omega being attacked by rogues and does nothing because in their mind… ‘oh well, it’s an Omega’ that is where your attitude leads.
You are not better than others in this pack because of the rank you bare.
We all have a place here and work as a unit, which is what a pack is, to survive. ”
“I dare say without the cooks you’d probably die or have to make your wolf hunt and eat for you all the time. You seem to believe yourself to be too important for such a task. I’m guessing you won’t be learning how to cook.”
“Yet you deem yourself better than those doing crucial work. You can’t even plant a flower. A simple search on a computer or phone would probably give you a VIDEO guide of how to plant a flower… actually I know it can.”
Bradford stammered, “I’m a Warrior. It’s not my job to garden.” I was confused. Freya said, “I’d explain it, but I don’t like his point.” I reasoned, “I already told you I understand that you are a Warrior. I’ll even be seeing you in practice here soon.” I studied Bradford as his eyes narrowed.
I groaned, “I see that going badly for you because you’re going to challenge me.
I can see it on your face. It’s a bad call, but it’s your right to do so.
You could ask people in Red Run about my skills BEFORE I became a Female Lead Warrior and RAN Black Path with my Male Lead Warrior counterpart…
without Edward’s help because he was useless. ” People gasped. What? He was.
I waved, “Back to the topic of the dispute and not your poor future choices… You need a serious lesson in how packs work. Packs work side by side with each other. So, for the next four months you, in your spare time... because you will not miss a single duty as a Warrior… you will be replanting a garden on the north side. There was a sudden vacancy over there that needs to be re-planted.”
Freya chuckled, “I love you. That’s amazing and it will make our mother and father in law happy.
” I did know that. Haley and Dylan snorted.
Bradford stormed out before I could finish speaking.
I rolled my eyes and looked at Sierra, “I’ve got twenty bucks that says he runs and cries to mommy.
She’ll storm in here full of fake righteous indignation for her baby boy. ” Sierra bit her lip.
Buttercup chimed in, “I doubt that. It’s not allowed, and Alexander would make training hell if it happened.” I told her playfully, “You’re on, Buttercup.” My future sister in law laughed, “Alright. I’m in.”
I turned to Mitch, “Now, Mitch ….as for you … and this… gosh we are still saying problem… ugh.” Several people laughed. I waved, “You planted the wrong colored flower on purpose, didn’t you? Bradford is annoying and a jerk. You messed with him by planting the wrong color of flower.”