A Legend
Alexander’s heart was so full. my mate, my Lovebug, my Melanie had agreed to marry me. After all these years of imagining us together, and this ring on her finger, it finally was a reality. I couldn’t believe my mate was genuinely surprised I’d asked.
Of course I would ask her to marry me. I wanted her and our life together.
I popped us back to the house. We couldn’t keep our hands off each other even on the way into the bedroom.
I cursed myself for not just popping us straight into the bedroom.
Oden agreed, “Missed opportunities.” I snorted at my wolf.
I just couldn’t get enough of Melanie. I’d ruined countless numbers of pillows trying not to mark her.
It was just so damn hard not to. What got me was when Melanie did it.
A lot of feelings crashed down around me, and I couldn’t help but wonder if that’s how she’d felt every time I’d had to do the same.
My family instantly shot me curiosity and the hope I was ok because of my feelings.
My dad sent me strength definitely getting to the root of reason in the bond.
It hurt that my mate didn’t mark me. It felt like rejection which was bullshit.
I wanted to mark her, Melanie wanted to mark me.
I’d been hurting her. Oden whined sadly.
When we’d finally fallen apart, I popped us back to our room in Black Mountain. My mate’s eyes almost immediately fluttered shut. I kissed her forehead and popped to the gym. I started with a heavy bag and heard someone groan. It sounded like Toby.
EJ popped next to me in the next second. My big brother put a hand on my shoulder, “Alexander, are you ok? I don’t understand what’s going on. From the happiness I felt from you earlier I figured it all worked out. Then you felt rejected. Aren’t you engaged? There’s no way Ladybug would say no.”
I punched the bag off the holder and turned. I explained, “I am engaged. I’m just so sick of not being able to mark my mate. Tonight, she bit a pillow so she wouldn’t mark me. I’ve done it countless times, but she hasn’t. It felt awful, EJ.”
EJ frowned reasoning, “Melanie can mark you.” I gritted my teeth, “Freya thinks we should wait so we can do it together. Which I get because that’s how I imagined it would go, but it felt shitty when Mel bit the damn pillow.
Hell, it felt horrible in a way I can’t accurately describe, and my mate has probably felt that way every time I’ve had to do that. ”
“A piece of me feels like my mate didn’t want to mark me, even though it’s not true.
Given that Mel thought I didn’t want her for the last four years, this has to feel devastating for her.
I’m so fucking over it. I can’t believe I’ve made her feel this and didn’t know.
I want our damn Hackura bond. I want to mark my fucking mate. ”
EJ squeezed my shoulder saying, “I get it. Not completely if I’m being honest. I do know that it was hard not to mark Elise after she got her wolf. I know that’s not the same because I could mark her when she turned eighteen. I don’t want to think about her not being able to mark me or vice versa.”
I reiterated, “It’s fucking awful. Melanie’s mine and people keep pointing out she’s not marked.
If it was up to me, she’d have been marked the damn day I saw her.
Then I’d feel like an ass because maybe she never would’ve shifted into Freya.
Or this could all be for nothing. Mel could shift if I had marked her and it would be perfectly fine. ”
EJ snorted, “The unknown is such a jerk.” I wryly retorted, “That’s putting it nicely.” EJ nodded, “At least the scars on her back are gone.” My eyes blazed. Toby yelled, “YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO CALM HIM DOWN! Not rile him back up, EJ!” EJ rolled his eyes and yelled, “That’s Phil’s job.”
EJ turned to me and continued, “Anyway. Mom is fucking pissed off about whatever it was. It’s breaking Elise. My mate has gone to bad places she’s imagined about the whole thing.” I snorted, “Whatever she thinks it is, it was worse. So let her live in her imagination.” EJ cringed, “Good god.”
I told him, “When we get our hands on our Trevor McCann, he will not die for a long ass time.” EJ agreed, “He shouldn’t.
I assume Trevor will be going to the Hackura realm then.
” I snorted, “Yes, he will. He should be used as practice for any member of our family. Or anyone who is super angry and needs to get some frustration out. He’ll be there.
“Trevor tried to take Freya from Melanie. He tried to take my mate from me. He tried to blackmail her into sleeping with him. He whipped and beat her. That piece of shit carved VILE things into my Lovebug’s back.”
EJ sighed, “He tried to forcibly mark her too. Alpha Theo sent over the paperwork from Ladybug to the Council. She told him she remembered everything now.” I growled. EJ said, “He didn’t though, little brother. Melanie is stubborn, fierce woman who has always only wanted you.”
I snarled, “Oden seems to believe the only mark that would stay on her is ours.” EJ raised an eyebrow asking, “Uhh why?” I shrugged admitting, “I don’t know because my wolf won’t say.
” EJ was quiet then added, “Dad thinks other than the electricity thing, which he equates to Fairy stuff, that the Moon Goddess is trying to get Melanie to forgive her.”
I snorted, “Fat chance of that happening.” EJ nodded, “Oh, I agree. It’s not happening, but it’s the best theory we have.
” I conceded, “Yeah, I guess it is.” Oden offered, “It's wrong but it’s not a bad theory.” I rolled my eyes grumbling, “All Oden has to say is, we are wrong but basically good try.”
EJ laughed, “Why is he being so tight lipped?” I sighed, “My wolf is not going to get over me not believing him about one thing, until the end of time. I even told Oden I would believe him and never doubt him again. I regret not listening to him in the first place.”
EJ offered, “I’m sure after Melanie shifts, he will get over it.” I asked my wolf, “How about it, Oden?” Oden snickered, “I’ll stop being cagey, but over it? Oh no. That’s going to get brought out every so often.”
I sighed telling my brother, “My wolf has agreed to stop being cagey once Melanie shifts, but he intends to bring up the fact that I didn’t believe him about her sporadically.
” EJ snorted, “He has to understand that you had some sort of reason. You’re not a possessive asshole, but you did have a reason to give you pause. ” Oden scoffed.
I shrugged, “He doesn’t seem to care about that, and to be fair he’s not wrong, I should've trusted him, and I wish I had.” EJ replied, “We can’t all live in we wish this or that land. Melanie is here now.” I snorted, “You say that as if I can’t feel your guilt about this situation, big brother.”
EJ hopefully said, “Maybe one of us can take my advice.” I smiled, “Let’s go with you. You take your advice. What if this was Elise? Wouldn’t you feel horrible?” EJ hummed, “So neither of us will be taking my advice.” Toby snorted, “Great.”
EJ clapped me on the back, “Let’s go to bed, little brother. Focus on the fact that Melanie is here AND she’s your fiancée. Congratulations on that by the way.” I smiled saying, “Yes, she is.” EJ told me, “I’m really happy for your guys.”
We both popped back to the house. I quickly jumped into the shower, got into bed, pulled Melanie to me, and fell asleep. I woke up when Melanie kissed me on the cheek but waited for her to go outside. I watched her run across the lawn.
I followed and couldn’t help but be entranced by her dancing. I saw KJ, Fowler, and Chason watching from the opposite side to me. I nodded to them and headed to the gym. I decided to go ahead and run a few laps before I put in some work with the heavy bag.
I could smell Melanie’s muffins from here.
Oden snickered, “Mate is happy.” I turned as Warriors walked into the gym with said muffins and raised an eyebrow.
They stuffed their faces and mumbled, “It would be rude not to eat the Muffin Luna’s muffins.
” I laughed and popped to the front yard to wait for everyone.
Once my brother’s started filing out, they all congratulated me on being engaged.
Calvin added, “And we all thank you for the muffins we will be eating post run. Continue making her ‘muffin making’ happy for the family please and thank you.” I rolled my eyes, “I’ll get right on that, Calvin.
” My little brother responded, “It’s a small thing that benefits the group as a whole.
” I laughed before we shifted and took off running.
Once we made it back, I shifted. I quickly snapped my clothes on and walked into the house. Melanie had some batter on her face and looked utterly adorable. Oden purred in my head. When I saw her engagement ring on her finger, a strong sense of possessiveness went through me.
I kissed my mate with everything I had. EJ linked me, “Damn, get a room.” I snorted, “Uh huh. It’s a kiss.” EJ snorted, “Keep telling yourself that.” Melanie was blushing hard when I pulled back. I’d seen some of my brothers having sex in the Hackura realm, so they couldn’t say anything.
They were just giving me crap, displays of affection didn’t faze our family at all.
Melanie put a plate of food together for me.
I was happy when she put a plate together for herself and sat down next to me.
This felt like good progress from her freak out in Switzerland about not doing dishes.
No one had to ask her to sit down and join us, my mate just joined.
Once she finished, she told me she needed to get ready and headed out of the room. I could feel her nerves shooting up from my foot. EJ frowned asking, “Did she change the time or….?” He trailed off intentionally. I answered, “She’s just nervous.”