Page 52 of The Alpha and His Childhood Sweetheart (Ribbon #7)

Rhea didn’t have a reply to that.

I knew Ashley trusted me, but she didn’t like to talk about leaving Black Path or things her pack leadership did. I didn’t push her because I was taking a page out of my mother in law’s book. Ashley was skittish and we all knew it. Wasn’t I the smartest choice to get Ashley to be our source though?

Eric linked, “Theo is just another line we have with her. I think if she’s going to be anyone’s source it will be yours. We are playing the long game.”

I wasn’t surprised because he always was. Logically, Ashley was too smart not to see the signs of the bad things Black Path was involved in. Especially since she was now the Female Lead Warrior.

Why wouldn’t she tell me though? Rhea sighed, “Not to disagree with Alpha Theo, but Ashley isn’t really the blackmailing type.”

I didn’t know about that. Everyone had that inside them, especially supernatural’s. Ashley just wouldn’t do it for the reasons other people did. The loss of her family drove her, but it might be heading into reckless abandon at this point.

Which means that whatever this pack was doing she was working to bring them down herself. She had trust issues, and for some reason she did not appear to trust the Werewolf Council. Taking Black Path down on her own was more her style than blackmailing Alpha Davis for anything in my opinion.

EJ offered the idea that Ashley could be playing Alpha Theo. I nearly smacked his shoulder but refrained. Rhea huffed, “Ashley isn’t like that, and he knows it.”

I was just as annoyed as she was. That idea was quickly tossed out as an option. Which they should be grateful for. I was ready to go in on them.

Which circled my thoughts back to there being so many parallels between this girl and Melanie. If we ever got them together, they would probably take over the world. That wasn’t even an exaggeration. If they fought side by side, woe be it for anyone who stood in their way.

Melanie had assured all of us she kept up with her training. My brothers got the report from the Alpha in New York now. They hadn’t been able to pin him down for a phone conversation, but he emailed them the reports. She was just as good as she ever was.

We listened to the conversation. Rhea hummed, “It’s true Ashley would be a crowd pleaser in the undergrounds we see.”

I asked, “You don’t think she’s in the real ones. Do you?”

Fear gripped me hard. Rhea replied, “If she is, she wins. Shady people would mark her if they pinned her to tame her.” I didn’t like that thought at all.

Rhea agreed, “I don’t either, but I’ve seen that side of the world in my past lives. I don’t think, even as good as she is, Ashley could withstand the toughest fighters they have for this long. She’d be dead or marked. Unless she has some insane strength we don’t know about.”

What a happy thought.

Haley and I had invited Ashley to represent Black Path at the Summit. Alpha Davis turned that down. I told Ashley that I’d been disappointed at their pack’s refusal. She told me she hadn’t even heard about the offer.

Rhea snarled, “Alpha Davis really has to die soon.”

Seriously, I didn’t know why I didn’t just march down and punch him after that ordeal. Why hadn’t I? He didn’t even give her the invitation. He didn’t have the right to turn it down without her knowledge. My head was going to explode with pain.

I startled, realizing more people had reach out to Ashley than I’d thought. I linked Eric, “You talked to Ashley?”

He admitted, “I did.”

Whoa. Did the whole Conners family reach out to Ashley without my knowing? She’d refused to meet him too. I was so beyond annoyed now that I needed a run.

I glared at EJ when he asked if Ashley was rude to Eric, but he didn’t see it. Ashley wasn’t like that. Eric linked me, “Hold up there, killer.”

I replied, “She’s a nice person.”

He agreed, “She did seem nice.” I calmed down a little.

I linked Rhea, “Why are we so irritable right now?”

Rhea felt twitchy. She answered, “Maybe we just need a run.”

We would get one as soon as this meeting was over. Alexander wanted to talk to Ashley, fighter to fighter.

Rhea snicked, “Ashley might just die if he reached out to her.”

That was true. She’d implemented his techniques in her pack. She thought Alexander was practically a god himself. No one else realized that Ashley could fall over dead from a heart attack if Alexander emailed her.

From the look in my brother in law’s eyes, I knew he was going to. Rhea linked, “She’s mad at the Moon Goddess.”

I replied, “I picked that up from what Alpha Theo is saying. Honestly, I might be too if I was her.”

I felt my wolf flinch, but it was true. She probably felt abandoned.

I only wished I’d realized that before I included it in my email to Ashley. I hoped that so many people reaching out to her didn’t completely overwhelm her and make her retreat. She could feel like she was backed into a corner. That could push her to silence. Rhea reasoned, “She will always talk to us.”

I asked, “Why are you so confident?”

She admitted, “I don’t know, but I am.” Well, ok then.

Alpha Theo dropped another bomb. Rhea snarled, “They call her ICE QUEEN?!”

That pissed me off so bad I nearly shifted. Dakota linked, “Dalton said you were mad.”

I replied, “Now, I’m even more mad. ICE QUEEN!” He told me, “I need more context.” I snarled, “They call Ashley Ice Queen because she won’t fuck them!” He growled back, “What the hell?!” I scoffed, “RIGHT?!” At least I knew everyone around me agreed.

Rhea snarked, “What a bunch of narcissistic shitheads!”

I agreed, “No woman has to do anything with any man that she doesn’t want to. She DOES NOT deserve to be ridiculed for that.”

My mom linked, “So, your brothers said you are ready to rage and rightfully so.” I snarled, “People in Black Path can get fucked!” She agreed, “They could probably use that. Orgasms help make us more centered.” I nearly spit out my water.

I linked, “MOM!”

She replied, “What? It does.”

I told her, “Well, I’m going to finish out this meeting and go for a run.” She laughed, “You know I have lots of orgasms, sweetie. Well, I guess you knew I had sex because you and your siblings. Your dad is generous in…” I cut her off, “Mom, no please. I heard you growing up.” She shot back, “Yeah, I heard you and EJ a time or two as well.” I shut that link hard.

Rhea linked, “In the spirit of thinking of something else; maybe Ashley is waiting for the guy she likes to come get her.”

I replied, “Bless you and this subject change. She could since he had to know where she was. We need his name then we could talk to him.”

Rhea asked, “Do we really want it? The guy is crazy and Ashley is amazing.”

True. EJ got me out of my head and admitting that I felt like a failure to Ashley and Melanie. He disagreed with me, saying Melanie was living her dream.

I threw my pen because I was sick to DEATH of people saying that. So what? So what if she was living her dream? Was she even? Alexander was her dream, and I knew that because she’d told me so herself once. My headache was back with a vengeance. I literally felt my brain whispering that she was living her dream.

EJ switched the subject to Ashley. I asked Rhea, “Why can’t I convince her that her parents death wasn’t her fault?”

She admitted, “Because she was a pup, they had for two years before we contact her. She was vulnerable and they preyed on her and beat her down. Now, it’s engrained in her psyche that it was her fault.”

Well, that just sucked.

I linked my parents, “You guys would give your lives for me, and if anyone told me it was my fault you’d rise from the grave to haunt their asses. Right?”

My dad snarled, “I’d find a way to kill someone. I’d make a deal with Iblis himself.”

Iblis was friends with EJ’s Uncle Bjourn, who just so happened to be the Ruler of the underworld.

My mom replied, “I would appear to you in dream after dream to make sure you knew that was all lies. I’d give my life for any of you. I know this about Ashley, and I agree her parents would be aghast over what they’ve done to her.”

Well, that made me feel better.

I wished Ashley’s parents would find a way to reach her like I knew mine would. I told them, “I love you guys.”

They replied, “As we love you.”

My dad said, “In all seriousness, if someone ever happened to me all I want is for you to be happy.” I teared up, “Well, nothing gets to happen to you.” He chuckled, “I plan to be around for a long time.” Good.

I knew Haley and Eric would do the same as my parents. Except Haley would go farther than anyone else. She was a force to be reckoned with and had a lot of magic for anyone to contend with. I would stake my life and reputation on that fact.

What had me thinking about Ashley’s brother again was mine and EJ’s siblings. They’d never treat their sibling this way. Rhea agreed, “We could set him straight.”

We could. Then I’d go after his mate because she just went along with it.

I gave her a little grace because she sends Ashley pictures of their son but agrees she can’t see him in person. They refuse to let her come home and see him or even meet her in the middle. It breaks my heart for her.

That got me thinking about Melanie. She hadn’t even made it home to meet Tristan and Everly’s son Kai yet. Kai made me think I could be ready to have pups in a couple of years. He was so adorable. I just wanted to curse all the gods.

I mean a hurricane in New York?! COME ON! Snowstorms, hailstorms. Any type of storm you can name it’s happened. Even A TORNADO! The Gods and Goddesses were mocking us all. I just didn't know why. My phone dinged. Excitement filled me. It was from Ashley.

Elise,

I am sorry you were worried.... that… I didn’t mean… to… not answer…. It’s been a hectic few days. This is actually the first time I’ve been home since the attack… because… Well…. someone I consider family was injured. I couldn’t leave the hospital… I just couldn’t…. not until I knew he was going to be ok… I was prepared to put everything on the line…. and call in a favor to be healed…. if he took a turn but which… I mean… I would’ve given anything to make sure he was ok… …he’s fine, thank goodness.

Honestly…it’s for everyone’s best freaking interest that he’s fine…. I’m apparently ‘snarky’ right now… screw them and their labels…. that’s not the point right now… I again find that your pride means the world to me.

Thank you for your kind words of encouragement. I mean I do know not all packs are like this one, but without me… innocent people would die. It sounds boastful… but it’s true… I am needed here… the bigger point is I deserve to be here. I don’t deserve to have a good life… everyone has made that clear…. and really… I already have more than I deserve.

As far as Trevor McCann… the dirty dog smelling LIAR… he’s lying and… well…. Everyone knows it. They just claim that they can’t prove he’s wrong… which is lie… and you know that so saying it is not necessary… at all.

I can handle Trevor… easily. It’s sad how easy it is to beat him in a fight…. really and truly sad …you’d never know he had Gamma and Alpha blood…. So… he won’t forcibly mark me because he’d have to beat me, and he can’t do that… or even land a hit… unless I let him… and I won’t feed his ego like that… ever….

Really… there is only one man whose mark I’d ever bear… and I do dream about that… it’s just that… it won’t happen. He despises me… which is fine… I’m obviously fine and not crying while I type that… I’m so beyond fine that he hates me… It’s totally fine….. I’ll just be on my own… never being anyone’s mate ever…. it really wouldn’t be fair to anyone else… since my heart belongs to someone else. I will always be his. That is just what it is.

I’ve thought about going to see him many times… I have plans on plans… I actually got in the car a few times… it’s just that… I can’t… so I stop… and turn around. I know it doesn’t make sense… or maybe it does… I can’t see the hatred and repulsion in his eyes. I can’t be rejected by him. It will kill me. Literally I think it would.

That’s probably really selfish… no it definitely is… because I want him to be happy. It’s just that right now, I have things to do. One day… I’m not sure when but one day… I think I have a timeline then things happen… the point is… I will go see him once this all is settled and those that I am protecting can protect themselves. He will always be the man I love, but I will accept his rejection and die… if that’s what he wants. I’d do that for him. I just can’t leave these people like this right now.

Alpha Theo is not my Alpha… it sounds rude but it’s true. Again, I know that there is only one person that could ever be my Alpha… which probably doesn’t make sense… but it’s how I feel. As far as Edward Davis... he is no Alpha of mine.

Really… the fact of the matter is that he shouldn’t be an Alpha to anyone. He is the worst. I have a position of leadership here, but that does not make him my Alpha… well… that I accept or choose… I swore no allegiance to him when I joined the pack… because… well, he is reprehensible. As far as my safety… well… I am not safe anywhere. I’m not popular… which is fine. I know my purpose.

Trevor and I have never dated. That’s just… eww… He was involved in a situation… well, we hate each other… I don’t know why he’s claiming to be my mate… it’s baffling since he hates me just as much as I hate him… maybe it’s because I refused him? That has merit. He is insipid enough to think that he could claim to be my mate… then I’d just magically fall into his bed. His dad is just like him…. Those two are the most obnoxious jerks… his mom and siblings are great though… but I mean everyone knows I’d feel sparks and he wouldn’t smell like a literal wet dog to me. Nor would I feel abhorrent disgust I have always felt for him.

You shouldn’t worry about me… that’s wrong… I’m fine… and I know where my place to stand is…which I mean… it’s protecting the innocent who cannot protect themselves. Giving them the tools and the strength to stand and fight. It’s a process… it’s taking more time than I thought… that’s for sure. It’s not an easy path, but someone needs to do it. They just need someone… and that has to be me right now. They are who I stand for and defend.

Your offer means a lot more to me than you will ever know… truthfully there is a very large part of me that cries out at me to take it… I wish it was possible… but it’s… it wouldn’t… work out.

Talk to you soon,

Ashley

I threw my phone in fury. I rubbed my face thinking I had a clue. Was the boy she liked one of the Alpha’s sons? UGH! This was such bullshit. I needed more information. She was in danger, and I needed to do something. Ashey was right that she was doing good. Nashville finally had good Warriors and women that were finally involved in their packs as more than breeding machines.

Rhea linked, “What if we just attack their pack? Ashley would probably let us in. If her Warriors didn’t fight, then we’d easily win.”

I snorted, “We would win anyway. They’d just give a fight.”

She agreed with me, but EJ had to be logical about it all. Stupid freaking rules we followed. If only I could get Ashley to open up, then we’d have our proof. Before EJ and I could get busy someone interrupted.

Rhea groaned, “Fine. If we can’t have sex, I need to run.”

We definitely needed to do that. The second I got outside I shifted. I let her drive for a while since my mind was going in circles and my persistent headache was right there just waiting. I could feel it.

I was a pretty good distance away when I took back over. I shifted and found a shirt of EJ’s in the area he kept out for me when I went running alone. I quickly put it on and just laid down on the grass. Rhea told me, “This is not your fault. We are doing everything we can. You’ve done a good job taking over as the Luna here. You watch out for your people, and you try to watch out for even more than that. It’s not your fault Ashley won’t accept your help. There’s nothing you can do.”

I sighed, “I wish there was. It feels like there’s something obvious I could do.”

Rhea admitted, “I know the feeling.”

Suddenly fire ripped through my body, and I screamed in pain. Rhea whimpered, “Mate. We need mate.” I heard several growls that I knew were not my mate. My brain was hazy trying to focus.

I watched in a detached way as three men approached me. One inhaled, “She smells so good that I can’t resist.”

I gaped at him. I snarled, “Yes you fucking can, you asshole.”

I pushed Rhea back in my mind. I couldn’t block her right now, but I could hopefully wait for EJ to get here. I’d fight until he did.

All I knew was that I was not going to have some unmated male touch me. One reached for me, and I punched him right in the face. I needed to link someone but focusing was so hard right now. I craved EJ and his tough to make the pain go away.

I warned the men, “I am your Luna, and you WILL find the ability to control yourselves!”

One growled, “How are you even standing enough to fight back?”

I snorted, “I’m not just part animal. I can control myself as can you!” EJ and Alexander popped in.