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I admitted, “Getting something over on Alpha Ezra and making him mad… kind of makes me happy …and by kind of I mean it’s literally one of the things I look forward to the most so….” He cut me off, “You’d do it even if he wasn’t my dad.” I would, that was very true.

He snorted, “He’s trying to push me to take a chosen mate already.” I hummed, “You just turned nineteen… so that’s really fast and…” He interrupted, “I’m not going to do it. I think I know who it is.” I knew that too. They were cute together.

I asked, “Isn’t she on the list? She’s a Warrior’s daughter and…

they don’t really care about age.” He snorted, “She’s headstrong.

” I reasoned, “As most Luna’s are… they care about the pack…

which Talia does… and…” He snorted, “And Alpha Ezra hates that. There’s nothing he can do though when she’s eighteen. ”

That wasn’t true, but I had plans just in case.

I would be listening for chatter next year when Talia turned eighteen.

Ok, I was actually already working on them now because it’s possible Alpha Ezra suspected they were mates.

He’d have to stop being a self-centered egotistical jerk for five seconds, but anything was possible even if the probability was in the negatives.

Tao said, “I’ve been told I’m done fighting in the undergrounds. They won’t accept any more fighters from dad anymore. Do you know why that is?” I answered, “Uhh… well… logically speaking…” He cut me off, “You did something.”

I admitted, “Maybe… I mean… I fight for money. They have to keep me happy… since I make them the most by far….so maybe I used that and made sure you don’t have to fight… because you don’t want to and…” He growled, “The conversation about the way you were fighting is not over.”

I grumbled, “Isn’t it though?” He snorted, “No.” Avery waved at me, and I waved back. She’d joined our group and moved in with Mason and Hendrick after the debacle that happened after she shifted went down.

I still didn’t get that. Buck clearly rode my motorcycle around to run it out of gas, so I’d have to run and stumble upon Avery.

He loved her. So, I didn’t understand why he didn’t act instead of having me do it.

He made no sense to me….even though we worked together. I had a better sense of him but still…

He was happy Avery was with me under my Warriors, and I saw his pride when she fought now. He was perplexing….and that irked me…. but Cayden seemed to have more information about the situation with him and Avery somehow.

Cayden was now married to Cassie. I should’ve been at the wedding as Xander’s mate, but I did get him a watch like my friends had.

I would know if he was ever in trouble. Cassie wore her earrings I’d given her.

Which wasn’t surprising, I knew what she liked and purchased accordingly.

Then added extras to them so I could track her and stuff.

I told Tao, “I have to go, but I’ll see you for training in a month.

” He agreed, “Good. Then we will discuss this the next time I see you.” I hummed, “Keep up your training and your cardio.” He snorted, “Your Xander is insane with this regiment. He is aware he has Hackura blood and the rest of us are mere wolves, right?”

I defended him, “It’s a good program… because other wolves won’t follow it and…” He snorted, “Yes, I know the man walks on water to you. He just needs to be good enough for you.” I reasoned, “He’s more than…”

He cut me off, “He has to prove that. I’ll withhold judgement for now, but he has to earn the right to be yours.

Not the other way around.” I argued, “I mean he’s not the one with a black stain on his name.

” He said, “If he blames you for a single thing that happened, then he is.” He hung up before I could say anything else.

I walked back over to where Paige’s protection for her place was. She gasped and hugged me the second she spotted me. I winced but hugged her back. She sighed, “You’re ok. I haven’t seen you and no one would let me come take a peek at you to settle myself.”

That was because I looked bad the other day. I said, “I’m fine. Where’s your vodka?” She stared at me. I drank a lot more ever since I’d turned sixteen. Avery asked, “Is Drunk Melanie coming out?” I snorted, “No, I have things to do later.”

Paige considered then offered, “I will make you ONE drink.” I shrugged, “Fine by me. I’ve got something to do then K said she wanted me to meet people so… I’m sure you’ve noticed people don’t really like me and…”

Addison snorted, “People love you.” I asked, “Do you live in the same place I do? I mean… I know you do, so that statement makes NO sense.” She rolled her eyes at me and Paige put a drink in my hand.

I asked, “How did you make this so fast?” She replied, “I’ve met you so I had the drink ready to go. ” It was a vodka cranberry drink.

We walked inside and sat down. Paige studied me. She said, “I know something is wrong.” I was better though. I shrugged, “I mean… we’ve got Alpha’s cheating on their mates to cause pain…” She cut me off, “But we fixed that.” I hummed, “I mean they still do it so…”

She interrupted, “We came up with the candy, so they don’t feel pain.

” That was true. I continued, “So cheating mates trying to hurt their mate… which is… sadistic. Alpha’s who would let pack members be forcibly marked…

I have to fight so they aren’t… and it makes me less popular.

I’ve got Trevor SHOOTING ME IN THE BACK DURING PACK ATTACKS… ” I took a deep breaths.

Paige gasped, “HE WHAT?!” Caine snarled, “And I took him down for that.” Addison explained, “She was rescuing pups.” She shouted, “You got SHOT in the back and no one called me?!” I replied, “It was in the vest I got bruised ribs… which is just… I was doing my job. Like WHAT is his problem?! The fact he smells LIKE A WET DOG is NOT my fault!”

She agreed, “It’s not. Don’t worry, I will curse him.” I shrugged because I didn’t care. I finished my drink and sighed, “I need to go blow up a building…. and RUIN Dante’s day.” Caine asked, “Are you going to be mad at him forever?”

I grumbled, “He got one over on me… TWICE… in succession. He had guns trained on Paige AND HE GOT MY brOTHER! MY brOTHER! Hunters killed MY FAMILY, and he thinks he can TORTURE MY REMAINING brOTHER?! No… it’s a no.”

Caine reasoned, “The only way he was able to do that is because you were being hunted when it happened.” And they weren’t monitoring Resistance things because they were worried about me.

Paige shrugged, “I get it. I cursed and hexed Dante too. Use me against my friends? I don’t think so.

” I leaned my heads towards her. I didn’t fall down on the job now.

I geared up then left them and went through several holoports. I got the building the Hunters sold to the Ring. I was kind of hoping since Dante was personally involved the Ring would take him out for double crossing them. They probably weren’t even going to consider it though.

I set the charges and got back to my spot when I heard some teenagers talking. I groaned, “UGH!” I looked out from behind the boulder I was hidden behind. I quickly noted they were not human, but I’d never seen them before.

They stiffened as if sensing my presence. I watched as they shifted into… holy crap. I gasped, “Big Foot is real?” They ran towards me now, but I didn’t even care. This was amazing. Former Beta Dylan Frost would DIE for this knowledge.

Maybe I could barter with him to keep me alive if I got captured.

Because I know about supernatural’s he would want to know about.

That was something to keep in mind. Because he would easily convince Alpha Eric he needed to let me keep breathing to talk to me.

That was an option if I was caught I filed away for further consideration.

They approached me cautiously. I asked, “What are you even doing out here? Besides keeping me from blowing up bad people’s stuff.” I was in all black so they couldn’t see me or my face. They shifted back and grabbed shorts.

One explained, “These guys built this on our lands, so we steal their stuff sometimes and smoke the weed. Are you really going to blow it up?” I nodded, “Yes, I really am. What are you guys?” They looked at each other clearly wondering if they should answer.

One girl told me, “Most people say Bigfoot.” I smirked, “But that’s totally not your name… I mean I guess it could be. People call us Werewolves, and we have wolf halves. Well, not me for some reason… well people give me a reason all the time I just…”

The one who was the talker interrupted, “We are Quatchiees.” I blinked asking, “Like the combination of the name Sasquatch and wookiees? That is the COOLEST THING EVER!” They laughed.

She confided, “Actually one of us helped with the wookiee design. It’s a big joke with us.

A fun, lovable version of us in case people ever discovered us.

Our failsafe is to look like a lovable character. ”

I asked, “Do you make the noise the wookiees do in the movies? Because that’s amazing…

and…” One cut me off making the noise. I squealed, “This is SO cool!” The other girl asked, “How old are you?” I answered, “Seventeen. How old are you?” They replied simultaneously, “Thirteen.” I nodded because I knew they were younger.

I pulled them behind the boulder then blew the charges.

I said, “So, I’d come with you to meet your people if you let me.

” I took off my mask. I explained, “People have usually heard about me. Oh gosh… that sounded like I’m bragging.

I mean it’s usually true though… I should introduce myself.

I’m, well two people… but you’d know me as Ashley Griffen…

if you know me. It’s fine if you don’t.”