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He stared at me for several minutes. I’d said the same thing to him countless times, but he just huffed and changed the subject.

I just wanted him to admit that he cared about Avery the way I knew he did.

Maybe he could see I needed the answer tonight because he replied, “I also drove your motorcycle around so it would be out of gas, meaning you’d have to run. ”

I gaped at him, and he grabbed most of the order except the coffee.

I whispered, “I knew it… I freaking knew it! That would mean the world to her if you…” He cut me off, “She’s safer with you now that she’s of age.

I did what I had to do to protect her and now she’s with the person who can make sure nothing touches her.

All I have ever wanted is for Avery to be happy and safe, even if she has to hate me to do it. ” He drove off before I could reply.

Flashback Ends

Addison pulled me out of my thoughts, “Well, bring Walker over here, Blair. We want to meet him too.” Walker frowned saying, “We could get out of here. We could….” Blair cut him off, “I’ll have to meet you back here tonight. Then we can go to your pack.”

Walker offered, “I could come with you, and meet your family.” I jumped in, “Black Path doesn’t allow people inside the pack unless they are our pack members or allies. Or members of the Werewolf or Supernatural council.”

Walker snorted, “You don’t have that many of those. Allies that is.” I rolled my eyes, “I’m aware. Who would want to be our ally? Not smart people… that’s who.” Walker laughed, “Aren’t you just...” He trailed off. He was probably going to say rude. He finally finished, “interesting?” I shrugged.

Walker surmised, “You don’t like your own pack.

That’s strangely clear. Yet you are their Female Lead Warrior.

” I nodded, “Yes, well someone has to do their job in that pack. Lord knows it’s not the Alpha, Beta, or the Gamma.

They wouldn’t know how to do their jobs if it smacked them in the face with a manual.

.. I supposed I could slap them in the face with said manual… that would be funny.”

I tapped my chin saying, “It wouldn’t help though, but it WOULD make me feel better. That’s for sure…” Blair cut me off, “Let’s sit down.” Walker looked torn. He clearly wanted me to talk more. I went back to the kitchen to avoid doing that.

Mason linked me, “Blair found her mate.” I nodded. He looked sad when he replied, “You have a fight tonight already. I wish you’d let Hendrick or I come with you.” I couldn’t because they’d hate my strategy and talk me out of doing it.

I don’t really know what they thought when I came back hurt, but I knew if they saw how I fought they’d be hurt. I didn’t want that. I didn’t want what I was doing to hurt anyone, but they just didn’t understand the drive I had to do it.

They just didn’t understand that I deserved the pain from those fights. The Undergrounds had so many people who shouldn’t be there, but I wasn’t one of them. Honestly, The Undergrounds were bigger than I’d originally thought. We got people out as we could.

Most often by letting people believe a fighter had died.

It was not an uncomplicated process, but the more we pulled back at the layers…

the more appeared. For all intents and purposes…

the Rings were hiding, but they weren’t exactly dumb.

In some ways, they definitely were. In others they were quite sophisticated.

Hendrick told me, “You know Alpha Ezra is coming tonight to see the McCann’s.

” I rolled my eyes. Alpha Ezra was always visiting them for some reason or another.

Honestly that Alpha Ezra frequented this pack was yet another reason I couldn’t believe Jason let me come here.

Dad hated Alpha Ezra and often talked about avoiding him.

I clutched my chest. Dad…. no matter what they said… Even if he wasn’t my biological father… Drake McAlister was my dad. DNA didn’t make you a dad. Everything my dad had done for me did. Tears burned in my eyes. It couldn’t be true that he wasn’t biologically my dad… but I didn’t have a wolf.

The thing was some days I swore I did. I swore the night of my sixteenth birthday my wolf told me to fight. That she was going to get us help… then all I could feel was pain. That’s all I remembered. Even if I was just my mom’s daughter… I should have a wolf.

The Moon Goddess…. was such a terribly cruel goddess. Especially to those down here and she clearly had it out for me… personally. Or at least it felt that way. I’d clearly done something to piss her off.

Mason sighed pulling me out of my thoughts, “You know Alpha Ezra is going to lecture Trevor about you not being marked.” He growled out that last part. I snorted, “Trevor McCann is not my mate.” Everyone knew that. The sad sack pathetic piece of crap Edward even knew that.

The pack had been in dissention about everything that came out, especially the wolf less, after that ordeal where I declared I wasn’t his mate.

Edward claimed there was nothing he could do about it because they couldn’t prove it…

because I didn’t have a wolf. It was complete crap and the pack knew it.

I knew who my mate was, and I always had. Whether he wanted me or not, my mate was Xander. Trevor McCann was so far from my mate it was crazy. I had no idea why he even pretended we were fated. He hated me.

To be fair, he wasn’t alone with his hatred because I loathed him. Booker kept telling him he needed to get me under control. His latest tirade about being my mate was that I’d have to quit being the Female Lead Warrior and give him pups.

I’d gouge his eyes out and slit his throat then run to my Xander before that happened. I’d let Xander reject me, but I’d also tell him why I ran to him. Whether he wants me or not... an Alpha hearing their mate was almost marked against their will would go poorly.

I’d read extensive research on Alpha’s so I knew that someone else wanting to forcibly mark what was theirs… would send any wolf, but especially and Alpha, into a rage. Xander would decimate the McCann family and probably Black Path as a whole. Whether he wanted me in the end or not.

Caine and Dax could take over then though. Caine felt he wasn’t ready, but he was getting there. If Trevor tried to push this mate issue… then he’d be meeting Xander and getting his brain exploded… since Xander could do that.

If I could see Xander without running into EJ… I had a chance of him not finding out who I was. Because the picture he had of me was old. Jason didn’t get new pictures… so there was a chance it was probably me dancing… those were from far away and I had on a lot of stage make up.

Truth be told, even if I did see EJ… Xander wouldn’t be able to help it. His wolf, Oden, would demand that Trevor be punished for that. Xander himself would agree, I knew he would. Maybe even Jason would.

He must have felt bad because once I denied Trevor was my mate on the phone and yelled at him, my brother never brought it up again.

He probably thought it was all resolved.

Because my brother might hate me, but he would never spit on the grave of our mother and brother like that.

Besides, I hadn’t told him in our letters it was still a problem.

I knew there was no way in hell that Jason would be ok with some guy trying to mark and rape me. He definitely wouldn’t be ok with me being marked by someone that wasn’t my mate. It’s clearly why he never brought he situation up again.

He may never want to see me, but he was still my brother. Maybe half-brother, but mom and dad would never forgive him in the afterlife if he let that happen. Tristan would probably haunt him. I was certain he haunted me in the Undergrounds. If only he didn’t look so sad it would be better.

I shrugged at Mason saying, “Alpha Ezra coming here doesn’t matter to me. He’s an enemy of my family. I will never be marked by anyone he approves of. Let alone someone who isn’t my mate.” I walked back out to the group.

I noted that Walker was enamored with Blair, just how he should be. Another reason we all knew Trevor was full of crap. He banged anyone who looked in his direction and I didn’t care. I knew that he couldn’t do that if I was his mate. Everyone did.

People cheated down here but they felt bad about it. Some thought they had to do it to keep their mate safe. Edward and Jean still gave their mates gifts after they cheated. They never tried to hurt their feelings in public about it, and they were horrible mates.

Trevor often boasted about who he was sleeping with while spitting in my face.

I think he actually thought it would hurt my feelings which was astounding.

Several mates had said they couldn’t imagine acting how he was with their chosen.

So, he was proving he was a liar even though I did when I turned eighteen.

I knew that my dad would’ve walked over glass before hurting my mother.

So would Alpha Peter for Luna Chelsea and EJ would make someone's head explode if they’d hurt Elise’s feelings.

He and Alexander shared the pushing power…

so he definitely would kill Trevor for what he did to me.

EJ would never hurt her himself, and he’d never cheat.

I stood announcing, “We need to go pack your stuff, Blair.” Blair looked at me nervously.

Walker reiterated, “I really can come with you back to your pack. I’m certain if Ashley tells her Warriors to stand down, I’d do just fine with Buck’s Warriors.

” He could technically stand at the border but that would be bad since he’d hear what was going to happen.

I snorted, “I believe you could take them…it would not even be close. It’s not necessary though. Addison will bring Blair back here in forty minutes tops.” Walker laughed, “Are you already packed mate of mine?” Blair quietly said, “No.”