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Oden growled, “Not happening.” I agreed, “I can’t be with her.

She’s in Melanie’s pack and it would hurt Melanie’s feelings.

I won’t do that, and I don’t want to.” I literally had no desire to sleep with her.

Oden snorted, “Yeah, you can’t have sex with a flaccid dick.

” I yelled, “ODEN!” He cackled like he’d told the funniest joke. The fact remained I was not turned on.

Phil linked, “Hello?! I’d be worried but your feelings tell me you weren’t considering it.

Color me shocked.” I huffed, “Your sarcasm is noted. Also, no there’s no chance of that happening.

” He laughed, “Not aroused then, cousin?” I retorted, “Shut up!” He said, “I bet you’d be all kinds of excited thinking about a certain dancer. ” Damn it if my dick didn’t jump.

I linked, “Please stop talking before my date gets the wrong idea.” He chuckled, “I’m sure she’ll say something that will deflate you. Grubby title chasers always do.” I wasn’t sure she was one. It was something about my last name that sometimes had people acting unlike their usual self.

We got done taking entirely too many pictures and were ushered outside. The second the door opened Oden took over yelling, “MATE!” I practically made sonic waves to the back of the car. I quickly conjured the most amazing smelling hoodie to my room at the house.

Phil asked, “Uhh you stole a hoodie. That’s so normal. So, she’s yours?” I replied, “Oden thinks so. She smells so good.” He said, “I mean, she smells like strawberries.” I asked, “Doesn’t it smell intoxicating to you?”

He laughed, “I’m so glad the answer to that is no because you’d kick my ass. I put the hoodie in a baggie for you and then placed it under the bed.” I replied, “Thanks.”

Oden asked, “Will you listen to me now?” I said, “As soon as we meet her, it will be official. Phil’s never been interested in Melanie.

I’m not tracking down someone else who is and making them answer if it smells good to them.

Do you want that?” He snarled, “NO! Our hoodie and OUR mate.” I knew he’d feel that way, and honestly, I did too.

I just needed to be certain. I needed all shadow of doubt removed.

The dance went by in a blur. Charline made several comments that grated, and Oden was totally done with this ordeal. He told me, “I dislike her a lot. Something’s off about her, and I don’t like how she’s looking at us.” I couldn’t say that I blamed him really.

When EJ danced with Elise my suspicions raised. Oden whimpered, “He met mate, and we didn’t.” It was obvious he did, but that meant he’d say Melanie was real. Maybe my mom would demand to meet her and solve everything.

Oden snorted, “She would if we’d just tell her Melanie is ours.” I asked, “Do you want to risk that and disappoint mom?” He whined and I knew he didn’t. We just need to lay eyes on her then this would all make sense.

Charline had barely left my side. I’d danced a few times, but she made it awkward. She would grab my dick and yank it. Oden snarled and it had slipped out which is why we were not dancing now. He was angry enough that he might take over and yell at her.

He grumbled, “She deserves it!” Probably, but I didn’t need Red Run to have a reason to keep Melanie from me.” He admitted, “You have a point.” We both usually did. We had a great balance together that came from being together my entire life.

Cassie was dancing but suddenly EJ took off.

Elise had left a little bit ago. Oden linked, “Brutus is on alert.” Which put me on alert and now I was conflicted.

After a second, I decided to follow EJ out of the dance.

Cassie linked me, “What’s going on?” I answered, “I don’t know, but I’ll find out.

Stick with Jase and don’t leave his side. ”

I stayed back far enough, then realized EJ was too upset to smell me.

I popped around the corner from the trophy case.

My heart stopped when EJ told Robert to leave Melanie alone.

He wasn’t? Oden growled, “We kept an ear out for rumors about that! Everyone said it was done and over with.” Clearly it wasn’t if that’s what EJ was saying.

Oden snarled, “How did this escape everyone in Red Run’s attention?

They claim everything they do is to protect her!

She can’t leave the borders because they want to protect her but she’s getting bullied BY THAT MOTHERFUCKER?

!” I wasn’t about to talk him down because I was just upset as he was.

I peeked around the corner and saw red. Elise’s dress was ripped.

My parents were pinging with concern over my feelings. He’d ripped MY SISTER IN LAW’S DRESS?! THAT FUCKER! Oden growled, “You seem to have GLOSSED over the part where he said all black wolves weren’t Alpha’s! He told mate we weren’t an Alpha!”

A rage I’d never known filled me at the thought of Robert bullying Melanie and laying one hand on her beautiful raven black hair I’d never seen. He was trying to take her stuffed wolf from her. I knew it looked like Oden.

My dad said Robert and his asshole friends didn’t like that it didn’t look like their wolf. Oden snarled, “BECAUSE IT IS WHITE AND BLACK! I AM WHITE AND BLACK AND I LIKE THAT HER STUFFED WOLF LOOKS LIKE ME!” His possessiveness was coloring mine.

Now, I had the attention of most of my Hackura family. Hastein, my oldest cousin, sent me the feeling to do what I needed to do. He’d fix it if need be. I sent him back my love and decided that Robert would be set straight before we left this building.

He would never touch Melanie again or go near her.

Thankfully, EJ turned to leave expecting Robert to follow him.

He was taking care of Elise, just like he should.

Oden linked, “And we are going to take care of our mate like we should.” I didn’t know if she was ours since we hadn’t actually seen her yet.

I did know that I was going to make sure Robert steered clear of her.

She deserved to walk around her pack without being bullied.

Especially since she was clearly hiding it was happening.

I couldn’t stand the thought of that. Of her suffering in silence.

I could even imagine why she did. Oden snorted, “Yeah, no Beta needed for that. I don’t even need to ask Phil myself. ”

My dad linked, “Son?” Oden snarled to me, “She doesn’t tell them because they never believe her when she says she didn’t cross. Our mate is SUFFERING because they are lying about her. She doesn’t think they will believe her.” Which pissed me off for her.

The thing was, I knew Peter would believe her. He’d use an Alpha Command on those she said bullied her. It was standard practice. Did she not know that? Oden scoffed, “Obviously not. She doesn’t want them to call her a liar.” I needed to find a way to get that information to her.

I couldn’t stop my growl when Robert took a step to follow my brother.

My dad linked, “Ok, seriously are you about to commit murder at a dance? I’m not saying don’t, I’m just wondering why.

I can be on cleanup; I just need a heads up here.

Also, your mom is going to rage in a second based on your feelings.

” EJ and Elise had gotten far enough away they couldn’t stop me.

I was pissed and grateful Robert took that damn long to follow my brother’s order. I’d be more upset if it meant I didn’t get to achieve my own goals. I popped in front of Robert enjoying how terrified he looked.

Oden took over and threw him into the trophy case.

I told him, “I assure you Robert, I’m a fucking Alpha.

” Then punched him in the face. Cassie sent me her feelings that I was an Alpha and to kick his ass.

Oden told me, “I assured Rain that we will.” I spoke our space unheard chant.

No one needed to hear what we were going to say.

My dad linked, “Alexander, I need a response of some kind.” I sent him my feelings that I was taking care of shit.

He said, “Ok, I’ll take feelings in the bond.

Oden could talk to Thor too, that’s also acceptable.

Who are you debating whether or not to kill?

And why?” I sent him the feeling that I was debating killing an idiot. He groaned.

Phil linked, “Uhhh are you going to kill a grubby title chaser? What did she do?” I snorted, “She grabbed my dick and squeezed it. I worried at one time she’d snap it off. She’s lucky neither EJ nor Cassie spotted it. I’m also not with her.” He hummed, “I’m confused. Explain more.”

I snarled, “Robert IS STILL BULLYING MELANIE! Find out why we don’t know that because the only reason I can ascertain is because she doesn’t think they will believe her.” He sighed, “I hate that you figured that out without me finding the right way to frame it.” Oden shouted, “I KNEW IT!”

I told Robert, “You’ll leave Melanie McAlister alone.

” Robert snorted, “What are you going to do about it? It’s not the pack you’ll be an Alpha of.

” I slammed him down on the ground hearing ribs crack.

I pointed out, “It’s not yours either you little shit.

You’ll go back and an Alpha Command will get used on you.

Or my sister will make you tell the truth then they will know.

You’ll have your every move around Melanie watched.

” He paled more than I thought was normal.

Oden reasoned, “We are terrifying, and your eyes are half black and gold right now.” Because he was just as much in control right now as I was. He just wasn’t fully in charge. EJ linked, “Don’t kill him.” Seriously? The world would be better off if I killed him.

I could easily AND Hastein would have my back. Hastein clearly had a hold of our bond because he again sent me the emotion to do what I needed. Everyone else was sending caution. I noted there was a Fairy here recording me.