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He thinks you’re a joke. A pathetic loser just like all of us do. The girl who got her parents and older brother killed. Don’t make me have to deal with anything about you not listening down there or I will make you regret it.

Beta Jason McAlister

A sob choked up out of me. He didn’t mean it.

He didn’t. He was grieving. He would be sorry one day that he’d ever said this to me.

I’d read Princess Luna Haley’s papers about grief and how things are said in anger.

They were clearly going through it with the ones they were sending to me.

I wasn’t even replying and they were still writing vile things.

This wasn’t fair. They hated me. Was it really all my fault? What did I do wrong? I didn’t cross the border! I never had. Was Jason feeling guilty because he was mated to Everly? I wasn’t the only one that knew Tristan liked her.

Lydia told me, “You’re up in an hour.” I nodded and reached for Peter’s letter.

It was going to hurt because he was supposed to stop all this.

It was his job. The job he would do for anyone.

He told me I was like a daughter to him, and he let them discard me.

I was supposed to be with him and Chelsea.

He was being so mean to me, and I didn’t understand why. He was never mean.

Melanie,

Behave for Alpha Edward and follow their rules.

I have told them that they can punish you if you get out of line.

I probably should’ve since you’ve always been a daredevil crossing the border.

I wasn’t firm like I should have been and you certainly paid me back for being lenient.

You took my best friend and my mate’s best friend along with my son’s Beta.

You deserve to be where you are. We deserve to heal the hole you put into our pack. Be on your best behavior while you’re there. Do what you are told and as I said do NOT link anyone in our pack for anything. I’ll banish you if you do. I’m so disappointed in you.

Alpha Peter

It felt like everything around me shattered. My brother wished I was dead. Everyone that I loved did. Uncle Duncan didn’t even send a letter. Aunt Allison’s was in here, so I grabbed it.

Melanie,

I’ll talk to them. I can’t have you because I’m raising my pups, and a rebellious teen isn’t needed in our house. Honestly, Drake rebelled and so did Duncan. Not quite to your extreme but it’s not like you meant for any of this to happen.

Actions have consequences, I know these probably seem harsh to you though. Maybe the selfishness you’ve always carried around will diminish in the face of what you’ve caused. You’ve always thought you were better and smarter than everyone else. Now, I think you see you aren’t.

Regardless, I will talk to them. Sending you to an unknown relative, the only one willing to take you, seems extreme.

Drake wouldn’t like it and that’s what should matter to them.

You were his little girl. He treasured you and you got him killed.

Try not to kill anyone else while I work on them being insane.

Aunt Allison

I didn’t kill them. Slade did. Did they actually think I killed everyone?

Were they even going after Slade? He couldn’t get away with this!

He had to pay. He just had to. Pain beat on me like a drum.

Did people really think I thought I was better than them?

My family thought that? I didn’t. I must…

I… well…. Clearly, I didn’t express it well enough to them.

I whispered, “I didn’t kill them. I didn’t.

” Crush cleared his throat. He walked over then told me, “This is your locker. Don’t put anything you like in it because people take shit around here.

” I nodded, “Ok… How… umm… have you been here long?” He winced, “Nope. Just go down easy, kid. That Alpha is vicious, and he’s killed more than one fighter. ”

I deserved the hits. My actions killed my family, clearly.

Everyone thought so. They were just wrong about the facts.

That didn’t make them wrong though. My reaction was why they’d come home.

I didn’t cross the border, but if I’d just taken the punishment and gone upstairs, they would’ve stayed at the party.

This was my fault. Everyone was right, just not in the way they thought they were.

I asked, “Why is a Demon in a Werewolf fighting ring?” He answered, “The Undergrounds include all Supernatural’s, not just wolves.” That was definitely why the Werewolf Council was struggling to lock onto the Undergrounds. They were looking for just wolves.

A plan devised in my mind of how to help them and get the guy running this on my side. By making him more money. I stepped into the Ring surprised to see Alpha Edward, Beta Jean, and Gamma Booker McCann here.

His wet dog smelling son was next to him looking at me like I was dirt under his shoe.

What was his problem? I’d never done anything to him before he attacked me.

I wondered why he wasn’t in my dad’s files.

I knew who the leadership was because of them.

I just needed a minute to recall after getting shot.

A man stepped into the Ring. He sneered at me before taking me in. He winked, “I think I’ll keep you as a sex slave.” I replied, “Pass.” He chuckled, “Who said you get a choice?” I answered, “Literally everyone.” He stared at me.

I replied, “My Alpha, visiting Alpha… well I don’t know him really…

and he does break rules… like a lot of rules…

but umm… slaves were abolished a long time ago in packs…

and selling underage pups is a crime that even humans punish people for…

their ways are like… a lot nicer too. Jail is nicer than what any Supernatural group does for selling people… especially underage people. Soo….”

He chuckled, “You talk too much.” I admitted, “That’s the going theory.” Which probably had merit. He said, “I’ll enjoy taming you. Maybe I’ll make you mine.” Wet dog boy growled, and his dad backhanded him. Umm what?

I emphatically stated, “I’m not yours.” He argued, “You are if I decide you are.” I shook my head and the bell rang. He charged and I raised my hands. Then all my family’s hate poured into me from the letters. I could hear it in my head. I deserved the hit. I lowered my hands.

Alpha Edward shouted, “PUT YOUR DAMN HANDS BACK UP!” Nope.

I took the hit and staggered a step. The place gasped.

Alpha Alan growled, “You should be on your ass.” I shrugged, “You hit like a third year Warrior in my pack…. You should probably train more and….” He cut me off with an upper cut I could’ve stopped but didn’t.

With each hit I saw Tristan when he laughed. My parents together dancing in the moonlight. Our family dancing in the living room. All those moments were gone, and I was here. I forced myself to stay on my feet as he beat me up. I swore I saw Tristan standing behind him at one point looking worried.

I reached out, “T.” I took a kick to the ribs and went down, but Tristan wasn’t there. My brother was gone. He was dead and it was all my fault. He wasn’t worried about me. I’d stolen his life from him. Slade killed him, but my brother came home to take care of me. He never should’ve been there.

I cried, “He wasn’t supposed to be home. He wasn’t.” Alpha Alan snarled, “I’m going to make you mine.” I jolted back to the present and screamed seeing his teeth elongated. Alpha Edward didn’t even make a move. Gamma Booker did though. He shouted, “NO!”

Fury filled me and I heard a growl from deep within me. I threw my right arm around my neck then screamed in pain when his teeth sank down onto my forearm. Rage filled me and I kneed him in the balls. He crumpled and I threw him off me. I rolled onto my stomach and got to my feet.

Blood was dripping down into my eyes. Every single part of me was in pain, but I didn’t care. Alpha Alan growled, “You’ll pay.” I replied, “No, you will.” The crowd was dead silent. He threw a punch I dodged.

I mocked him, “Sloppy.” I countered and he staggered. He came again. I mocked him again, “Slow.” I kicked out his legs. I jumped on him and began to hit him over and over. I screamed, “THEY WEREN’T SUPPOSED TO BE THERE! THEY WEREN’T!” He growled, “You’ll be mine.”

I declared, “I WLL NEVER BE YOURS!” I hit him long after he stopped responding. I was grabbed around the waist and hauled off him. A man declared, “And our new winner is Ashley Griffen. She certainly wiped the floor with our reigning champ. What’s her fighting name?”

That guy was their reining champ? This was not a good fighting ring. Also, why did they get to decide MY fighting name? He answered, “The crowd decides after your first fight. It’s tradition.” I really needed to stop talking out loud without meaning to.

They began to chant, “Swiffer, Swiffer, Swiffer.” Someone must have talked into his ear peace. He said, “For making the floor drip with blood then cleaning it all up and wiping the floor with her opponent the crowd has dubbed her SWIFFER!” He held up my hands and they cheered.

I stared at them bewildered. They were loving this, but they knew I was underage. They knew I had no business fighting an Alpha. I was shoved out of the ring while medics were working on Alpha Alan who was still unconscious. His Beta raised an eyebrow at me but said nothing.

What was wrong with everyone down here? If someone hurt Peter like that my dad would’ve been going at them. Did his Beta understand this was all wrong? Crush led me back to the locker room. Someone clapped my back, “Damn new girl! Beating an Alpha is a hell of a way to join our fighting ranks!”

Someone shoved him and I reached so he didn’t fall. I asked, “Why are you in chains?” Wet dog barked, “Stop asking questions.” He went to hit me, but I’d had enough. I hit him back, dropping him to the ground. He shouted, “You will pay for that.” I muttered, “Add it to my tab… I guess.”