Page 9

I waited five minutes until I heard her show on, then crept out of my room. I went through the kitchen and found all the mom monster cookies and the pre-made cookie dough. I gathered them all up into a garbage bag and threw it over my shoulder.

I called, “I’m taking out the trash.” Mrs. Dutton gasped, “Goodness gracious pup! Stop reading about how to be like a ninja! Make some noise.” I snickered because I did read a bunch of papers put out by the Hackura on how they stayed in the background even when they weren’t faded back.

I went outside and jogged to the dumpster. I tossed the garage in whirling when I heard a growl. Rober mocked, “Poor little horrible Beta blood. One has to question if you are at this point.” I hit him square in the face. He screamed, “MY NOSE!”

I scoffed, “Yell, louder so someone comes… that seems like a bad plan.” He growled, “You’re NOTHING!” I rolled my eyes, “Literally no one is nothing… even you… that’s just… an asinine statement … even for you.”

He warned, “Everyone is beginning to question if you even have Beta blood.” I disagreed, “Everyone knows I do! My mom would NEVER cheat on my dad. HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT AND QUESTION HER CHARACTER!” I snarled and jumped on him.

I hit him several times before his friends dragged me off and I hit several of them while I was at it.

One yelled, “Damn! Come on, Robert. That was over the line. No one doubts she’s Beta Drake’s daughter.

Even if we did question Beta Female Sam’s integrity, which we don’t, Melanie looks just like Beta Drake but more feminine. ”

Robert yelled, “Shut up!” Someone argued, “You shut up, man. That’s not cool to say to anyone, but especially about the pack leadership.” I said, “I could cross and not get caught and… honestly everyone should know that.” He taunted me, “Then do it.”

I scoffed, “Uh huh… sure… like I’d believe you wouldn’t rat me out. Gosh, people think I am so dumb… when I was literally tested.” He got in my face and whispered, “Yet you haven’t figured out what’s really going on here. I’m running circles around you, and you can’t even figure it out.”

I shoved him back, “If you’re caught lying about me… I mean… you have to know that’s bad for you.” He winked, “I’ll never get caught.” His friends finally looked nervously at each other. Whatever he was talking about, they didn’t know about it.

Tank, Jason’s friend, yelled, “Hey! What’s going on over there?

” They took off running while Tank jogged over.

He asked, “Why do you have blood on your hands?” I said, “Uhh… well… you see… what had happened was…” He groaned, “Goddess above, pup. Come on.” I started to speak, then said, “One second.”

I pulled open the bag I just tossed and took out some of the cookies while Tank raised an eyebrow. He could do that all he wanted but I was going to send them to Ryan Bishop. He could figure this out. I was going to prove there was something wrong with the cookies. He could help me do that.

Tank teased, “You just like to cause chaos.” I snorted, “I don’t cause chaos… it seeks me out… even when I do nothing but try and exist.” He ruffled my hair. I sighed, “Have you met Zippy yet?” He laughed, “That’s quite the name. I can’t say I’ve even heard it.”

He’d transferred to our pack with his family a couple years ago. I said, “She is my best friend Adeline’s sister. She is doing a foreign pack exchange program, but she’ll be back in six months. You’d like her.” He admitted, “I’m confused as to how I haven’t met her when I know Adeline.”

I explained, “She travels during the summer and keeps doing exchange programs. Her family goes to see her. She wants to get her… well she says travel bug… out of her system before she meets her mate. You guys would be cute though.”

He winked, “I’ll see if I can get a picture and let you know if I agree.” I squealed, “One second.” I ran inside to my room and brought out a picture from a pack picnic he and his family weren’t at, because they’d visited their old pack that weekend.

He grabbed the picture and pointed to Ziggy. He asked, “This is her?” I nodded, “Yup.” He asked, “And is Ziggy a nickname?” I grinned, “Nope.” He admitted, “If anyone else said that I’d say they were fucking with me.”

I explained, “It’s the name of one of their ancestors.

Their mom got super into researching their bloodline.

Her name is to honor a name that had been out of their family for centuries.

She found German ties, plus… it means Victorious Protector…

. and Ziggy is fiercely protective of anyone she loves… so..”

He asked, “And what does one have to do to convince you to give me her number?” I said, “Uhh well I don’t have her number… but I have her email address, and you could… well…. I will give it to you if you tell me what Xander smell like?”

He winced, “I promised Jase I wouldn’t say. You got anything else that would convince you?” Dang it, Jason! I bit my lip. I couldn’t tell him about the Robert deal. I clapped, “You go to Harrison’s Warrior classes!” He nodded, “Yeah.”

I grinned, “He said I could go… but no one will partner with me when I fight… will you?” He looked like he felt sorry for me. He agreed, “Of course, Ladybug. I thought everyone wanted to be your partner.” My face fell, “Uhh well… no. No one likes being my partner… which… well I win… so….”

He laughed, “Then I look forward to the challenge of getting better when we fight.” I nodded and went back to the house and wrote down her email. I walked back out and handed it to him. He said, “I don’t know why but I feel like you just handed me my forever, pup.”

I pointed out, “Well, you aren’t eighteen and neither is she…

so…” He grinned, “Yeah, I know. It just feels like it. Can I keep the picture?” I nodded, “Sure… oh… and maybe should it come up…for reasons… I might have mentioned you to her in an email and attached a picture of you and Jase….and she thinks you’re hot.

Ok bye.” I shut the door in his face, and he laughed really hard.

He knocked and I winced opening it. He said, “If you ever want to talk about whatever that pup and his disaster friends are doing, I’m here.” I hung my head saying, “No one will believe me.” He frowned, “What does that mean? I thought they left you alone.” I shrugged, “Well…”

Mrs. Dutton came in greeting, “Oh hey, Tank.” He nodded, “Mrs. Dutton.” She said, “You should get moving. The McAlister’s can’t find out I let her run around while they are gone when she’s supposed to be grounded.”

He nodded then linked, “I’m always available if you need to talk.

Also, your parents didn’t leave when you told them to.

They waited until your brothers came outside from talking to you.

Neither were willing to leave, but your brothers convinced them to.

I know this is not fair, but they do love you. ”

I wanted to keep him on my side…especially since no one believed me…

and he seemed to consider my innocence at least. Plus, I really did think he’d be cute with Ziggy though.

I replied, “They always leave. They will come back with cake and apologize saying they didn’t know what they were thinking.

Or that they weren’t thinking. It’s what happens.

I appreciate you telling me they didn’t just leave though. ” He nodded.

When he left, I grabbed a note and found an old box to send to Ryan Bishop.

I found his address in my mom’s address book.

I went over to Peter and Chelsea’s house.

There was a place to put mail to go out.

I put my priority sticker on it. I had an account, so I just printed it out.

He’d have to sign for it and I put my email in there so we could talk.

Robert yelled, “I see you, Melanie Jane!” I groaned and jumped off the porch and ran back to my house. He yelled, “Yeah, you better run.” A Warrior shouted, “Excuse me?” He replied, “Uhh, cause she’s grounded.” The Warrior hummed at him. Yeah, have fun with that one Robert.

Mrs. Dutton chuckled, “Pup, you are too busy for your own good. Go dance in your room and consider world domination.” I muttered, “I might have to actually take over the world, so people believe me about things.” The phone rang a few minutes later and I heard Mrs. Dutton answer.

She greeted, “Duncan, hello. Well yes, I am. She’s upstairs.

Yeah, again. I know. I feel so bad for her.

You should know it was bad this time. Consider linking your older brother.

Well, she put herself in the dungeons and no one noticed.

Alpha Peter found her down there.” She paused, “Yeah, Beta Drake was held back when they found where her scent led. Beta Female Sam was beside herself.”

She paused, “Honestly, I’ve never seen Ladybug lash out like she did tonight. She even threw all the cookies away in the house. There’s nothing you could’ve done if you were here. It was hard to watch, everyone felt bad.”

She scoffed, “Robert reported it, but I just don’t believe a word out of that pup’s mouth.

His friends all backed it up with one adult saying they did see her headed in that direction.

The thing is you know she’s a bad liar. It just doesn’t make sense.

I’d bet my bank account she didn’t do it.

Yeah, I’ll tell her you called. Good luck finding your mate this time, Duncan.

” I closed my door and let my tears fall.

I whispered, “Some people do believe you, Melanie. Ryan Bishop is family to us, even though he doesn’t know you yet, he’ll help.” Great now, I was referring to myself in the third person. My hope really did lie with Ryan.

So of course he never signed for the package and the tracking number I got said it was lost in transit. It was just me against the mom monster cookies.