Page 107 of The Alpha Enforcer and His Dancing Warrior Vol. 2 (Ribbon #10)

Melanie opened her eyes. I came face to face with the white wolf again. I greeted, “Hello again. I feel like I see you often now. Which probably means I keep passing out. I have got to cut that out… there is absolutely no way Xander likes that… so….” The wolf yipped and took off.

I got up and followed her. We ran side by side until I started to hear fighting. I pushed myself to run faster until I came to a field and hit a wall. I fell backwards and jumped right back up. I saw everyone I loved in a battle.

Xander was fighting by EJ’s side with Elise next to them. I screamed, “XANDER!” He didn’t hear me, and my mate wasn’t shifting. Why wasn’t he shifting into Oden? Xander wasn’t using his Fairy powers either. I looked around realizing no one had shifted. What was going on?

Then my mom went down. She begged my dad not to watch her die. My heart stopped as someone made a move to kill her. I was thrown backwards into a pond and the field was gone. I jumped up screaming, “MOM! MOM, WHERE ARE YOU?!” Nothing was here and she didn’t answer.

I looked at the white wolf. I asked, “Where are they? Where is my mom?” The white wolf put her forehead into my chest. I began to pet her.

I told her, “It won’t happen, I know it won’t.

I wasn't there. So….I’ll be there when they fight.

No one will hurt my mom. I just got her back. We haven’t really even talked yet.”

I started crying which made the white wolf cry. I shook myself, “I’ll stop that from happening, I swear.” The white wolf yipped and licked my face. I snorted, “You’re silly.” The wolf wanted to play, and she led me back to where we started.

Suddenly, I felt heavy. My eyelids slowly opened to see Paige then hear her arguing with Dustin Bishop.

I was not about to have that. First, I searched for my mom.

I relaxed when I saw here, perfectly fine.

I saw the confusion on her face and the rest of my family’s. Ok… maybe I looked really worried.

I turned back to Dustin. Paige could tell them her background if she wanted to. If she didn’t, then they could back off. I had to go through so many layers to get to her real name. I doubted they had my skill. Micah could figure it out, but I seriously doubt he’d do so for Dustin Bishop.

He’d do it for Katie Cambridge… but certainly not Dustin. Xander snapped me food. I was starving so I sat down and ate it. I could feel my energy returning. Freya linked, “Wow. I feel better than I have.” I asked her, “Are you ok? You do sound stronger.”

Freya replied, “I am definitely getting stronger. I feel better than I have this whole time. I still have some progress to make but we are definitely heading in the right direction. We will shift. Don’t worry.” I asked, “Will we get any type of warning or just like BAM pain and shifting?”

Freya snickered, “You’ll see.” I sighed, “I kind of need to plan that. I don’t want to shift alone again because…

it didn’t go well for us… and I don’t want you in danger.

” Freya replied, “They knew where we were shifting. If they didn’t, that never would’ve happened.

” I replied, “That makes no sense but ok.” We still would’ve been alone and that’s not a good idea… clearly.

Paige was snarking at Dustin. Paige was very protective of me especially, but all her friends. I felt a lot better. I didn’t feel a darkness in me anymore. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that was her doing. My friends surrounded me making sure I was ok.

Freya chuckled, “Paige ready to go all witchy and curse people is deeply amusing.” That was Paige to a T. I wanted to curse people myself at this point and would if I could. I’d actually told my family they didn’t love me. That was mean since I knew they did. I didn’t even mean it.

Freya chuckled, “Your Witch is Hilarious.” She was.

I loved Paige something fierce, but she could also embarrass the hell out of me.

I loved her all the same. Paige was upset we had some physical distance betwee n our living spaces now.

We had basically lived together for the last four years.

She stayed at my secondary place unless she needed space.

It was ok because there were a lot of people who would pop her to me, or the other way around. We would make this work. It was just going to be an adjustment. She could also set up a holoport from Red Run to here. They all currently went to Nashville.

If Dustin thought he could pressure Paige to give him an answer, he had another think coming. Sierra linked me, “You tell him, Mel.” I winked at her. Dustin agreed that I was right, but I didn’t really need verbal confirmation.

His next statements made me think he didn’t understand people with trust issues. Dalton and Paige were soul mates. While I have personal problems with Dalton, he is a good man. Dalton linked, “Did you just compliment me?” I nearly jolted. Hearing him after all these years over link was something.

I replied, “I’ve complimented you several times… you just didn’t hear it, because I lived elsewhere. Still…the fact is I always told people you were a good man. I would have never let you near Paige if I didn’t believe that. I know you were raised to treat your mate like a Queen.”

Dalton agreed, “I will and your belief in me does make me happy.” I replied, “I have only doubted a few things you’ve done as an Alpha.

I was mad you returned my appeal without reading it.

” He said, “I would never do that, and I didn’t.

If my dad had banished you, I’d have challenged him for the position and brought you home. ” Was he trying to make me cry?

Freya said, “Caulder said he is not. He’s just moved after all the crap you gave them over everyone else you believe he’s a good man.” Caulder was Dalton’s wolf. If I didn’t believe he would protect Paige and treat her as true mates should… then I’d have warned her.

Paige was leery of Warlocks because of the one who’d tried to forcibly mark her, but she’d dated around other Supernatural’s… that maybe I vetted to the teeth. Paige had the right to be leery… and I had to make sure she was with good people.

No one would pressure Paige as long as I had breath in my body. Sierra and I had both maneuvered Paige behind us. Dustin commented we’d make things interesting around here. We might contribute to it, but from what I knew… it had never been boring around here.

Ryan actually spoke to me. Wow….after all this time and he was actually talking to me.

My mom looked confused about our conversation.

Freya linked, “Sugar is certain we met him.” I linked Paige, “Maybe see if my mom had something like I did necklace wise. She knows I never met Ryan.” Paige replied, “I am SO on that.” Good.

It settled something in me that I was right in thinking Ryan never got the mail I sent him.

It was annoying…but it did confirm that people were messing with me.

Micah linked, “Does this work? I hear you can just link people.” I answered, “It is…and we should totally find who stole Ryan’s mail…

.because he definitely won’t…but we can.

” Micah replied, “Consider me on it.” It felt reassuring to have my people on things.

Paige linked me, “Did you send Ryan the mom the monster cookies?” I answered, “I attempted to… frequently, actually.” She assured me, “I will be all of ANY peanut butter cookies in our pack. I’ll snap them up.

In fact, I’ll order them all to be brought to me for inspection.

Since I can do that as a Luna.” She knew that because I’d tested her on her knowledge of packs… that I taught her in the first place.

I replied, “Definitely do that. Just don’t mention them to my parents…

or brothers…or your in-laws.” Paige snorted, “Yes, well evil cookie makers should beware. I love peanut butter cookies and they’ve dared to taint them for my best friend.

They will rue the day they were born.” I did not doubt that.

Luna Emmaline popped the Bishop brothers out. Corbin teased Paige and she snarked back at him. I was going to have to explain the Hackura to her again. I was sure her parents had before me, but she didn’t remember that. She was laid back with Cayden and Micah because they were always on our side.

Paige was sassy and fun. She didn’t mean any disrespect with her actions. Paige just treated everyone the same. I envied that about her. Sometimes I held my tongue and yelled at people in my head. Paige would never do that. You always knew how she feels about a situation .

No one has to make her nervous, angry, or any other emotion for her to say it how it was. She’s just a straight shooter. Dalton appeared to misinterpret Corbin’s intrigue for flirting. I knew Corbin had a girlfriend… or...well... maybe… his mate.

I’d covered him a few times and he was usually with this one woman. I’d seen them making out a lot. Did no one else know that? Paige started on a tangent about how her last name would be Kyle and that would be weird. That’s true… she used to talk about hexing them… A LOT.

She’d been determined to hate them, but I was pleased that she didn’t stick to that.

I could see how happy she was with Dalton.

Which made me happy for her. She deserved every happiness.

Katie wanted the rings, so Paige gave them over.

I nearly laughed at their expressions. They had a lot to discover when it came to Paige.

I personally didn’t think that the Warlock who was trying to forcibly mark her, would've been able to. Paige was too smart and powerful to have her powers bound by them for any length of time. Paige had never agreed with me though. She said it could happen to anyone.

Paige did agree her powers were bound for a shorter timeframe than most Witches, but she believed it was possible they could’ve made it longer if she’d been with them. I taught her how to fight just in case she ever didn’t have her powers.