Payton
“Maverick, I have agreed to talk to Melody about Greyson. I will let them decide for themselves if they want to know Greyson or not.”
“Oh, I see, and you were not even going to see how I feel about any of this first?” he asks.
“I was going to talk to you as well. Please do not get mad; you are still their father. We talked about that already.”
“How about we work on finding the other missing girls first, like your daughter Fawn and her friend, before you rip my kids from me?” Or is it hurting me more important than Fawn Greyson?”
“They are my kids, Maverick. I have a right to know them.” Greyson says,
“THEY ARE MY KIDS. I RAISED THEM. I AM THE ONLY FATHER THEY KNOW AND NEED” “ NOT SOME MONSTER BEAST LIKE YOU”
I could see The Beast coming forward; he was breathing heavily, and his fists clenched. They get up in each other’s faces; I squeeze between them my hands on each side of their chests.
“That is enough; these are MY children got that MINE. Now, both of you calm the hell down now,” I said.
I could feel The Beast calming down; Maverick was still breathing hard.
“ Maverick, look at me.”
He turns his eyes on me.
“ No one, and I mean no one is taking our children away, alright? You will always be there, father, but Greyson’s right. He and they have a right to.” Have faith in our kids, Maverick.”
Maverick pulls me away from Greyson and into his chest.
“ Fine, as long as he knows, I am always going to be their father.”
“As I said, I will talk to the kids later but Greyson,” I said, pulling away from Maverick’s hug and turning around, “ Maverick is right, we need to find the other girls.”
“ Right yes, now that we have the book we had better call the Council to help deal with this, but in the meantime, I am bringing Amy here, and we are going to be hitting Alpha Walters pack and getting her daughter back.”
“ Your daughter Greyson. You never married Amy, but you adopted Fawn.”
“Because I had no heir, but now I do. I do not need her or want her anymore“
“You can not be serious, Greyson. How can you just not want her now and toss her away?” I asked.
“I never wanted Amy or her daughter; I never wanted anyone till I found you. I even fought that, but you are all I ever wanted; kids with you are all I ever wanted. I adopted Fawn to give her a rank, and maybe she would mate an Alpha to take over one day. But I do not need that. Now, I have Cole to take over. “
I was shocked. How could he be so heartless?
There was a loud growl.
“YOU WILL NEVER HAVE MY WIFE!” yelled Maverick.
“Everyone calm down; you are not losing me. So stop, Greyson can say whatever. It doesn’t make it true, so stop,” I said.
“ Do you even want to find Fawn?” I asked him.
“No, I found my daughter, but my daughter wants to keep her promise to the girls, so for my daughter, I will get the girls for her. Amy will be here to collect her when we bring her back. “
“You really are a heartless beast; she is just a child, Greyson.”
“But she is not mine.”
I watch as he walks to the door.
“You may have my mate and kids now, cousin, but the Beast will have his beauty again.”
He leaves by slamming the door behind him. Maverick is pissed off and goes running after him, but I grab his arm.
“ Don’t babe; just ignore him. He is trying to get under your skin. Do not let him. He is not going to have me, OK, I am yours. ” I pulled his face to mine and kissed him. I felt him relax with the kiss.
“ Oh, come on, guys, get a room.”
Maverick and I laugh at Cole as he comes into the house, followed by Melody and Raven.
“ Mom, why have we not started looking for the girls yet?”
“Alpha Brooks is waiting for his girlfriend Amy Fawn’s mother to Arrive, sweetheart, then grandpa uncle Jax’s dad Alpha Brooks, and the boys are going to get them.”
“ Not without me; there are not,” Melody says.
“ Melody, you are not going. It is too dangerous for you to go.”
“I am going, Mom, and you are not stopping me. I made a promise to those girls that I would help them get home, and I am keeping my promise, Mom,” she says.
“ You sure have the spunky attitude of your mother.”
We all looked towards the door and saw Greyson standing there.
“ Alpha Brooks,” Melody says, running to him.
“ Tell my parents I am going with you to get the girls. “
“ I SAID NO MELODY.”
“ Your mother is right, Melody,” said Maverick,
“ It is far too dangerous for you to go.”
“ Come on, Dad, you will be right there with me. I need to be there. “
“ Yes, I will protect you, sweetheart,” Greyson said.
I saw Melody look at him.
“Well, yeah, I am sure you will, but I was talking to my dad. “ she says,
“ I am…
“ENOUGH”. I cut Greyson off,
“I said you are not going, and I mean it.”
“I AM GOING,” Melody argues with me.
“Do not take that tone with me, Missy. I raised you better than that.”
“ Your right mom, you did, you raised me with a kind loving heart, one where I care about others, and when I say something I mean it, and when I make promises I keep them, so to the mother that raised me this way I am begging you to let me go help the girls”
“ She is right. We did raise her right. She has to go, Payton, you know that.” Says Maverick
“ Then I am going to,” I said.
“ Fine, then we will all go,” said Maverick.
“ If you are so determined to go, Mel, then you are to never leave my side. Do you understand that?” I tell her
“ Yes, OK, Mom.”
I grabbed her by the shoulder.
“ You think I am joking? Think again, miss things. That is why I do not want you going. You are not taking the danger seriously; you just think like a child, and getting the girls back is a piece of cake. Well, think again, Melody, because one wrong move can cost you your life, “I said.
“ OK, I am sorry, I got it ok? I promise I will stick with you. “
“ No, Melody, you are still not convincing me you are taking it for what it is. You and Cole are going out on that training field now and training until I say you are done. NOW GO.”
The kids leave and head to the training field,
“ Wow, that was kind of rough, don’t you think?”
“ROUGH? DO YOU THINK I WAS ROUGH ON HER? WELL, I DO NOT THINK I WAS ROUGH ENOUGH. IT IS GOING TO BE WAY ROUGHER OUT THERE MAVERICK. SHE IS A CHILD THINKING LIKE A CHILD. She is NOT thinking like an adult or anyone ready to battle, my baby girl can get killed because she is NOT thinking right and clearly, and YOU, you MAVERICK sided against me, so if anything Happened’s to my child I will k**l you my self”! I stormed out of the house, shifting and taking off running. I need to burn off steam. How could Maverick side with her about going with them? They know what it is like, they know how serious this is, lives will be lost, and they tell her she can go. I will never forgive them for siding with her and allowing her to be in danger. I swear if one hair on her head is out of place, I will k**l them all.
After running for 2 hours, I stopped at a creek and drank, then lay down beside the water to think.
“ We will protect our pup, Payton,” Aurora says.
“ That is right, we will. She will never leave my side.”
“ You do know why they agreed with her, though, don’t you?”
“ Because they are stupid, they are both just fighting for her love,” I said.
“ No Payton, they both know it is dangerous, but Maverick. He is trying to keep his daughter, and Greyson is trying to win her over.”
“ Like I said, just stupid, letting her be in danger is not how you keep or win a child.”
“ Your right”
“ Men always think like boys. They are so stupid.”
A mind link comes in
“Payton love”
I do not respond
“Payton just let me know you are OK, or I will be coming to find you.”
“I AM FINE NOW LEAVE ME. THE HELL ALONE. I DO NOT WANT TO BE AROUND YOU RIGHT NOW”
“ Come on, Payton, do not be like that. “
“I mean, It Maverick, leave me alone. I will hurt you if you come to find me”
“ Fine, I will leave you alone. Have you seen Greyson? His wife Amy is here”
“ No, and I do not want to see him either.”
“ Fine, do not be too long love “
“ DO NOT TELL ME WHAT TO DO; leave me alone.”
I blocked out the link. I wanted to be alone.
“We are not alone anymore, Payton.”
I take a sniff; it is Greyson. I got to my feet and turned around and growled loudly, showing my teeth.
His black wolf emerges from the trees towards me
I growl and snap more at him. He slows his pace but still comes. That is it. I have had it. I am tired of these stupid men not taking me seriously or listening to me.
He is now in front of me, and I wasted no time attacking him. I bite his ear in half, rip a chunk out of his side, his wolf is shocked and whimpering in pain, he shifts to human, blood is pouring out his side and ear,
“Payton. calm down. Wow, I did not think you would do that.” he says.
No, of course, he didn’t
I attacked again , bite his leg, and pinned him to the ground with my paw on his neck. I growled in his face.
“ OK, I am sorry I followed you, OK?”
I got off him, hit him in the face with my paw, and then took off running towards my house instead of back to the packhouse.
I shift at the door , walk in, and go to my room to shower.
Maverick
“Melody come here.”
“Yes? What is it, Dad?”
“ Have a seat, Melody. We need to talk. I am very disappointed in you, ” I said.
“What? Why?” she asks.
“Because your mother is right, we raised you better than to talk back to us that way. How you talked to your mother was wrong and disrespectful.”
“ But Dad..”
“ No listen, your mother is right. This is not just an easy task. We are not going in there and telling them to give us the girls back; it is not that easy. It is a battle of war; blood will be shed. Lives will be taken; you are not nearly ready for any of that. I understand you want to keep your promises to the girls, but you see, by helping us out, with who took them is keeping your promise, your mother is right about your thinking, like the child you are not an adult and one who is ready for this”, I told her.
“ OK, OK, I get that OK. I know Mom is right; I just want to help.”
“ You have Melody; you kept your word to the girls. You got the help, and they are going to be returned home. “
“ But dad, I want…”
“ Melody, listen to yourself. It is what I want, I want, and that is very selfish.”
“ So, what do I do?” she asks.
“ For starters, you need to apologize to your mother for your behavior when she gets back, and you stay here with your mother and brothers and prepare for the return of the girls. They are going to need your help when we get them here”
“ OK, Dad, I will stay here and have the packhouse set and ready for them and everyone to return.”
“That is my girl. Thank you.”
She gets up and hugs me
“ Wait, you said when mom got back, where did she go?”
“ When she sent you to train, she blew up at me and Alpha Brooks for being stupid and not backing her up as I should have, then she shifted and took off. I mind linked her, but she is so mad, Melody. I mean madder than I have seen before. “
“ I did not mean to hurt or upset Mom; I just wanted to help and keep my promise”
“I know, but you were only thinking about yourself and like a spoiled child, which I never should have condoned or agreed to. I knew your mother was right; it is way too dangerous, and I could never deal with myself or your mother if anything happened to you.”
“ OK, I get it. I am sorry, and I will make up with Mom and stay behind and wait.”
“ That’s my girl.”
Just then, I see a naked Greyson limping through the trees with blood all over him.
“ Melody, run and inform Doctor Sandra I will be bringing Alpha Brooks in.”
She looks where I am looking and then takes off towards the pack hospital. I grabbed a blanket and ran to Greyson, covering him up.
“ What the hell happened to you, man?” I asked him.
“ I followed Payton. I wanted to talk to her, but she was so angry she attacked me. I never thought she would attack”
“Payton did this to you?”
“ Yes, and I could tell she was holding back; she just wanted to show me she wanted to be alone.”
“ Did you attack her back?”
“ No, I did not fight back, man. I was more stunned. She attacked me and was so strong.”
I led Greyson to the hospital with a smile on my face. That’s my wife.”
Alpha Brooks
“Alright now that I am just about healed, Alpha James, why don’t you go and gather the packs, and we can get ready to head out? “
“ Will your pack take orders from me, Alpha Brooks?”
“Yes, Austin and I informed them they are to take orders from the Alphas on our side throughout this battle. We are all together as one.”
“ Great, my pack as well, Jaxson, let’s gather the packs.”
I look out the window and see Maverick is out there with Caleb Alison and the kids, but I do not see Payton.
I walked through the packhouse, but I did not even pick up her scent. I do not have time to run up and around the mountain to see if she is at home.
I headed out front to meet the thousands of wolves waiting to head out.
“Alpha Brooks”
I turned around, and Cole was standing there.
“ Cole Son, you do not have to call me Alpha Brooks.”
“I know you are my father, but my dad is Maverick,” he says,
“ You can call me Greyson then, OK?”
“ OK, I just wanted to say good luck, and to be careful, I would still like to know you and have you in my life.”
I placed my hand on his shoulder,
“ Thank you, my son, and when I get back, we will get that chance. “
He comes in and gives me a hug and then jogs over to Maverick.
“Be safe, Dad. I love you” and he hugged Maverick.
Apart from me feeling jealous, I did get a hug too, and he does want me in his life. I have to learn to live with this.
“ Be safe, Alpha Brook, and please bring the girls home,” said Melody.
“ Thank you, sweetheart, and we will. Oh, and call me Greyson, please.”
“ Sure, just be careful, OK”, and she too hugged me. I hug her tight, and my heart feels warm. she doesn’t know I am her father yet. But I am so happy both my kids see me off and hug me.
“ Brooks.”
“ Hey Amy.”
“ Please bring my baby back home alive.” A tear fell from her eye.
“ I will bring her home, I promise,”
She comes in for a hug. I lightly hugged her back. 3 months ago, I would have hugged and kissed her, but since my beauty returned, she is all I want, and Amy disgusts me.
Just then, I smell Payton. I looked around, and she was hugging her father. I watch as she hugs her father, brother, Caleb, Austin, and a few pack members, then stops in front of Maverick. Apart from me dies.
Payton
“Be safe, my love, and come back to us.”
“I will, baby, and again, I am sorry.”
“ It is OK, just come back to us safely. I love you. “
“ I love you too, baby.”
We kiss and hug, and I watch as he jumps into the van with the others and pulls out.
I noticed Greyson standing there watching me, so I walked over to him.
“ Did you heal?”
“I did; it is all good.”
“ You had it coming.”
“ Yeah, I know” he smiles at me.
“ Be careful, OK, come back safe, and please look out for my family to”
“ I Will Love I will.”
I do not know why, but I hugged him. The sparks have gotten stronger; I really need to look into why. His grip on me tightens, and I hear him inhale my scent.
“ I love you, Beauty.”
“Be safe Beast”
The kids and I watch as all the men roll off to battle.
