Mates: Melanie's Warrior

Chapter 24

~Geoff~

Everything happened so quickly. One minute, Melanie is about to be forcibly marked, and the next, she’s getting presented with a trophy for victory. She looks dazed, but no one can blame her. That was a big win, and she worked hard for it.

I watch as Melanie is moved around the field. She’s checked on repeatedly, and she seems to be okay. That loser’s people follow him to the medic’s tent and stay with him while he gets looked at.

I finally found a moment to talk to Melanie. She doesn’t respond to my words, and she doesn’t look focused. Suddenly, she leans over and throws up all over me. Her eyes close, and she hits the ground. Jax picks her up and rushes to the cars with her. “Shouldn’t she see a medic?”

“We aren’t too far from the pack. I would rather have her looked at back home. We don’t need to stay here.” I watch everyone load into the SUVs and drive off. I turn, and Hugo is behind me.

“Let me guess. You’re going to Summit Mountain, aren’t you?”

“Get back home and make sure everything is running smoothly. I don’t plan to be gone long. I will keep you updated.” Hugo nods to me, and we make our way to our SUVs. I take two men with me and drive off toward my mate's home.

~Melanie~

I’ve been drifting in and out of consciousness. Sometimes, I catch voices directed at me, and at others, I get nothing. I felt myself moving a few times, but I have no idea if that’s real. I feel sick and lightheaded. I feel off-center and also alive. I don’t know what this is, so I let the darkness take over whenever it asks.

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There’s a beeping in the distance, and it’s annoying. Whatever that is, I want to bury it…….yesterday. I breathe in and out, ready to get murderous if that sound doesn’t stop; then everything stops. My breathing stills, and I swear my heart skips a beat. The room is filled with that scent........fresh-cut grass and damp wood. Maybe if I ignore him, he’ll go away.

Mate…..

I’m not in the mood, Winnie. I just want to be-

ENOUGH! Damn, that made my head hurt. He’s our mate! Stop denying us…… Winnie’s voice cracks, and I can feel the pain through our connection. I know I’m letting my fear ruin me, but he did reject me, so there’s that.

Sparks erupt on my arm, and I hold in my sigh. “I know you’re awake, love. How do you feel?” I swallow and turn to his rich voice, hoping the butterflies will subside.

“Where am I?”

“You’re home, Summit Mountain.” I open my eyes and stare into those dark gray eyes I love so much. I’m fighting the urge to run my fingers through his thick beard.

“You came all this way? Why?”

“Why?”

“Yeah, why? You made it pretty clear that you weren’t interested in me like that. It’s weird that you came all this way to check on me.” He sighs and runs a hand through his shoulder-length hair. The same hair that I imagine running my fingers through and giving a little tug while he slams into me…..

S**T! My thoughts got away from me, and I know my arousal has to have hit the atmosphere. His eyes start to flash from gray to black and back again. I try to think of anything I can so I can quiet my thoughts. He clears his throat, and his eyes settle to that dark gray color that I love. “It wasn’t that I’m uninterested. It’s just that there are some things we should talk about before we go that far.”

“What do we need to discuss?” Just as he opens his mouth, the door bursts open, and Brooklyn jumps on the bed, launching her body at me. “Brooky! How are you?”

“I missed you,” she mumbles, keeping her face firmly in the crook of my neck. “I thought you’d never wake up.”

“How long have I been out?” Brooklyn looks at me with a sad smile.

“It’s been about a day and a half.” The instant he speaks, Brooklyn’s face sours. I have no idea what that’s about, but I will talk to her about it. My room door opens again, and everyone piles in: Kehlani, Jayden, Kamila, Shanice, and Jax.

I smile at everyone as they greet me and tell me how happy they are that I’m alright. I notice Geoff easing himself closer and closer to the door. He slips out of the room while family surrounds me, and I feel my mood drop. I guess I want my mate more than I care to admit.

~Janice~

The pack’s been buzzing because everyone will be back soon. We’ve been getting everything cleaned up and looking nice for our new Alpha. I know that it’s time to put my plan into action. He doesn’t have a mate, so this pack doesn’t have a Luna. I would be perfect in that capacity and just need to show him.

“Did you hear me? The floors need to be moped.” I roll my eyes before turning to the Head Omega and smiling sweetly.

“Right away, ma’am.” I turn away from Georgina and let my smile fall. I swear the b***h is letting the power go to her head. It doesn’t matter, though, because I will make sure she understands who really has the power here. Once I become Luna, I will make a few changes.

I spent the time he was gone, gathering as much information as possible. I asked around about him, finding out his likes and dislikes. I made sure to keep it light, not wanting anyone to figure out what I was up to.

I’ve been on the Alpha floor, taking a look around. I took note of the changes that needed to be made, and I even ordered a couple of things. I was able to get access to pack funds and ordered some needed items for our floor. When the Alpha gets back, I will put my plan into action, and he’ll be mine in no time. “They’re pulling up!”

I pop up, wasting mop water on the floor. He’s here sooner than I thought, and I’m not really ready. The items won’t arrive until this evening, and I wanted to greet him personally. Maybe I can find a way to keep him occupied while I get things set up.

I make my way to the living room, hiding behind a curtain. I don’t want to make myself visible. I peek out the window, and my heart drops. Only one SUV appears rather than the two that left. I hold my breath and watch the SUV empty out. I step away from the window, deflated. Where is my Alpha?