*Melian POV*
I tried to process the words that Jason was speaking, but couldn't grasp what could be so urgent. "Urgent? Is someone hurt? What's going on Jason?" I asked him with a slight panic in my voice. He grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the building towards the parking lot.
Opening the car door, I started to panic. Should I get in? Should I run? I guess there was only one way to find out. Getting in the car, I sat back and buckled my seat belt. My heart was racing like a herd of wild horses.
"What is going on, Jason? You are scaring the s**t out of me." I pleaded with him. "Let's drive. I need to get off of the pack territory before I speak." he said. I could hear the worry in his voice, which only increased my panic.
We finally exited the pack territory and drove to a small park not far from the border. "OK, we are off the pack grounds, spill it please." I said, knowing my heart couldn't handle the anxiety much longer. He sighed and turned to me. The first words to leave his lips were, "Mel, do you trust me? Do you trust Rebecca?"
Confused, I looked at him and said, "Uh, I definitely trust Rebecca. As far as trusting you, I do, to a point. Why?" He got out of the car and came to open my door. Extending his hand towards me, he asked me to follow him to the swings. We would talk there. I did as he asked and followed him to the empty park and sat on the swing next to him.
"Mel, sis, I truly do not know how to even start this conversation. So, we are going to rip the band-aid off, and I'm just going to be honest and blunt. Earlier today, I was supposed to attend a meeting with dad and the Alpha. When I was about to walk in, I heard them arguing. Dad apparently had been cheating on Constance for a long time, with the Alpha's sister. The sister had given dad Syphillis, and he just found out. With it being something serious like that, he had to tell Alpha Scott. Needless to say, he didn't take the news well. He's worried about dad's s****l antics and spreading it to other wolves in the pack. To calm the Alpha, and get his silence, he made dad a deal. This is the part you aren't going to like. Dad was given an ultimatum because he refused to tell where he contracted the STD. He was instructed to give the name or be stripped of his title. Plus, the Alpha gets you for a weekend to do whatever he pleases with you." He said with disgust.
Tears started to fill my eyes and I started to tremble. "Me? Why would he want me? I'm nobody. What about the Luna?" I whimpered. He took my hand in his and replied, "Mel, I wish I knew. It's disgusting, but that's not all, there's more. Dad, he...feels degraded, and you know how much he hates that. Therefore, he is livid, and is looking to take it out on someone."
"Me, right?" I questioned him. He nodded, and I could see him getting visibly upset. "I am so sorry sis for everything I have ever put you through. I am so sorry for my part in making your life miserable. I wish I could take it all back."
I could see the turmoil in his eyes, and hear the sincerity in his voice. I squeezed his hand and gave him a slight smile. For the past couple of years, Jason has tried really hard to protect me. He doesn't always succeed, and is sometimes forced to participate, but I don't blame him. He doesn't want to, and definitely doesn't enjoy it. "Jay, it's fine bub. Water under the bridge. You have done so much to try and make up for your part, and I never blame you when you are forced to hurt me. No more apologies, OK?" I reassured him.
A rogue tear left his eye and he whispered, "I hope you feel that way when I tell you the rest." I gave him a look to continue, but he stood up and moved away from the swings we had been sitting on. I yelled for him to stop, and to please finish telling me what was happening.
He turned back to me and said, "Melian, dad gave me an assignment with very specific instructions. I don't want to do it! Until Rebecca and I can figure out how to get away safely and take you with us, I don't feel like I have a choice but to follow through. Dad...Dad wants me to take you to the empty warehouse near the lake. Him, Eric and Todd are supposed to meet us there. I don't know exactly what he has planned, but I'm sure it isn't good. I can't do it, Mel."
Taken aback by what he said, I knew one way or another he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. One more time, I will be 18 in a few hours, and then I can escape. I can survive one more time to save my brother and his family being abused in my place.
"Jason, take me to where you have to. I can't allow you to suffer consequences for not doing what dad says. You have Rebecca and Trinity to look after. I will be fine. I can do this one more time. Take one for the team, right? Tomorrow, I will be a legal adult, and he can't control whether I leave or stay. I'll make my escape then, and even if I have to do it alone, I won't have to go through the torture anymore." I said to him in confidence.
The look on his face went from distraught to anger. I froze in my spot, afraid to speak another word. "Are you crazy Mel? What if he beats the piss out of you and then just hands you over to Scott? Then you not only have to go through the beatings, but rape too." he pleaded with me to change my mind.
"I'm not crazy, well, at least not diagnosed, but I digress. This is the only way to get everyone to drop their guard and for us to get out safely. Please don't fight me about this. Please, Jason. I am going to go there with or without you. If I don't, he kills us both and that is guaranteed," I yelled. He looked defeated but agreed. Promising to not be far, just in case it got out of control.