CHAPTER HUNDRED FIFTEEN

Vincent pov

Melinda hasn't changed a bit. She's still the same loving and bubbly personality I remember her to be.

On our way to the packhouse, I keep throwing glances at Enya. She's visibly anxious, and while her mother keeps asking questions, the only moment my mate speaks up is to answer a question. She doesn't ask her own questions, though I know she has many. Perhaps in time, I'm sure Enya needs a moment or two to get used to the situation. After all, it's not every day that your dead mother comes back to life and appears in front of you. I couldn't blame Enya because I would react the same way.

After a moment of awkward silence, Melinda turns her attention to me. "Vincent, how is your father? It's been a while since I last met Roma. Oh, and I'm sorry about your stepmother. I'm not sorry for what I did, but I'm certainly sorry if she meant anything to you."

I shrug. "Dad's fine, still spending his best days down in the cells. I wouldn't give a shit about that woman even if I tried, so it's all good. Besides, you gave me someone much more important than that snobby woman. You're the mother of my mate, and God, I'm grateful to have her. You have no idea how Hell Flame has changed my life." A wide smile spreads across my lips as I notice Enya's cheeks turn bright red. She sure is something else.

"Hell Flame, huh?" Melinda chuckles.

"Yeah, it's a nickname thing. Don't judge; the ones she gave me are way worse." I try to explain myself, but not a second goes by that I already want to bite my tongue.

Melinda grins and grabs Enya's hand as if she's trying to reassure her daughter that everything's okay. "I think it suits her. But, please share the nickname my beautiful daughter gave you." And there is it- the whole reason why I needed to bite my tongue, not seed curiosity in Enya's mother. Years ago, it was different, today the tables have turned, and Melinda is no longer the Luna of the pack I used to visit. No, today she's so much more- she's basically my mother-in-law.

"I don't think it's wise to share them. After all, you're Enya's mother, and I wouldn't deem the nicknames appropriate." I scratch the back of my neck, hoping she notices how uncomfortable I am. The smirk disappears from my face as Enya looks at me and wiggles her eyebrows. Darn that woman, I'll repay her the favour when she least expects it. Perhaps tonight in our bedroom, if I'm lucky.

"You can tell me." Melinda whines. Now I know where Enya got that trait- like mother like daughter.

I groan and give in. "Hippo-Twatamus. Cuntasaurus. Twatwaffle. Oh, and my absolute favourite, Pussysaurus-Rex." My voice drips with sarcasm as Enya struggles to suppress laughter, but her mother wastes no time in bursting out laughing. Great, not that I'm an Alpha or anything- from now on, I'll become the laughing stock of my mate and her mother. God, those two are going to be the death of me.

"Let me tell you something- my daughter has as unique and just as amazing sense of humour as her father. Blade often came up with similar bullshit; not a day went by that I didn't pee my pants laughing. I cried, a lot actually, but again- because of his stupid jokes." We all laugh at Melinda's confession, and finally, Enya doesn't seem worried anymore. It's nice to see her so happy.

However, the cheerful mood dies down as soon as we get back to the packhouse. Everyone stops in their tracks to greet us, and I'm genuinely proud of my pack members for recognising the title my mate's mother will carry to the end of her days. Once she became Luna, she'll always be one.

As we approach the door to the staircase, I grab Enya's hand and stop her. She looks at me with such confusion that I suddenly forget what I was going to say. To avoid the uncomfortable situation, I rest my forehead against hers and cup Enya's cheek as I whisper, "Love, are you going to join us downstairs? We understand if you don't want to, and I think it'd be best if you didn't." From the bottom of my heart, I wish that she chooses to leave the meeting to her mother and me. I'm still worried about the possible pregnancy, and I don't want her to put herself through any unnecessary stress if Enya really is carrying our pup.

"I want to go with my mom. Besides, that man in the cell is the same man I called father for twenty-one years. I'll be fine, just hold my hand. Please," Enya looks at me with those puppy dog eyes, and I can't find it in me to tell her no.

Melinda places her hands on Enya's shoulders and joins in our conversation. "Aww, look at you two. So cute." She grins. Like I remember, it takes less than a second for her to change her demeanour and suddenly become a new person. Melinda huffs and glances at the door. "Anyway, let's go, I'm starving, and I don't want to waste too much time talking to that human trash can. Down, down, and off to the raccoon-man!" With those words, Enya's mother opens the door to the staircase and disappears into the darkness.

We exchange glances, Enya raises an eyebrow in question, and I just shrug. It's not like I can tell Enya that her mother is the most ladylike woman I've ever met, but on top of that- she's a lunatic. I'm not surprised; she had to be if she was mated to Blade. That man was crazy and vicious, and to tame him, it did take a woman even crazier than him. And so it happens that the tiny spitfire of a human was IT for Blade.

We probably take too much time staring at each other until Melinda's voice brings us back to reality. "Ooooh, Diiiiirk, did you miss me, asshole?" My eyes widen; I tighten my hold on Enya's hand and nearly run down to the cells with Enya hot on my heels. No one knows it, but I do; Melinda is unpredictable, so someone has to be around to keep an eye on her. The classy lady we saw in front of the Council of Elders is no longer in her. The crazy is back.

I decide to stay aside with Enya. Whatever is about to happen, or whatever we might hear- it's between Melinda and the founder of the Alliance. We shouldn't get involved.

"Melinda, is that you?" Dirk's voice breaks the silence, and at this point, I can hear Enya's heart pounding against her ribcage. Damn it, I knew this wasn't a good idea!

Melinda stops right in front of his cell and frowns. "No, it's sweet baby Jesus. Of course, it's me. Don't tell me you already forgot this ass. I'm hurt." Her voice is full of mockery, and honestly, I'm as confused as never. Weren't they lovers in high school or something like that?

"Oh my God, you came back to me," Dirk clings to the bars, a futile attempt to get closer to Melinda. Even from here, I can see the desperation in his eyes. The look on his face is not that of a man in love; I'd describe him as an obsessive maniac.

"As needy as ever." Melinda rolls her eyes at Dirk. It's as clear as day that some of the things he said were outright lies. Enya's mother looks at him like she's resented him her whole life, and she did say that Dirk was the dark part of her past. I wonder if I'll find out something that'll actually shock me. At this point, I doubt either of them could say anything that'd leave me speechless- I've heard it all before.

Dirk doesn't notice her attitude towards him. "You need to get out of here as soon as possible! These people, they're not people, Melinda. They're beasts, animals, goddamn monsters. Get out of here and save yourself! I'll figure a way to get out of here, and once I do, I'll find you." The desperation in his voice makes him seem insane. He knows exactly who Melinda lived with, so all that bullshit talk about monsters is moot. This man doesn't learn, for fuck's sake.

For a mere second, concern crosses Melinda's face, but the expression fades as if it never existed. "Did you hit your head, Dirk? We're not in high school anymore. We're both grown enough to see things for what they are. And I see the asshole in you plain as day." She points her finger at him and takes a step closer to his cell. Thank the Moon Goddess; she's careful and still keeps a good distance between herself and Dirk.

"I'm not kidding, Melinda!" Dirk screams at the top of his lungs.

His outburst of anger doesn't faze Enya's mother. She remains standing where she was and focuses her attention on her fingernails as if the screaming man is lecturing her on marketing strategies. "Neither am I. You're locked in a cell while I walk the halls with ease- that says a lot, doesn't it? The only monster I see here is the one locked behind bars." Melinda jawns. There's no emotion in her voice, so now I know for sure- there was never anything between them. So why did he lie?

Dirk looks up at her and shakes his head as he whispers, "You haven't changed, have you?"

"No, that would be too much trouble," Melinda scoffs.

The atmosphere in the cells is calm and somewhat quiet until the madman has another breakdown. "I don't understand. I don't understand how you could choose a monster over me!" As he screams, I have to order the guards to leave the cells for a while, at least until he's done with his outburst. Technically, this is a private matter between Melinda and Dirk, and Enya and I shouldn't stick around either. But I will, as long as my mate wants to stay close to her mother.

"There was never any choice, Dirk," Melinda announces.

He had lost it- the man ignores any statement Melinda might give him and keeps fighting for his right. "There was! I've been in love with you since the first time I met you, and you knew it!"

Melinda crosses her arms in front of her chest and comes clean. Not only does she remind Dirk of the truth, but she lets her daughter know what the asshole was hiding from her. "And all you were to me was my best friend, remember? I brought my baby to you because you were the only person I could trust with her life. Yet, look at you, years later- you've done nothing but broken every promise you made to me. All you did was prove that you aren't worthy of my friendship and that there's nothing but greed and hate in your heart. Look at you, Dirk, look at who you have become." She raises her voice. Part of me thinks the old man will take her words as a lesson, but the look on his face begs to differ.

"You have no idea, do you?" He laughs, loud enough for everyone to hear-even the men in the cells down the hall.

Melinda raises an eyebrow. "Is there anything else I should know?" It's a question I'd like to ask, too. Could there really be more he's hiding? Isn't this whole mess he created enough?

"Your precious baby, I did everything I could to make her what she is by nature- a fucking monster. I fucking created her! And I sure as Hell enjoyed every moment of this journey. Oh, how I loved beating the shit out of her. Every time I did, I thought of you and the fucking monster you chose over me. But wait, are those tears in your eyes? Have you finally realised that you fucked up? My dear Melinda, you haven't even heard the best part. That bastard child has no idea what love or affection is; she only knows how to kill, destroy, and spill blood. She knows she's one of them, that she's done nothing but slaughter her own kind, and as much as I love the fact that she had to face the truth- there's something much better. Are you ready? Drum roll in the fucking studio! Her first target was none other than the very man that created her. Your precious little shit killed that bastard Blade."