Poison

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Four

Melanie's grandparents left Colorado to return to Tennessee after a week. While they had discussed Melanie and Talon moving to their pack, Melanie decided she wanted to stay where she was. She really did like her grandparents, and she wanted to spend more time with them, but she simply didn't want to have a new place to fit into.

After they had left, Melanie started thinking about her past. They had hardly mentioned what had happened to her as an infant and throughout her childhood, but it did make Melanie think about it. She had mostly pushed all thoughts of the hunters from her mind, but once again, she found herself thinking about them.

One of her grandmothers, Sheila, had said she would tear apart the hunters that had taken her if she ever got her hands on them. While Melanie had initially agreed, it made her think. The hunters really hadn't been all that horrible, at least not the family she lived with. They had lied to her and told her she was a monster, but they had also been her family. They had even been supportive in their own way. And for some reason, Melanie found that she wanted to talk to them.

"You're not going to like this," Melanie said to Talon the day after her grandparents had left. She hadn't mentioned anything about the hunters to him, wanting to wait until she was sure she wanted to see them.

"What is it?" he asked, concerned.

"Nothing's wrong," she said, reassuring him. "Maybe you'll think so after I tell you this, but I want to go see the hunters."

"No," Talon said immediately. "That's ridiculous! They'd kill you! Melanie, why would you ever want to see them again?"

"I… I don't know," she admitted. "I want to talk to them and I don't know. I guess I want to know why they did everything that they did. And I don't think they'd hurt me. They know me. And as far as they know, I can't shift. So I'm not really a wolf to them."

"Melanie, this is crazy! They're hunters!"

"I know. But it's going to bother me for a long time, Talon. I just want to talk to them. One last time. And get some answers. Please Talon. You've got to let me do this."

"I can't stop you," Talon said with a sigh of defeat. "As much as I'd like to. But if you're going to walk into the enemy's lair, I'm sure as hell not letting you do it alone. I'll see if Lukas can get –"

"No," Melanie cut him off. "I want to do this alone. I know they won't hurt me, but what if they realize I'm with a bunch of wolves? I'd never forgive myself if someone else got hurt because of me."

"I can't let you go alone. Let me come with you at least."

"I definitely don't want you getting hurt."

"They don't have to know I'm a wolf. Being with one other person shouldn't be suspicious. Just tell them I'm your boyfriend. I really don't think I can stay away. I'd go crazy not knowing you were safe."

Melanie knew she couldn't argue with him. Had their positions been switched, she knew she would also insist on accompanying him. She couldn't let her mate go into a dangerous situation alone, and she couldn't ask him to let her do so.

When they showed up at the hunter's house, she was beginning to have second thoughts. Talon was sniffing the air and jumping at every sound. Melanie was certain he'd give himself up as a wolf within seconds. She was beginning to have second thoughts as she stood at the front door, thinking it would be best to just leave if Talon couldn't act like a human.

"Let's get this over with," Talon said, pushing the doorbell.

"You're too jumpy!" she hissed at him. "They'll know!"