Twice Blessed ~ Matthew’s Story

Matthew’s POV ~

By the time Ella was settled in her room.. we are all so exhausted we couldn’t pat our asses with both hands. We all fell asleep as soon as got stretched out.

I have already briefed Mom and Dad on what we learned at Ella’s house.. what she had heard.. and what she found. Mom was pissed. She snapped “Hasn’t that girl been through enough?”

Ella knocked, and I opened the door to her. She blushed adorably and said good morning. I repeated it back and took the boxes out of her arms.

She kissed Mom and hugged Dad.. then she sat down. She said “I can give you a synopsis of what’s in that box. It ain’t pretty. But it proves he is an upper ranked member of the Mountain Men Hunter’s Association. If you pull their website up.. you will see members pictures. Fred is a first lieutenant.. In that box, is evidence he has been abducting women.. selling them to other hunters. On that same website.. you will see Fred.. that Norman guy.. as well as Tommy… the man my mother left with. He sold her, too. He sold me to Norman.. but since all funding belongs to the Association.. technically, I belong to the next leader. So, I have no doubt someone is going to be coming for me.”

I growled.. Frost rose up “No one will come for you! They have to come through us.” She laid her hand across my desk.. and I immediately grabbed it. This is definitely our thing!

Blake said “Was there any information on location? You said raid schedules? Anything we can work with?”

Ella nodded “Absolutely. I believe this map.. shows the locations of the raids.. the schedule is on the back. This map gives locations of their camps.. with this one.. up here.. being base camp. What I don’t get is where are they getting their money? Paying a quarter mil for me? Someone has to be bankrolling them.”

I responded “Mav.. you and Dalton start calling the Alphas where these marks are. Tell them the threat level is red. And let them know we will send aid.”

Ella’s POV ~

Blake said “I will call Liam and have him run the money trail. You’re right, Ella.. there has to be a financer. The kind of money they’re spending on women has to have left a footprint.”

Jolene said “Ask Damien to send his trackers to the mountains.. get some intel on movement in their base camp. We can’t attack yet.. Not until they do. They will claim we murdered Norman Sparks.. instead of self defense.”

Matthew snarled “He was choking my mate to death! He provoked an attack! I am not sorry!” I whispered “Take my hand.” As soon as he did, he calmed down right away. Jolene giggled “Maybe don’t take his hand when we’re in battle. Frost would be a blubbering mess.. napping on the battlefield.”

Everyone laughed at the visual. Matthew said “Mom.. in exactly six weeks, we need to have a birthday party for Ella! Eighteen is a big one.. we don’t want her missing out on a party!”

I said “Please.. Really.. you don’t have to go to any trouble. I won’t miss a party. I stopped celebrating my birthday when I was five. I realized nobody cared enough to remember.. so I didn’t care either.”

Jolene said “Now, I have to have a party! A showstopping over the top party to make up for all the ones you’ve missed because of dumbasses!” Blake laughed and told us “Y’all are in trouble now! She’s not going to be happy until this party is the event of the century!”

Blake looked at me “We can send an emissary to speak with the Oracles on Ranier, if you are at all interested in knowing who your father may be. Being a truth seer is a pretty big deal.. I can’t help but wonder how I would feel if I had a child out there somewhere and I didn’t know. I would be crushed! But, that’s just me.”

I smiled “I believe he has a right to know.. but I definitely want it understood I have no intention of interfering in his life, in any way. I know how my mother was.. and, I doubt she could remember anything about my biological father. Whether Fred sold her or not.. she was happy to be leaving me behind. Just signed custody over to Fred.. and skipped her happy ass down the road.”

Calvin came in.. working a crossword puzzle.. I grinned “Oh! I love those! I do them all the time.. especially when the diner is on a slow day!” He smiled “Good! You can help me!”

Jolene said “I didn’t realize there were slow days at the diner! Danny has really good food.. and every time I am in town, the place seems slammed.” I shrugged “It has its moments.. It slows down a bit after dinner rush. Which is awesome, since it gives me time to prep for breakfast shift. Managing the place for Danny keeps me on my toes..”

Blake asked “How long have you worked for Danny?” I laughed and told them how I got started there..”I was fifteen.. Fred had had a really bad night.. and decided I needed to tote an ass beating. Wasn’t the first time. But I had made up my mind, it was going to be the last. I fell in with some really bad kids.. thieves.. pickpockets.. bullies. That’s where I learned to fight. My initiation into their little gang was to rob Danny’s.. and I warned him, instead. He took me under his wing, after that. Trained me to fight properly.. and taught me how to run the diner. He became family.. and here we are.”

Matthew groused “You really have had a rough go of it, haven’t you? I am so sorry.” I laughed and said “I didn’t have it as bad as others. Life is a lesson.. you either learn or you fail. Failure isn’t an option I wish to entertain.”

Calvin groaned.. “This is frustrating! What begins with F and ends in K?” I smiled and said “No, it doesn’t.” He looked at me with a stupified look and asked “What doesn’t?” While everyone around us laughed.. and I replied “Exactly!” Making us laugh harder at his expression.

Matthew said “Calvin.. What begins with W.. and ends with T.” He groaned again and said “Of course it does! Doesn’t help me with a nine letter word that starts with F and ends in K.”

I was laughing so hard that I had tears “He still doesn’t get it. Damn! Okay, Cal.. a nine letter word? Firebreak? Flashback? Maybe firetruck?”

He grinned “That’s it! Firetruck! Thanks, Luna!” I tilted my head at Matthew.. he shrugged.. “What? It’s true.. and it will be proven in six weeks!”

Jolene squeals “Ohh! I can’t wait! What if I plan a Luna ceremony for the same night as the birthday party? It would be perfect.. and I can decorate in the colors of Bear Creek Pack.. we have to find you a gown. What would you prefer? Short.. or long? There’s that cute little boutique in town.. we should probably go there. Ordering anything online is a crapshoot.. “ she looked up and said “Out loud?”

We all laughed..and I said “I’ll think about it.”