Chapter 3

Melissa

I was quiet throughout the party as I watched my father connect with the Luna, whose name I learnt afterwards to be Ciara. Ciara, the name that was befitted a princess and from her looks and aura, she did look like one.

I watched with the other guests in the hall as the demolition of the walls separating Redmoon and Moonriver was shown in the television, smiled when they all clapped their hands with joy, whispering among themselves about how good the merge was. I watched Ciara and her daughter as they got acquainted with the pack members and also smiled politely at them when they tried talking to me. I watched and observed it all, until I felt a little suffocated even though the hall was well air-conditioned.

To be sure my father no longer needed me, I took an excuse from him and sneaked into the dark garden, glad to finally have a moment of peace to myself.

Alone, I thought of my mother and how she would feel, knowing fully well that someone was taking her place in my father’s life. I thought about my father, desperate to know if his smiles and laughter at the party were genuine, or if he was only faking it because of the crowd.

Lost in my thoughts, I caught sight of the flowers close to me moving on its own, and almost screamed out loud when a young man came out from the side, index fingers on his lips to shush me up. I tilted my head, waiting so that the light coming from the party room would reflect on his face, and when it did, I almost opened my mouth at the face I saw in front of me.

He looked like a demi god and had the arrogance of a thousand alphas. When he came forward to observe me, I almost lost it with how intoxicating his scent was. He tilted his head to the side to get a good look at my face and that was when I noticed the lush black hair filled on his head and the lazy smile that curled up around his lips.

Goddess, he was breath taking.

“Who are you?” I asked, hating myself for stammering in front of the amazingly looking prince. He scoffed at my question and leaned on the door of the garden; his hands folded on his chest.

“For a werewolf, you have a very bad sense of perception.” He replied in a very lazy but sensual voice. “It is very easy to harm you with how distracted you were.”

“Not everybody hangs around in the dark.” I replied, finding it hard not to be attracted to him. “You are the one who is at fault.”

He smiled sweetly at me and to my surprise stretched forth his hands towards me. “What is your name?” He asked and I raised an eyebrow.

“You are the intruder. You should tell me who you are first.”

“Alan.” He simply said, still keeping his hands and waiting for me to take it in mine. “I am an invited guest from the neighboring pack.”

I made my lips to form an Ohhhh sound before capturing his hands softly with mine. “Melissa.” I replied.

He nodded his head slowly, refusing to let go of my hand. When I stared into his eyes, there was a certain calmness that I felt deep within me, almost as if I had met him somewhere before. My heart began to beat loudly against my chest as he held onto my hand and at that moment, it felt like we were the only two people in the world.

“Your heart is racing.” Alan said to me, a sensual smile appearing on the right side of his lips. “Why is your heart racing, Melissa?”

“How can you tell, that my heart is racing just by standing there?” I asked, trying to be bold. He turned my hand to the side, to show me that his finger was on my wrist, feeling my pulse. I quickly removed my hands from his and folded it on my chest.

“Why are you out here?” I asked. “There is a lot happening inside the party.”

“My reason for being out here depends on yours.” He replied, coming forward again so that both of us were standing extremely close to each other and I tried hard not to inhale his delicious scent. “The question is why are you out here, Melissa?”

I blinked twice at him, mesmerized by the smart way he spoke. From his demeanor, it looked like he was deliberately trying to seduce me and it surprised the hell out of me. I have met different categories of werewolves, but none who was this brave and straightforward. I caught his eye drift down to look at my lips and just then, it felt like I was being kissed without my consent.

Unable to take in the sexual tension any longer, I took a step back from him, catching the slight raise of his eyebrow.

"Are you running, Melissa?” He asked, still with that devilish smile on his face. I was in love with the way he called my name, the way he allowed the letters roll out of his lips.

“No.” I responded with a shaky voice, even though I had turned my back already. “My father needs me, so I should be inside the party and not here.”

Without looking back to see the exact expression on his face, I walked out of the garden with a racing heart, still wondering how it was possible to feel that connected with someone when I had not even met my wolf yet.

“Melissa.” My father called as soon as I walked back into the party and I turned to see him standing with my new step mother and step-sister. “It is time to leave.” he said. 

                            **************

“Goddess, damn it. Where is it?” I spoke to myself as I searched for my training kit between my clothes the next morning. Today was training day and the professor at school hated it when anyone comes late. Anyone, even the alpha’s daughter.

At school, I was doing everything I could to try to be a model citizen of the pack in order not to upset my father, but if something as basic as going to training late was going to be the reason he scolds me, then what was the use of my efforts?

After looking everywhere in my room and not finding the training wears, I rushed down the stairs in my white robe, with the intention of asking any of the servants if they had seen it or probably put it into the washer.

The strong aroma of coffee coming from the kitchen got to my nostrils and I walked over to find my new stepmother, sitting at the table, going through a list in her hand. She looked up at me from her chore, and offered me a strong smile that was too difficult not to return.

“Hello, Melissa.” She greeted, raising the mug in her hands towards me. “Do you want coffee?”

“No, thank you.” I replied immediately, turning and walking out of her sight. One of the servants crossed through the hallway and I signaled to her with a wave of my palm.

“Hood morning. Have you seen my training clothes?” I asked the petite young girl, who immediately raised her eyes towards the ceiling, probably trying to remember.

“One of the cleaners handed it over to the Luna’s son.” She replied later on. “He was asked to take it to you.”

“Son?” I asked and she nodded.

“He came in this morning with the movers. His room is next to yours upstairs.”

I thanked her immediately and made my way up the stairs again, nodding to the servant who greeted me on her way downstairs. The door to the room in question was closed, so I pushed it open, only to see a young man standing by the window, his strong back facing me.

“Hello, sorry to interrupt, but the cleaners said you have my trainers.” I said impatiently as I looked across the room at the clock pasted on the wall.

Just then, the stranger turned to acknowledge me, and I gasped at the sight standing before me.

Alan.