Melody ReeseI held my breath as Draven shifted on the bed and leaned on the headboard. As if I weighed nothing, he lifted me up and placed me on his lap, my legs going on either side of his hips. Thick tension filled the room as he openly looked at my lips."Does it scare you?" He suddenly asked, squeezing my waist."What?" I asked, my eyes failing to look at anything other than his pink lips—the same ones I had wanted since the first day I saw him. They were simply inviting, and all I could wonder about at that moment was how they tasted."Being mated to a stranger?" He lowered his voice, gazing at me intently. My face heated up under his fierce eyes, a warmth caressing my cheeks."It doesn't." I truthfully answered, placing my hands on his firm shoulders. I alternated between looking at his eyes and gazing at his lips. I felt his eyes on me as I snaked my tongue out and slowly licked my lower lip. It was a bait, and I was almost certain that he would take it."Fuck it." He said swi
Melody ReeseMinutes after Draven left, I decided to go out and familiarize myself with the pack members. After all, I needed to try and establish a relationship with them. Luna Scarlett had offered to walk me around, but I wanted to do it alone first. So many things were happening at the same time, and I could feel myself getting lost in them. Talking a walk in the fresh air, under the warm sun rays, and meeting new people was what I needed.When I stepped out on the porch, Mason was casually coming up the steps, and he wasn't alone. It seemed Draven had kept his word after all. "Are you leaving? Alpha Draven asked me to come keep you company." He spoke."Oh, this is the roommate I told you about." He added when he noticed my eyes lingering on his friend. He was a head shorter than him, but more muscular, and he appeared to be a bit reserved."I'm Davis; it's nice to meet you in person, luna." He bowed before extending his arm cautiously toward me."Please call me Melody; I'm not the
Draven Fox"Finally, he remembers I exist." My closest friend, Holden, taunted me without turning to look at me. He stood in a wide stance, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the warriors as they ran laps on the track field."Don't be like that." I punched him playfully on the side of his arm, earning a quick glare."Trouble in Paradise?" He curved his mouth downward briefly before returning his attention to the trainees."Who said there was trouble?" I raised a brow."I can read you like an open book, Draven. We are friends for a reason." He shrugged."I mean, since you found your mate, you went missing in action on me and failed to call or show up for the usual parties and games. You literally forgot about us, your friends, and then suddenly you show up?" It was the truth. I was so caught up in wanting to know more about my mate and the mate bond that I ended up abandoning my friends.I sighed. "Look, Holden," I paused. "I know I shouldn't have gone silent on you people, but I had a lot to
Draven Fox"I need something stronger than a beer." I muttered, standing up to head to the cabin for whiskey."And pussy." Jones added, making me stop in my tracks."When will you ever grow up, Jones?" I could detect a tone of disapproval from Holden."Draven has a mate; he cannot fuck another girl." Caleb's tone was no different as I shook my head."I need to get drunk and not think about it now." I finally spoke, heading inside the cabin. I leaned on the inside of the backdoor the moment I closed it, taking some seconds to momentarily digest Holden's words.Could the bleeding have been due to a miscarriage? I thought, shutting my eyes tightly."No." I whispered to myself before walking through the hallway to the kitchen. Once I picked up one whole full bottle of Johnnie Walker from the refrigerator, I headed back to the yard. The three of them were speaking in hushed tones when I emerged, making my brows shoot up."Are you gossiping about me now?" I asked boringly, opening the bottl
Melody"Why does my life have to be this problematic?" I sniffed, muttering to myself in a shaky voice. I was seated under a huge, gnarled tree beside a stream, rocking back and forth. I had stumbled upon it when I left the house for a run, desperate to clear my mind and get some fresh air. Thoughts about Nova and my mate didn't stop plaguing my mind. It appeared as though the distance between Draven and wasn't working like I had hoped it would."First I had to be chosen by Nathan." I whispered, staring at the sparkling water and the pebbles on the floor of the stream. Rays of the soft light that managed to penetrate the canopy bathing the water's surface in a beautiful gold color."Then I denied myself the chance of ever being a mo-ther." I belched, stomach acid rising up my throat fast. I could feel my stomach churning and rumbling as I relived the very day I changed my own life forever."Of ever holding a pup of my own..." I added, tilting my body as my throat opened up forcefully,
Draven Fox"What were you even doing there?" That was the first thing I said the moment Melody and I got to the house. She didn't answer, nor did she look at me as she proceeded upstairs."I am talking to you!" I shouted, following her along the hallway as she hurried to get away from me. Her silence was beginning to make my hackles rise."A rogue was spotted close to where you were by patrol guards. That, and Nova, could have seriously injured you. What were you thinking, venturing that deep into the woods alone?" I lowered my voice, willing myself to calm down. Letting my anger get the best of me clearly wasn't working. Plus, it was my first time dealing with a silent, pissed-off Melody. I didn't know what to do or how to choose my words."As you can see, I am not hurt. So leave." She calmly stated, pushing her bedroom door open with so much force that was unnecessary. I ignored her and followed her inside, wanting to talk to her."Come on, Melody. We need to talk." My shoulders sag
Melody ReeseI changed the clothes and stuffed the ones I had been wearing in the laundry basket in the guestroom downstairs. With one final look up the staircase, I left the house, trying not to cry. I had a rough idea of where the pack house was located, but I wasn't sure I remembered the paths well. Draven lived away from the residential area, and the place was surrounded by woods.I couldn't use the pack link to contact Mason because the one from our previous pack had been severed. He had already been inducted into Draven's pack, and I hadn't, so I couldn't use the Yellow Moon one either. I didn't bring my cell phone from Nathan's place, so once again I was left wondering how I was going to contact him."Fuck." I whispered, kicking pebbles on the gravel road. I tried using my memory, and after minutes of walking and wandering, I came to the open fields. They separated the administration from the residential area and the social amenities. It wasn't hard to locate the pack house fr
Draven Fox"Is there a particular reason why you didn't show up while we combed the areas for those fuckers?" My father asked. I knew he meant rogues; he had always loathed them since they took his mother from him. I could feel the resentment in his rough voice and see it through his blazing eyes."I was on my way to the southern border when I found Nova and her friends attacking Melody." I muttered, squirming in my father's office chair. He leaned back on his own behind his desk and quietly observed me."I told you to stop sleeping around, but you wouldn't listen. Your mate has a list of attackers waiting to pounce just because you couldn't keep it in your pants." He reminded, shrugging his left shoulder when my fist came down on the table with a bang."You were no different when you and Mom met. Or do you think I forgot what she told me? that she was attacked in your own bedroom by your fling?" I challenged."I know, and that is why I kept on telling you to stop. Is Melody okay?" He
Third POVTwo Years LaterDraven and Melody heaved consecutive sighs of relief after their twins finally fell asleep. They had tried everything for hours to get Astra Mae Fox and her brother Knox to sleep, including massage, swaying, and singing lullabies. Only when they contacted Scarlett did they get a complete guide, which worked within minutes. Now they had to tiptoe around and make little to no noise, so the twins couldn't wake up."Stubborn babies." Draven whined in a low voice, sleeping on his back on their bed, eyes tightly closed."I almost cried." Melody confessed, making Draven chuckle lightly, before he got a slap on his arm."Lower your voice. If you wake them up, I swear I will run out of this house and leave you alone with them." Melody sternly stated in a low voice, glaring at Draven as she lied beside him."I didn't think putting a baby to sleep would be so haard." Draven exaggerated the word 'hard' making Melody roll her eyes even though she knew so well what he was
Melody Reese"Mmh." Draven swallowed my low moan in the kiss, deepening it and making my heart beat fiercely. His lips were salty sweet, moving against my cold ones, warming them as the intensity increased. It felt like days since we had a true slow kiss without any worry of lurking enemies or evil plans being plotted against us. His fingers combed through my hair, his touch completely pulling me into a pool of desire."Goddess, you taste so good." He rasped against my lips when he pulled away, his eyes roaming over my face."And you look so inviting right now." He added in an evident rasp, using his other hand to swipe a thumb gently over my lower lip. I was at a loss for words, just drinking in his riveting features and wanting more of him."I would have loved to fuck you right here right now, but..." He trailed off."But?" I raised an eyebrow, almost challengingly, as I shifted on the hospital bed."We are in the infirmary, in one of the check-up rooms." He clarified, looking aroun
Draven FoxI couldn't count how many handshakes and condolences I received from my pack members after the ceremony. My mother had whisked Melody away the moment it was all over, leaving me to interact on their behalf, citing that stress wasn't good for Melody. There was still a part of me that didn't want to accept that nana was gone and that it could have been prevented. Had I listened to Melody from the start about not trusting Jones with Mercy, Astra would still be alive."You cannot blame yourself when fate happens." My father's voice invaded my mind, snapping me back to reality. It looked like I had greeted the last few pack members absentmindedly."I am not blaming myself." I replied in a harsh tone, pocketing my hands in my slacks."I know you, son; I can see it written on your face." He insisted.I sighed, "Fine. But can you judge me, though? I was supposed to know something wasn't right with Jones the moment he started conniving against us." I pulled out my hand from my pocke
Melody ReeseDespite every attempt to keep Draven off my mind, the state of his mom, and Jones all together, I still found myself pacing around in the sitting room. My eyes kept darting toward the front door, praying for my mate to push it open. As if the goddess had decided to respond to my prayers instantly, the door knob moved. I halted, folding my hands together as if saying thank you, and looked as the oaken door was pushed open."Draven!" I squealed, running toward him when he finally stepped in, a very large, telling smile gracing his handsome face. He spread his arms, but before I threw myself on him, a scent, even though weaker than his usual masculine one, hit my nostrils. I put on breaks, standing just a few steps from him as my eyes roamed around his body, inspecting him for any injuries."Melody?" His brows shot up, his shoulders rising up in question."Is he..." I trailed off after the realization that it wasn't his blood dawned on me. A relief washed over me as I exhale
Draven FoxAfter cutting the mind link with an overly excited Melody after hearing the news of where Jones was, we spread out. We planned to approach Mercy's home from different directions so that if Jones escaped, we would have extremely high chances of catching him. It was a solid plan, one that we kept just between the three of us, Holden, Mason, and me. I wasn't about to tell my warriors and risk Jones getting wind of it. At that moment, he was an enemy—a dangerous, traitorous one that needed to be tamed."How come Mercy's parents just let him stay there?" Mason asked via the mind link, positioned a few meters north of the two-story house."They are not there. They left the pack the moment they heard what their daughter had done," I answered, crouching low behind tall grass a few steps after the tree line on the back of the house. The lights were off, and except for sounds made by small animals, it was extremely silent. That meant that we had to be extra stealthy; otherwise, Jones
Melody ReeseI threw the covers off and sat up, putting my hands above my head. Time seemed to have stagnated; the howls subsided, and uncomfortable silence reigned. I didn't know how long I had slept, but there was still daylight streaming through the window. My heart was still heavy, and I could feel the puffiness around my eyes without even touching or looking. It was still surreal how so much chaos could take place in just one day.Throwing my legs over the edge of the bed, palms on the mattress, and forearm facing forward, I sat there for a few seconds, finding some bearing. The ache Draven had caused between my legs was still there. My clit was still throbbing, begging to be relieved, but I attempted to ignore that and let my feet finally touch the area rug on the floor."When will this be over?" I talked out loud, heaving a prolonged low sigh as I thought about going downstairs to the kitchen. I was craving cocoa since I hadn't taken it earlier. I couldn't feel Draven's emotion
Draven Fox"Any report?" I asked Holden when I joined him in the search minutes later. My heart constricted at the thought of leaving Melody alone, but it had to be done that way."None; it's like he disappeared into thin air." There must be somewhere he was hiding and something he was using to hide his scent. Without a scent, it was almost impossible to track and locate him."He knows this pack like the back of his hand. He must have a hideout; we just have to figure out where." Holden added when I remained silent. I was trying to come up with a way to smoke him out, but it was proving hard because my mind was a mess with nana's passing and Melody's state."He told me he did it for power." I suddenly said, trying to let my mind cool down."I know; he told me the same. You said I was your favorite, and that's why you chose me to be your beta when you demoted Nova." The tone of his voice didn't change. It remained even, barely depicting an emotion."You don't seem affected." I pressed.
Melody Reese"I can help you catch him." I blurted it out once we got inside the house, after Draven pulled me in while looking around."Absolutely not!" He replied instantly, looking at me as if I had become mad."He wants me; why don't you let him think he can get me?" I insisted, crossing my fingers that he would agree."You are nuts if you think I am letting you out of this compound. Nothing will make me break that spell unless it is Jone's headless body." He stated, throwing me over his shoulder, then began walking towards the stairs."What was that for?" I complained when he slapped my ass, sending shivers down my spine, but I wasn't about to admit that I loved it."For daring to risk your life and our babies." He nonchalantly answered before adding another one that stung but soon was replaced by sparks of pleasure when he began rubbing the spot."But it will work, I know." I argued, biting my lower lip, when he spanked me two times without any pause in between. They were fast a
Draven FoxI stood in nana's backyard, looking at her lifeless body, as my mother cradled her head in her lap. She wasn't crying; no, she was staring at space, rocking back and forth as if her mind was slowly processing everything. Then she began mumbling the healing spell; it was almost as if she was slowly losing her mind without knowing it."Let go, mom." I said in a broken voice, my Adam's apple forcefully bobbing up and down over the lump that had formed."No, no, no." She whispered, then threw her head backwards and, in human form, let out an extremely loud howl that carried with it the pain of losing someone so special to her. Almost after that, dad howled behind me, and the elders that he seemed to have gathered joined him too, and they howled to the moon goddess together.As I listened to them and looked at my nana, it almost felt like I was in a frozen state. My mind was still processing what my eyes were seeing and my ears were hearing. Then, with a slight push inside of me