Chasing Melody
THREE

Dear Journal,

Fear seems to always replace a way to claw at me. Eat at me until I am nothing but a trembling child. It makes me appear weak before everyone.

I hate being the runt of the pack.

I can never measure up to the great Melany Blake Hunter. Not even my wolf wants any part of me.

A lost pup,

Melody Hunter

Staring out into the fog it makes me feel as if I were in a dream, an illusion somewhat as if at any moment I will open my eyes and I will be back in my bedroom.

I stare at the glowing eyes as they make their way towards my car. To a mere human that cannot do anything to defend themselves other than scream.

There is an uneasy feeling in my stomach making me want to run away but a part of me, my parent’s side, makes me stay rooted in my seat.

“I’m the alphas' daughter why am I scared of this little mutt,” my body suddenly fills with anger, anger with myself for being so scared. That is why my parents want me to have a shadow because I cannot even take care of myself.

I stare at the eyes when suddenly with a blink they are gone. I push myself closer to the steering wheel looking for those emanating eyes when a howl behind my car makes me scream bloody murder.

Trevin howls next to me and I shut my eyes tight not wanting to look back. My lungs gasp for air when the driver side door is pulled open and the cold air seeps into the warm car making my skin filled with goosebumps.

Oh my god, they found me!

Trevin tries to run past me but I push myself and him back towards the passenger side of the car. The beast that opened the door is grunting but I refuse to look back at it. Trevin jumps to the back seat as I make my way to him.

“Trevin get out!” I claw at the door my fingers slamming into the window as I try to pry the lock.

I summon all my courage and look over at the door but the fog seems unnaturally thick as smoke and I can make out a silhouette of a person at my door. My stomach tightens as another scream rips through me as the figure comes closer into the car their hand gripping my ankle tightly pulling towards them.

“Help!” I scream as my leg swings at the perp. "For the love of God," my foot slams against something hard and I howl in pain.

“Melody,” his words do not register into my mind.

“Let me go!” I can see their head coming into the car and that is when my reflexes kick in and my knee jerks up connecting with their jaw. A hiss of vulgarities lashes out of him as his grip loosens on my ankle with one last-ditch effort I swing my foot at his head when his reflexes are fast and he catches me by the ankle once again.

“Dammit Melody,” this angered voice I recognize. “Did you call me just to beat the shit out of me?” Chase’s voice makes its way to me and the rush of relief that invades me is like a typhoon. I cannot stop myself from throwing my body at him and my arms wrap around him.

Chase straightens up and I hang on him like a child holding onto the monkey bars on the playground.

“Oh,” I gasp out, “I have never been so happy to see someone in my entire life,” I notice that I am out of the car completely the cold air does not affect me being so close to Chase. His body seems to be steaming as the cold air connects with his heated body. His breath is on my neck and suddenly his heat seems unbearable I release his neck and drop to my feet gently.

“Are you okay?” His concern makes this unknown feeling at the pit of my stomach intensified. I nod and take a step away from him when I see a streak of blood oozing out from the corner of his mouth.

“My God, did I do that?” I stare at his mouth with wide eyes. He chuckles and runs his fingers through his hair.

“Yeah, you have quite a kick in you,” my hands clap over my mouth.

“I’m so sorry, my instincts kicked in, literally.” My hands go to his jaw but he steps back, my hands drop to my sides.

“Where is this person that is sending you into hysterics?” His eyes scan the area and when he cannot see much with human eyes his wolf surfaces letting him see better, “there is no one out here.”

My eyebrows pull together, “They were there a minute ago.” His eyes narrow on me once again as he does another sweep of the area.

“Nothing,” he hisses.

He better not think that I made him come here because...

“I swear he was there right before you showed up and scared the shit out of me!” I wanted to sound truthful but instead, my voice came out whiney.

He groans and rolls his head back in frustration, “Get in the car.”

My hands close into fists and I am ready to give him a piece of my mind when his eyes, even though they are naturally black, seem to darken a bit and I know that his wolf is agitated as well.

“Fine,” I hiss and walk to the driver's side when his hands wrap around my waist and he stops me.

“Go to the passenger side,” he growls at my antics.

“I drive, this is my car!”

“Fine then, I’m going back to my rounds,” he threatens.

Why am I fighting him?

“The keys are in the ignition,” I shove his hands away from me and stomp in the passenger side and climb in. Chase climbs in after me and I see that he is wearing his jeans and shoes without socks and like most wolves after they shift he is shirtless.

Showoff!

I turn to look at the back seat where Trevin sits quietly.

“Much of a guard dog you turned out to be!” I hiss at him and he whimpers into his paws knowing that I hate to see him like that. I roll my eyes as Chase steps on the gas pedal and drives down the road with ease. The drive is silent but the tension is unbearable.

“You need to cool it with that pup of yours,” Chase’s statement makes my eyes dart to him questionably.

“What?” My attitude radiates off of one word.

“Your pet. That’s what he is, a pet. You need to defend yourself instead of counting on others to do your bidding for you.”

You have some nerve.

“Fine then I won’t call you anymore when I need help,” I snap at him and sink further in the seat.

I know what he wants me to do and as well as my father. They want me to join the combat training my father started a few years back when the wolves were having trouble with hand on hand combat. I am human so that means that is the only combat that I can count on, my wolf is not with me so that means I am on my own.

“You know what I mean, plus your father is probably going to make you after he replaces out what happens out on the road.”

“I thought tattle-telling was for kids,” I mentally kick him in the balls and the image brings a smile to my face.

“I’m not telling him. He already knows,” he shrugs as if it is nothing.

“What do you mean he knows?” I scream at him causing Trevin to put his head between us.

Chase points to his head, “He is an alpha he can have a peek at my mind and he heard our phone call and what happened when I got to you.”

“You have to be kidding me, can’t you turn it off!” I yell the last part but my body jerks forward as he stops.

“No, we’re here and we’re both in trouble so let’s go,” he puts the car in park and then opens up the door.

I can see the front light of the packhouse and I know that I’m screwed. I push my door open and Trevin jumps out with me. Chase and I walk towards the porch together. I do not want to walk inside and I glance at Chase and he must sense my panic because without saying a word he opens the door and walks in first.

“You two have a lot of explaining to do,” her grey eyes lock onto mine, I cowered behind Chase her voice is strained and exhausted.

“Melany,” my father has a calming effect on me as I peek over Chase’s shoulder.

“Chase and Melody go to the living room we need to talk,” my father states rather calmly but I know him very well and I know that he is angry under that façade.

“Yes, Alpha.”

“Yes, father.” We walk into the living room side by side and Chase takes the chair making me take the larger sofa where my father or mother can sit next to me.

Well, let’s see how this goes!

My parents walk in and instantly my eyes drop to my lap.

“What the hell happened?” My mother seethes.

Oh boy, here we go.

“I told you to shadow her wherever she went,” my mother’s anger is directed to Chase. My eyes go to him as he sits stiffly in the chair looking over at my mother.

“I’m—” he starts but I cut him off.

“It was my fault,” they all turn to look at me and I drop my eyes again. “I made it hard for Chase to stay with me. I threw my hot tea at him,” both their eyes widen and my father bites back a chuckle as he fakes a cough.

“Melody, why would you do that?” I look up at her, I understand why people say we look alike but we are so different in so many ways.

“Because I can take care of myself,” I shout at her and then get to my feet. “I don’t need him on my tail twenty-four seven.”

“That’s what I put up with all day,” Chase mutters under his breath and I have a mind to rat him out but he did come to save me when I needed him.

“Chase, you’re dismissed, take the night off,” my father tells him.

“No way Alpha, the wolves are on the prowl tonight and I need to help out my pack,” my father waves at him off and Chase gives me an apologetic look as I roll my eyes and he runs out the door.

“What happened on the road?” My mother asks.

“You were listening in as well,” I groan out loud.

“No but I can sense when my child is in danger and you had my wolf going ballistic,” she sighs trying to calm down.

“Nothing happened you see,” I wave over myself, “there is no hair out of place. Now can I head to bed I have classes tomorrow.” My father looks over at my mother and I can see that they are having a conversation in their head when he finally nods.

“Yes, but I want you here straight from school. You’re starting your hand on hand combat training tomorrow, understand. If a shadow can’t keep you safe then you’re going to learn how to protect yourself.”

“Fine whatever, it’s not like anything is coming after me anyways.” I run upstairs into my bedroom slamming my door shut.

The next day school goes by like usual. Classes breeze by but I cannot say the same for break and lunch. When I am out of class that is the worse time I have hardly any friends.

The wolves know that I am living in the packhouse and the alphas scent is all over me and the humans do not want to be associated with the girl that hangs out with an actual wolf.

After school, I head back home not wanting to get into my parent’s bad side especially since Uncle Andrew is coming over tonight.

I drive down the same road from last night and a shiver runs through me as the memory of those glowing eyes invades my mind. Without realizing it my foot pushes on the gas pedal harder so I speed down the road. I get home the earliest I have ever got home and I spot my father walking out of the trees close to the packhouse.

“Woah, speed racer the packhouse isn’t going anywhere,” I jump out of the Jeep and shrug. “Andrew is on his way and we are spending the weekend at our house, okay?”

I love being with the pack just because back at home it was only us and I was under my mother scrutinizing eyes twenty-four seven.

“That’s fine pops,” I have my uncle and aunt to keep my mother busy and then my cousins are coming as well.

Chase walks out of the packhouse and our eyes lock and he is shirtless once again. I look at his chest and I see that he has faded marks on his chest. He is in great shape like any other werewolf. There is something different about him but I cannot quite put my finger on it. Chase is new to the pack and perhaps the reason but he fits in well here.

“What happened?” I ask but he ignores me completely.

“Training is about to start now let’s go before you’re late.” He nods to the back of the packhouse and starts walking that way.

“Don’t tell me you’re the one doing this training,” he keeps walking and nods.

Of course, you are.