Chapter Eleven
Joe’s fruity scent was still lingering in the air, when Melissa pried her eyelids open, the following morning. It might not have been as pungent as a few hours earlier, but it still surrounded her, vividly reminding her of their passionate encounter; the memory painting a smile on her face while she lay in bed. As she swiped her finger over the screen of her cell phone, the incoming message from Joe broadened that smile.
“Just got back to Manhattan. The taste of your lips is still in my mouth. Shouldn’t have left. Thank you for believing me, Melissa. It really means a lot to me. Can’t wait to take you in my arms again.”
Melissa rolled out of bed, impatient to reveal to her friends what had transpired. Still, as she took a quick look at herself in the bathroom mirror, she discovered that she wouldn’t really have to say much to them. Indeed, she was glowing. The truth was written all over her face. Nevertheless, she had to update them on Helena’s intentions. They all had to know about this development.
Melissa descended down the stairs, casting a glance over at the couch, as Joe’s statement flashed into her mind.
“I couldn’t care less.”
“You accepted me as I am. I did the same for you.” She thought to herself, sliding the kitchen window open. But, just as she completed that sentence, a wave of frustration flooded through her veins. Yes, Melissa had revealed her nature to him, but, she had failed to let him know about the weakness that claimed the lives of her father, her grandfather, and nearly killed her two brothers: her fragile heart. In a matter of seconds though, she was compelled to reconsider. Joe was made aware of the basics. Why should she ramble on about something that would definitely bewilder him? More than that, why should she inform him of one of the – very few – things that could harm her? She liked him, she admired him; yet, it was too early to share that kind of information with him.
Melissa grabbed her red coffee jar, and pulled the lid off. Unfortunately however, she would not get to enjoy a cup of coffee that morning, not yet at least. Heavy, hurried footsteps forced her to tear her gaze away from the jar. Raul blurred past her window. In the blink of an eye, he grabbed the doorknob, and stormed into her cabin. As a matter of fact, he used so much force that her front door flew open, and then hit the door behind it. The skin on his face was pulled tight with tension, as his chest heaved.
“Damn it, Mel, what the hell did you do?” Raul’s stentorian voice rumbled like thunder, as he narrowed his eyes at her. “Our whole goddamn yard smells like cherries. What did you do, spray him all over the place?”
“What I do with my life is my own business, not yours,” Melissa retorted, her tone calm and steady, as she folded her arms across her chest.
“That is exactly my point!” She recognized Monica’s voice, but, it was way more high-pitched than usual, as she strode into her cabin, exhaling hard. Apparently, she had been chasing her mate. “Good morning, Melissa. Helena was just in our cabin. She told us about your meeting with that…”
“Douche bag,” Raul finished her sentence, putting his hands on his waist, “touched by the devil himself; cursed; doomed; take your pick; they all apply.”
“Do they?” Melissa asked, raising a sarcastic brow.
“Yes!” Raul gave an emphatic nod, leaning over her.
“Ok, then imagine this,” Melissa urged, assuming a stiffer tone, maintaining eye contact with him. “Let’s say that Monica dies. You’re hurting: desperate. Some guy shows up, and promises to take away that pain. On top of that, he says he’ll make you a star at your job. What would you do?”
“I’d wait for my death,” he lowered his voice, as his face became less tight. “But, this isn’t about me. Can you imagine the danger the whole town is going to be in if your boy pisses off the demon?”
“Excuse me?” Monica squeaked, spinning left to face him. “Did I you hear you correctly? Did you just say ‘danger’?”
“I did,” Raul gave a quick nod, turning to her. “Have you thought about that?”
“Stop being so hypocritical, my Alpha,” Monica grumbled, her tone firm, as she threw a fierce glare up at him. “You were the first to bring danger to Paxton, by pursuing me. You and your brothers were ready to take on the entire pack, just because you wanted to date me. Dean gambled his life by fighting against a terrible witch like Marianne. You cannot judge Melissa, Raul. You don’t have that right.”
“We’re not talking about an unsavory Alpha here,” Raul declared, as his voice deepened. “We’re not dealing with a frustrated witch, either: forget battles; forget witchcraft. That demon could bring the apocalypse here.”
“That may well be, but I still have faith in Helena,” Monica went on, retaining the same firmness in her tone, completely undeterred by his statement. “She will find the answer. Please; give us the room.”
“I’ll see you later, Mel,” he murmured, tipping his head at his sister, as he made his way towards her door.
“That was some speech,” Melissa commented, her voice filled with admiration, as her brother slammed her door shut. “Thank you.”
“I was just stating the obvious. You don’t need to thank me,” Monica said to Melissa, her tone mellow, as she took two, short steps towards her sister-in-law. “You know your brother. He’s only looking out for you. However, he does tend to forget his own…” she paused, “…reckless behavior. Can I ask you something?”
“Of course,” Melissa encouraged.
“What do you see in this man?” Monica asked, as her face twitched with curiosity. “Ok; obviously, he’s very handsome, but that’s not the only reason you insist on dating him, is it?”
“No, it isn’t,” Melissa replied, her cheeks flushing, as a smile of embarrassment burst upon her lips. “I grew up in a pack; you know the fact of that, doc. However, Shifters can be very crude. At first, I found those nasty comments about my looks entertaining. You know: ‘nice tits’; ‘great ass’;… they were funny for a period of time. Naturally, I got tired of them. None of those idiots seemed to be in touch with their emotions. Joe is just that; in touch with how he feels. I saw it in the cemetery. I saw it at his sister’s house and last night. He’s not afraid to show what he feels inside.”
“That’s good to know,” Monica gave a polite smile, interlocking her fingers over her stomach. “Anyway, Helena wants to see you and Dean tonight. She said she has some new information about Joe. She’ll be waiting for you at Clover Lake.”
“Joe is coming over later today. Do you think I should bring him, too?” Melissa inquired, putting just a little force in her voice.
“I wouldn’t do that, if I were you,” Monica replied truthfully. “She doesn’t like him very much. Plus, she might not want him to hear what she has to say.”
“Then, I’ll ask him to wait for me in my cabin. Dean and I will be there,” Melissa assured her Alpha’s wife with a nod. “Thanks again, doc.”