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"No arguing, young lady," he snapped a little harshly. Guilt gnawed at his stomach. Why did Melody make him so aggressive? "Say goodbye."
"Go on, Sally, listen to Daddy," Melody said, and though it was clear she was trying to help, Jake had to bite back the urge to snap at her for telling his daughter what to do.
Before he could say anything at all, she turned to him and said coldly, "Bye."
He gritted his teeth, and without blinking met her gaze to say, "Bye."
It was only then that Melody turned her gaze back down to Sally and reached over the fence to offer her a high five. "Give me five, kid."
Sally jumped for joy and reached up to high five her before she turned a frustrated glower on him and made to leave.
The moment Melody met his gaze again, her expression was cold once more.
Biting back frustration, Jake turned and started to follow Sally back inside. He was halfway up the path when he heard the sound of Melody jumping down from her trash can.
The bile he felt in his chest knowing she was walking away made him feel sick.
Get a grip!he snarled at himself, wishing his wolf could claw some sense into his human self.
"Daddy, I like Melody," Sally commented as they reached the porch. "She's really nice. Is she your special friend like Mommy has her special friend?"
Jake's jaw clenched. Just the thought her words conjured up made his entire body quiver.
"No, Sally, Daddy doesn't have any special friends," Jake said carefully, ruffling her hair.
Sally frowned as if disappointed and sighed, "That's a shame."
She pushed open the back door and half-stepped into the kitchen.
Her next words sent a stab of pain through Jake's heart. She looked back over her shoulder and said, "I wish Mommy was more like Melody."
"Don't go wishing your mommy away, little wolf," Jake sighed, ruffling her hair one more time. "You only get one."
But even as he said the words, he couldn't help but realize that he felt something similar.
He wished he had given Sally a better mom, not one who left her on his doorstep at the drop of a hat to go and visit her boyfriend, the same man she had cheated on him with, but a mom who loved and cared for her the way every kid should get to experience.
"But if Mommy was more like Melody, I wouldn't have to go and see stinky Kai."
Jake bit the inside of his lip at the mention of his ex-wife's warlock lover. Though it still grated on him to think he had lost his mate—not to another werewolf, but to a damned warlock—there was no way in hell he was going to let Sally see it.
"I am sure your mom will come to her senses one day, little wolf," he sighed and urged her into the kitchen. "But if not, you'll always have me."
And maybe one day…he thought, cutting himself off before he could finish his wandering thoughts.
He was distracted by Sally wrapping her little arms around his legs and hugging him tight.
Chapter 4 - Melody
The Silverdale Gazette was useless. Every job ad she had circled and called had come to a dead end. The more she flicked through the pages, the more hopeless she felt. Soon, she might have to begin looking outside of Silverdale for work, and she wasn't even sure if that was allowed. Besides, Silverdale was quite possibly the safest place on earth for a supernatural, protected from humans—or at least the ones who had no idea of their existence—and safe from accidentally wandering into another pack's territory. After seeing what Mario had done to his own pack, she didn't like the thought of setting foot anywhere near another unknown.
Maybe it was time to ask Dash and the others for help, though the mere thought made her skin crawl. An entire year—she had made it that long without becoming indebted to anyone. Why couldn't she find something to help her continue?
She was just starting to feel hopeless, about ready to tear up the newspaper and shove it in the kitchen trash, when she heard the hammering on the front door. Her heart skipped a beat. Was her acceptance of his apology not enough the night before? Had Jake Silverdale returned to try again?
A mixture of emotions coiled in her gut at the idea. Anger and frustration battled with an odd sense of excitement.
Get a grip,she grumbled at herself as she slipped off the breakfast bar stool and headed through the small house to the front door.
