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"You need to go back to bed."
"I can sleep in the truck," she announced, grabbing Mr. Fuzzy. She hopped off the bottom step and shoved her feet into her wellies. The bright rainbow plastic contrasted nicely against her fluffy pink pajamas and dressing gown, but there was no way in hell Jake was taking her out looking like that.
Still, he could not fight the urge to listen to her.
"If you are going to be that stubborn," he chuckled, "go back to bed and I'll call Lewis back."
Chapter 18 - Melody
It was late, but the moment Melody got the all-clear, she couldn't wait to be out of there. She had just dressed in the fresh clothes that Tara had brought her and was shoving her dirty ones into a plastic bag when she heard someone walking toward the infirmary room door.
The scent of him hit her nostrils seconds before she turned, and she quivered, unable to believe he was really standing there. He was handsome as ever with his dark hair, pale eyes and rugged good looks. And somehow, even as tired as he looked, he was more attractive than ever.
Her stomach clenched to remember the words he had spoken when last he stood before her. Bile rose in her throat. Had he come to reinforce the fact?
"I…I thought you had gone for good," she whispered, scared to speak too loudly in case he evaporated into a figment of her imagination.
Jake crossed the room silently and took her in his arms, a remorseful look in his eye. As he held her close, she realized he didn't need to say anything. His body did it for him. The beating of his heart against her ear, the warmth of his body, the way he enveloped her. She felt the affection coming off him in waves. His guilt and regret at what he had said when last they spoke was evident. And somehow, Melody wasn't sure she wanted to hear it. She simply wanted to forget it entirely.
"I never should have said what I did earlier," he admitted. Melody wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled into his chest, hoping it was enough to silence him. She wished to remember this moment, to not have it tainted.
She breathed the masculine, musky scent of him, closing her eyes. Though her body was still sore, his embrace healed her more than any medicine ever could.
"I'm glad you came back," she said, her voice muffled by his body.
They were so engrossed in the moment that it seemed neither of them had sensed the other person standing in the doorway behind Jake.
"I do hope I am not interrupting anything," Dash said, clearing his throat before he continued. "I'm glad I caught you both together. I need a word."
Melody looked around Jake to find the alpha stepping into the room. He was tall, domineering, and confident. Though he had only a short time as alpha under his belt, it didn't seem to show as he glowered at them, clearly assuming they would share no objection.
Jake released Melody and turned to look at his cousin, but instead Dash looked to Melody and demanded, "Why didn't you come to us sooner? Tara told me everything. If you had just said something, we could have helped you with your finances."
Jake looked at her, a question in his eyes, and Melody gulped. The last thing she wanted to do was talk finances with him now.
Before she could tell Dash that everything was fine, the alpha turned on his cousin and demanded, "And you! Why didn't you come to us sooner about Miranda and Kai? Lewis told me about his attack at the firm."
Jake tensed beside Melody.
"I thought I could handle it myself."
Jake's tone was hard and his teeth were clearly gritted. The answer sounded clumsy, foolish even. And the redness in Jake's face suggested he knew it.
"Well, you couldn't, and your mistakes almost got Melody killed!"
Melody opened her mouth to tell him that her mistakes were her own, but before she could, Jake snarled back, "I had no idea Melody's actions would cause such a fight! You and I both know how unpredictable she-wolves can be."
Melody felt the color draining from her face as Jake turned on her. His expression fell and he asked, "Why did you have to go into that house alone? Why couldn't you have just waited for me?"
His voice was almost a whine, and it infuriated Melody even more.
"I wasn't alone!" Melody protested, though she cringed a little remembering how she may as well have been when she told Tara to stay out of it. Her desire to put Miranda in her place had almost gotten her killed.
"You should have waited for me! Sally is my daughter. I should have been there!" Jake told her, and his eyes were so round that Melody could almost imagine he was pleading for her to understand. Yet his tone was angry, and it only enraged her.
"I did what I thought was best! And it’s a good job I did. Miranda was planning to take Sally out of Silverdale, and if she had, they could have ended up anywhere!" Melody said, unsure as to why the hell she felt the need to defend herself.
"You both should have come to me sooner!" Dash interjected, and Melody's entire body burned with such anger that she knew if she didn't do something fast, she was going to wolf out and cause someone some serious damage.
