Melissa's Acceptance (13 page)

“Bring her up to one of the guest rooms. Until we catch whoever hurt your mate and tried to kill mine, you can stay here. It will be safer.”

“Thank you,” Luke said, and then he and Damian followed him to the spare bedroom.

Damian gently lowered Melissa onto the mattress.

“If you need anything, just ask.” Rafe frowned at Melissa and then left, closing the door behind him.

Between Luke and Damian, they removed Melissa’s clothes and then Luke carried her into the adjoining bathroom. Damian had rushed ahead to start the water in the bath and Luke didn’t hesitate to step into the rapidly filling tub. He trusted that his brother had checked the water temperature so their mate wouldn’t be too cold or get burned. After washing Melissa from head to toe, including her hair, and making sure all the blood was gone from her body, they dried her off and put her into bed. Hopefully their mate would wake up tomorrow, but since they’d never changed a human to werewolf before and neither had anyone else in the pack, they really had no idea how long it would take for her to recover.

“I’m going to go and see if the other Omegas have found any sign of our shooter. Call me if there is any change.” Damian leaned down and kissed Melissa on her forehead, then walked to the door. After one long, lingering look, he left.

Luke kicked off his shoes, climbed on the bed, and then gently pulled his mate into his arms. He breathed in her sweet scent but underlying that he could already smell her forming wolf. He closed his eyes and prayed to the gods, thanking them for not taking his mate when he and his brother had only just found her.

* * * *

Melissa woke up feeling like her whole body had been hit by a truck. Her muscles felt achy and tender. Her skin felt as if a thousand ants were crawling all over and underneath it. She groaned as she eased over onto her side from her stomach.

“Are you all right, honey? How do you feel, Mel?” Luke asked.

Turning her head, she saw Luke was lying on the bed next to her, his head propped up by his elbow and resting on the palm of his hand. She turned her head to the opposite side, noting Damian was also lying beside her.

“Wh-What happened?” she asked in a raspy voice. Her throat was so dry. Damian grabbed a glass of water from the bedside table. He propped her up and helped her take a few sips. Finally, she shook her head and collapsed back onto the mattress. She felt so damn weak and wondered if she’d been sick, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t remember.

“You were shot, sweetheart. You nearly died,” Luke explained, his face pale and taut with what looked like a mix of fear and rage.

“Who would want to shoot me?” she asked. Her voice sounded husky, like she hadn’t used it for a while.

“He wasn’t after you, my mate. He was trying to kill our queen, Tessa. You moved in behind her at the wrong moment and were shot in the back. The bullet came out of your chest and, from what we could see, just missed your heart. Your lungs were damaged and it was touch and go whether you would survive.”

“Oh my God.” Melissa pushed the covers down, lifted the T-shirt and stared at her chest. When she saw no wound, she looked at her men with confusion. “You…I…you…”

“Take deep breaths, baby.” Damian smoothed a hand up and down her arm. “Don’t panic. All is well.”

“We had to…” Luke began but Melissa cut him off by placing her fingers to his lips.

“Don’t say it. I don’t want to hear it.”

“Melissa…”

“No, Damian, I’m too tired to deal with anything right now.” And it wasn’t a lie. Melissa was having a hard time keeping her eyes open and finally decided it was futile to fight the fatigue assailing her, and closed her eyes.

The next time she opened her eyes, she felt much better. In fact, she felt so energetic she thought she just may jump out of her own skin. Neither Damian nor Luke was in the room, so she pushed the covers away and cautiously sat up with her legs over the side of the mattress. She was pleased when she didn’t feel dizzy or weak and headed for the bathroom. After taking a shower and brushing her teeth and her damp hair, she went in search of some clean clothes and was pleased to find a bag with new things in it. She hoped they weren’t meant to be for someone else, but since she didn’t have anything with her she decided to put them on anyway.

She was just about to open the door and head out, but hesitated when she heard voices. They sounded really clear, as if whoever was talking was standing in the room with her, and that’s when she knew. Her men had done what they had to to save her life. Her stomach churned with anxiety and her knees nearly buckled with fear.

“Oh my God. I’m a werewolf,” she whispered. Although she’d already guessed that her men were trying to tell her that very thing when she had first woken up after being shot, she hadn’t been ready to hear it, but having it confirmed by herself because of her enhanced hearing was rather frightening and she wasn’t sure how she felt about turning furry. Of course, she was happy her mates had saved her life, but being a werewolf was a big issue to get her head around.

Then she finally realized that she couldn’t change what had happened and needed to deal with this unexpected turn of events whether she was ready to or not. She walked back over to the bed and sat down. Just as she was trying to shore up her backbone and deal, there was a knock on the door.

“Come in,” Melissa called out.

The door opened and Tessa walked in. She came over and sat down beside her.

“How are you feeling, Melissa?” Tessa asked quietly.

“I feel great.”

When she met Tessa’s eyes, she saw the moisture pooling there. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving mine and my baby’s life.”

“I didn’t do it on purpose,” Melissa said, and then when she realized what she’d just said she tried to backtrack. “Shit! That didn’t come out right. Of course I would have tried to help if someone was going to try and shoot you.”

Tessa burst out laughing and Melissa found her laughter contagious and ended up laughing right along with her. She found it cathartic and once they got their mirth under control, Melissa felt a lot better.

Tessa leaned forward and hugged her. “If you ever need anything, please don’t hesitate to let me or my mates know. We’re forever in your debt.”

“Thank you, but I’m fine,” Melissa said. She didn’t think she was owed a thing. First, because she had no idea she would end up saving Tessa and her baby. And second, because she didn’t want anyone to make a fuss or feel beholden to her for something she’d done inadvertently. Plus she’d never been a tit-for-tat person.

Tessa released her and rose to her feet. “Are you ready to go down now?”

“Yeah.” Melissa sighed and then she too stood up and followed Tessa to the door. “Will I have to shave my legs every day now that I’m going to turn furry?”

Tessa laughed. “I don’t know, but I doubt it.”

“Where are Damian and Luke?”

“They’re downstairs talking to my mates and the other pack members. They were worried sick about you. One of them was at your side the whole time you were recovering. They really love you.”

Melissa paused at the top of the stairs and stared at Tessa. “They do?”

“Yes. Very much.” Tessa tilted her head and looked at her intently. “You didn’t realize, did you?”

Melissa swallowed audibly. “They’ve never said…”

“They don’t have to. It’s there in their eyes every time they look at you. And in yours when you look at them.”

Melissa grabbed onto the bannister when her knees threatened to give out. Shock permeated her system and her heart skipped a beat. “Oh my God,” she whispered, and then covered her mouth with her hand.

“You didn’t realize?” Tessa asked.

Melissa shook her head.

“Why did you think you came back instead of leaving them when you had the chance?”

“I thought it was the mating musk and the connection I felt toward them. At least that’s what I told myself. How could I have not known…”

“The brain is a wondrous organ, is it not? It seems to protect us from things we aren’t ready for.”

Melissa smiled as joy filled her heart. She was in love with two wonderful men and she was mated to them. She would never have to worry about them leaving or divorcing her. They were bound to each other until they breathed their last breaths. She started down the stairs and followed the sound of her men’s voices to the large dining area. As soon as she entered the room, they both looked up and frowned at her. They pushed their chairs back and rushed to her side.

“Are you okay, baby?” Damian asked.

“Are you sure you should be up, honey?” Luke questioned.

Melissa reached up and stroked their cheeks. “I’m fine.”

Damian wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her body up against his. Luke moved in behind her and pressed his front against her back until she was sandwiched between her mates, just where she wanted and was meant to be.

“You were asleep for three days, baby.” Damian kissed the top of her head. “We were so worried about you.”

“Three days?”

“Yes. We were scared you weren’t going to wake up,” Luke said.

“I’m here now and I feel better than ever.”

“Mel.” Damian paused to clear his throat nervously. “There is something we need to tell you.”

“Melissa,” Lucien called out from across the room and stood up. Gabe and Rafe copied his moves and then so did the rest of the men in the room. First, her Alpha and Betas bowed their heads to her and then Lucien began speaking again. “Please accept our gratitude for saving the life of our mate and pup. If there is ever anything you want or need, come to one of us and it will be yours.”

“Thank you, Alpha, Rafe, Gabe.” Melissa nodded her head.

And then the rest of the pack bowed to her and Melissa was so humbled by their show of deference and acceptance it brought tears to her eyes.

“Help your mate to a seat,” Gabe said. “She must be starving.”

Damian and Luke led her to the table and saw her seated. Alice started bringing the breakfast food over and when Melissa smelled the rare steak, her stomach growled with hunger. She’d never been one to want to eat meat first thing in the morning, but she guessed her new inner beast was making its presence known.

She was surprised when she was served first and everyone waited until she had filled her plate before filling their own. And it was then that she realized that each and every one of the people in this room acknowledged her for who she was. Emotion caused the muscles in her throat to constrict and tears burn the back of her eyes.

“Eat, baby, we can hear your stomach grumbling.” Damian nudged her arm.

Melissa ate and when she was full, she sat back with a sigh of repletion and wondered if anyone had found the person who had almost killed her.

“Did you find who shot me?”

The conversation around the room ceased and everyone looked to the head of the table where Lucien, Tessa, Gabe, and Rafe were seated.

“Damian found him,” Tessa answered, and lowered her head for a moment before meeting her gaze again. “The man who shot you was my ex. He was incarcerated in a mental institution six months ago, but managed to escape somehow. Damian found him hiding up a tree a long way from the house. He had a sniper rifle with a scope and shot you. As he was trying to get off the property, Damian saw him and knocked him out. He’s back in that facility and under tighter security.”

“That’s good,” Melissa said. “I’m glad he didn’t hurt you.”

“Thank you,” Tessa replied with tears in her eyes.

Melissa nodded. The conversation took on lighter tones and Melissa decided now was a good a time as any to broach the subject of the wolf she could feel pacing under the surface of her skin.

“Does it hurt to change?” she asked in a near whisper, but she should have known that everyone else would be able to hear her. Once again the conversations going on around her petered out.

“Not really,” Luke said. “It’s more like an ache the first few times. Sort of like growing pains.”

“Thank God for that.” She sighed.

“How long have you known, baby?” Damian asked.

“From the moment I first woke up.”

Damian and Luke each clasped one of her hands in theirs.

“You won’t be alone, honey.” Luke kissed the back of her hand. “We’ll be right alongside you.”

Melissa nodded and hoped that she didn’t make a fool of herself by crying or shouting when she changed from human to wolf.

Damian stood beside Melissa amongst the trees at the back of their cabin, with Luke on her other side. His mate looked around nervously, as if expecting other members of the pack to join them. He took her hands in his and felt how clammy they were with her nervousness.

“Don’t be worried, baby. I’ve asked that everyone stay away from this area for your first change.”

Melissa nodded her head and leaned into Luke when his brother came up behind her. “Do you trust us, honey?”

“Yes,” Melissa answered, immediately and with conviction.

“That’s good, baby. You need to take off all your clothes.”

Melissa gulped audibly but her fingers went to the buttons of her shirt and began to undo them. Once she was naked, Damian and Luke removed their clothes, too.

“Now, we want you to concentrate, Mel.” Luke stepped away from her. “Try and connect with the animal inside you and when you feel that itching feeling, don’t try and block it or push it back, but embrace it and try to pull it forward.”

Melissa did what they said and the itching feeling left as fur began to spread over her skin and her fingernails grew into claws.

“You’re doing great, baby,” Damian praised. “Now get down on your hands and knees and relax.”

Again, Melissa obeyed and the ache in her body intensified as her muscles began to move and her bones reshaped. And when the ache receded, she looked down to see that she had paws.

“You’re a gorgeous wolf, Mel” Luke said.

“Stunning.” Damian moved toward her and threaded his fingers through her fur.

Luke walked over and scratched behind her ears, causing her to groan.