Shadowed Instincts (6 page)

At dinner, Melanie kept her eyes on her plate as much as
possible. Jeremy was sitting on her left, nudging her knee with his when
someone spoke to her directly and she didn’t respond. The conversations
floating around her were like white noise to her troubled mind.

The reason for her distress had strutted in without a care
in the world and plopped down in the chair to her right. Declan didn’t speak to
her directly, or even look at her, but every so often his elbow would brush against
hers as he ate. Melanie was almost positive it was not accidental. She had a
feeling he was trying very hard to make her uncomfortable.

“Melanie?”

“What?” she said, a little too loud, glancing around the
table to determine who had called her name.

“Honey, what’s going on with you tonight?”

Melanie’s eyes shot to her mother. There was no way she was
going to answer that question. Chad and Willow were sitting directly across the
table from Melanie and Declan. Elaine sat in front of Jeremy and Darren was at
the head of the table. There were three other high ranking members of the pack
at their table, plus an additional three tables filled with the other members
of the community.

Yeah, like I’m going to admit I saw Declan naked in front
of a room of people with supersonic hearing,
she thought.

“Melanie saw me naked today,” Declan announced in a booming
voice before she could come up with a valid excuse for her discomfort.

Her mouth dropped open as her eyes shot to him, wide with
disbelief. Somewhere in the room a fork hit a plate loudly, then there was
silence. Declan winked at her. Her gaze flew back to her plate and she felt
Jeremy’s hand squeeze her knee.

“Oh, Declan,” Willow said softly, her voice laced with
disappointment.

“What happened?” Darren asked. His voice didn’t sound angry,
but was filled with authority.

“I was out running with Jeremy. He wanted to go for a run
and I joined him, you know, to show him around. We started racing, which led to
a little friendly competition. We were just having some fun and Melanie
misunderstood. She kicked me so hard I think I might have a bruised rib.”
Melanie’s eyes shot back to him in horror, but he just smiled to let her know
it was okay. “Anyway, she was freaking out and I wanted to explain. I didn’t
think. I just shifted, and well, you can imagine the rest.”

“Did you apologize to my daughter, Declan?”

Declan’s head shot up in shock at the alpha’s harsh tone.
“Of course I did, Darren.”

He nodded at Declan then said softly, “Melanie.”

She dragged her eyes up to him with raised eyebrows. “Yes?”
she squeaked out.

“This is something that happens from time to time. People
forget themselves and shift, or fall asleep out in the open and wake up human
and naked. It’s nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed over. Please don’t let Declan’s
mistake make you feel uncomfortable. It’s his problem, not yours.”

“But,” she said hoarsely, then cleared her throat before continuing,
“I hurt him. Did I break some kind of pack law or something? Am I in trouble?”

At that, several people in the room burst into laughter.
Melanie wanted to crawl under the table, but Jeremy’s warm hand on her knee
kept her in place. The laughter halted as abruptly as it started when Darren
held up a hand.

“Melanie,” he said with a twinkle in his eye, “you are not
in trouble. I couldn’t be more proud of you, actually. You protected your mate
from a threat. That’s rule number one in the cynanthrope handbook.”

Melanie felt Declan tense beside her at the word “mate,” but
her mind was reeling too fast to make much of it. “There’s a handbook?”

Darren’s smile widened. “Figure of speech, sweetheart. Don’t
worry. You’ll learn everything you need to know while you’re here.”

Melanie nodded and looked back down at her barely eaten
food. She stirred it around with her fork, willing her hot cheeks to cool. She
was extremely grateful when Darren changed the subject, even to a distasteful
one.

“I got a call from one of my police contacts in Amblin. Your
former teacher has been indicted and the trial is set for September. They’ll be
calling you, Melanie, as a witness for the prosecution. We’ll have to go back
to Georgia for the trial.”

“Okay,” Melanie said in a small voice. She had no intention
of living here that long, but she didn’t voice it. She had agreed to give
Wilkes a chance, so she kept her mouth shut and let her parents think what they
would.

“Well, enough of that subject,” Elaine said, cutting through
the silence that had fallen on the room. “Melanie, your birthday is in just a
few days. What do you want to do to celebrate?”

Melanie was in the process of drinking a sip of her water
and nearly spewed it across the table. She coughed and gagged for a few seconds
before choking out, “Um, I think I might be a little busy, you know…shifting.”

Declan snickered beside her and Melanie saw several other
people hiding smiles behind their hands. She looked across the table at Willow,
who was biting her lower lip. Melanie’s eyes shot back to Darren who had one
side of his mouth quirked up.

“What’s so funny?” she asked.

“The first shift doesn’t automatically happen
on
your
seventeenth birthday, sweetheart.”

“But I thought…” She trailed off and her eyes shot to
Jeremy.

“It did for me,” he said quietly.

“Sometimes it does,” Darren said. “Most times, not. The
first shift is always after that birthday, but usually closer to the next full
moon.”

“But I thought the moon didn’t cause the shift.”

“It usually doesn’t. There’s something special about the
first shift, though. The moon seems to pull it out of us.”

Jeremy grabbed Melanie’s hand and looked into her eyes.
“There was a full moon on my birthday. I didn’t think anything of it,
especially since the moon had nothing to do with any of my subsequent shifts.
Something else my parents failed to mention to me, I guess.” His mouth pulled
down into a frown.

“Jeremy,” Darren said, “don’t hold that against them, son.
They were trying to protect you the only way they knew how. I’m sure they
figured the less you knew, the better. If they started having all this
information about what they are, what you are, you would have started
questioning how they knew so much about it.”

“I guess,” Jeremy mumbled, sounding unconvinced.

“When is the next full moon?” Melanie asked, to no one in
particular.

“On the ninth,” Declan answered.

Melanie did the math quickly in her head. “So I have about a
week…”

She trailed off, lost in thought. She had worked so hard to
prepare herself, thinking her life was going to change dramatically in only
three days. She wasn’t sure if having to wait an extra four was a good thing or
not.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Declan said, putting his warm hand on her
shoulder as he spoke. “You have a lot to learn and the extra time is a good thing.”

“Were you reading my mind?” Melanie asked, staring into his
aquamarine eyes.

The corner of his mouth lifted. “No, Mel. I don’t need to be
a mind reader. We’ve all been there. We all know what you are going through and
we’re here to help. All you have to do is ask.”

Melanie stared at him for a few seconds, trying to read him.
His words sounded genuine, but there was something in his voice, like there was
more he was trying to say. She looked across the table at his parents, and they
smiled encouragingly at her.

Turning her head, she caught Jeremy staring at Declan’s
hand, still resting on her shoulder, with a slight frown marring his brow. He
quickly erased it from his face and smiled, squeezing her hand once more.
Melanie squeezed back and gave a slight shrug of her shoulder, hoping that
Declan would take the hint.

Declan caressed her shoulder lightly with his fingertips as
he pulled his hand away. She felt tingles, almost like static electricity,
where his fingertips brushed against her. She shivered, but tried not to show
any other sign that his touch had affected her.
What the heck?
she
thought.

“Are you cold, Mel?” Jeremy asked.

“No. I’m good, thanks.”
Of course he noticed,
her
mind screamed.
What the hell is going on?

She spent the rest of the meal wrapped up in her thoughts and
no one tried to pull her into a conversation again. Everyone assumed Melanie
was worried about her impending change, but that’s not what had her freaked
out.  Her mind was tied up in knots, thinking about Declan and that damned
feather-light stroke of his fingertips. She shivered again.

Why had he done that? Is he actually interested in me?
she
thought.
He knows I’m with Jeremy, that my heart is taken.

The thought of Declan wanting her made butterflies erupt in
her stomach. The memory of his touch and the spark of electricity between them
derailed her brain and made her body go haywire. Movement on her left caught
her eye and she focused on Jeremy’s strong hand pushing a fork around his
plate.

No,
she thought resolutely.
I’m reading too much
into this. He was just trying to comfort and reassure me. It was just static
electricity.  And I shivered because it tickled. That’s all it is. Definitely.

She leaned over to Jeremy and whispered, “I love you.”

Jeremy put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her in
close. She snuggled her head against his chest and rested her hand on his
thigh. The loud screech of a chair jerked her upright, and when she looked back
Declan was stomping from the room.

Melanie looked at Jeremy with surprise, but his eyes were on
Declan’s receding back. His eyebrows were pulled down and he was frowning. When
he realized Melanie was watching him, he shook his head as if to clear the bad
thoughts and smiled at her.

“You okay?” she asked quietly.

“Yeah. It’s all good.”

Knowing that everyone in the room would likely hear him, he
decided to wait until they were alone to reiterate his frustration and distrust
of Declan. The beta’s son wanted something and he had a feeling that
“something” was Melanie.

Over my dead body.
The thought played over and over
in his mind throughout the rest of the meal until he was able to escape with
Melanie and head back upstairs.

Melanie awoke the next morning with a smile on her face.
Jeremy had snuck into her room after her parents went to bed and snuggled with
her until she had fallen asleep. He was gone in the morning, but she could
still feel his warm arms around her and his soft mouth on her lips.

A light tap on her door had her rushing from the bed and
across the room without a thought. She turned the knob and pulled the door open
saying, “Jeremy, I…”

Her voice trailed off as she realized her mistake. The smile
vanished from Declan’s face as his mouth dropped open at the sight of her. His
turquoise eyes lowered down her body and back up again slowly. His mouth
snapped shut and he swallowed hard as he met her gaze.

Melanie blushed and crossed her arms over her chest. She was
wearing her standard sleeping attire- a thin tank top and boxers- which didn’t
leave much to the imagination. She was used to Jeremy seeing her like that, but
Declan was another story altogether.

“What do you want?” she asked harshly.

He flinched. “Ouch. Not a morning person, I see.”

Her blush deepened. “Sorry. You just surprised me, is all. I
wasn’t expecting it to be you.”

“Obviously,” he said, a roguish grin on his face. He let his
eyes drop and dragged them back up again.

“Declan.”

“Sorry, sorry. Jeez, I was just kidding.”

“Okay.” She dragged out the word and laced it with
impatience. “Did you need something from me?”

Declan’s eyes lit up and his nostrils flared as he sucked in
a breath. He released it slowly and gave his head a slight shake. He flashed
her a killer smile and leaned against the doorjamb.

“I think we got off on the wrong foot, so I want to start
over.” He stuck his hand out and said, “Hi, I’m Declan. Nice to meet you.”

Melanie looked at his hand hanging in the air in front of
her and scrunched in her eyebrows. “Seriously?”

“Come on, Mel. I want to start over. I feel like I didn’t make
a very good first impression on you.”

Oh, you made an impression, alright,
she thought.
“This is silly,” she said to him, staring at his still-outstretched hand.

“Pretty please?” he cajoled.

She took a deep breath and sighed. “Oh, alright.”

She stretched her arm out and took his hand. A jolt of heat
shot from his palm to hers and she felt the tingle all the way up her arm. She
started to sway toward him, then regaining control of her senses, snatched her
hand back quickly and held her palm to her chest.

“Is that all?” she snapped.

With a knowing grin on his face, he winked and said, “See
you at breakfast, Mel.”

Melanie shut the door with a little more force than
necessary and leaned back against it. Her body sagged with relief at Declan’s
departure. She jumped and tensed at the sound of knuckles rapping against the
wood once more.

Swinging the door open, she said, “What now?”

“Well, that’s not exactly the greeting I was hoping for.”

“Jeremy, hey. Come in,” she stammered as she grabbed his arm
and dragged him into the room. She stuck her head out and looked both ways.
Seeing that the hall was empty, she took a step back and closed the door.

“What’s going on?”

“Oh, nothing,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Jeremy pulled her arms down and held her hands between them.
He looked at her with an arched brow, but didn’t say anything.

“Okay. Okay. Declan was just here,” she blurted out.

“Really?” Jeremy deadpanned. He had smelled Declan’s scent
as soon as he walked in. “What did angel boy want?”

“Will you please stop calling him that?” She rolled her
eyes. “He said he wants to start over. He doesn’t like that we got off on the
wrong foot.”

“Okay,” he said, drawing out the word like a question.

“What?”

He opened his mouth to say something, then seemed to change
his mind and sighed. “Nothing.”

Melanie tugged him over to the bed and sat down, pulling him
down next to her. “Talk to me, Jeremy. What’s wrong?”

“Mel, he wants you.”

Melanie burst into laughter. “Don’t be ridiculous,” she
managed to get out between giggles.

“Do I look like I’m joking?”

“Jeremy,” she said as the laughter died down, “he does
not
want me. Boys don’t see me that way.”

Jeremy cocked his head to the side and looked at her
skeptically. “Really?”

“Well,” she backtracked, “except you. You’re the only guy to
ever show any interest in me at all. You and Mr. Hughes.”

Jeremy grabbed her hand. “Don’t go there, Mel. That guy is a
psychopath.”

“My point, exactly! You and the psycho are the only two
members of the male species to ever want me. I still wonder sometimes why you
do.” She looked down at their joined hands in her lap.

Jeremy put his hand under her chin and lifted it. “You still
have no idea how beautiful, funny, charming, and outright wonderful you are, do
you?”

“Stop it,” she said, pushing him lightly on the shoulder. “I
know you love me. I don’t know why you do, but I can feel it. That doesn’t mean
everyone else sees me the way you do.”

Jeremy stood up and quickly pulled her to her feet. He led
her over to the full length mirror that hung on the closet door. He pushed her
in front of it and stood behind her, looking at her reflection over her
shoulder.

“Look, Melanie,” he said when she didn’t move her eyes from
his in the mirror. “Look at your hair, so shiny with gorgeous waves. Look at
your eyes. They’re blue today. Your nose is as cute as a button.” He tapped it
with his finger. “And that mouth.” A low growl emitted from deep in his throat.

Melanie looked at each feature as he named it, trying to see
herself though his eyes. She had always seen herself as plain. Plain and fat.
She’d lost a lot of her pudginess recently, but she wasn’t anywhere near as
thin as Tara or the other girls deemed beauties by the male population at their
high school.

“And this body,” he continued, placing his hands on her
waist and letting them trail over the swell of her hips. He turned his head and
whispered in her ear, “I’m so glad you didn’t lose all your curves. I haven’t
had a chance to kiss them all yet.”

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her
backwards into his chest. He moved one hand up to sweep her hair to the side
and kissed her neck. His tongue darted out to lick the spot where her pulse
beat erratically and her eyes closed.

“Melanie,” he continued in a whisper-light voice, “you are
so beautiful, inside and out.” He kissed her on the cheek. “Everyone sees it
but you.”

Melanie turned in his arms and kissed him, wrapping her arms
around his waist. When he tried to gently end the kiss, she was having none of
it and kissed a hot trail down his cheek to his neck. Jeremy chuckled as he
picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.

He smacked her lightly on the butt before striding back to
the bed and tossing her on it. He stood there smiling with his hands on his
hips while she righted herself and swiped the hair out of her face.

“What was that for?” she pouted.

“Things were getting a little out of control and that was
the quickest way to break the tension.” One side of his mouth quirked up in a
smirk.

“Ugh. You’re such a jackhole sometimes. I don’t think you
really even want me,” she retorted, only half joking.

“It’s time for breakfast,” he said, changing the subject.
“I’ll see you downstairs.” Just before he walked out, he turned back. “Nice
shirt,” he said with a grin before strutting through the door then closing it
behind him.

Melanie looked down in confusion and her face grew hot with
a blush. She had on a white tank top and she wasn’t wearing a bra. It was
really thin and practically transparent.

“Oh my God,” she whispered to herself, hearing Jeremy’s
laughter fade as he walked down the hall.