Chapter 7
885 Words
"Mels..." Jay started, but I cut him off.
"Jay, we will not be good for each other," I interrupted firmly.
His jaw tightened, his dark eyes narrowing, but I pushed forward, desperation clawing at my throat. "If you don't want to cancel the engagement party, we can at least postpone it. Just for a month…"
"No," he interrupted, his voice cold and final.
My pulse spiked. "Or even a week!" My voice wavered, but I forced myself to continue. Postponing wouldn’t be a bad idea. Samantha would show up before then so we would have a valid reason to call off the ceremony.
But Jay remained unmoved. "I won't do that," he growled.
He rose from his chair and, in one swift motion, dragged it closer to me before sitting down again. His presence loomed, his intense gaze pinning me in place. "You've prepared for this, Melody. I won't let you back out now just because you're afraid."
Before I could react, he reached out, brushing a loose strand of hair from my face, his touch far too intimate.
"Afraid?" I echoed, barely above a whisper.
"Yes," he murmured, his eyes searching mine. "I don’t know what you're afraid of, but I see it every time you look at me."
His strong hands gripped my chin, tilting my face so I had no choice but to meet his gaze. I swallowed hard.
"Melody, I know I rejected this idea at first, but now, I am certain. You are the perfect Luna for me and for my pack. I know you're afraid, Mels. Afraid of what Mother said, that you cannot lead. That you’re not fit to be Luna." Jay’s voice was gentle yet firm, his eyes locking onto mine with unwavering intensity. "But she’s wrong. With me by your side, you would be a perfect Luna. Not just for me, but for the entire pack. I believe in you, Mels. Even if you don’t believe in yourself yet."
I stiffened at his words.
"I know you're spoiled by Alpha Andrew," he continued, his voice softer now, almost coaxing. "I know it’s hard to step into this role. There are many responsibilities. But if there’s anyone who can do it, it’s you."
A bitter taste coated my tongue, and my heart clenched painfully.
"I don’t want to do it," I admitted, my voice laced with raw honesty.
Jay exhaled slowly, his gaze darkening. "Permit me to hold your hands as you have held mine all this time."
He reached for my hands, his palms warm and firm against mine. A strange shift in the atmosphere made my breath hitch. His touch, though gentle, sent shivers down my spine.
I had never seen this look in his eyes before. Affection? Devotion? No. There had never been a time Jay had looked at me like this.
I thought back to how we used to be before everything fell apart. It felt like a lifetime ago. Back then, he was cold and distant from everyone else but I was clingy, and my affections had worn down his defenses. We hugged often, sat close to each other, and I never hesitated to rest my head on his shoulder. He would wrap his arm around mine, but never once did he look at me with anything more than friendly eyes.
And now…
His touch sent a shiver down my spine, but not in the way it should have. It made me uncomfortable. Slowly, I pulled my hands away. He hesitated but let me go, his fingers lingering for a fraction of a second before slipping away completely.
His eyes flickered with something unreadable. "You’re pulling away from me," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
I averted my gaze, unable to meet his.
Jay sighed. "Why are you putting up a wall between us all of a sudden? There’s no reason for..." His words cut off abruptly, and my heart stuttered at the way his expression changed.
His eyes darkened, his entire body tensing. "Have you fallen in love with someone else?"
His question caught me off guard.
Love?
I almost laughed at the absurdity. I had been too busy drowning under the weight of this engagement to even think about love. But maybe… maybe this was my way out.
"Yes." I lied through my teeth.
Jay’s entire body went still.
His gaze bore into mine, searching, demanding, but I kept my face impassive.
"You... with who?" His voice was dangerously low, a quiet growl rumbling in his throat before shaking his head.
"No, it doesn’t matter."
He let out a humorless chuckle. "I know your feelings for me, Melody. And our engagement is in six days. We even invited the Alpha King."
His words struck something deep inside me.
Did he know of my feelings?
Of course, he did. I had spent years hiding behind my father, using my position to push this engagement forward. And he had never reciprocated those feelings. Not once.
But he had never hesitated to use them to his advantage.
Jay leaned forward, his voice a whisper, laced with something dark and possessive.
"You promised me, Mels. And I have no intention of letting you go."
His eyes glowed with an emotion I couldn’t name, but it sent a shiver racing down my spine.
- Writer
