The next day…
Melody’s POV
I was practically grounded to dad’s side for the remainder of yesterday. Now for the banquet to greet and welcome all the attending alphas and lunas, I was to remain with my two older brothers. Ethan and Terrence Jackman, though I mostly call them EJ and TJ. The three of us are technically triplets, but as they are identical twins… I am their fraternal baby sister. They pretend to be as good as dad thinks and follow the rules, but deep down my brothers agree with me.
I am just like mama. I fight for what I believe to be true to my heart.
If a werewolf is born without a wolf, so what. They deserve love just like everyone else. People should get to know someone before they reject them. Rejecting someone just because of what they are doesn’t fly with me or Artemis. I was pulled from my thoughts as I heard my brothers speaking to me.
“Wow, baby sis. You look amazing.” TJ said as he draped his arm around my bare shoulders.
“We might have to kill some males tonight if they get too touchy.” EJ growled. I laughed.
“Awww thank you guys, but your baby sis is not just a pretty face.” I said and winked at them.
I looked them up and down. Man, my brothers were looking good. They were wearing identical black dress pants and shoes, a white button-down shirt, and a black blazer with a white rose in the left chest pocket. Their midnight black hair was combed off to the side. Any woman would be lucky to have them as her mates. Especially with their tight muscles and height of seven feet. My brothers towered over me by about half a foot.
EJ pulls me into his arms for a hug. “We know, but you are already on dad’s naughty list.”
I roll my eyes. I am always on dad’s naughty list. He worries that I am too much like my mother, because when it was mama’s first time here in the capital. She put a new young alpha on his ass because of how he was talking to his mate. My brothers escort me to the ballroom. One of each side of me. The room was already filled with couples dancing and people mingling.
“So who wants to be my dance partner tonight?” I ask while batting my eyelashes up at my brothers.
TJ immediately held up his arms in the form of an ‘X’. “No thanks, Mel. You already know I have two left feet.”
EJ and I laugh. Then EJ held out his hand to me and bowed. “Would you do me the honor of a dance, princess?” I tried to stifle my laughter. My brothers were so goofy sometimes, but it was more fun to play along. I politely curtsied and placed my hand in his.
“Why I would love to, good sir.”
TJ’s shoulders are shaking badly as EJ leads me to the dance floor. ‘We are going to have to get him good for laughing at us.’ I mind linked EJ. I saw a wicked glint in his eyes.
‘For sure.’ he replied.
As EJ and I danced around the floor. Something caught my eye, but it was so fast since my brother was twirling me around that I couldn’t see clearly. After the song ended, EJ escorted me off the floor like a gentleman.
“I will get you something to drink, Mel. Please don’t move?” He asked. I nodded my head. As soon as he was gone I scanned the room. Artemis was kind of on edge. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
Aunt Shianna and Aunt Sabrina have been training me how to use my gift for the last 8 years. I can communicate with a supernatural being's inner soul.
I opened my eyes and could see the mood of all the inner wolves of every werewolf in the room. The air was filled with mostly a light yellow hue since quite a bit of people were having fun, but there was one that stuck out to me.
It was a dim baby blue. Baby blue means the wolf is sad or stressed about something, but its being dim must mean something is weakening it.
I automatically follow the trail forgetting my brother’s request to stay put. It led me around the dance floor, to a buffet table in the back of the ballroom. There I saw a very tall, maybe about 7 feet like my brothers, and handsome man wearing just some black dress pants and shoes with a white button-down dress shirt, and his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. He had light brown hair with a bit of blonde, silver eyes that I could stare into forever, his body was covered with thick muscles that I could imagine around me, and his face was so sexy you think it was a work of art.
The only thing that was throwing me off was his scent. He smelled sweet, but it was like he was wearing too much cologne for me to pick up his natural scent.
I am pulled from my thoughts about this gorgeous man in front of me, when Artemis growls loudly in my head. I shake my head and look closer. The baby blue hue was coming from the man I was practically eye rapping, and he was being harassed by some other wolves.
I clenched my fists. I know I will get another lecture from dad, but I will not stand by while someone is in need. I breathe and walk up to them, I will try being nice about it first. I heard their words more clearly as I got closer.
“Honestly, why don’t you just leave this pack, Luca?” One said.
“Yeah. No matter what you think, no one needs you here.” Another man spat. Their voices were laced full of hatred and venom. Anger was rising up inside me and I could feel it was not just mine, but Artemis’s anger as well. I came up next to the one they called ‘Luca’ and linked my arm with his.
“Hey Luca, so this is where you were. You promised me a dance.” I said sweetly. I felt slight tingles as I touched his arm. He stiffened a bit and looked down at me. His mask was good. He didn’t let any emotions show, but I could feel his eyes look me up and down like I had done to him before I came over.
“Hey there, sexy. Why hang out with this pathetic excuse of a werewolf, when you can be with real ones like us?” One of the men asked, throwing a flirtatious look my way. His eyes were dark with lust as he looked me up and down. I scoffed.
“The only pathetic wolves I see are you two. Ganging up on someone two against one. That just shows how much stronger Luca is for dealing with your bull shit.” I spat, giving them both a hard glare. They all looked at me shocked. Maybe because as dad puts it… ‘A proper lady/luna does not threaten or cuss at others.’
I saw Luca give a small smile out of the corner of my eye. I went to pull him away from these ass holes when one of them used their wolf speed to block my way.
“Do you have any idea who you are talking to?” He asked. Irritation, clear in his voice and eyes, from being spoken to so disrespectfully. I raised my eyebrow.
“Honestly no I do not, but I do not care. Now, please excuse us. I would like to enjoy my date with Luca.” The next thing I knew it was as if time had stopped for a moment.
This man had smacked me across the face. “You need to be better trained before coming to a party like this, you little b***h. I am the crown prince of the werewolf clans in South America. Prince Chester Richfield. You should remember your place.”
I let go of Luca’s arm and touched my cheek. It was warm from his slap. I looked at him and he was smirking at me. Prince or not, this bastard was in for a rude awakening. Artemis and I bowed down to no man.