MELVIN'S POV
I came up with this plan at the last minute and I couldn’t let her know of it either. I was certain she hated my guts more than ever now but I could deal with that later.
Right now, my worry and focus were on getting her out of there.
I turned around to my despicable Father and his Elders. “Father, she has passed out. I need to get her to the healer.”
My father and his men burst into loud echoing laughter like they had finished watching the best comedy show in all the lands.
"Father?" I called trying to get his attention but they just wouldn't stop laughing.
Crazy lots. All of them.
The sight of blood and violence was an art to them. It turned them on and increased their life spans!
"Father!"
“Fine, fine, get her out of here,” he finally replied as he turned to Elder Jon who was seated at his right hand.
“I thought she would put up more of a fight. She carried herself like she had a chance,” he said to Elder Jon as they burst out into laughter again.
I rolled my eyes and shook my head in disappointment.
“Well, at least the plan worked,” I muttered to myself as I turned around to carry Ariel out of there. I couldn't be more glad.
Now, I just had to worry about when she regained consciousness. I hoisted her up to her feet and lifted her off the floor from her ankles and laid her across my shoulder.
I took a glance at her face and my heart ached to see the damage I had done. Even if it was to protect her, the guilt pricked at my heart.
“That is my son!” I heard my Father bellow as I walked out of the throne room. I groaned —What an ass!
Rather than go to the renowned Blood Moon Pack healer, I made my way to a friend’s place —one, who stayed on the outskirts of our territory. It was better this way.
If the healer were to find out that she was Ariel Montero, she would kill her and willingly offer her head to my Father.
My friend, Jada, on the other hand, was someone I could trust. She agreed with my sentiments regarding how my Father ran his pack with violence and bloodshed. That was the reason why she moved out of the pack and to the outskirts.
I was sure she’d be willing to help. By the time I made it to her place, it was already dusk.
I banged my hand on the door to her cabin and waited for her response.
“Who the hell is that?” I heard Jada’s charming but firm voice call out from inside the cabin.
“Jada, it’s Melvin.”
“Melvin? Why the hell do you want to break down my door?”
“Can you just open the door please?”
“In a second…”
I heard scrambling from within the cabin and a few seconds later, I heard the bolts coming undone.
The door opened and I immediately hopped in shoving Jada aside.
“Hey!” She protested.
“I’m sorry, I just need to place her down,” I called back to her from within the cabin as I made my way to the nearest couch I could find and laid Ariel’s unconscious body on it.
I crashed to the floor beside the couch as soon as I let her down. My arms were already asleep from the distance I carried her.
Jada appeared just about then and watched me thoughtfully.
I looked up and registered the changes in her. Last time I saw her, she was a few inches shorter and her hair was just as long as her shoulders.
Now, She was just as tall as I was and her blonde hair had grown longer —way past her shoulders.
She had a pair of blue shorts on and a small blouse loosely hung on her chest which made me realize what all the scrambling behind the door was about.
Jada crossed her arms, interlocking them over her chest. She raised her eyebrows in question, and at first, I did not understand her gesture, then she nodded towards Ariel’s blood on her couch.
“Oh, yes,” I responded in realisation. I looked over from Ariel to Jada as I thought of the right words to say, “Umm-“ I clicked my tongue, "—well, long story short, she needs a place to crash. You’re the only person I can trust and I was also hoping you could help me tend to her wounds.”
Jada raised her brows.
“Come on, you used to tend to mine when I got in those fights too. Please."
Jada sighed, “Fine, but you better be ready with the full story of all this by sunrise.”
“How about we make that a fortnight?” I said, trying to push my luck.
“Well, you can hop on out of here too,” she shrugged sarcastically.
“Look,” I started on a more serious note, “I would tell you everything immediately if I could. It’s just a very delicate matter and I don’t want to drag you into it,” I paused and looked up at Jada.
“I’m already taking a huge risk and putting you in danger by bringing her here,” I explained.
“Please, just help me out,” I added softly.
She watched me for a few seconds longer and then the frown on her face dropped.
“Move and let me check her wounds,” Jada said as she moved closer to where I was sitting.
“Her face is where most of the damage is,” Jada turned to look at me, “who did this? Your Dad?”
"No," I turned away from her gaze, feeling completely embarrassed by my action. "I did."
“Hmm,” I could feel her eyes dot on me for a little while longer before she shifted and got up.
“Well, she will heal in a couple of hours. I just need to clean her wounds and we wait for them to heal.”
“Let me get some warm water and a towel,” she said as she made her way across the room and past me.
“Jada,” I called out to her. She turned around to look at me. “Thank you.”
She nodded once before disappearing into the farther part of the cabin.
I sighed and fell back against the wooden wall.
ARIEL’S POVMy head felt heavy.I slowly opened my eyes and it took a few seconds for my vision to clear up. I stared cluelessly at the wooden ceiling that appeared before me.What happened? Where was I?“Welcome back to the land of the living.”I turned to see who had just spoken. At first, I was confused and didn’t recognize who he was. But as soon as I started to recollect what had transpired before I blacked out, anger slowly spread across my body.“You!” I hopped off the couch and launched at him. He backed away immediately.“Ariel, you need to calm down and listen to me!" He yelled with hands out to protect his face in case I made another sudden move. He looked back to make sure he didn't misstep as he continued to withdraw from me and I kept advancing toward him in a slow menacing way.He was the prey and I, the hunter.“What do I need to listen to?!” I yelled out uncontrollably at him, ”you nearly killed me!”He stopped moving and made the mistake of dropping his hands —that
MELVIN POVI had her attention now.I knew I had to play a wild card to snap her out of her impulsive behaviour. She was one stubborn beauty!She looked me dead in the eyes. I could tell I struck a chord in her with what I just announced.“Where?”“Where what?” I raised my brows playing dumb.She took quick steps forward, “where is he?!” Her voice pitched a little higher than before.I stood my ground this time around, “Stay.”She stopped moving but maintained eye contact with me. I could tell she was mulling over her decision but I already knew I had her in a tight spot. This was for her own good.“You want to know where your brother is? Then stay," I said calmly and then nodded rapidly, “my friend Jada already agreed to you crashing for a few days. We can save your brother.”I could hear her teeth grinding against each other. Oh, she hated that I had her.“Fine,” she replied, whizzing past me and back into the cabin.I sighed and threw my head backward. Ariel was such a handful.Af
ARIEL POVIt was dark. I was back in my bedroom. My face pinched into a frown as confusion clouded my thoughts.I was supposed to be in that cabin back at the Blood Moon Pack. How did I get back here?I could see light sipping into the room from under the door. I walked briskly towards the door and opened it. The hallway was brightly lit —exactly how it used to be. I could hear the loud sounds of the video game coming from Aaron’s room. It made no sense. I looked from left to right wondering how I got here.I heard the water come on in the kitchen and I made my way there. My mother stood over the sink wearing the T-shirt I got for her.“Mum!" I hurried over to her and wrapped my arms around her tightly. My heart melted immediately.“Ariel,” she shrugged me off and stared into my face, “what has come over you?”She scanned me closely trying to figure out if I had finally lost it. “You see me doing the dishes, right? The same dishes I asked you to clean a few hours ago.”I stepped ba
MELVIN POVAfter my standoff with Father, I just couldn’t cool off completely. Even a cold shower couldn’t work its divine magic.I strutted up the stairs leading to the open verandah at the top of the building. I needed to clear my head and the verandah was the one place I knew never disappointed me. I could already feel the cool evening breeze as I got closer and I wasn’t surprised when I saw the door leading to the verandah open. I walked into the verandah and knew immediately who had left the door open. My mother stood at the edge of the verandah.“Mother,” I called out.She turned around from holding the metal railing, “Melvin?”The breeze was stronger and a tad colder than it was in the stairwell. My mum was finding it hard to keep her long black hair in place as the wind kept floating it all around her and in her face.I walked up to her and held her upper arm. “You needed some air?" I asked in a low voice as if speaking any louder could break her.“Yeah,” she replied. As usu
MELVIN'S POVThe night went on longer than necessary soiling my mood further.I could hardly sleep as I thought about my father and his sick beliefs. What he did to Ariel and her family was worse than any of the things he had done. I couldn't let him continue. I had to talk to her.I was certain that together we would be able to come up with a solution. A good plan to stop my father once and for all.People didn't have to live in fear anymore. Jada didn't have to stay so far away from the rest of the pack anymore. By the time Ariel and I were done, everyone would live in peace and harmony.By the time morning came, I was dressed and ready for the day. I stepped out of my room and headed straight to the exit."And where do you think you are going so early in the morning, boy?" My father's deep voice thundered, cutting through the room.My heart squeezed as the rage I felt all through the night returned. I clenched my fists and turned to him with a forced smile plastered on my face."Go
MELVIN'S POVJada and Ariel walked a few metres ahead of me. I was far less excited about heading back into town than they were.Usually, a trip to the market was always one of my favourite things to do but not today. Today, my attention was divided because all I had been thinking about was getting here and talking to Ariel about what we were going to do next and I already had a handful of things —crucial things— to suggest to her.Jada suddenly turned to me. “Hey, pretty boy,” she said, snapping her fingers in front of her to get my attention, “pick up your pace. We don’t have all day!"I groaned and moved my feet faster.“Stop your whining,” Jada said, turning away from me, “unlike you, some of us have to work.”"Some of us are not daddy's boys..." Ariel chirped in and they shared amused glances.They continued walking —still ahead of me— but not as far apart as it was a moment ago."I didn’t even know you worked," Ariel stated, looking up at Jada.“So how do you reckon I survive,
MELVIN'S POVAriel closed her eyes as if to calm herself and register what I had just said. She opened her eyes again and said nothing. I could tell she was thinking hard about this.She wasn’t so hard to read, after all, I thought with a smirk on my face.She got up from the couch and turned around. She took a few steps before turning to face me again, “Fine.”Then just as quickly as the words left her lips, she disappeared into the cabin. She needed training and she knew it too. This was war and her A-game had to be more than excellent if she wanted to win.I heaved a sigh and crashed back into the couch. I clutch my stomach as it growls in protest. I frowned. The close run-in with my Father at the market made me forget for a while that I still hadn’t eaten anything.“Jada!” I called into the cabin, “I’m starving!”“We have some leftover Spaghetti and meatballs from this morning,” she responded from within the cabin almost immediately.That worked for me.I got up and hurriedly ma
ARIEL'S POVMelvin was coming unto me and I trained my eyes on him. I wasn't about to let my guard down. I remembered what he did the day we had that fight in his father's throne room.He moved so fast that I didn't see him until the blows landed on my face and I became semi-blind. But that was then —not today.I refused to blink watching every move he made with his leg. He wasn't running, he was just moving like on a regular day. Not like he did on that day.My breathing was calmed as I counted his steps and prepared to give him a hit he never saw coming.But just like that day, I saw him a second too late.He landed a punch on my shoulders and my balance was broken. I fell to the couch in an unladylike manner."Always keep your eyes on your eyes on your opponent and never underestimate them!" He yelled.My eyes narrowed into slits and my fist balled. Rage bubbled within me and I wanted to do nothing but to have his head.I got off the couch and launched at him but he stopped me effo