Rejected by One Loved by the Other

Chapter 1

Melody’s father is the beta of The Skyline Pack.  Their pack, which is located in sunny California, is among the richest packs in the country. This caused many of the pack members to act like they were above it all. Melody’s life started out like any typical family. Her mother and father loved her and were proud of her and her brother. Laurie, her mother, doted on her, she was her pride and joy. Eric, her brother, was two years older than her and they got along very well, he was her protector. Her father called her his princess even though he spent more time with her brother.

This happy family was torn apart when her mother left them for her fated mate. Michael, Melody’s father, was her chosen mate. Even after being mated for 12 years, she decided to leave. Her mother leaving almost broke Michael and Eric emotionally. They changed from the happy family she loved to an angry and indifferent father and brother who hated everything. Even with her broken heart she tried to make her father and brother smile. When Laurie first left, her father treated Melody with some amount of caring.

Unfortunately, as time went on that changed. A few months after being alone with just her father he forgot about her and ignored her. Whenever she wanted to talk to him, he would send her to her room. He had her taking care of all the house chores and cooking for them. At times he would call her names. By the time she was 12 he began hitting her for no reason other than to vent his anger. The name calling and insults hurt more than the hits. “You are like your mother, say one thing and do another. You’re a liar just like her. I feel sorry for your mate; you will break his heart like she broke mine. You’re not even that pretty.”

Things got even worse when her brother started insulting her and hitting her. “Melody, get your lazy ass out here and make me something to eat. I am hungry.” She walked into the room to see him with some of his friends. “Start cooking, you useless whore. I swear you are good for nothing, just like your mother. At least she could cook, you can’t even do that.”

“She was your mother too.” Upon hearing what Melody said, Eric walked over and back handed her face. His friends started laughing at her as he shoved her towards the kitchen. Forcing her to get their food.

The kids in school began to follow her brother’s and father’s lead and called her all kinds of names and made rude comments. “The future beta’s sister, the whore is here.”

“I hear she sleeps with anyone.”

“You don’t want to touch that you might catch something.”

Melody continues to go to school and is in her last year. Her only friend, Bonnie, is her lifeline. She had at least one special friend to confide in. Whenever she has free time the two of them are together. This year the senior class is taking a tip to a ski resort. “Dad, the senior class trip is coming up.”

“What did I tell you about calling me that.”

“I’m sorry. Beta, the class trip…”

He interrupts her. “What has that got to do with me?”

“I was hoping you could help me pay for it. I can pay you back a little at a time.”

He laughs in her face. “Why would I spend my money on someone like you? You have a job, pay for it by yourself.” That is what she thought he would say. If it wasn’t for Bonnie encouraging her to ask him, she wouldn’t of wasted her time.

Disappointed, she heads to the basement. The room the Alpha gave her to get her away from her father. On the way Bonnie saw her and ran up to her. “Melody, is your dad going to help pay for your trip?”

“No, I knew he wouldn’t help pay for it, Bonnie. You should go and have fun. When you get back you can tell me all about it.”

Bonnie’s face dropped. “There has to be a way for you to go. Let me go talk to Mom, her and Dad think the world of you, they might help.”

Melody worked hard for a small paycheck. She has saved most of her money and could possibly pay for the trip. She thinks about it and sighs. Knowing the trip wasn’t as important as her plans to leave this pack when she turns 18 and finishes high school. Her dreams of becoming a doctor keep her striving to save and get good grades.

The next morning, Melody went to work like usual. She ran into Bonnie on her way to her room. Bonnie greeted her, all smiles and excited. “I got the best news. My mom and dad said they would pay your way.”

“Really! I can’t believe they would do that.”

“I told Mom I couldn’t go without you, that it wouldn’t be fun thinking about you being here working. Then I gave her my puppy eye’s and she gave in. It wasn’t that hard, they love you.”

Melody thought about how many times Bonnie’s mom had bandaged her bruises, at times just hugged her, giving her the motherly love she missed. She often sent her food knowing she didn’t have enough to eat. Both her parents went so far as to go to the Alpha and ask to have custody of her because everyone knew her father hated her. The Alpha said no that he wouldn’t get involved. “Your mom is the best. Tell her thank you so much.”

“Hey no tears. This is a happy minute, now go get packed. I already have my clothes pack we leave early tomorrow.” Bonnie hugged her and went back home.

After a long day, Melody went to her room in the basement. It wasn’t much of a room. The basement was dark and damp, there wasn’t even a window for sunlight to shine in. The Alpha arranged the room for her, he said it was to give her space. Melody never understood that comment. The room had a small bed and a bureau that held a lamp on it. The rest of the room had boxes and crates of pack supplies. There were no walls or a door, just a corner of the basement, where she could sleep.

 As Melody looked around the space she sighed. “I am going to get away for a few days it is not the time to sulk.” She opened each drawer of her bureau looking at the little clothes she had. “It isn’t much, but it will have to do.” Most of her clothes were worn out but they were clean and all she had. “I’ll take all of them with me, then I will have enough to wear. I forgot.” She reached for a box under her bed. In it was a dress that Bonnie’s mom gave her. It was the only new clothes she had gotten in years. She also had a pair of jeans and sweater top outfit she found in the lost and found when she was cleaning. She didn’t want to wear it around the pack they might say it was one of theirs and make even more fun of her or worse.

The basement door slammed open. “You call this a room.”

“What do you want, Eric?”

“I hear you begged Dad for money. Did you think he would help a worthless thing like you?”

“Why are you here, other than to make fun of me?”

“Tomorrow morning Dad has company coming for lunch he wants you to make something nice. I got the job of telling you.”

“Fine you told me.” As Eric left, Melody smiled to herself; ‘I won’t be here tomorrow, they can handle it themselves.’

The school was closed for winter break, that left the kids six days off. The trip started on Thursday morning with a bus ride to the resort. Many of the kids were coming on Friday with their own cars. The ones on the bus were not the snobby ones that gave her the hardest time. Bonnie met Melody in front of the school at six o’clock.

Eric saw her getting on the bus. “So, you think you deserve to go on this class trip.”

Bonnie was pissed, thinking he came there to give her a hard time. “You have no reason to be here, go back to your father.”

“He sent me here to send off the seniors on their stupid trip. I didn’t expect to see the loser here, she wasn’t supposed to go. I don’t know how she paid for the trip, I take all of her money.”

“My parents paid for her trip; now get out of the way we are getting on the bus.” Bonnie pushed passed him pulling Melody along with her. “Don’t let him ruin our trip. He is nothing and you are everything.”

“Bonnie, I love your fighting spirit. Thank you for being my friend.”

“I don’t want to hear that stuff. Let’s get some sleep it is a long ride.”

Melody couldn’t sleep; her mind wandered back to the last few years of her life. The Alpha brought her from the hospital when she was twelve to her new room in the basement. That was the first time her father broke one of her bones. “Melody, this is a good place to give you space. If you need anything, come see me.”

She stood in that cold miserable space with her broken arm, crying herself to sleep that night. Her dad couldn’t hit her as much as he had been, but he was always cruel to her. After her arm healed, things got harder. She was put to work in the pack house, given a position lower than an omega. She had to take care of her father’s suite before she could even start her duties at the pack house. On top of her father’s insults and temper fits, that always ended up with her getting hurt somehow.

One time Melody was hurt so badly she ran late cleaning her father’s suite. He saw the bruises and didn’t care; he was in a foul mood and yelled at her. “Why are you here? I told you I didn’t want to see you around our suite. Get in your basement were you belong.”

“I am just finishing up cleaning, Dad. I will be done soon.” A hard slap came across her already sore face.

“What did I tell you about calling me Father or worse Dad. I can’t stand the sight of you now get out.” He grabbed her by the hair and threw her out the door.

Melody realized that as time passed, she looked more and more like her mother and her father hated her mother and took it out on her. Laurie was a beautiful woman with a natural beauty that Melody inherited.  Melody was smaller than her mother, and her features were more delicate than hers. By the time she was sixteen, Melody was built like her mother, with the same curves and grace in her movements. To be honest the only thing she got from her father was her hair color, she had dark brown hair, like rich chocolate, identical to Michael. Laurie had Light brown hair, but both were blessed with soft curls.

When she turned sixteen, he started calling her a whore and making the ugliest remarks about her and sex. That was when the school kids started bullying her even worse, making her life a living hell. Melody shakes off the horrible memories. “It doesn’t matter what they say or do, I will find my mate soon and he will take me away from this life. He will support my dreams and love me for me not my mother.” Doubts creep into her hopes, “What if he believes what they are saying about me. He might abandon me like everyone else has.” A tear runs down her face, showing how alone and helpless she feels.

The bus hits a bump in the road. “Are we there yet?”  

“Not yet, go back to sleep.” Melody looks at her friend and her hope starts to come back. All the times Bonnie has stood up for her telling them, “Melody is not her mother. She is her own person. It isn’t fair to judge her like this.” She even punched a girl in the face for spilling food on her. She was lucky to have Bonnie in her life.

“I can’t sleep on this bus anymore it is too uncomfortable.”

“You brought your music.”

“Yeah, I brought that song you like to sing.” The rest of the bus ride they sang and laughed together, ignoring the rest of the kids on the bus who kept looking at them.

As the bus pulled up to the hotel the kids started exiting with their bags. One of the girls that walked passed them stopped by their seat. “You sounded really good, Melody. Even with Bonnie squalling in the background. I wanted to thank you for your help with math. I passed the test on Monday, and I am starting to understand what Mr. Temple is talking about in class.”

“No problem, Sasha, if you need more help let me know.”

“Will do.” As Sasha leaves the bus Melody was happy, realizing that a few of the kids were beginning to except her. She was even happier that her brother graduated last year and isn’t there to pick on her and have the other students joining him. This year isn’t half as bad as when he was going to school with her. The only problem is the Alpha’s son, Drew, is returning to school. He has been away at Alpha Training and needs to finish his last few credits for high school. Eric is Drew’s best friend and will become his beta when Drew takes over as Alpha. That means Eric will most likely hang around the school more.

As they stand up to get off the bus, Melody gives Bonnie a hug, “I can’t believe you did this for me. I can’t thank you enough.”

“Girl, stop all that thank you stuff. This trip would be so lame without you. I wouldn’t of had any fun at all.”

“You have other friends, you don’t need me to have fun. You would have had a great time on your own.”

“Don’t lie, you and I both know none of them are as cool as you. Now let’s get off this bus and have some fun.”