Chapter 10: 10: The Truth

MELANIE

I change into something comfortable and make my way to the living room, my thoughts already lost in the book I’d been reading before Beck’s water prank.

As I reach the bottom of the stairs, I see Selene and Jaydon stumble in, soaked to the skin.

I quickly grab them towels, making sure to keep my distance.

After throwing them each a towel and reminding them about the freshly cleaned floors, I retreat to the comfort of the couch.

I pick up my book, only to realize I hadn’t marked my page when I’d jumped up to help Beck.

I mutter under my breath, flipping through the pages to find my place.

I’m so engrossed in my search that I don’t notice I’m not alone anymore.

“Ah ha,” I exclaim, finally finding my page.

A chuckle sounds just inches from my face.

Startled, I turn to find Beck leaning over the back of the couch, his face close to mine.

“What are you doing?” I ask him.

“Smelling your hair,” he winks at me, straightening up.

He then walks around the couch and plops down next to me.

“Reading some romance novel?” He asks, glancing at the book in my hands.

“And if I am?” I feel a blush creeping up my cheeks, suddenly self-conscious about my choice of reading material.

Everyone always assumed I only read textbooks.

Beck just shrugs.

“Read whatever makes you happy. But maybe instead of reading about romance, you should have a little in your life,” he suggests.

I burst out laughing.

“Have you met my brother? Or my father for that matter?”

“Yep. Know them both well. Good guys,” he replies with a smirk.

I shake my head and return my attention to my book, hoping he’d take the hint and leave me alone.

But he doesn’t.

He sits quietly next to me for what feels like an eternity but was probably only ten minutes.

Finally, I close my book and turn to look at him.

He’s staring at me, a goofy grin on his face.

“Beck?” I ask.

“Yeah,” he replies, his grin widening.

“That is my name.”

“Do you want something?” I ask, puzzled by his behavior.

Beck turns to face me, reaching out to take the book from my hands.

He sets it aside and takes my hands in his, gently rubbing his thumbs over my palms.

“Uhhhh…” I start to say, but he cuts me off.

“No Mel, let me start. This is hard for me. Being serious is hard for me most of the time. I need you to just hear me out, ok?”

He looks at me expectantly.

I nod, waiting for him to continue.

My stomach flutters as he continues to rub my palms.

I struggle to focus on his words as he says something I never expected.

“I want to take you to your spring dance, Mel. I don’t want you to go with some creep, I want it to be me. What do you say?”

He looks up at me, his gaze moving from my lips to my eyes.

I must look as shocked as I feel.

“Wow. I certainly didn’t see that coming,” I admit.

Beck continues to watch me, his expression anxious.

“Why though? You’ve been out of high school for three years now. I’m sure you don’t really want to go to a high school dance, do you?” I ask, biting my lower lip.

He still holds my hands.

I’m confused, excited, and nervous all at once.

What’s happening?

Beck sighs.

“I’ve always liked you, Melanie. You must know that. I don’t care that it’s a high school dance, I just want to go with you. Be with you. I don’t want to see you with other guys. And before you answer, Max and I talked about this. A lot actually. He’s ok with it, just ask him if you don’t believe me.”

His voice is hopeful.

“I don’t think you’d lie to me Beck. I’m just surprised is all. Up until recently, you’d just kind of said hello and waved as you walked by me. Why the sudden change of heart?” I ask.

“No change of heart. I just was afraid of rejection, I guess. Well and of Max kicking my ass too, but that’s not going to happen. You’re beautiful Melanie, and a really good-hearted person. You’re very smart, and I’m just a goofball. I didn’t think you would be into a joker like me.”

He tilts his head to the side, a look on his face that I can’t decipher.

“That’s so sweet of you to say Beck. Goofball or not, you’re also very smart. Making people laugh is part of your charm, you know.”

I smile at him and he returns it.

“I’d actually like it very much if you would take me to my dance.”

My voice is barely above a whisper.

If we weren’t wolves, he might not have heard me.

But I know he did because his smile widens.

Beck lets go of my hands and cups my face, pulling me toward him.

He brushes a soft kiss across my lips.

It’s my first kiss, and I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it’s sweet and gentle, leaving my lips tingling.

A loud growl interrupts us and I turn to see Max glaring at us.

I can’t help but laugh, maybe it’s the nerves.

Beck doesn’t move from the sofa. He just looks at Max and smiles.

“Hey Alpha, I’m taking your sister to her dance.”

Max grunts and nods, then walks out.

Beck turns back to me and smiles.

“See you at dinner.”

And just like that, I’m alone again in the living room.

MAX

As we sit down for dinner, I pull out the chair next to Beck.

Everyone is engrossed in their own conversations when I lean over to Beck and whisper, “What the fuck man?”.

Beck looks at me and smiles.

“What?”

“You know what. Don’t be an ass. Why did I walk in to find you kissing my sister? You were supposed to ask her to the dance, not make out with her.”

Beck laughs so hard he snorts.

Everyone glances at us briefly before returning to their conversations.

“Are you serious, man? Making out? I gave her a chaste little kiss that lasted like two seconds. Anyway,” he waves his hand dismissively.

“What did you think would happen if your sister started dating? Of course, she’s going to get kissed. Better me than that douche Jacob or Jarred or whatever his name is.”

He has a point.

I still don’t like it.

I slump back in my chair, arms folded tightly across my chest.

I’m not ready to talk, not yet.

I’m still simmering, still angry.

I know Beck’s right, but that doesn’t make it any easier.

Melanie and Selene walk in, their voices hushed.

They stop talking as they near the table.

Selene takes a seat next to Jaydon, and Melanie sits next to me.

She gives me a small, uncertain smile as she settles into her chair.

“Did your call go okay?” she whispers, just as dinner starts and the food begins to circulate.

“Ugh. I don’t even want to think about that guy,” I admit.

She chuckles softly.

“Is that why you were so grumpy earlier?”

I take a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

“That’s part of it, I guess. I wasn’t expecting to see you and Beck making out either.”

I glance at her.

She’s stopped eating, her eyes wide as she looks at me.

“Max, you can’t be serious. Making out.”

She rolls her eyes, passing me the steak platter.

I grab a thick, juicy piece, still bloody in the middle.

Just how I like it.

Who wants to eat a burned piece of meat anyway?

“Okay, maybe I exaggerated a bit,” I confess, winking at her.

“But seriously, Max. I want to know what happened on the call.”

Her voice is louder than she intended.

Dad drops his fork, staring at her.

“What did you say, Melanie?” he asks.

Melanie squirms in her seat, mouthing a silent “Sorry” to me before turning to Dad.

“Nothing, just wondering how the call with the Half Moon pack went.”

She blushes, looking down at her plate.

Dad shakes his head, continuing to eat.

After a moment, he clears his throat, a signal for everyone to pay attention.

“There’s no point in hiding things. Everything comes out eventually. So, Max, why don’t you tell us about your call today? And let’s be clear, it wasn’t with the Half Moon Pack. It was only with Derek, right?”

His gaze is stern as he looks at me.

“Yes, Alpha. I thought he might be more open if it was just me on the call, without anyone else listening in. I think he was, even though I didn’t like what he had to say. Not that I expected to,” I tell everyone at the table.

The room falls silent, everyone hanging on my words.

That’s a rarity in this house.

“Derek thinks he was set up. I’m not sure I believe him, but we’ll find out eventually. He says the girl made the first move. He didn’t know who she was until her uncle caught them in the office. Her brother was waiting at the bottom of the stairs. He says he didn’t stand a chance, they followed him outside. His friends didn’t even have time to push through the crowd. They beat him up and then left. He says he laid there for a moment to gather himself and then the girl walked up to him, gave him a pitiful look, laughed, and walked off in the same direction her brother and his friends had gone. He insists they’ve been at odds since high school,” I give them the short version of his story.

The guy’s a player, so who knows how much of it is true.

The council is supposedly reviewing some video footage from the club and questioning everyone involved.

This could take weeks.

“Anyway, in two more days the council will let us know about training. So, I just have to wait until Friday, and then we move forward.”

I start cutting into my steak, done with the conversation.

Melanie reaches over and gives my forearm a squeeze, and the table chatter resumes its usual hum as everyone shares their thoughts on the story.

The idea of spending the next two years with those two idiots is not something I’m looking forward to.

Not at all.