Sugar Creek 2(37)

“You were asleep for three days, baby.” Damian kissed the top of her head. “We were so worried about you.”

“Three days?”

“Yes. We were scared you weren’t going to wake up,” Luke said.

“I’m here now and I feel better than ever.”

“Mel.” Damian paused to clear his throat nervously. “There is something we need to tell you.”

“Melissa,” Lucien called out from across the room and stood up. Gabe and Rafe copied his moves and then so did the rest of the men in the room. First, her Alpha and Betas bowed their heads to her and then Lucien began speaking again. “Please accept our gratitude for saving the life of our mate and pup. If there is ever anything you want or need, come to one of us and it will be yours.”

“Thank you, Alpha, Rafe, Gabe.” Melissa nodded her head.

And then the rest of the pack bowed to her and Melissa was so humbled by their show of deference and acceptance it brought tears to her eyes.

“Help your mate to a seat,” Gabe said. “She must be starving.”

Damian and Luke led her to the table and saw her seated. Alice started bringing the breakfast food over and when Melissa smelled the rare steak, her stomach growled with hunger. She’d never been one to want to eat meat first thing in the morning, but she guessed her new inner beast was making its presence known.

She was surprised when she was served first and everyone waited until she had filled her plate before filling their own. And it was then that she realized that each and every one of the people in this room acknowledged her for who she was. Emotion caused the muscles in her throat to constrict and tears burn the back of her eyes.

“Eat, baby, we can hear your stomach grumbling.” Damian nudged her arm.

Melissa ate and when she was full, she sat back with a sigh of repletion and wondered if anyone had found the person who had almost killed her.

“Did you find who shot me?”

The conversation around the room ceased and everyone looked to the head of the table where Lucien, Tessa, Gabe, and Rafe were seated.

“Damian found him,” Tessa answered, and lowered her head for a moment before meeting her gaze again. “The man who shot you was my ex. He was incarcerated in a mental institution six months ago, but managed to escape somehow. Damian found him hiding up a tree a long way from the house. He had a sniper rifle with a scope and shot you. As he was trying to get off the property, Damian saw him and knocked him out. He’s back in that facility and under tighter security.”

“That’s good,” Melissa said. “I’m glad he didn’t hurt you.”

“Thank you,” Tessa replied with tears in her eyes.

Melissa nodded. The conversation took on lighter tones and Melissa decided now was a good a time as any to broach the subject of the wolf she could feel pacing under the surface of her skin.

“Does it hurt to change?” she asked in a near whisper, but she should have known that everyone else would be able to hear her. Once again the conversations going on around her petered out.

“Not really,” Luke said. “It’s more like an ache the first few times. Sort of like growing pains.”

“Thank God for that.” She sighed.

“How long have you known, baby?” Damian asked.

“From the moment I first woke up.”

Damian and Luke each clasped one of her hands in theirs.

“You won’t be alone, honey.” Luke kissed the back of her hand. “We’ll be right alongside you.”

Melissa nodded and hoped that she didn’t make a fool of herself by crying or shouting when she changed from human to wolf.





Chapter Ten




Damian stood beside Melissa amongst the trees at the back of their cabin, with Luke on her other side. His mate looked around nervously, as if expecting other members of the pack to join them. He took her hands in his and felt how clammy they were with her nervousness.

“Don’t be worried, baby. I’ve asked that everyone stay away from this area for your first change.”

Melissa nodded her head and leaned into Luke when his brother came up behind her. “Do you trust us, honey?”

“Yes,” Melissa answered, immediately and with conviction.

“That’s good, baby. You need to take off all your clothes.”

Melissa gulped audibly but her fingers went to the buttons of her shirt and began to undo them. Once she was naked, Damian and Luke removed their clothes, too.

“Now, we want you to concentrate, Mel.” Luke stepped away from her. “Try and connect with the animal inside you and when you feel that itching feeling, don’t try and block it or push it back, but embrace it and try to pull it forward.”