KEITH’S POV
“Melinda regained her consciousness. She still seems a bit disturbed, but she did talk to me.” I said to Kain over the call, as I moved along the road in my car.
“What about the bruises?”
My grip on the steering wheel increased, and I gulped. Biting the inside of my cheek to keep my temper under control, I lied, “They seem to have faded too.”
Kain was the most sensitive amongst us. If he knew Melinda’s actual condition, he wouldn’t be able to think straight and get into trouble.
“That is an immense relief. There are no flights for L.A. today, but I will take the first flight tomorrow morning. Clara has given me some effective painkillers and ointments. I am sure they will help.”
My jaws clenched as I pursed my lips. Was I some sort of idiot? Consumed by the need for revenge, I didn’t even think about getting medicine for Melinda. My b
Carrying Melinda to the bed, I tucked her under the comforter, holding her for a moment to give her some warmth. “Do you feel better now?”My question was met with silence again. Sitting beside her on the bed, I pressed my palm against her forehead; gasping as the heat seeped into my skin.She was burning with fever, but what bothered me even more was her absolute silence despite being conscious.Swallowing the lump that had formed in my throat, I stuttered, “Melinda… will you please say something? My voice became shaky as I continued. “Melinda… please… I can’t see you like this.”My eyes burned with unshed tears as she continued to gape into the space. Helping her to a sitting position, I wrapped my arms around her in a tight embrace.This worked. Slowly, her trembling body relaxed in my arms and she mumbled, “Why did you save me? It would have been nice if I had died….”
CHAPTER 8 MELINDA’S POV I woke up with a start to find myself cocooned in warmth. My lips spread into a smile as I stretched my arms; gasping as my fingers came into contact with something soft.My jaws hung open and my eyes widened in horror when I saw the man who had saved me lying next to me. Massaging my forehead, I tried to recall what had happened. I had gone to the bathroom to take a shower and those memories…I shook my head, stopping my mind from going down that dark hole again. Chewing my lower lip, I looked at the man’s face. He must have carried me to the bed and taken care of me.My heart fluttered as my gaze drifted over his sharp features, landing on his kissable lips. The moment that thought crossed my mind, I jumped to my feet with a mortified gasp. How could I even think like this?He was hot, good looking and had saved my life, but that didn’t change the fact tha
KEITH’S POV ‘Stop! What in the world do you think you are doing?’ Jake’s voice tore through the haze of anger, frustration, and guilt that consumed me. ‘How can you abandon our mate in the middle of nowhere?’My foot landed on the brakes, and my car came to a screeching halt. A frustrated scream left my lips as I smacked my head on the steering wheel.‘You are my human counter-part. Aren’t you supposed to be calm and sensible?’ Jake chided in an annoyed voice. ‘You know Melinda is emotionally unstable, yet you lost control.’I swallowed hard as my chest congested with a fresh wave of guilt. It was so wrong of me to direct my anger at Melinda.‘Yes, absolutely wrong. Now, go back and apologise before I start mincing your brain. You need to get a hold on yourself, Keith.”With an agonised sigh, I grabbed my phone and checked her location. The
Melinda’s POV My heart started drumming like crazy; hyperaware of the proximity. Goosebumps arose all over my body as he lowered his head and buried his face in the crook of my neck.My mind went blank and a strange buzzing noise rang in my ears. Something sharp grazed the tender region next to my collarbone. My arms wrapped around his broad back and I drew closer, as if trying to mould myself into his body.‘Are you sure this is what you want?’ Corel’s voice sounded in my head, making me gasp.This broke the moment, and he pushed me away. The tender expression on his face turned into something that was a mixture of disdain and hatred.“I am leaving,” his dead voice sounded as he turned around and started walking. His steps faltered next to the car, and he called over his shoulder, “If you want me to drop you, you might like to hurry. I am not exactly a patient person.”I bit
KEITH’S POV Sitting down in the driver’s seat of the SUV, I took out my phone to find twelve missed calls from Kramen. There was a message too. ‘I was waiting right till the time the flight took off. Why didn’t you call me?’My knuckles turned white as my grip on the phone tightened. Swallowing the lump that had formed in my throat, I typed the reply with lightly shaking fingers,‘Melinda and I have grown quite close. I almost marked her today…. It is only a matter of time before she chooses me. Plus, you are going to sacrifice your life to save our parents. Why confuse her at this juncture? Forget about talking to her and focus on being a good son.’A muffled whimper left my lips and I banged my head against the steering wheel. What was I doing? Why was I hurting everyone dear to me?Melinda’s tear-stained face flashed before my eyes, ripping my broken heart into bits.
KEITH’S POV My lips curled into a smile as I watched Melinda on the screen of my laptop. She was sitting in the garden, lost in her thoughts. She was like that bright ray of sunshine who kept me from drowning even though I was surrounded by darkness.It had been two days since my family went into hiding. For now, they were safe, but I didn’t know how much longer they could remain hidden. Alpha Logan and Houston’s men were going crazy; their men searching every house and vehicle.A sharp mechanical whirring sounded over me, drawing my attention. Craning my head, I looked at the sky to find a helicopter landing on the terrace of our building. If I was back in Queensland, I could have used our private chopper, too. Maybe not; Alpha Logan must have already sealed our hangar.My gaze lingered on the helicopter for a moment before I shrugged and turned my attention back to the screen.“I want to go for a drive.&r
KEITH’S POV “Why did you call me here?” I asked, my eyes darting around what seemed like an opening to a cave.“I thought it was just me…” Alexander reached over and held me by my shoulders. “Figures you have a poor memory, too.”“Sorry?”“Are you trying to back away from your part of the deal, Keith?”“Of course not… It is just that…” I shrugged. “Never mind. Please lead the way.”My heartbeat accelerated a tad bit as we entered the dark, hollow space. The ceiling was so low that I had to keep my back bent to walk along. After walking a few more yards, the space widened, revealing something like a cavern.This region was a bit more lit up courtesy of the numerous chinks in the ceiling through which sunlight streamed inside. The pillars of stalactites glistened in the glow, creating a soft glowing effect.
MELINDA’S POV My lips curved in a rueful smile as I leaned backward; letting the wind slash across my face. With a tug, I surged forward, moving closer to the garden.The chains of the swing clanked and she sweet scent of night queens filled my nose. My smile widened. This life was pretty good, too. Yes, I was a bit lonely and missed my mom terribly, but my mates were safe.There were people protecting me and they didn’t really bother me unless I tried to leave the guesthouse. At first, I was very angry at Keith, but now I guess this place had grown on me.Though Justin pretended to be coldhearted, he took good care of me. Having no work to do, I spent my time reading books, gardening, watching TV. I had started keeping a journal too.‘You call that a journal?’ Corel’s voice sounded. ‘All you have written about is Keith…. I think you have recorded every second you spent with him, every wo