Jaxon's POV
“Don’t touch me, Jaxon!” Melanie hisses, her voice sharp and defiant. She pushes her long, ash-brown hair out of her face. I love it when she wears her hair down; it frames her face perfectly. She’s sexy as fuck when she’s pissed off —fierce, untamed, like a volcano about to erupt.
“I’m just trying to help,” I mutter, raising my hand in a defensive gesture. I back away a step to give her space, knowing better not to push her. She’s already pissed about the whole Alpha thing,
She scoffs. “Well don’t.” She rolls those beautiful, violet eyes and it only makes me want to bend her over and punish her. She really does need someone to fuck this bad attitude out of her.
“You know what, since it’s our last day, let’s spar,” I suggest eagerly. “I know how much you love being pinned underneath me.”
She narrows her eyes at me, emitting a low growl. Without a word, she sinks into a crouch, her body taut and ready to strike. We begin to circle each other, moving with a fluid rhythm that feels almost like a dance. She smirks, bouncing back and forth on her heels, her long hair flowing with each movement. “C’mon, Jaxon. What are you waiting for?” she taunts, motioning for me to come at her.
I don’t hesitate. I launch myself toward her, but she’s quick, dodging my attack with lightning speed. “Gotta be faster than that,” she teases, her smirk widening as she glances over her shoulder at me.
I growl. She’s currently a bit too cocky for my liking. I lunge at her again, and she dodges the same way as before. Since I anticipated this, I swiftly grab her by the waist and knock her down on the mat. Her eyes blaze as she scrambles to get up, but I use my weight to trap her, pressing her back into the soft, rubbery surface.
Her body writhes beneath me as I grab her hands and pin them above her head. The heat from her skin seeps into mine, and her scent fills my senses. I lean down, whispering in her ear, “Tap out, baby girl.”
“Negative,” she hisses, her eyes darkening to an eggplant purple.
Her legs move with sudden agility, trying to wrap around mine to flip us over. She’s strong, but not strong enough to shift our position. I brace myself, keeping her pinned beneath me.
I smirk as she continues her escape attempt, little grunts escaping from her mouth. I’m about to let her go before the smell of her arousal hits my nose. Shadow starts going crazy; he wants nothing more than for me to bury myself inside of her. I swiftly position myself so that she can’t feel my erection.
Melanie and I lock eyes, and it’s as if the entire room fades away, leaving just us and the crackling tension I’ve never felt before. Before I can gather the courage to speak, a powerful aura sweeps into the room.
Alpha Damon.
I scramble to my feet and help Melanie up, joining the others as they bow their heads in respect. I notice everyone is doing it besides Melanie, whose eyes flash gold at the sight of her dad.
As Alpha Damon approaches us, Mel begins to walk in the opposite direction, but his furious growl freezes her in place. “Mel, I didn’t dismiss you.” There’s a warning in his voice that I’m all too familiar with.
Relutantly, she stands beside me, her face hard as a rock.
“As you already know, since today marks your final day in the Academy, I will be announcing Jaxon as the new Alpha to the pack tonight.” He declares, shooting a cold glare towards his daughter. “I hope everything goes smoothly.”
She folds her arms, retorting, “What is that supposed to mean?”
“I mean I don’t want you ruining Jaxon’s big moment just because you act infantile when you don’t get your way.” He steps forward until his huge form is towering over her. Any other wolf would be cowering in fear and shitting their pants, but she doesn’t back down.
She scoffs. “Don’t worry, Dad. I would never want to embarrass your golden child,” she spits with venom. I don’t want to be in the middle of this shit, but I quickly realize I AM the middle of it, thanks to Alpha Damon.
His face darkens, the wrinkles in his forehead deepening across his forehead. “Stop acting like a fucking brat, Melanie! I told you why I didn’t choose you,” he snaps through clenched teeth.
“Yeah, because you were never going to,” she retorts bitterly. “I don’t even know why I thought I could change your mind.”
“You’re so stubborn, ungrateful, and downright disrespectful. The Alpha male who becomes your mate will surely reject you on the spot,” Alpha Damon spits back.
They glare at each other, standing only inches apart. The fury radiates from them, the tension in the room like a live wire. “Take that back now,” she growls, her voice low and deadly.
“You are my biggest disappointment, Melanie. I’m just glad I found someone like Jaxon…someone who is worthy of being Alpha.”
I can’t even wrap my head around how he can talk to his own daughter like this, but I also know the man before me. Even with two daughters, he’s not a gentle, loving father you’d expect him to be. It’s also making me uncomfortable that they keep mentioning my name as if I’m not standing right here.
“Fuck you, dad!” she shouts, her voice bouncing off the wall. Then she turns around and walks out of the building, flipping him off.
I don’t know why, but watching her stand up to her dad, even though he’s the strongest werewolf in the room, gets my heart racing and blood pumping. And not just in my heart.
What the fuck is wrong with me?
Mel’s POVI storm out of the Academy flipping off and cursing Dad's name underneath my breath. How fucking dare he says those things to me in front of everyone —especially in front of Jaxon! Jaxon may be his little obedient lap dog, but I’ll never bow down to him!I get into my car, slamming the door as I mind-link Bliss.What's wrong, honey bun? She asks, her tone gentle, as always.My dad is the biggest dick ever! I exclaim.She sighs heavily. We already knew today would be hard for you.Yeah, but I planned to avoid him. Tell me why he purposely sought me out!He didn't!He did! And in front of his little golden child.Wow, I'm so sorry, sis. That's so fucked up. I can't do this anymore, Bliss. I think tonight I'm going to leave, I tell her, my voice hardening with determination.There’s a long silence, and I can almost feel her concern through the mind-link. I really hope you're joking, Mel. I know you want to get away from all this Alpha Damon/Jaxon shit, but please, just wait unt
Donna soon arrives with our pancakes, and gently places them in front of us with a cheerful, “Enjoy, girls!” We thank her and dive into our food, enjoying the quiet comfort of the diner.After a while, I notice Moon’s mood shift, her eyes filled with worry as she stares down at the table."What's wrong, princess?" I ask softly. I set my fork down, ready to listen. I don’t like it when she’s upset, but thankfully, she trusts me enough to talk to me.Moon’s frown deepens. "Are you mad that I'm friends with Ava?" "Why would you think that?""I know you hate her big brother.” She searches my face for a reaction, but I remain composed.I shake my head. "I don't hate him, it's just...complicated."Okay, that’s a lie. But she doesn’t need to know that. "Is it because Daddy is nicer to him than you?" she asks, her brown eyes wide with curiosity."Something like that," I mumble, finishing the last bite of my pancakes. Moon is more observant than I give her credit for. Sometimes, I forget that
Mel's POVThat was the last conversation I had with my mom where she was actually fully mentally present for. I think after that day, Dad started abusing her because she couldn't give him a male heir."Maybe if you weren't such a shitty father, you would have been there to name her, but since you weren't, it was a special name that me and Mom picked out."He glares at me with dangerously black eyes. "Melanie, this is the second time today that you've disrespected me. I won't tolerate this any longer!"He stands up and stalks towards me. My heart begins thudding in my chest, but I can't force myself to move.As he raises his hand to hit me, Mom jumps in the way. "Damon, don't-" she screams. The force of his slap is so hard that she falls to the ground."Mom!" I crouch down to check on her. There's a huge, red handprint on her face, and her eyes are filled with shock and shame."You're a monster!" I scream, looking up at him with hatred burning in my eyes.Dad’s expression hardens, his e
Jaxon’s POVI slowly button up my blue dress shirt and tuck it into my black slacks. Tonight, Alpha Damon is announcing that I am the next Alpha, with the formal ceremony in just four days. I can’t believe that this is finally happening.Excitement buzzes through my veins. I’ve waited years for this moment, ever since Alpha took me under his wing after my dad died in a rogue attack when I was just twelve. Back then, Ava was just a baby, and now she’s growing up in a pack where I’m about to become Alpha.“Jaxon!” Mom calls from downstairs. “Alpha Damon is here!”I check myself out in the mirror one last time before heading down. Alpha Damon is sitting on the couch, his massive arms crossed over his chest. He is wearing a black suit that is tight against his muscular build.“Alpha,” I greet, baring my neck before sitting down on the forest-green love seat across from him.He nods, his expression impossible to read. “I am very proud of you, Son.”“Thank you, Alpha,” I reply, sensing there
Jaxon's POVAfter she calls Ava from her room, we get into my car and head to the dining hall. All I can think about is what to do about Melanie. Although she is a potential threat, I don’t want any harm to come to her. I want to…protect her? No, that can’t be it. I just don’t want her death to be forever on my conscious. Yes, I’ve always had a little crush on her, but she can never be mine. I’ll eventually find my Luna, and If I’m successful at getting her safely away from the pack in time, she’ll meet her Alpha and live happily ever after.We arrive at the dining hall, and I make a beeline for Kaylee. She’s surrounded by a group of her friends, her tight, red dress drawing everyone’s attention. Her cleavage bounces with every movement, and it’s so short, I can nearly see her ass cheeks.My jaw clenches. It isn’t a dress she should be wearing for this kind of occasion. It makes me look bad as her boyfriend, but I’ll address that later. Her eyes light up when she spots me. “Oh, my Godd
Jaxon's POVI look across at Melanie, surprised to see her oddly calm. She’s chewing on her bottom lip, gazing out one of the windows on the wall in front of her. It’s like her mind is elsewhere. What could she be planning? Maybe Alpha is right, should I prepare for a coup?As the applause subsides, I stand up and give a somewhat awkward nod to my future pack members, even though I’ve known them all my life. Heat travels from my neck up to my ears, my cheeks turning redder by the second. I’m pretty sure everyone can see how much I’m blushing and sweating like a moron.“You can sit down now,” Alpha chuckles, noticing my discomfort. I quickly retake my seat, trying to mask my embarrassment. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Melanie smirking to herself. I choose to ignore it, pretending to listen to Alpha’s speech.“His Alpha ceremony will be on Friday. Attendance is mandatory,” Alpha announces. “That is all. Enjoy your dinner!” His voice booms through the dining hall, and the pack res
Mel’s POVI try to calm my nerves as I place my hands on Jaxon’s taut shoulders, and he holds my waist. At first, we awkwardly sway back and forth, but after the first time he spins me around, I find myself flawlessly gliding across the wooden floor. We move in sync, letting the gentle music guide us.He looks good. He smells good, too. That slutty breakfast aroma mixes well with his cologne. Also, I have never realized that his eyes remind me of the forest in spring; they are bright, gentle and beautiful. I can’t help but get lost in them as we waltz around the room. For a moment, everyone else disappears, and it’s just him and I floating on a cloud.Wait…I’m not supposed to be enjoying this. This is my rival, and I have a mission to accomplish. I don’t have time for this distraction.On the way over to the dining hall, I considered just turning around and leaving this pack for good. But I promised Mom she could have this last night with her. I didn’t know where we’ll go, but I’m adam
Mel's POVI stop dancing and stare at him in shock, my jaw dropping to the fucking floor. “Are you fucking serious right now?” I blurt out before I can stop myself.His eyes widen, and he quickly shushes me. “Shh! Come outside with me for a second,” he mumbles, grabbing my hand.As he pulls me through the crowd toward the foyer, I can feel several eyes drilling into my back. I know Dad is watching us for sure. Maybe Mom, too. And Kaylee, probably thinking I’m trying to steal her man. I grimace at the thought.Never. Jaxon drags me past the double doors into the dark woods, and we walk for a while, far enough that Dad can’t pick up our conversation. Jaxon abruptly turns, causing me to smack right into his muscular chest. “Oh fuck, sorry,” I mumble, catching my balance. “You didn’t bring me out here to kill me, right?” I don’t know why, but being alone with him makes me nervous. Maybe it’s because I don’t trust myself not to fall for his charm.Amusement dances in his eyes, but he does