He was having a hard time

 Melody knocked on the door of her house with her heart in her mouth. She was scared now after doing what she did. What if her father finds out about it and beats her to death, just like her mother? Will her mother be disappointed in her for getting herself killed?

 The door was thrown open by her angry father; he glared down at her like she was a tiny annoying insect who dared to disturb him.

 Did he already know about what she did? Her body trembled. She was scared, she would rather not be hit by her father.

 " Where did you get those groceries? Well, I don't even care now, get your stupid self inside and cook. " he took her hand and dragged her inside, slamming the door.

 Melody sat in her school library during lunch, eating the cookies she baked before coming to school. She was with that magazine, but this time around she got the shock of her life when she looked at the face on it.

 It was one of those new guys. The one with black hair. His net worth mentioned in the magazine was not a minimal amount. He could buy the whole of their little town, county Vee and he wouldn't notice that money left his bank account. Wow!

     After school hours, Melody changed her uniform and went to the café. Within three hours, she was exhausted from baking and making coffee.

 Her body was getting weak from all the beating. She sat behind the counter and watched as people came in and went out.

 Melody needed to leave her father now. Not only that, but she was exhausted. She knew that any moment from now she will break down completely, just like her mother. She did not want to be like her mother, who feared leaving her father.

 She owes him nothing, instead it was the other way round he owes her plenty. Melody already had all the evidence against him, but she needed just a little more money to complete her savings. In two days she will be eighteen and be able to live on her own without anyone questioning her, but she doubts that she could make it. She may be dead before then. She was really sick, but she could not use that money which she had been saving for her freedom to treat herself. In fact, the money won't be enough.

 If she needs enough money to treat herself, then she needs to earn much more than she is earning now, or she might really die.

 Maybe for once in her life if God could show her a little speck of mercy and help her, then everything will be alright. Her mom taught her to pray and always talk to God, so he could hear and help her. Apart from God, she has no one else in her life.

 The door was pushed open and one of those city guys, the one with black hair, walked in dressed like everyone else in town. With faded jeans and an old top, she was sure that the people in the city would be horrified if they saw their most eligible bachelor dressed like a peasant.

 He was walking towards her, why? 

 " I need a cup of coffee and a plate of cookies", there was a friendly smile on his face.

    She shuddered, his voice was deep and smooth. If he were to be a singer, he would surely have the women dying for his music, not that he did not have them dying for him with how handsome he was.

 Damn when did she, Melody start admiring a man, especially one that was way older than her?

 " Hello" he waved his hand in front of her face.

 " Sorry" Melody said in a tiny voice as she got down from the stool she was sitting on, but it seems like she got down too quickly because her head spun, and she nearly fell down, but she was quick to hold the counter for support.

 " Baby, are you alright?” He sounded anxious and concerned.

 "I'm good" she waved him off, even if her heart warmed a little at the sign of concern she detected from his voice.

 When was the last time anyone asked if she was okay? Since mother died when she was five? She could not really remember. 

 She walked slowly to the coffee pot in the kitchen and took a cup of coffee for him and a plate of cookies. Melody returned and handed it over to him without a word. She was exhausted and did not want to say anything, not like she wanted to talk to him.

 Even after handing the cup of coffee over to him and his cookies, he lingered for some second's making her hold her breath. She avoided looking up at him, so he wouldn't see the bruises she received from her father's punches yesterday. Why was he not going to sit down?

 Thankfully, he turned and walked to a chair in the café and sat down, now she could breathe again. Throughout as he drank his coffee, she kept peering at him from under her hoodie, and he was also looking at her. What for?

 The door of the café was pushed open again and Madison and her Aunt Miss Betty walked in.

 " Melody get us coffee and some cake” Miss Betty shouted as she walked to take a seat in the café.

 Miss Betty came to a stop when she saw the city guy, and after some seconds of hesitation she turned and made a beeline for his table with Madison in tow. Melody nearly laughed when she saw Madison arranging her clothes, and she knew that given the opportunity she would rush into the bathroom to rearrange her make-up.

 Melody went to the kitchen and took two cups of coffee and cookies. She arranged it on a tray and walked to their table.

 She dropped it and turned to walk away when she heard a question that made her to stop

 " Did your father know what you did yesterday?” Miss Betty was still angry at Melody. How dare the tiny wench come to her house to ask for something that her father gave to her. If only her niece was not there, then she would not have given it to Melody.

 Melody kept mute. What could she say? After some seconds, she turned and began to walk away.

  " How dare you walk away without answering my aunt's question?” Madison sneered.

  " Hey, I don't want any noise here. I can allow you to share a table with me, but that does not mean that you can make noise and disturb me. If you guys intend to do that, then kindly move away”. The dark-haired guy growled at them.

 She was truly grateful. Really grateful but she would rather not agree that he just defended her, but she was thankful they left her alone since they would rather not be sent away from his table. She knew that they were glaring at her as she walked away. She was lucky once again, but will the luck last? She had offended them indirectly again.

 Melody was surprised that Miss Betty had not called her father to tell him about what she did, and she had not heard any gossip about it, but she knew that with what just happened it wouldn't be long before Miss Betty told her father, maybe they have not met recently. 

Yes, that was it.

 She knew how much of a hot-tempered woman Miss Betty was, so yes it won't take long. Perhaps she was ashamed that people would laugh at her.

 She rested her head on the counter top and within minutes she was asleep.

**

 Hunter felt like punching something or more importantly, he felt like punching the two women in front of him and considering that he had never laid his hands on a woman, he intended to start with them.

 He was having a hard time controlling himself. He came to the café today with the sole aim of watching his mate, even if from afar. These two women were running his plan. They had no right to insult his little mate in front of him, his wolf was trying to break out and deal with them.

    Why did she not say anything when she was spoken to, and why did she let the one that was her age talk to her like that? From the look of things, it was not the first time so why she was bearing anything thrown at her like a dog. He was angry with his mate.

 Even if she wanted to pay the older woman respect, she did not need to do that where the other girl was concerned.

 He could still remember his little sister punching anyone who talked to her disrespectfully, hell she even punched him sometimes if he stepped on her foot, but she respected him as the alpha.