Forget Me Not (Book 3 of Acceptance Series)

Chapter 43

Melody was the first to stir as soon as Aenes left, leaving us alone so that we could talk privately, and she moved her head away from where she had it so that she could look at me with wide eyes filled with pain and tears. "Are you su-"

"Shut up, Melody," I said and shook my head, pressing my lips into a thine. "I am sure about whatever I had said. I know that it isn't your fault, and not once have I blamed you. I am ok and will be ok."

Melody slowly blinked and pressed her lips into a thin line. A single tear fell from her eyes, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes and scowl while I wiped the tear away. "You are in a hospital bed, TJ, and you were out for a couple of days," she said sarcastically. "Of course, I am going to feel guilty." She grimaced and shook her head, biting the inside of her lip. "If I j-"

"If you had fought for me to be first in leaving the van, then you could be in the same position as me or worse, dead, Mel," I said, interrupting her with a shake of my head. "You could have died, Melody, and I would have felt guilty about it and don't know if I would have survived afterward." I shrugged and grimaced, clearing my throat. "Or at least, I wouldn't have been able to act as Alpha after that and make sure that the pack stays alive and well."

Melody grew silent and closed her eyes while she rested her head on my shoulder. She moved closer to me and bit back a small sniffle. "But I don't think I would be a good Alpha," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "You would still have made a better Alpha than me."

I scoffed a laugh and rolled my eyes while I scowled and pressed my lips into a thin line. "Very funny, Mel," I said, coldly. "I wouldn't have been able to lead as an Alpha, especially since you were under my care and protection."

I would have failed as an Alpha before I even began if you died under my care...

Melody bit back a small snort and rolled her eyes while she opened her eyes and looked at me. She scowled and narrowed her eyes, not saying a word, and I could tell that she didn't believe me.

I bit back a tired sigh and moved a hand through my hair before I shook my head and pursed my lips in annoyance. "I'm serious, Mel," I said before I cleared my throat and shifted in bed, closing my eyes ever so slightly. "I wouldn't have been able to act as an Alpha if you had died."

"You would have," Melody said and shook her head. "I know that you would have been able to act as an Alpha. You would have for-"

"If you say that I would have forgotten about you, then I will smack you, Melody Rose," I said, interrupting her while I called her by her "full" name. I bared my teeth and narrowed my eyes while I stared at her, and my eyes flashed to those of my wolf.

Melody bit back a tired sigh and shrugged, pressing her lips into a thin line. "That's how I feel," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, and I rolled my eyes and scowled. "I mean, I-"

"I am still going to stop you again," I said and shook my head while I interrupted her. "So, please, stop trying to tell me how I am going to think or not."

Melody hesitated before she slowly nodded, not saying a word. Her whole body sunk in defeat, even though I knew that the thoughts were still going on through her mind about her being the one in my position and then mine in hers.

"I didn't die," I said randomly and shook my head. "That is a good thing." I raised a finger when I felt her open her mouth, and she instantly closed her mouth. "Yes, I was in a coma for a couple of days and am in the hospital until our parents and Aenes say that I can leave, but I am alive and will be well."

My little sister hesitated again before she slowly nodded. "I am glad that you didn't die," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, closing her eyes. "I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself if you did."

I bit back a small chuckle and nodded. "I know," I said and placed a small kiss on her forehead and she bit back a small smile. "Have you been watching over Serenity?" I asked randomly, and Mel nodded in confirmation.

"Yes," she said before she cleared her throat and shifted in bed. "Whenever she leaves the house, I make sure that I am close by. She's getting a little suspicious about me being there and popping up randomly, but I honestly don't care."

I bit back a small snort and rolled my eyes. "I take it that other pack members are linking you?" I asked and raised an eyebrow in question, and she nodded. "And they don't approach?"

Melody hesitated and bit the inside of her lip. She didn't say a word, and I could tell that something had happened to my mate, and the hair on the back of my neck stood up at attention.

My whole body grew tense, and a small scowl appeared on my face while I shifted her a little away so that I could look at her. "Mel?" I asked and raised an eyebrow in question. "What is it? What happened?"

Melody hesitated and pressed her lips into a thin line. She did not say a word and buried herself closer to me, and I had a feeling that whatever happened wasn't something that she wanted me to know or worry about while I was still in the hospital recovering.

"Melody," I said and tucked my head closer to my chest while I stared at her, pressing my lips into a thin line. "What happened? What's wrong? Please, don't tell me that someone tried to hurt my mate."

Melody bit back a tired sigh and slowly shook her head. She closed her eyes and moved closer to me. "Can we talk about this later, TJ?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Please?"

"And why not now?" I asked and raised an eyebrow in question. My whole body grew tense, and my heart skipped a beat before it started to pound faster in my chest but not enough to set off the alarm and scare the pack doctors or Aenes. "What happened, Melody? Is my mate ok?"

"Please," Melody said, her voice barely above a whisper and shook her head. "Please don't push at least until you are out of the hospital and have a clean bill of health. It's nothing bad, I promise, but I don't want you to do anything stupid while you are still here."

I bit back a tired sigh and moved a hand through my hair and across my face, relenting, deciding that it would be for the best not to argue with her. "Fine," I said tiredly, earning a small chuckle from her while her whole body slowly started to relax. "But please know that I don't like it one bit."

Melody bit back a small chuckle and slowly nodded. "I know," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I know that you don't like it, but I promise that I will tell you as soon as you are out of the hospital." She bowed her head, and her smile grew sadder. "You have my word, T."