The Lady Of The Manor

Chapter 26~ Bound

Melody's POV

"So where'd you disappear too for a few days? You weren't answering your phone," Ryan asked while we were walking around town.

"I did what I do best and ran away from my problems," I answered vaguely, sighing in remembrance of what had happened.

"What problem?" He pushed and I knew he wasn't letting this go.

"Well, Dark got a girlfriend who turned out to be an evil bitch who caused me to revert back into my depression. I finally had enough when Dark accused me of being jealous and I lived out in the woods for a few days," I recapped, trying not to feel the sting of Dark's actions.

"Damn. You know you could have stayed with me, right?" Ryan asked as we rounded a corner.

"I wasn't thinking, Ryan. I just wanted out of that house. I felt like a burden to all of my dads and I didn't really want to be around anyone. I just wanted to be alone," I shrugged.

"So I take it everything's resolved then? If you're back to civilization?"

"Things are on the mend. I still can't shake the feeling that Dark's mad at me even though he's been treating me like glass and spoiling me. It feels like a cheap patch-up job or something."

"Yeah, what you need is a long cuddle session and all of the Disney movies. You've never been one for fancy gestures," Ryan agreed and I smiled at how well he knew me despite the fact we hadn't seen each other in years.

"You remembered..."

"Well yeah. I thought about you every day, hoping that you were ok and that someday we'd meet again."

"And lo and behold, we meet again," I giggled, looking to the ground and blushing.

"We meet again," He repeated.

"So what do you wanna do?" I asked as we rounded yet another corner.

"I dunno. Maybe we go to one of those indoor trampoline places for a while and then grab a bite?"

"That sounds awesome," I grinned and so that's what we did. We spent a couple hours just bouncing around and jumping off cliffs into pits of foam blocks. It was awesome until he somehow laded on top of me.

"Ryan!" I laughed, "Get off of me!" I tried pushing him off but I was so weak with laughter, my attempts were futile.

"Melody, I am so sorry!" He apologized while trying to muffle his own laughter.

"Just get up, you fucker," I wheezed and he got up.

"I think I could use some food now."

"Agreed," I said, still chuckling about the whole ordeal.

"You know, my dads would kill you if they found out what happened in there," I said as we walked to a nearby diner.

"Please don't tell them," He pleaded, essentially for his life.

"I won't. I promise. I like you too much." We got to the diner and were seated, Ryan ordering for me since some things don't change and he knew what I liked.

"I still find it amazing that you know what I like after all these years," I said after we were walking back to my house where Ryan had parked his truck.

"I meant what I said. I spent most of my time remembering tiny details about you in case we ever saw each other again. Speaking of that, I kinda wanted to ask you something..."

"What's up?" I asked, nervous about his tone.

"I know its been forever since we saw each other on a regular bases and I know it's only been a few months since we reconnected but..."

"Stop pussyfooting around, Ryan. Just ask me what you wanna ask."

"I was wondering if you might like to go steady..."

"Like official? Like boyfriend/girlfriend steady?" I asked, my heart pounding.

"...Yeah..."

"Are you sure you wanna do that?" I asked, memories of what Brandi had said to me flooding back. Ryan didn't answer and for several long moments, it was silent. But then he pressed his lips to mine. I kissed back, lacing my arms around his neck. We broke apart and he spoke.

"Does that answer your question?"

"Yeah, it does," I answered softly, playing with his sandy hair. "And I'd love to go steady with you."

Timeskip to the next full moon

Melody's POV

"How are you feelin', baby?" Ryan asked over the phone.

"Like absolute shit. How are you?" I answered. It was true. My entire body was sore, and it hurt to eat, drink, sit, stand or even breathe. It hurt to exist. It had been like this for a few days; it was always like this during the days before a full moon. But it had never been this bad before.

"I'm a little sore myself," he admitted.

"Why don't you come over and we'll be sore bitches together?" I suggested and he agreed.

"I'll see you soon, Love."

"See you soon." I knew right when Ryan knocked on the door that he was here because Wilford started screaming up a storm. I dragged my ass out of bed and clunked down the stairs.

"Wilford, I love you, but for the love of God, please shut the fuck up and let my boyfriend pass." Ryan took advantage of Wilford's shock, leading me back up the stairs to my room. We collapsed on my bed, him laying on his back and my head on his chest. We stayed like that for a while, in comfortable silence. Until Ryan started shifting around.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"My shoulder all the way down to the inside of my elbow is tingling on my right side."

"Let me see," I said, moving to look at him better. He removed his shirt, and it took everything in me not to gawk at him. I turned my attention to the newly formed Wolves Mark on his arm. My eyes went wide and I took my own shirt off to show him that he had the inverse of my Mark; that we were Mates, destined for each other and bound to each other.

"This isn't a pissing contest to see who looks better shirtless Melody, you win every time."

"No, look, I hissed, pointing to my own Mark. I explained what it meant and his eyes went wide.

"So... I'm yours forever and your mine forever ad we can technically see other people but no one else will complete us the same way?"

"Pretty much," I answered.

"And here I thought I was going to have to work to keep your affections."

"You still have to gain all my dads' affections, Mister. This isn't going to be easy for you."

"Yeah... but you're worth it," Ryan answered before kissing my lips softly.