By The Full Moon's Light

Chapter 7~ Temper, Temper

Melody's POV

"So, Colin," I started, plopping down on his bed. "Why haven't you told me about your new boy toy?"

"He's not a boy toy... He's my Mate," Colin answered, looking at the ground and blushing.

"Your Mate? Seriously? That's great news, Colin! Why didn't you tell me sooner?" I asked, giddily.

"Because we just discovered it today and I'm still reeling," He said, flopping on his bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Tell me everything."

"Well, his name is Luca and he's from the Lycus pack from Paris. He's an Alpha-leaning Beta and he's drop-dead gorgeous. I mean, he fits my description of the perfect man to the t."

"So, he's a couple of inches taller than you, slightly buff, green eyes, and has light brown hair?"

"Yes! And I can't believe he's mine and I'm his," Colin sighed.

"So why did you sleep in our room last night? Why not bunk with your Mate?" I asked, winking.

"Because I had to make sure you were ok, girl. You were all panicky a couple of nights ago and I was worried."

"Everything's fine, I promise. Now help me get dressed so we can go to breakfast. I'm starving."

"You're always hungry. It's not cute, Melody."

"I can't help it, Colin. I can't just decide not to be hungry. That's not how this shit works," I huffed, going to our closet and picking out something especially sarcastic.

"Maybe not but you could be a little more reserved at mealtimes."

"I'm not going to become Anorexic just because you're a closet eater, Colin. Not gonna happen."

"Hey! I am not a closet eater!"

"Sorry, you're right. You took a total of eight bites at dinner last night. How could I forget?" I replied.

"I have to watch my girlish figure, otherwise Luca might not want me anymore. I've spent far too long looking for him, I am not going to lose him to a couple of stubborn pounds."

"Colin, even if you were the fattest man I knew, you'd still be the most fabulous. Now, how about you eat a whole meal for breakfast and I'll let you off the hook with a few bites at lunch and dinner? And we'll work our way up, huh?"

"But-"

"Colin, Luca is not going to leave you based on your weight. That's not how Mates work. You two are stuck with one another."

"Maybe you're right. I am a closet eater..."

"And the first step to getting better is acceptance. Now, how about we move on to step two?"

"Eating a whole meal in front of people?"

"Now you're getting it," I smiled, dragging him to the dining room. By some miracle, we weren't too late.

"Is it ok if I-"

"Go sit next to your Mate. He's probably dying to see you," I said, nudging Colin gently. He smiled and made his way over to Luca. I took my place in between my sisters when something... brash... hit my ears.

"I can't believe Luca is with that fag," A particularly shrill voice said.

"I know! Someone that attractive shouldn't be with a twink, they should be with an actual woman; one who isn't as flat as a board." I had heard enough. My vision went red as my canine's extended and my tail, ears and claws made their appearance.

"Say one more thing like that about my best friend and I will end you. I don't care who's watching, I don't care if it starts a war; I will not have homophobia said about any of my packmates, do. I. Make. Myself. Clear?" I growled at the bitchy Omegas, feeling more and more of my body shift into my wolf form.

"I can't help it if he's more Otter than wolf," One of the women said and I lost whatever strand of control I had left. Completely shifting into wolf form, I lunged across the table and at the bitches.

"Gabe!" My dad called as he rushed to contain me. Several strong arms pulled me off the shivering Omegas who had ultimately lost their spunk.

"Melody, calm down," Dad whispered to me, desperate to get me to relax. I snapped my jaw at him; a warning to back off. "I know you're mad, and I am too, but you need to relax. Shift back. Then we can fix this mess." I growled at him. What mess? Then it hit me. I had revealed my Alpha status to a large group of wolves who believed I was an Omega. Oh. That mess. My eyes flickered to Steve's, who was the only one besides my pack who didn't look surprised or mad. He looked scared for me, and still, there was that something that I couldn't place. He walked over to me and kneeled before me, never breaking eye contact.

"Melody. Listen to me. You need to shift so that we can figure this out," He said, radiating calm. I had never felt so instantly calm. I shifted back and my brother and dad released me.

"Aren't you supposed to be an Omega?" Henri, the Alpha of the Lycus pack asked.

"Yes," I answered, not backing down to his harsh tone.

"Then why lie? Why not just tell everyone you're an Alpha?" He sneered.

"That's none of your business," I snarled.

Steve's POV

I knew that this was going to go badly from the moment I saw Melody's eyes begin to glow. Things had only gone downhill from there, and now here we were. All eyes staring at Melody, all accusing her of a huge crime.

"It is because you lied to us. All of us," Tony told her.

"Leave it, Tony. She's right, it's none of our business why she hid it," I told him.

"Did you know about this," Buck asked.

"Does it matter? We've all just discovered that a supposed Omega of the Lupine pack is an Alpha. And a strong one at that. But didn't you present early?" Trevor, Henri's son sneered at her. I could feel myself begin to lose control, how dare he speak to her that way? How dare any of them?

"Mind. Your damn. Business," Melody snapped back, sending out waves of Alpha energy that even I couldn't defy. She made it pretty clear, she was the strongest Alpha here.

"How about we all take a break, hmm? Go to our rooms and digest all of this?" Melody's father desperately tried to take charge of the situation.

"Great idea, dad," She said, walking off to her room. It took everything in me not to follow her. I lost that fight.

"Melody, can I come in?" I asked, rapping my knuckles on the door. She didn't answer and I opened the door slowly. Once I had made it inside the room, it wasn't hard to spot her. She had built herself a nest and was huddled in it.

"Melody, are you ok?" I sighed, sitting next to her shaking form.

"I've fucked everything up, Steve. What am I going to do?"

"You're going to take a break, relax a little and then you're going to go back downstairs and explain everything. And I'll be right next to you the whole time."

"Thanks, Steve. But can't I just not come out of my room today? It seems like they don't really want me down there anyway."

"Only if you promise me that you'll face this head on tomorrow."

"Deal," She said. "Hey, Steve?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you hold me? It'll help with my shaking."

"Sure," I smiled, laying down on her bed, and pulling her close to me. It didn't take her long to fall asleep on my chest. And despite the situation that brought us here, I couldn't have been happier about it.