Chasing Melody

Dear Journal,

Chase came back for me.

Not so alone,

Melody Hunter

Chase’s hand grips mine tightly as he pulls me into my bedroom.

“I’m giving you five minutes to pack all of your essentials.” I give him a quick nod and turn to face my closet. “That means no books,” my head snaps to the side as I see Chase’s reflection in my vanity mirror as he walks out. He is trying to lighten the mood.

I’m pretty sure of three things.

My mother is coming back.

Chase is coming back.

And I’m coming back either in a body bag or on a stretcher.

Running to my closet I grab the duffle bag that I used to take to my uncle’s house whenever I would sleepover. Running between my dresser and closet I grab what I think I need.

Bras, underwear, socks, jeans, shirts.

Clothes fly into the duffle bag without any organization at all.

Looking down I have my converse on, they will have to do. Zipping up the duffle bag Chase runs back inside my room, “I have toothbrushes and toothpaste.” He informs me.

Deodorant! I grab mine from my counter and then look at Chase. “Are you ready?” He asks and I shrug.

Am I ready to walk into the enemy’s territory? Where even their kids can kill me if I were to be found out. “I’m as ready as I’ll ever be,” I sigh and grab my bag.

“Then let’s get going.” Following Chase outside the dark sky looms over my parents' territory my eyes search for the moon but it seems to be hiding.

“Where’s the moon?” Chase turns around and his eyebrows pull together.

“What? In the sky obvio-” he stops short as his eyes fail to find the moon as well. “There,” he points and the moon is covered by the trees and partially by the mountain.

“I remember my mother telling me a story about this when I was younger. She said that where we live the moon can be blocked off by the mountains. Thus giving the name to our pack. I remember saying that I wanted to climb over the mountains and be the only one to see the moon. She said she would take me when I got older.” I release a humorless laugh, “it always happens around or on my birthday.”

“I promise you that you and your mother will be able to do that. We have five days until your birthday.” My chest constricts at the mention of my birthday. How long have I wanted this day to come and now I do not know if I am going to be alive to experience it. The burning in my eyes makes me hold my breath and swallow down my emotions. “Now, come on,” he grabs ahold of my duffle bag and makes his way to his Range Rover.

“Melody,” his voice makes my body freeze and Chase is by my side in seconds. “I need to talk to you two.” Turning around I come face to face with my uncle Ken.

“Oh,” I sigh in relief that it is him.

My uncle's eyes drift to Chase, “we need a game plan.”

*

My body bounces in my seat as Chase maneuvers his car through the unpaved path. The seatbelt digs into my skin as my hands grip my seat trying to lessen the bounce.

My uncle and Chase’s plan is still being absorbed by my brain.

They want us to infiltrate the rogues' pack. They came up with a brilliant plan. We are to walk up to the pack and try to befriend them.

Learn about their plan.

Locate my mother.

Then simply walk away.

They act as if I am Lara Croft and well trained.

The screeching of tires erupts and suddenly my body slams into the seatbelt.

With a loud oof, I glare at Chase. He stares at me for a moment as if contemplating something.

“We need to change,” my eyes stare out the window and we are in the middle of the forest.

“Why? There is no way that I am changing out there in the forest and I’m not changing in here with you.” Dude, I am not about to put on a show for anyone.

He mutters under his breath, "humans!”

“Yeah, I am, so bite my Mr. Big Bad Wolf!” I hiss at him.

He does not respond instead his hand goes to the backseat and he brings forth a black bag. “Wear this,” he drops the bag onto my lap.

"What is all this? I have my clothes." I start to argue but it seems as Chase is not having any of it.

“Your clothes have the scent of the pack. This does not. I’m a set a perimeter and when you’re done come outside.” Chase opens the door and gets out.

Sighing I unbuckle my seatbelt and open up the bag.

After struggling for a good fifteen minutes I finally manage to make my way out of the car. Chase is leaning against a tree staring at me as he arches an eyebrow.

“Who would have thought it?” He smirks at me, “you look good in leather.” I roll my eyes. The contents in the bag had some leather items that I would never have bought for myself. A leather jacket and leather gloves with the tips cut off. The white tank top was too thin for my liking but that was everything Chase gave me.

Chase nods his head to the side telling me to come closer. I do as he says and then he points to the tree stump before him.

“Sit,” I obey him. He kneels before me and as if were a normal thing he lifts my foot off the ground and pulls my shoe off. He picks something off the ground and then gently maneuvers my foot into it. The combat boots fit snug and surprisingly light. He does the same to my other foot lacing them up nice and tight.

“I’m not Cinderella you know.” I finally say when he gets off the ground and I stand up with him. He takes a couple of steps away from me his eyes take me all in. “Why am I wearing this?” I gesture to all of me.

“Because you’re going to be the badass wolf hunter in this,” he shrugs as if it were nothing.

Wolfhunter? No way!

“You’re kidding right?” There is no way that I can pull this off. What if they want proof that I can take down a wolf, what then?

“No, I’m not.” He makes his way closer to me his hands suddenly gripping my waist. “You went to the Moonless pack so that you could get closer to the alphas.” The click somehow resonated in my ears, “you were scoping out the place when the alpha was taken.” His eyes burn into mine. Lowering down he hands grip my thigh, “chaos soon followed. I came after you,” another click, “you fought off Drake and me.” I swallow down and his eyes gleam down at me, “you took me as your prisoner.”

Chase straightens himself up and takes a step back admiring his handiwork. “I don’t-”

He presses his finger against his lips. “I am going to train you until the morning light and then we walk through their territory.”

“You know I don’t stand a chance against a werewolf. You have seen me fight.”

“That was before when you had nothing to fight for. Now you have a reason to fight back!”