Melody

41

Alexander held her close during the afterglow. Before helping to get her dressed quickly. "Sorry, I know it was chilly in here." He said sheepishly. He needed the space to worship her perfectly.

"A little chill was worth that." She told him, a big satisfied smile on her face as they walked back to the jeep. "How did you know about this place?"

"My family used to stop here on our way to visit with Alec's. But that was a long time ago, the community nearby was built around the saw mill, when that closed the whole town pretty much dried up with it."

"It's a beautiful park, it's a shame it's just left alone like this, for kids to vandalize."

Alexander shrugged,"I know, I had a lot of fun here when I was young." They were back in the jeep, the blanket safe on the backseat. Melody was enjoying the heater blowing hot air on her, and seat heater warming her behind.

"You still haven't told me about your parents..." She watched as he tensed up. She put her hand on his thigh, "She can't be worse than my mom if we are going to her right?" Melody asked, feeling a fine thread of worry and fear lace through her for the first time while she was with Alexander.

Feeling her get scared while she was with him for the first time was enough to finally get him to be honest with her. "Mom is" he paused, still trying to come up with the right way to describe his mother. She was a force of nature, who only got more determined to get what she wanted after his father had died last year in a vampire attack. "Dad died last year, in a vampire attack on a blood bank the pack was providing security for. Since then, mom has been running the pack until I'm ready to take over. She is, she just; It's hard to explain, she became a little harder to be around. Excellent thoughtful leader to the pack,  has specific plans for her own family and is like an unstoppable force trying to get everyone where she wants."

"She is going to hate me..." Melody said quietly realizing they had more in common now, and that he didn't want to talk about his parents because his mother must be so disappointed Alexander was fated to a human. Melody wasn't dumb, or deaf. She had heard a couple of the bitchier pack members at Alec's place deriding that she was human, and stealing an alpha from some she wolf more deserving.

"Ohhhhhhhhhh that is where you are wrong." He gripped her hand in his tightly, "She expects that you should be pregnant when we arrive home, and we will jump directly into having our official bonding feast and ceremony probably this weekend."

Melody paled,"That's like a wedding isn't it?" She said her hand going to her scar to comfort herself from the new rush of stress. Alexander liked that she did that, that when she needed extra support she went to him in anyway she could.

"Stronger, longer, and more permanent than any wedding. We will bonded so tightly that even in the end of everything, when the world is reduced to split atoms, every single atom of me will find an atom of you to join on to. We will be eternal."

"That might be the most romantic thing I have ever heard" her voice was dreamy as she thought on his words, and probed the bond for his feelings. She eyes closing, as she relished the feelings of love and certainly she was awash in. "I don't think I'm ready for a baby though." she scrunched her nose up.

"We have lots of time for everything. We have forever."

Alexander and Melody drove for another four nights and four days. Taking several more 'rest stops' along their trip. Alexander took them down some country back roads to see the more scenic parts of the country, instead of just following the most direct route. It was Friday when they finally arrived at Alexander's home, another impossibly large mansion, this time instead of dense forest, the property was in sight of a majestic mountain range.

"This is where you grew up?" She asked, in awe that someone could grow up in a home like this and still seem so normal to her.

"Almost my whole life, except the bit of a time I spent away looking for you." He wrapped her under his arm and kissed her forehead while they stood in front of the jeep looking at his home and pack for the first time together. "One," he counted, "Two," Melody looked up at him confused, "Three..." she was about to ask what he was counting, when an excited shriek split the quiet night air from inside the home.

"My baby is home!" The front door of the house was thrown open with so much force Melody was sure the hinges must have strained. "With his MATE! Let me see you!" Melody had been frozen in place, unable to comprehend what was happening, it was going so quickly, when she was wrapped up in the wiry, strong arms of Alexander's mother, before she was circled like prey before the kill. "So petite! Alexander you better have been gentle with the poor girl. Pretty thing she is though." Melody's mouth fell open in shock now as her face burned.

Though Melody's cheeks flushed even brighter when she leaned down and sniffed at Melody's hair and neck deeply, before standing up straight again and smiling brightly. Alexander walked to his mom, giving her a hug, and putting himself between the two women. "Ma, I asked you to tone it down when we arrived." his face was a bright smile, Melody smiled looking at him. He loved his mom, it was obvious and sweet.

"I can't help it, I've been waiting for this moment your whole life my sweet baby boy!" She pinched his cheek like a terrible aunt in bad sitcom reruns. "I'll try and behave, wouldn't want to upset the mother of my future grand babies" Her face and tone said something to Melody's subconscious. Something she didn't want to think was true, because it just couldn't be. "Now I need to borrow Melody, you two can have the Rose cottage for your honeymoon phase, Alexander be a dear and start moving your things in while Melody and I make some final choices for Sunday." The grin on his mother's face was positively evil at that moment.

"What's Sunday?" Melody innocently asked, while Alexander was already groaning, loudly at his mother.

"Your Ceremony dear! And not a moment too soon really." Melody saw the wink, and felt herself pale now. Her and Alexander hadn't exactly been great at using protection since she was kidnapped.

"Mom! I told you to hold off on all that for now!" Alexander used a voice Melody had never heard, sounding much more like a petulant child arguing with his mommy.

"Tsk. Shush you. Go unpack, and after that go check in with Miles at the security office, he had been doing research on the Cackle you and Melody had trouble with out East. Melody and I have lots and lots to discuss." Melody wasn't given a chance to argue or object, she was being pulled along bodily into the house and away from Alexander. She threw a scared look over her shoulder back towards him, he shrugged his shoulders, mouthing a clear sorry to her until the door closed, cutting off her view of him.