The Darkest Star

Ch. 7 Hurt Feelings

Melisande watched from the backseat as Azrael and Salem sat beside each other stiffly. She'd claimed the backseat quickly, forcing Salem to sit up front. She wanted to know what gave, why her brother was suddenly interested in the same sex. It could be Salem's obvious cuteness, it was unfair how effortlessly beautiful he was. While he held enough boyish features to not be mistaken for a girl, his face still held a gentleness. It was soft but sharp, his lips full and cheekbones high.

After Salem had confessed that he had feelings for her brother, Melisande had been worried, waiting for when Salem would realize Azrael didn't feel the same. Now she worried for a completely different reason. She prayed to the Goddess that her brother wasn't using the Human boy or toying with his feelings.

"So...what the hell is going on?" They both stayed silent and she sighed. "Mom and dad aren't gonna like this." It wasn't that they were homophobic or anything but Azrael is an Alpha's Heir. He's expected to mate with a female who will birth strong pups for the family name and the pack.

"They won't find out." Melisande scoffed at her brother's dismissal.

"Bullshit, they'll smell the two of you once you walk in the house."

"I smell like Salem because I'm always around him, I smell like sex because I was with some female at the arcade." Melisande watched Salem lean further away from Azrael, his head resting against the car window. It seems she doesn't have to wait any longer for her brother to hurt his feelings. She growled at Azrael, getting a responding growl that made her sit back and shut up.

The rest of the car ride was silent aside from the radio Azrael eventually turned on. Salem didn't look at Azrael again until he had parked the car and quickly got out, they both watched the older male walk into the pack house.

"Don't take what he said to heart." She patted his shoulder and got out the car, Salem following her without a reply. When they walked in the house it was to see Azrael walk out the room with Samantha, which he'd obviously planned. The Alpha Pair were sitting together and they both looked at them with wide eyes. It was a little too late when she realized what they were thinking. She felt heat crawl up her neck to her ears. Salem just greeted them unaware before curling up in one of the large arm chairs.

Her father cleared his throat and directed a pleading look to his Mate.

"Mom, Dad, it's not what you think!" She fell back in the chair beside Salem's, her long legs stretched out in front of her. Salem looked at her confused but she watched as realization slowly drawn up in his eyes. Melisande looked to the door her brother had just walked through, already planning his death.

"If you didn't want us to know, you should have hid it better." Her mother said, looking between the two. "We know you're both young and at the age where you want to experiment. Melisande, we know what it's like to be a newly shifted Wolf with all these new hormones. We just want you both to be safe." Melisande groaned and Salem covered his face with his hands.

That was the beginning of a very long, very embarrassing conversation on the risks and dangers of unsafe sex which Melisande felt was for the sole purpose of Salem because shifters couldn't contract any of the Human diseases. The only part of the conversation directed towards her was the risk of getting pregnant, even though conceiving when you're not in heat and for shifters period was a struggle.

Once the two basically ran from the room and were out of hearing Melisande growled, "I'm going to kill Azrael." She stomped off towards his room only to find it empty. A worried Salem followed her, trying to talk her out of doing anything brash. Melisande ignored him. It was because of her inconsiderate big headed brother that now their parents think Salem and her are sexual partners. Oh, only if they knew the truth. Melisande hadn't so much as kissed a boy! Now they thought she was having sex!

Melisande's nose led her right to her brother. She threw the door open, causing Salem to gasp before backing away and running down the hallway. She winced, knowing his running had nothing to do with his embarrassment but his feelings. Azrael growled at her threateningly, the sound alone almost making her back down. Almost. The male pushed away the female and shoved past Melisande, looking like he was about to run after Salem. He didn't make it to far because Melisande tackled him in the hall, the two wrestled for the upper hand, Azrael clearly holding back on her.

Melisande snapped her canines at the male, their growls and banging around causing others to come out of their rooms. Melisande's claws got Azrael good, cutting down his face and almost taking an eye in her clumsy attack. That seemed to draw the last straw for Azrael who flipped her onto her back and sunk his canines into her neck. Her cry wasn't the only one to be heard as Azrael forced her to submit.

"Enough!" Azrael released her at their mother's command. Melisande looked up at her brother's bloody face before rolling her eyes towards her mother who held a crying and shaking Salem against her side.  "What is the reason for this?" When neither of them answered the Madam Alpha turned towards the witnesses. "Speak!" She demanded, her voice cutting through the silence.

"She just came in and attacked him!" Samantha finally spoke up.

"Okay, everyone back to their rooms, you two with us." Their father spoke, sending those around scattering.

"Come on sweetie." Their mother cooed at Salem, pulling him along with them. Their father looked at them sternly before leading the way to the elevator and up to the Alpha's apartment. No one said a word, Salem's sniffles being the only sound. Melisande felt bad for scaring him when he still didn't trust Wolves. She wished he'd stayed wherever he'd run off to.

Now in their families private den, they all spaced out among on couches and chairs. Their father left and returned with a first-aid kit and set to cleaning and patching up first Melisande neck and then Azrael's face. Neither met anyone's eyes.

"Do you want to tell us what led to the two of you fighting?" It was a first for them. Besides the regular wrestling, all their fights had been just harsh words thrown at each other. "I have all night and I'd like to know." Their father sat down beside his mate who was hugging Salem and petting his hair.

"You heard Samantha, I was with her and Melisande barged in." Melisande glared at her brother for his words and for using her full name.

"Is Samantha Mel's friend? Did she ask you not to be with her?" Their father asked, still confused.

"That dirty bitch is not my friend!" Melisande snapped.

"Language." Both her parents scolded, their eyes darkening with a warning.

"It's my fault I-I'm sorry." Salem cried, gaining everyone's attention. Their mother sighed.

"Azrael, if this is about your sister and Salem being together it's uncalled for. They're both old enough to know what they want and as long as they're safe and both consent, quite frankly, it's none of your business." Azrael gaped at them before snapping his mouth shut and nodding.

"Sorry." He said, leaning back on the couch he sat on alone. Everything settled down after that but when it became apparent that their mother couldn't get Salem to stop shaking, Azrael got up and pulled him to the couch he was sitting on. The boy curled up against his side, Azrael's hand rubbing his back. Their parents left and Melisande watched as Salem fell asleep against her brother, his small hand fisting his shirt as if to keep him there.

"You hurt his feelings." Melisande said, eyes still on the sleeping boy who she came to think of as her best friend.

"I know." Azrael said sadly, pulling the boy closer to him.  "I just needed to know something. Now I know."

"Good. Now he can move on and find a boy who will actually like him." If Melisande had looked at her brother she would have seen the pain her words caused.