Melody felt dead both inside and outside. She was indeed dying. Dying from the ruthless sun and the ruthless training. All she wanted was her soft bed, no no, even the bed roll here will make do, and water. Oh sweet-sweet water.
Melody was at the camp that all the teenage Werewolves were supposed to go to during the summers, away from Onyxscar where all kinds of dark creatures lived. Werewolves, Vampires, Witches, Wizards and Humans. Faeries didn't live there though, they preferred living in their own world, the Faerieland, which was situated in the Between. Both in and out of Earth.
"Watts!" Yelled Buffy Egg, Melody cringed. "Are your arms dead?"
Yes! She wanted to yell back at him. "No sir!" She yelled back instead.
Buffy Egg continued yelling at someone else. Melody sighed.
She has been training with a stick, she couldn't remember what it was called, she had dazed out when Buffy Egg, the trainer, had been explaining it at the beginning of the session.
Buffy Egg was what everyone called him. Because he was big and had a bald, shiny head. He always had a whistle hanging on his neck, but Melody couldn't see why he needed it, his voice was already loud enough, to top it off, he would always blow on that darned whistle.
She continued hitting the bag of stiff cotton harder, with everything she had left, which wasn't much.
To make her muscles stronger, they said. But the only thing it was doing was making her arm numb.
Melody dearly missed her mate, Jamie-Ray or JR as he liked to be called. She wanted to curl up beside him on her bed, with a large jug of water on her bedside. Oh water!
Melody could have had left with JR, she wanted to very badly, at least she would have been away from this torture to her body. She wanted to be selfish and take the opportunity but she didn't, that would have been hypocritical of her. JR had asked her to come with him, but she had declined his offer. She didn't want to misuse his power and also she didn't want to do what Triple has been doing all these years.
All these years she had been cursing Triple and her friends who always stepped out since they were close friends with Hunter. They all did, Hunter's friends. Even though this time it was because of their previous Alpha, who was in a very bad health. But she didn't know why Triple and her friends had left with Hunter. Since Hunter was their current Alpha, and JR, their Beta, it was fine for them to leave. But why Triple?
It annoyed Melody to a great extent. Triple wasn't their Luna, not yet. Even if she would be soon, she wasn't the true Luna. No, it was Willow, she was sure almost the whole school knew of it. Even though they denied it, she knew that they know of Willow being Hunter's mate. Their true Luna.
It was pretty obvious, how he had suddenly flipped out and bullied Willow. He never hurt her himself, he couldn't, atleast not physically, but he also never stopped anyone else from hurting her. It was as if he blamed Willow for being his mate, as if he blamed her for being weak. Melody knew that Willow wasn't weak, not until recently, it was as if she was growing weaker everyday. She was aware of the pain Willow felt everytime Hunter was with someone, and it tore her that she could do nothing about it, Hunter was her Alpha at the end of the day. Plenty of nights she was informed by JR of Hunter's whereabouts, she would then rush over to Willow's place, if she could do nothing of the pain then she could atleast be for her though it was of little help.
Melody could still remember the day a year back. It was still fresh in her mind. The terror she had felt, the hopelessness. She shuddered at the thought.
Melody tapped her brown boots on the ground in a sequence.
Tap tap. Tap tap tap. Tap tap. Tap tap tap.
She looked at her phone to check the time, just then a message popped up. It was from Jamie-Ray.
'come 2 d library' It said. The text looked quite rushed to Melody.
The library? Isn't Willow there? Fear gripped her, her tapping coming to a stop.
She received another message that said, 'quickly'.
She ran to the library. Please be alright Willow. She chanted in her mind.
She wondered why would Jamie-Ray of all would message her. She had his number, everyone did. Since they were of the same pack, the previous Alpha had insisted that everyone should have each other's numbers, in case of emergencies.
She pushed the door open making it hit with a 'bang', she didn't care if anyone would scold her, but no one did. No the tables were mostly empty. But the library was in chaos, she could hear noises from the right side of the library. She rushed to that direction just as she saw Jamie-Ray rushing out, carrying Willow in his arms, she faltered.
Willow was writhing in his arms, her eyes shut in pain.
"Willow?" Melody called out when she found her voice.
"It hurts!" Whispered Willow her voice filled with pain, she clutched onto her heart. "Make it stop please."
"Make what stop? Tell me Willow. Talk to me!" Melody sobbed out, trying hard to stop her tears.
"She's unconscious." Jamie-Ray said.
Jamie-Ray continued to walk out of the library, Melody hot in her heels.
Everyone else, went back to their seats and wherever they had been, as Melody walked out of the library, she couldn't even bring herself to close the door behind her.
Melody pulled the door to the infirmary open for Jamie-Ray to walk in. He placed Willow on the bed. She was still writhing. Melody held her hand as Jamie-Ray called out for the nurse.
"Willow," said Melody. "Please be alright. Please. Willow please."
Miss Parrish rushed in and took a look at Willow. "Is she alright?"
"Does she look alright to you?" Melody snapped at Miss Parrish.
"Calm down," said the nurse. "You're not exactly helping here."
"I'm sorry," said Melody. "I'm scared, please help her." Jamie-Ray had started rubbing her back, it helped Melody calm down. She gripped Willow's hand tighter.
"No no no." Whispered Willow. "Please don't go." Melody wondered if Willow was dreaming about her father, who had just passed away a month back.
"Does this often happen?" Asked Miss Parrish.
Melody tried speaking, but she couldn't because another sob was about to break through. She shook her head 'no' instead.
Miss Parrish nodded as she got a stethoscope, putting it against the writhing Willow, she took in her heartbeat.
"Wait a moment," said Miss Parrish hurriedly. "I'll have to call a pack doctor." She left to do so.
"She'll be alright." Said Jamie-Ray, still rubbing her back. "She'll wake up soon and it's all going to be fine."
Melody herself hoped that. She prayed to the Moon Goddess. Prayed with everything in her, her tears flowing out harder as she thought about various possibilities of what could happen to Willow.
"Hunter," Said Willow, it made Melody freeze. Jamie-Ray, too stopped his hands on her back. "Hunter please don't leave me."
"Willow?" Said Melody as Willow gripped her hand tightly.
"Don't leave me." Willow was sobbing now, tears rolled out of her shut eyes.
The nurse returned to inform them about the doctor who was arriving soon.
The doctor arrived then, Melody didn't know how long they waited, since minutes seemed like hours. Jamie-Ray had stopped rubbing her back and was pacing back and forth.
The doctor, Mr.Vita, had soon got into action, he felt Willow's pulse, he then listened to what Miss Parrish had said.
Willow kept on murmuring not to leave her, and how painful she felt but she didn't take his name again, not once.
After what felt like hours, Mr. Vita gave Melody a pitying look. No no no. She didn't want to hear what he had to say.
"I'm sorry dear," Started Mr. Vita. "But the patient doesn't have much long."
"No please don't." Melody begged. "Please tell me that you are joking. Please."
He only stared at her with pity on his face. "You have to understand. Your friend here was rejected, the only one who can save her is her mate."
"How can you tell that she was rejected?" Melody yelled.
Rejection, was very rare. It wasn't unheard of though. What Melody didn't understand was why him? Why Hunter of all people? He was the worst of them all. All he cared about was drinking and girls, though he seems more responsible now, now that he was an Alpha, but still he wasn't there yet. His father though was the wisest. Melody respected him a lot. But not Hunter, and she knew that she would never. Not after this.
"This is what happens when one is rejected, since she is a Human, she won't be able to bear it. For a Werewolf it won't be this quick, but it's always the same. Mostly they die, or they go mad, suicidal. But only the strongest live."
"You're joking, aren't you? Please tell me that you are."
He sighed but said nothing.
No Willow can't die now. Melody wouldn't let it. They had years ahead of them. Years to fangirl over Avengers, to watch Thanos get defeated, to find out which of the theories they've read are true, this was not happening. Not now.
The doctor then spoke up, as if trying to console her. "I'm not sure though. I've never consulted a person who was rejected. I've only read and heard of it. So there are chances that they are all false, since not many cases of rejection occurs, and they are different most of the time."
Melody felt a glimmer of hope. She knew she shouldn't, because it would only hurt her, if Willow couldn't make it.
"Should we call her mother?" Asked Jamie-Ray.
Melody froze. She didn't know how she could tell this to Willow's mother. She had just recently lost her husband, to lose her daughter too-no Melody couldn't even imagine what she'll go through.
"No," said Melody. "Not her mother. I'll take her to my house."
Jamie-Ray nodded. That is when it hit Melody.
"Can't her mate help her?" She asked.
"Her mate," said the doctor. "Yes her mate will be of help, but he won't."
"Why not?"
"He must have rejected her because he didn't want her in the first place. The only way it might be of help is if he accepts her back."
Melody looked expectantly at Jamie-Ray.
Willow had stopped writhing, but she had started shivering, her body temperature had risen. Her hand which was tightly gripped in Melody's was warm and sweaty, it had been ice cold when Melody had first touched it. Willow was sweating. Her clothes were turning damp. Soft whimpers came out of her mouth.
Jamie-Ray took his phone out when the doctor left them to themselves and in moments he was quietly talking to the person at the other end. The conversation was rushed but Melody could hear some words.
"Help".
"come quick."
"She is your mate."
"It'll kill you."
"Don't do this."
"She's dying."
Melody could take it no more, she sprang to her feet and snatched the phone out of Jamie-Ray's hand.
"Alpha. Please help her."
"Why should I?"
"She's your—" Mate. She had wanted to say but he cut her off.
"I could care less if she dies, it won't affect me. She's not my mate, she never was. I'm sure my actual mate is somewhere out there. And it's not her."
"Don't do this." She begged.
"You don't get to tell me what to do."
Melody took the phone near Willow, so that he could feel the pain Willow was going through. When Melody retreated the phone, he had already ended the call.
"I'm sorry," Jamie-Ray had said. But Melody didn't reply, she couldn't.
Jamie helped Melody shift Willow to her house. Melody then quickly sent a text through Willow's phone to her mother.
Later that night Melody sat on the floor beside her bed, praying repeatedly for Willow to be alright. Jamie-Ray had also stayed with her. Said that she was his Luna, and it was his duty to protect her. Her mother had bought in a tray of food filled in it, but it stayed on the bedside table, untouched.
They were silent, Willow had long back stopped shivering, she still hadn't regained her consciousness but she laid there, her face showed pain no more. It was blank. She had also stopped whispering and sweating. Melody's mother had helped change Willow's clothes, since Melody couldn't do it herself. Her hand had been shaking, it had stopped now.
Melody wondered if it was wrong of her to delay informing Venice about Willow. But she shook the thought off.
She might live. She might live. She will live. She should. Melody chanted repeatedly in her head. But as she did, Melody was fighting out sleep. She felt her eyelids grow heavy. But at the same time she didn't want to sleep, she wanted to be awake if Willow wakes up. When Willow wakes. So she wouldn't sleep till Willow regains her consciousness.
"You can sleep." Said Jamie-Ray, noticing how hard it was for Melody to stay awake. "I'll wake you up when she's awake."
"Aren't you tired Jamie-Ray?"
"Call me JR," he said. "And no, I'm used to staying up at nights. It was a long day for you."
"Thank you." Said Melody, already half asleep. "JR."
The moment she shut her eyes, she heard Willow inhale loudly, as if she had been drowning and had come up to get one breath. The breath of life.
Melody's eyes snapped open, JR was already standing and he looked shocked. Melody scrambled to her feet and she too felt what JR had been feeling.
Willow was there, alright. But her eyes looked unfocused. But melody couldn't even say if it was her eyes. They were golden. Bright and gold. The room was dark, the curtains drawn there was no source if light but Willow's eyes, which looked like two balls of sun, two balls of light.
Willow whispered something. It was illegible, even for Melody's intense hearing. So she moved closer, it scared her of what was happening to her best friend. She said it again and again before she shut her eyes, and returned to her slumber.
She had thought that she had dreamt about it, but she hadn't. Jamie-Ray had witnessed it too. He had promised her that he would tell no one of what had occurred that night, not even Hunter. So it wasn't a dream.
Willow had woken that morning, safe and sound. She couldn't remember what had happened. Atleast of what had happened after she had fainted in the library. She had blushed furiously probably embarrassed at herself for fainting.
Melody couldn't thank the Moon Goddess enough. She even thanked JR, the doctor and the nurse. They had all promised not to tell anyone about Willow. She herself didn't tell Willow about any of what had happened. She knew it was wrong of her, but she didn't want Willow to ever find about this.
Melody had then sworn to make his life hell. And she did, she knew she couldn't do big damage, she would be kicked out of the pack, she didn't want that. Not when a month after the incident was JR's sixteenth birthday. The day he finds his mate. The day she found out that JR was her mate. She had never been that happy in her life.
She knew the pack meant a lot to her mate, she couldn't ruin it for him by hurting the Alpha. But she did little of what she could.
She once went to Hunter's room early in the morning, when he was fast asleep with a girl in his arm, and had stolen his toilet paper. She had also air freshened the whole room and bathroom to avoid him smelling her. He had after that always slept with his door locked. And plenty were times when she pulled other pranks at him. He was still oblivious to who was doing them. Melody knew but JR would never tell on his mate. He would even lie for her. She often felt that she didn't deserve this angel, but then the thought of him with someone else made her angry.
"Look at Watts!" Yelled Buffy Egg. That snapped Melody out of her thoughts. "That is how you are supposed to do it. Even though her arms are thinner than sticks, look at the force."
Melody rolled her eyes as Buffy Egg, who continued praising Melody.
While she was at it, it all snapped.
Rowan was Willow's tenant. Willow claimed that he had golden, eyes which only she could see. That night when Willow was on the brink of death had said that. 'Rowan.'
Golden eyes. Rowan. Rowan. Golden eyes.
Melody's arms faltered. She had always wondered what Willow had meant when she had said 'Rowan', it all made sense now. It wasn't the tree, no, but a person. A certain golden eyed person.
Buffy Egg surely did notice her. "Watts! What's wrong with you? Just because I praised you now, doesn't mean that you can do however you please. Get back to your task."
"Sorry sir." Melody yelled. "But I have to go." She didn't wait for a reply as she sprinted out. Out of the clearing, to her tent. She had some place to be. Though there was six days remaining for her to go back home, she didn't care. She had to go back, the very moment. And she will. Some part of her pestered her for using JR's power, but then again his power was hers. Because they were mates. That is how it's supposed to be.