Beta Bully Bonus: Melody Part 2 (Early Access) (Patreon)

“Why are you pretending to be a widower?”

Noah’s neck twisted like a red vine. Expression shocked.

“What are you talking about?” He turned fully from the information board that he and Summer had been reading from before Melody crept up on them. “And why are you bothering us again?”

“Your soul-mate isn’t dead.” Melody held the papers up under his nose. She had waited days for another permission pass to return and shove her evidence in his face. “They’re worse than dead. Your mate is Riley.”

Summer squinted at the paper. “Who?”

“The little whore that humps the alpha’s leg all day,” Melody replied.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Noah snapped. His face had flushed a purplish colour. “Riley would never have said that. You’re just making shit up.”

Now normally, Melody understood, Noah would be correct. Riley would never admit such a thing. She almost didn’t believe it herself when she saw the scrawled name on the file she had received. But Melody’s best friend is Darcy, and Darcy is adored by Beta Oli, and Beta Oli gave Riley a bollocking during the banning from the main pack house. A spectacle that Darcy had enjoyed immensely. Apparently, the beta’s scolding included a segment on tossing Noah away like a piece of rotten fruit.

The pathetic limpet had grown up with the alpha and beta - thick as thieves. Until Riley tried to take Beta Oli’s place, and expected to get praised for the selfless act of taking the alpha mate position. The drama of it all had Melody giddy.

A pair of soul-mate swindlers that just so happened to be soul-mates to each other. It didn’t get much better than that.

Summer turned to him. “How do you know them?” Not accusatory, but there was just a hint of panic in her voice. She didn’t want it to be true. “I’ve never even heard this name before.”

“I don’t!” Noah lied.

Melody folded her arms over her chest. “Prove it. Take us to your soul-mate’s grave.”

“Melody!” Summer gasped, horrified.

Melody popped her handbag open and produced a small bouquet of flowers. “I would sincerely like to pay my respects.” She had deliberately dressed head-to-toe in black. Granted, it wasn’t a funeral-appropriate outfit, but the sentiment was there. Mini-skirt or not, she’d come prepared.

“She’s not buried here, she was from another pack,” Noah responded quickly.

Melody asked, “which pack?”

In his panic, he would no doubt pick one of the nearest packs, and Melody had connections in most. Not to those in power, but certainly those with the ability to take a trip to the cemetery and confirm his lies.

“Um, Charred Crescent.”

Their new allies, an interesting choice for him, a perfect one for Melody.

Melody’s lips curled into a victorious grin despite how hard she tried to remain neutral and mysterious. “What a coincidence,” she cooed. “My best friend is Alpha Marshall’s soul-mate. What was your soul-mate’s name?”

Noah’s skin paled just a little in the face, bringing him back down to a natural pink. “Cassandra,” he replied reluctantly.

Melody pulled her phone from her pocket and tapped Reece’s name. The ringing from her phone speaker was the only noise aside from the breeze. Noah didn’t seem to be breathing.

“Hey,” Reece answered, displeased as ever. “I’m working right now.”

“Sorry, it’s important.”

“Important by your standards or mine?”

Melody decided not to answer that question. “The guy that’s trying to steal my soul-mate says his fake, dead soul-mate was from Charred Crescent. Can you find out if anyone called Cassandra died in the last few years?” Summer was glaring at her as though she had just requested they dig up all the bodies and put them on display. Melody shrugged innocently back at her.

“Uh, sure.” A pause. Reece yelled away from the phone, “babe!” Then a clunk sound of the phone being placed on a flat surface.

The trio stood in tense silence waiting for him to return to the call. When he did, he announced, “Marshall says there are no Cassandras on the census and haven’t been for more than a decade.”

Melody pulled a face at Noah before replying, “thanks, Reece, you’re a gem.”

“I’m also busy, so I’m gonna get back to work. But give him Hell, okay?”

“No worries. Bye!” Melody held onto the ‘ee’ sound until her friend hung up on her.

“Noah,” Summer said slowly. “What’s going on?”

Noah’s lips were pressed together tightly. He gave Summer a pitiful look, but this time she didn’t return it. “I can explain,” he said quietly.

“Go ahead, Noah, we’ll wait,” said Melody.

He scowled at her, but no explanation came.

“My birthday is just days away… and you were going to let me lose my real soul-mate?”

“You can’t lose me,” Melody assured her with a dainty flap of her hand. “I would have haunted you two for the rest of my life, mark my words.” She cut her eyes at Noah. “Boo, bitch.”

Noah seemed to chew on air for a few moments. “I didn’t think I was doing you any harm,” he said finally. “Your birthday was so close and you hadn’t been claimed-”

“What about your mate?” Summer interrupted. Her balled fists were sending ripples of tension up her muscled arms that had Melody wishing she had a fan. “Why would you need to involve me in the first place?”

“My soul-mate rejected me,” he yelled. Puce in the face again, veins pulsing in his neck, leaning into Summer’s personal space almost aggressively. Completely ruining Melody’s staring contest with Summer’s biceps. “Riley wants power, Alpha Nico’s to be exact. I’m nothing to h-”

“Your pity party is not our problem,” Melody snapped. “Go take it up with your real mate if you’re looking for sympathy.”

Noah turned on her. Melody shuffled back a little. She wasn’t scared, just cautious. You’re the one who’s scared.

“She’s right,” Summer said dazedly. Eyes darting as though reading back over the information that had just come out. Struggling to process it. “You need to leave. I… I need some space.”

With shaking eyes and lips, the imposter skulked away. Not before giving Melody a dark look. Darcy would be informed in their debrief later, she reassured herself.

Summer stood like her puppeteer was on break. Melody shuffled on the spot awkwardly, the atmosphere was not what she had been expecting. She didn’t feel as triumphant as she’d imagined the whole journey here.

“Sorry… Melody.” Summer finally faced her, and her eyes twinkled with tears along the brim. “Just…”

“You need space,” Melody said softly. “That’s okay.”

“This must be really frustrating for you,” she mumbled.

“Are you kidding? Drama and espionage are my two favourite hobbies!” Melody forced her most comforting smile. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be back for your birthday.”

Summer’s lips pinched and she sniffed back her tears, refusing to let them fall. “Promise?”

“I’ll have my request paperwork in before sundown,” Melody replied with a wink. She wanted to go in for a hug goodbye, just to steal some of her scent, but even she could tell now was not the time.

They did awkward farewell nods, and Melody headed straight for the main pack house to plead her case for a third pack permission pass in a single week. A ludicrous request, but after Summer’s birthday she would have the right to move in anyway.

Of course, with Darcy at Alpha Nico’s side, the paperwork was stamped ‘APPROVED’. The nights leading to Summer’s birthday felt like Christmas Eve over and over.

Stood outside the green wooden door, Melody was hit with a repeat of the exact same emotions as the first time. This time, Summer answered without her brother. And this time, her reaction was instantaneous.

Her face split into a smile that stung in its brightness. Melody almost shielded her eyes. Instead, she ran forward and was snatched off the front step, straight into her soul-mate’s arms.

Melody never saw Noah again. A little birdie by the name of Darcy did see a pack transfer request on Alpha Nico’s desk, though. With two names and two signatures. One scrawled and one swirled in dainty calligraphy. Melody wished the best of luck to whichever alpha was about to take on the soul-mate swindlers next. All that really mattered, however, was that they weren’t hers or Darcy’s problem anymore.