Her Burning Desire
Chapter 25

Theodore

I looked out at the dance floor where Melony was with Olive. Todd had just joined them but I respectfully declined his offer for me to attend. I was actually just enjoying watching Melony have fun. The way her face would light up when her and Olive would spin each other around. Her smile was contagious. I just couldn't take my eyes off of her, she was by far the most gorgeous girl there. Most gorgeous girl anywhere, for that matter. I was pulled out of my daze when one of bouncers mindlinked me that they had someone at the door that was requesting my presence, and they refused to leave until I had spoken with them. I quickly told Todd that I would be right back and not to let Melony out of his sight. He shot me a thumbs up from the dance floor and I made my way to the front of the building.

When I got to the front, I was standing in front of Dave, the bouncer, who asked for my presence. "Well?? Where are they?!" I was growing impatient by the second.

"I...I don't know Alpha. They were just right here. I didn't even see them leave." Dave was stumbling over his words. I looked around for someone that might look familiar. Then I saw it. Leaning up against the door frame was a little white note. Just like the one that was left at our boarders for Melony. I snatched it up and opened it as fast as I could. As I read it, my blood began to boil.

The Great Alpha Theodore Nix,

You drive yourself to be the most powerful of them all.

Let's see how powerful you are without your mate.

I shoved the note in my pocket before yelling at Dave to look for the intruder that would have left the note. It had to be a set up. My breathing hitched.... Melony. I took off as fast as I could to get back to where I had last seen her. When I arrived, I spotted Olive and Todd in the same place on the dance floor as I had left. I searched the crowd twice, three times, and there was no sight of Melony. I let out the most demanding and earth-shattering growl I could before I mindlinked everyone in the club that was with us, and my guards. FIND MELONY. NOW!!! I bellowed through the link. I watched as they all came to a halt and everyone took off in different directions. I went to the dance floor to face Todd and Olive. "I specifically asked you to watch your Luna!!! Where the f**k is she!!" Todd and Olive submitted instantly and when they raised their heads Olive had tears of worry in her eyes. Todd grabbed her hand, then faced me. "I am sorry, Alpha. She was just right here...I swear I had only taken my eyes off her for a second..." "That second, Todd, might have just cost your Luna her life!!" I was growing impatient. I decided to go search down the hallway that leads to the bathrooms. Maybe she went there. As I was storming through, I was approaching our storage closet and I thought I caught a slight scent of vanilla and strawberries. MELONY! Just as I was reaching for the door handle, the door was thrown open and I collided with something that sent sparks throughout my entire body. My mate. I pulled back slightly to get a look at her when I felt her completely break down. She had a death grip on my shirt, both hands held tight as her face was buried deep into my chest. Her body was shaking with every sob she released. My heart was literally breaking at the sight of her like this. I felt all of her emotions through our bond. Fear, shock, disgust, helplessness. "Mel, baby, what's wrong? Are you hurt? Do you need a doctor?"

I will K*ll anyone who hurts our mate!! Jackson was furious at seeing his mate in complete distress.

I picked her up bridal style and carried her out. She shook her head no, to answer my questions. I let out a sigh of relief, at least she wasn't physically hurt. "Theodore...I want to g-go h-ho-ome." Her little sobs just broke my heart. I nuzzled my nose to her neck.

"Okay, baby, we are leaving. Just let me get the others." I quickly mind linked the others, telling them to meet us out front and that I had Melony with me.

As we approached our SUV, I climbed in and kept Melony on my lap with me. She didn't seem like she wanted to move off of me anyway. I needed to replace out what happened to her. With her being this shaken up, something bad must have happened, but I didn't want to pressure her, and make her more upset. Everyone entered the car. Mark was driving us back and Todd sat up front in the passenger seat. Mark kept making worried glances at us in the rearview mirror. Olive broke the silence between all of us with a mind link.

Olive I have never seen her like this before, is she okay? It makes me really worried.

Mark- Where did you replace her at? What happened?

I found her running out of our storage closet. She instantly broke down once she was in my arms. I haven't been able to get any information out of her yet. I don't want to push her either and make her more upset. I didn't smell anything out of the ordinary though, nothing seemed off around her. Do you think maybe it was all just overwhelming for her? Going to a new place and adding everything from the last two days on top of it?

Olive - No, I don't think that has anything to do with it. She really wanted to enjoy tonight and up until she had left us she was really enjoying herself. Something happened in that closet. We just have to replace out what.

I nodded at them all, ending our link as we approached the house. We all got out and went our separate ways. I took Melony up to my room and sat her down on the bed. I pulled her against my chest and played with her hair. She has calmed down a lot since we left the club. I'm still angry about that note that I found and I need to know if the note had any connection to what happened with Melony. I still haven't even told her about the first note because of everything else that has been going on.

"Theo, I'm...I'm sorry." Her apology caught me off guard. Why would she be apologizing about anything? "I'm sorry I scared you. When we ran into each other, I could feel how worried you were. I didn't mean to upset you." "Melony, we need to talk about what happened. I won't pressure you right this second, but tomorrow at least, we have to talk about it."

"Let's talk now. I don't want to wait till tomorrow, Theodore." I sat up on the bed and moved so we could face each other. "I had to go to the restroom when I left the dance floor, I didn't want to interrupt Todd and Olive because they were having so much fun with each other. I went to the restroom and when I was leaving someone pulled me into that closet. I started to panic but I had calmed down enough to try and gather as much information I could." I could see her mind twisting and turning with so many different emotions. She had to take a second before finishing. "I smelled rouge, he was a rouge. He touched me and I felt absolutely dirty. I couldn't see anything and Harper wouldn't come forward to use her eyesight in the dark, afraid that our eyes would give away who we were." I didn't realize Jackson and I were growling until Melony placed her hand on my chest. She shook her head, "No he didn't touch me like that, Theo, he just touched my face, my neck, my marking spot. He told me he was happy I hadn't been marked yet because I was his. He said he was coming for me soon. Then he kissed my cheek, I wanted to puke." I could see how disgusted she was with this guy and the entire situation and it made me happy to know she didn't like anyone else touching her. "Theo, he said he knows who I am, or what I am. I felt helpless because I couldn't use any of my wolf senses because I was hiding who I was. I couldn't mindlink anyone because I'm not connected to anyone here. I couldn't yell because no one would have heard me. I had never felt so helpless in my entire life. That is why I was upset and scared. I never want to feel like that again." She moved, so she was now straddling me, both of her hands on either side of my face. "Please, Theodore, don't let me ever feel like that again."

It was a plea. She isn't saying it was my fault. She was asking for help, so she never had to be cut off from all of her abilities again. I know what she is asking of me, but is she really ready? Or is she letting her emotions make decisions for her heart right now?