The Gate of Shadows

Layla wouldn’t dare to do anything to me while the boys were out with Melody there. The last warning Fenris gave her was a fruitful one. Kira, on the other hand, I watched for. She wanted to eliminate the black wolf from the equation, who ignored her glares.

Melody appeared stronger than I could ever be when dealing with her kind. However, the boys left to get food for us. The white wolf made her move.

"Why are you here, runt?" Kira scoffed.

Melody shrugged, "Lilith and Liam invited me in," she answered plainly and sternly without gazing toward her.

"All is well, as long as you know your place. I hope you know that." The white wolf growled.

"Hey, not here," Layla warned, clasping her shoulder.

Instead of instigating it further, the black wolf turned to me, nabbing my fake grimoire and flipping through the pages before I could stop her.

“Wow, your drawings are wonderful, Lilith.” Melody complimented, leaving me wide-eyed, unsure of how to respond.

“Oh, my, this would look great in a movie!” She giggled at a drawing I had made about one of the shadow beasts who had erupted from me the day of the fall.

Again, I didn’t know what to say. She wasn’t reading anything, so passing through the pages wasn't harmful. Eventually, she reached the page where I had drawn her.

"I think you see me as a holy maiden. I’m not." Melody giggled, tracing her fingertips through the page.

Something about her touched me in ways I thought weren’t possible. I could see why she enchanted Liam. When the boys returned, Melody spent hours speaking to us about her new job in the bakery within the building.

Like every other Lycan, she was pulled into the vicinity of Cerberus for their protection. This meant she didn’t know when she could get her shop rebuilt. When it was time for her to leave, I was sad to see her go.

It was a first for me. I rarely cared about people, but I longed to look towards the door where she once was.

What’s this feeling?

It was a different type of warmth that Fenris didn’t provide me with. Noticing my weird demeanor, he sat down next to me.

"Missing her already?" he asked.

"I... don’t know," I replied, picking up the book of awful memories that Melody called alluring.

She didn’t know what she was saying, but still… I…

"I think you’ll become good friends," Fenris smiled.

I placed the book on my nightstand, taking a glance at him.

"I don’t think I deserve that," I whispered, triggering the silver wolf to sigh.

"Lilith, you deserve that and more." He nudged me

Melody wasn’t like Cora, who irritated him. He knew her at about the same time as Liam did. Perhaps that was why he trusted her more than the vampire.

A better first impression?

Hey! Don’t forget I’m the first friend you made! Shade jumped onto my lap.

I picked her up, snuggling her.

"No... you’re family." I corrected.

She purred in return, rubbing her little cheek on mine. That night, I had a wonderful dream. One where I was outside in the meadow with all the people who made me feel whole. It was one I didn’t want to wake from.

However, morning came, and so did another visit from Melody. However, after handing Liam another gift this time, she took my hand, tugging me along to Fenris. Her ears slanted down, leaving me pondering if he intimidated her.

She stared at him momentarily, asking, “May I take Lilith out?”

A soft smile rose on my wolf’s lips, taking out his phone. “Only if you exchange numbers with me and answer every one of my calls.”

I felt like a child going on a play date for a second.

“Yes, sir! I’ll ensure she is home before nightfall!” Melody agreed.

Before I knew it, I found myself downstairs at the bakery shop where she worked. She asked the owner if I could come with her to see her back and help her.

“Wait, Melody, I can’t cook,” I mumbled, making her smile.

“Of course you can! Come on!” She beamed, tugging me along.

I had never done anything like that, but instead of finding it annoying, she focused on teaching me. Although it was a mess, Shade even received a scolding from the owner. Even so, it was fun.

Seeing Melody work and fix my mistakes was something I thought I would never experience. Somehow, I didn’t delay all her work, even with all my mistakes. Her passion for her work was admirable, and she fascinated me.

She handed me another egg with each mistake and said, “Again!” while giggling.

After a few hours in there, flour and dough covered my clothes. Even Shade needed a shower after this, and all she was doing was sitting there watching us work. Melody appeared to be having the most fun, laughing at anything I did.

It didn’t feel bad to be tittered at by her, though.

Seeing her enjoy her time with me makes me feel odd, but it’s not bad.

However, the entire thing dumbfounded me. I thought no one would relish their time with me. Cora was another weird vampire case, but Melody was a Lycan, and according to Stella's teachings, we were supposed to be enemies.

"Hey... Are you okay with me?" I worried about what others would think of her.

The baker who owned the shop didn’t mind me there, but not all were like the friendly elf, especially if they saw her with me. I didn’t want to bring her any trouble.

"What do you mean?" the black wolf asked, putting down her bag full of whipped cream she was using to decorate a cake.

"I mean, won't the others judge you more for being with me?" I whispered, holding onto myself.

She scoffed at that thought.

"Why should that matter?" Melody questioned sternly, her eyes narrowed too.

"I..." I began, unsure of how to answer

She sighed, "To tell you the truth, I’ve had no one other than family around. Liam was the first Lycan to come to talk to me, and that was seven years ago. And now I find you who, instead of ignoring me, caught me like a fish waiting to be reeled in.” She started.

Everything appeared so heavy on her.

So… you also struggle…

“It surprised me so much because everyone usually avoids me. I’m a runt, you see. Most people think I’m annoying with my positivity. They think I should grovel at their feet and beg for forgiveness for existing, but I won’t give them that pleasure.” She huffed, shaking her head.

Another exasperated breath left Melody, “I’m probably too much, aren't I?" She glanced down at the floor.

Impossible...

I grabbed her hands, bringing them up to my chest. "No! You aren’t! I... I admire you! Everything you do seems so full of love and passion that it’s too bright! Being able to shift or not shouldn’t matter! You’re beautiful the way you are, Melody!" I assured her.

My words caused her to tug me into a tender embrace.

"Lilith, in truth... I brought you out today because I wanted you to have fun. When I saw your drawings, I could see so much pain in them. You’re sad all the time, aren't you? I don’t know what happened to you. So, I might be out of place.” She snuggled me tighter.

I couldn’t help but hold her back, too. This wolf was breaking the walls I had placed in my heart.

“I want you to smile while you’re with me," Melody whispered, holding me tenderly.

What’s this feeling?

It was so different from what I felt for Fenris.

I like you so much. What is this?

"I... I... Thank you." I mumbled, trying to hold in the tears that wanted to roll out of me.

It wasn’t long until Melody let me go, smiling brightly.

"Now, should we make something for Fenris?" She teased, setting my heart into a marathon.

Is it really that obvious?!

Pulling away from the black wolf, I grabbed Shade off the countertop, fiddling with her fur.

"What? No... I can’t." I mumbled, trying to keep calm.

Though my cheeks probably betrayed me. Kira was fed up with Melody, and if she helped me try to get closer to Fenris, then she would suffer because of it. Layla would...

"Hm? Why not? From all your drawings of him, I can tell how much you care about him. His expression is always so gentle in your drawings. But in reality, he’s intimidating." Melody commented, shivering upon an unknown thought.

How much did she read of drawings alone?

"He’s intimidating?" I asked, tilting my head.

If anything, he was like a plush wolf in my eyes. Not once was he rough or rude to me, let alone scary.

"You’re kidding me, right? When I first met him, I could tell he was an alpha. He has that aura around him, you know. Scary? I can’t even stare at him without wanting to bow down to him! Even asking him for permission to take you out here took every ounce of bravery I had!" Melody ranted, waving her hands, trying to make a point.

Fenris? Intimidating?

I had only seen him truly angry once when he slammed Layla into the wall, cracking it.

Nothing a simple spell can’t fix, though.

"I don’t see him that way," I mumbled.

Melody laughed, gazing at me like I had lost a screw.

"That’s because the way he looks at you is different. There’s a tenderness in his eyes. Ah... I wish Liam would see me that way." She hummed, twirling around.

I shook my head in disbelief.

She must have seen things wrong. Fenris surely doesn’t look at me fondly. You don’t even let me say what I feel.

"I think Liam looks at you that way," I threw her words against her.

Melody grabbed the whipped cream again, turning towards the cheesecake she was decorating.

"No way... He’s just nice. I’m trash compared to him." She assured me confidently, triggering me to do something I had never done.

"No, you’re not! You’re amazing!" I blurted out, causing her to squirt the whipped cream bag too hard.

The cream splattered all over the cake, leaving us both staring at the ruined decoration. It was awful, but we gazed at one another, laughing.

"I am, aren't I?" Melody cackled.

Even though laughter was leaving her lips, there was a visible pain in her eyes, too. There was only one thing wrong with her: she couldn’t shift. Thus, being with Liam would be a dream for her, too.

We both are in the same boat. Yet… If…

This wolf didn’t know it was a curse keeping her from him. If it was lifted, they could be together without batting an eyelash.

I…

After all, unlike me, she could accomplish her love if I could find a way to help her without endangering anyone. It had only been a few days since I met this wolf. Yet she did more for me than most others.

But... can I trust myself? Can I do it? Can I ever help anyone with this dreadful power I possess? I don’t know if I can!