Chapter 3 Dead To Us

• Melody
• I opened my eyes slowly and looked around. I was in the infirmary. I sat up immediately and turned to see Malcolm standing beside me.
• He was worried.
• How did I get here? I wondered.
• I was in the dining hall with my parents and brothers, and we were having dinner. It was the first time we had dinner together and father had nothing to complain about.
• Usually, he always has a lot to say. Sometimes it's always about my sitting posture. Other times it's about my eating habits. Lately, I've been eating a lot, and I'm sure he must have noticed this too.
• "What happened?" I asked as I sat up.
• Malcolm was beside me in a jiffy. He brushed his hand through my hair and rubbed my face. "How do you feel? Are you okay?"
• His worry-filled tone only scared me further. From the dining hall to the Infirmary. How did that happen?
• "How did I get here?" I replied with a question of my own.
• "You fainted." He replied in his usual sweet tone.
• "What?!" I screamed in alarm. "I fainted in the dining hall? Why?"
• Malcolm stared at me meaningfully. He didn't respond. That question sounds dumb, and I know it, but I couldn't help but ask.
• My father was there. He must have seen me faint.
• "You do know that I will protect you, right?" He took my hands in his.
• "Yes..." I drew my answer.
• "Tell me who it is."
• Now I'm frightened. Though I do not understand what he was saying, I know that it isn't good. The look on his face said it all.
• "Who is what?" I asked with my eyes keenly fixed on Malcolm.
• He stood up but didn't speak.
• "Tell me who the bastard is that got you pregnant!" It was Malfoy who spoke as he came in.
• "Bastard that...." I wanted to ask why he was speaking in such a language. Then it hit me, the rest of his words.
• "I'm what?"
• I was stunned. I jumped out of bed and stared wide-eyed at my brothers.
• "No. This can't be true." I shook my head as I watched the expression on their faces.
• They were sad and _ disappointed.
• "Who is it Mel, tell me. I'm going to kill him!"
• Malfoy was mad. He wasn't spouting an empty threat. I know him well enough to know that if I gave him a name, that person would be dead before he knows what hit him.
• These two are the strongest in the shadow pack after father, and they are both on the list of the top ten strongest werewolves in the entire Mallory kingdom.
• But what do I do? I don't even know who it was. I can't tell them who he is if I don't know him myself.
• "How did this happen?" Malcolm's calm voice came again. He was holding me to his bosom as if to make sure that I won't run off.
• I looked up from his broad chest. Opening and closing my mouth like a fish. I didn't know what to say or where to begin.
• "I don't know." I managed to mutter amidst tears.
• It sounds ridiculous, doesn't it?
• How do I go about explaining to everyone that I got pregnant at nineteen and I don't know who is responsible?
• "When?"
• I knew he was asking when it happened. I gulped as I went down memory lane; taking my time to explain how it happened.
• "Why didn't you tell me?" Malcolm was blaming himself. I could tell from the way his hands balled into a fist.
• "I didn't know how I'd say it." I couldn't hold back the river of tears now flowing from my eyes down to my cheeks.
• "You could have told us as soon as it happened. It would have been a lot easier to find that bastard!"
• How could I do that?
• My father had warned me not to embarrass him and that is exactly what would have happened if I had told my brothers what happened.
• They will turn the banquet upside down to find the idiot that knocked me up.
• "I didn't want to ruin my father's party," I whispered, my voice cracking as I spoke.
• "Goddess, Mel! What were you even thinking? Malfoy appeared beside me and wiped my tears. "Father's party isn't as important as you are."
• My brothers love me. They never cease to shower me with affection. They were always there to rescue me whenever I'm in trouble and right now, I'm sure they are beating themselves up for not being there when I needed them the most.
• "I _ I was afraid." I snuggled closer to Malcolm's arms, and he held me. "I didn't want to embarrass Father."
• That night I was mercilessly f*cked by whoever that man was. Toppled with the fact that I was drunk, everything happened too fast. I couldn't lift a finger, and by the time he finally let me go, I fell asleep.
• When I woke up the next morning, I found myself in one of the guest rooms. I was alone and the only thing beside me were new sets of clothes.
• I didn't wait around. I immediately put the clothes on and left the room. I can't afford to have someone spot me in that place. I'll be in big trouble if my father finds out.
• I should have told my brothers. I should have spoken to them, but they were all resting in their rooms after the long night. I couldn't bear to disturb them.
• Then Sophia visited me and told me about Derek's new girlfriend, the one he'd be marrying. I guess I was busy thinking about my life, Derek's rejection, and my poor fate that it skipped my mind to inform my brothers about what happened.
• However, I never thought about getting pregnant. How is it possible to get pregnant when I only had sex that one time?
• "Lies!" Father's hateful voice reverberated from the doorway as he arrived, holding mother's hand. "All lies!"
• My body trembled as soon as I heard my father's voice. My hands were shaking, and my legs could barely stay on the ground.
• He eyed me with disdain and moved closer to me, but Malcolm held me protectively in his arms. "Father, you're scaring her."
• "I'm scaring her?" Father scoffed and turned towards my mother. "Did you see what she has done now? I told you to kill her when she was still young. I told you she'll bring us nothing but disgrace."
• Those words were hurtful. My heart bled to hear my father say that to my face. I blinked back my tears, but they wouldn't stop.
• "Honey, how did this happen?" Mother raised my chin.
• "I don't know," I replied through tears.
• "Did you hear that?" Father roared. His anger was at its peak. I could tell from the way his eyes glowed. He was glaring at me as if he would kill me if I stayed there longer. "She was busy sleeping around and she didn't know who got her pregnant!"
• "No Father, Melody would never do that." Malfoy chimed in.
• I'm so grateful to the goddess for the kind of brothers she gave me. I wish she chose a more caring father for me too.
• "Then, how do you explain that?!" Father pointed towards my belly.
• "She already told us, Father. Someone took advantage of our distraction during the banquet, and she was_"
• "Spare me that crap!"
• Father was emitting so much rage at the moment that I couldn't help but hide behind Malcolm.
• "Did you really believe that someone would be bold enough to come into my manor to assault my daughter?!
• Father's voice echoed loudly against the four walls of the Infirmary that the floor shook beneath my feet.
• "If such a thing happened on the banquet night then it must have been with her consent otherwise the patrol guards would have heard her screams and rescued her."
• "But father, what if_"
• "Enough!" Father cut Malfoy before he could speak again. "I will not hear any more of those excuses!"
• "Calm down, Maximus." Mother tried to keep my father away from me, but he didn't budge. His eyes were staring at me as if he would strangle me. "I cannot stay calm as long as I live under the same roof with this disgraceful child!"
• "Father no, please." Malcolm pleaded, he seemed to already know what father was about to say.
• "Henceforth, I will have no daughter by the name Melody! You are dead for us all!"
• "Maximus, you cannot do that." Mother disagreed. "You cannot disown Melody just because she made a mistake?"
• "Oh dear, I'll do a lot more than disown her!" Father hissed.
• "Henceforth you are not welcome in my home or my pack. Get your disgraceful self out of my sight, now!"
• "Father, that is not fair!"
• "You are not being fair with your judgment. Why subject Melody to such a harsh punishment while the one who did this to her roams free."
• Malcolm and Malfoy both disagreed with our father. It's the first time I've seen them go against him. This angered father and fueled his rage.
• No matter how much they loved me. None of them could go against their alpha. Especially when the order was given in his alpha tone.
• "That is my final decision, and you will all abide by it!"