Normally, she wouldn’t allow anyone to wait on her hand and foot, but word had gotten out that she had an injury on her back, and jealous and bitter witches throughout the school had started making a habit of deliberately knocking into her to try and make her gasp in pain.
Queues were the perfect opportunity for them to strike, even surrounded by her men, so now she sat at the table and they brought food to her. It only added to the anger in the room, seeing the Apex serving her like slaves. She wasn’t the only witch there who didn’t think that shifters were second class citizens, and seeing them ‘debased’ only made her more unpopular.
Melody made a point of thanking Oz profusely for his kindness, which made his grey eyes sparkle before he lowered them behind long lashes. He blushed and smiled shyly. It also made his wolf croon to her, and too late she realised her mistake. All she was doing was binding him even closer. No matter what she did, she couldn’t win. She needed to focus on what was best for these shifters, and right now, that was her being neutral.
Melody knew that she couldn’t bring herself to drive them away, hurting them to save them just wasn’t in her, not until it was the only option left. There was still time to come up with a solution, and as long as they didn’t challenge her, then she could allow them to hang around. Right now, she had to work on saving Dean and Asher.
All day the whispers and digs had continued, small hexes meant to trip her or tear her notes up, even one that ripped a hole in her bag so that her notes went everywhere, came flying at her. Thankfully Nick repelled the majority of them, and the men managed to grab her notes before eager hands could steal them away. It really was ridiculous the lengths these supposedly grown women were going to, all to make her step back from the Apex. The irony was that it wasn’t her that had to step away, but them.
“What do you have for the first class tomorrow?” Ryan asked her.
“Shifter care,” she said with a smirk, looking at them all. Poor Nick and Justin couldn’t attend, because he couldn’t shift and fit into the classroom, but any of the others could and did attend with her. The witches without familiars worked with the first-year shifters, although there were always more witches than shifters and several times they had asked to work on the Apex who were with her. Not Dean and Asher, but the female witches were only too happy to try and get their hands on the unbonded shifters.
“I’m not doing that again!” protested Ryan. “The last witch that I agreed to let work on me, tried to give my wolf a hand job!”
Melody’s head whipped around. “She did what? That’s sexual abuse! I don’t remember that, what did your wolf do to her in return?”
Ryan turned crimson and Oz guffawed. “It wasn’t a her, it was a him! And Ryan’s wolf let him, because he’s pissed that Ryan won’t challenge you.”
“Oh goddess, Ryan, are you okay? It’s not funny, Oz,” she chided. “How about I hold you down with my magic and let some random guy jack you off. Let’s see how hard you’re laughing then?”
Oz swallowed and paled. “Yeah, okay, in that light, dude, I’m sorry.”
They were so distracted by their bickering that they didn’t notice anyone approaching until it was too late. Shawna stood behind Nick, lacing her fingers through his hair, while the blonde frizzy-haired witch had her hands on Ryan’s shoulders. Jaynie had her arms wrapped firmly around Justin while she snuggled into his side, forcing his arm around her. At least Melody wanted to think that it was forced.
“What do you say, Nick baby, you wanna be my partner tomorrow morning, Melody already has both hands full of cock,” Shawna purred, and Nick scowled, ducking out of her grasp. Ryan stood and walked to stand behind Melody.
“I can’t shift in the room, which you would realise if you had half a brain,” he snapped.
“Oh baby, who said anything about going to class?” Shawna simpered, and her friends giggled like the sycophants they were.
“You’re fucking deluded if you think for a second that I’d be interested,” sneered Nick as he walked away from Shawna, also coming to stand behind Melody. Without saying a word, the others joined him.
“Where’s Trent?” asked the frizzy-haired witch.
“He’s in my cottage, trying to avoid a psycho bitch who won’t take no for an answer,” Melody snarked, but Shawna beamed.
“He can hide from you in my room any time,” she purred.
Melody rolled her eyes. There was no point in talking to these bitches, they were insane. “I’m going back to study with Trent, at least there’s intelligent conversation there,” she said, walking away.
“Hey, Slut?” called Shawna behind them. “If you’re so fucking amazing, and the Apex are all yours, why haven’t you bonded them? Why haven’t they challenged you?”
Shawna paused allowing the other students in the room to take notice of the drama unfolding, but Melody pushed on through the press of bodies that had gathered to watch the confrontation.
“Unless they’re not all yours after all. Justin seems to have found a better witch at least. I’m sure we can help the others to escape you as well. Who knows, even Dean and Asher might find a better offer heading their way.”
There were gasps from around the room.
You didn’t mess around with bonds and you didn’t steal a familiar from another witch, you didn’t even joke about it. Shawna’s taunt took it all a step too far, and she only seemed to realise it once the crowd had started to back away from her.
“I wouldn’t be the first witch to rescue a shifter
