Helping her to cook

Hunter returned early in the morning. Rebecca told her while she was preparing breakfast. After Rebecca's announcement, the kitchen went silent, which was a surprise to Melody. When she asked them what the problem was, they shook their heads and refused to say anything while Rebecca just snickered.

Melody jumped and whirled around at the sound of a ceramic plate hitting the floor and shattering. She saw Arianna cursing under her breath as she picked the broken pieces from the floor with shaky hands. Hunter was standing at the door of the kitchen with a scowl etched in his face as he watched Arianna's action.

Melody's heart began to race as she drank in his features like a horse starved for water. He had dark circles under his eyes and there was a scowl on his face, but he was still by far the most handsome man Melody had ever seen. She wished she could go to him and smooth out the frown on his face and take his head and rest it in her bosom …. Dammit, stop thinking rubbish, Melody chided herself.

"What are you doing, Arianna?”, Hunter asked in a cold tone.

" Hell and damnation”. Arianna cried as one of the ceramics pieces made a slight cut on her palm and bright red blood began to flow out.

Melody's stomach churned at the sight of the blood. It reminded her of when she stabbed her father in the thigh. “Are you okay?” She asked as she rushed to stop Arianna from shoving her finger into her mouth to lick the blood.

"I'm fine”. Arianna replied and wanted to struggle out of Melody's grip, but Melody firmly held her and led her to place her hand under a tap to wash off the blood.

The place was quiet and when Melody risked a glance at Hunter, the scowl was gone from his face, instead there was a warm smile playing around his lips and his eyes were on her. Her stomach fluttered as she quickly took her eyes back to Arianna's hands. When Melody was satisfied that the blood had stopped, she made to go out to bring the first aid kit, but Hunter stopped her.

"Samantha can treat her”. Hunter told him as he shot a glance in Samantha's direction. Samantha immediately stood up and scrambled to Arianna's side to help her out of the room.

"Oh". Melody's lips formed an oh as she watched Samantha and Arianna's behavior. It was funny as she could tell they were scared of Hunter. She thought that he was nice, and that there was nothing to fear about him.

"Welcome back, sir”. Melody told him in a small voice after Samantha and Arianna had gone out of the room.

"Thank you, Melody. It smells nice in here. What's for breakfast?” Hunter asked as he casually stepped into the kitchen and walked in the direction of the fridge to take a bottled water.

"Pancakes". Melody replied as her eyes followed him.

" Hmmm” Hunter hummed as unscrewed the cap of the bottled water and placed it between his lips to take a long gulp.

Melody's eyes followed the movement, she gulped too as she watched his Adam's apples bobbed up and down when he swallowed. She suddenly felt hot for no reason. Her cheeks colored pink when after he finished drinking and gave her a long, slow boyish grin. He had caught her stainrg at him, Melody thought in embarrassment as she turned away from him.

She saw Rebecca and Zain walking out of the kitchen. She tensed up when she felt him behind her. She whirled around to see that he was very close to her, but his attention was on the pancake in the frying pan.

"Don't you think it's okay to bring this pancake down, sweetheart, it's burning”. His tone was amused.

Melody's eyes widened as she caught a whiff of a burnt smell in the air. With a small cry of dismay she hurried over to bring the frying pan down.

It was already too late. The pancake was already black and burnt beyond repair. Her hands dropped to her side, dejectedly. She has not burnt anything since she started her lessons, so why today of all days that Hunter was here? He would think that she was not learning anything and would regret paying for her ingredients to learn how to cook.

She had been lost staring at him and drinking in his handsome features after not seeing him for a while that she completely forgot about the pancake she placed on the gas. Her eyes filled with tears.

"Why are you staring at it like that? It's burnt and cannot be eaten, so throw it away” Hunter told her, his voice was so close to her ear.

Melody jumped, and her head whipped up to meet his eyes. In her haste to bring down the frying pan, she had not noticed that they were so close. She wanted to step back, but her legs remained glued to the floor as she stared into his dark eyes that were soft and held an emotion that she could not understand.

"Were you going to cry, sweetheart?” Hunter asked when he noticed that her eyes were filled with tears.

Melody looked down to hide her eyes from him as she apologized in a small voice," I'm sorry for burning breakfast”.

"Don't beat yourself up because of one burnt pancakes. Iam sure you can make another one to cover it up, right?”.

" You are so kind”. Melody murmured as she moved to despose off the burnt pancake, but he heard her. She did not know how to feel when he did not get angry that she burnt the pancakes.

"How about I help you make another batch?”.

" Pardon?” Melody asked as she stared at him wide-eyed. Did he just suggest helping her make breakfast? Can he even cook?

"I can cook”. Hunter said.

Melody blushed in embarrassment as she realized that she had voiced out her thoughts.

"My mother is a chef and so if my grandfather. Everyone in my house knows how to cook except for my father”. Hunter explained, delighted at the sight of her colored face. He likes seeing her blush because of him. “So may I help you?”

Melody nodded like a rattle doll. She could not turn him down. After all, it was his kitchen and his ingredients. “Yes you can”.

Hunyer smiled, and his wolf did a happy dance in his head as he folded the hand of his long sleeve and moved to help her. This was a good start.