They hovered above the clouds, wrapped in a silence broken only by the whisper of the wind. Melissa was held securely in Jacob's arms, her heart beating a nervous rhythm. She looked at him and finally asked, "So, what did you want to talk to me about?"
"You know why I visit you, don't you?" Jacob asked gently.
Melissa looked out at the endless sea of white below. "Yes. I'm not stupid. I know what you really want." She sighed. "It was my fault. I should've said something when I first noticed. But… I liked that someone liked me, and I liked spending time with you. So I never stopped you from visiting. But we can't be together."
Jacob tightened his hold slightly. "Why can't we be together?"
She shook her head, still looking down. "You're too young. And you're Scott's friend. It's… wrong."
"I already talked to Scott."
That made her look up sharply. "What?"
"I asked him. He said if you decided to be with me, he wouldn't have a problem with it."
Melissa stared at him, searching for dishonesty. She found none. "He… really said that?"
"He did. He loves you, Melissa. He wants you to be happy."
She looked away again, but the tension in her shoulders had eased slightly. "Why me, Jacob? Why do you even like me? I'm… old."
He smiled. "You're beautiful, kind, and a good woman—one of the best I've ever met." He leaned a little closer, his breath warm against her temple. "And don't worry about the age difference. I can help you look twenty again. And stay that way for hundreds of years. Maybe thousands."
"Really?" The word escaped her in a whisper, laced with hesitant wonder.
"Really."
She fell silent again, her brows knit in conflict. "I don't know, Jacob. You're sixteen."
"Who cares about that? It's not like you're taking advantage of me or trying to seduce me. I'm the one who wants you. So don't worry about anything. And if you want, when we go out on a date, I can change my appearance to look older, or help you change yours to look younger—until I make you permanently and truly younger." His voice softened. "So tell me how you truly feel, Melissa."
A faint blush touched her cheeks. "I'm not going to lie… I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since the first night we met. I like you, and I've even had some wild dreams…" She cleared her throat, flustered. "Ahem. Anyway, it still doesn't feel right. And you already have three girlfriends."
"They're not my girlfriends," Jacob corrected. "Allison, Lydia, and Malia are my wives. The moment a woman chooses to be with me, we're together for life. We're connected by something deeper than love. And we can't hurt each other."
Melissa looked at his face, her gaze tracing the strong line of his jaw, the intensity in his eyes. She wanted to be with him. She wanted to say yes. But still, she hesitated, looking away once more.
Gently, Jacob reached out and turned her face back to his with a finger under her chin. His eyes held hers. "I know it's hard for you to accept sharing me with other women. That's my only flaw, I swear. But let me show you what I am. Let me show you how much I can make your life happy—how magical it can be. You'll understand that my one flaw isn't something big compared to what I can offer the women I love."
Melissa searched his eyes for a long moment, her heart pounding. Finally, she gave a small nod. "Alright. Show me."
A brilliant, triumphant smile spread across Jacob's face. "Be prepared for your brain to be blown."
In the next instant, the clouds vanished. The sky, the distant land, the cold air—all of it was replaced by a warm, golden light and the scent of blooming flowers.
They were still floating in the air, but now they were overlooking an island so breathtaking it seemed ripped from the pages of a fairy tale. Below them sprawled a beautiful white palace the size of a small city. Vast, gorgeous gardens filled with flowers of every imaginable color. A huge, mirror-calm lake reflected the sky. Stretching into the distance were orchards filled with fruit trees, fields of vibrant vegetables, dense, ancient-looking forests, and majestic mountains framing the horizon.
Melissa gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. She took a deep, shuddering breath. "What… what is this place? It's so beautiful. And the air… it feels like the first time I've ever really breathed."
"This is Serendell," Jacob said, "an extradimensional island that belongs to me. Only me, my wives, and the people I allow can access it. We can teleport here from the outside world anytime. One hour out there is five hours in here. It's a safe place. A paradise for my family and friends."
"Where did you get a place like this?" Melissa breathed, her eyes still sweeping over the impossible scenery.
"I inherited it from my ancestors."
"People inherit gold, or farms, or old castles," Melissa said, shaking her head slowly. "I've never heard of anyone inheriting… this. Not even in fantasies." She turned her awe-struck gaze back to him. "Just what kind of creature are you, Jacob?"
He smiled, a flash of excitement in his eyes. "Let me show you."
In a blink, they were somewhere else—a wide, open plain far from the palace. He set her down gently on the soft, lush grass.
"Stay here and take a look at how magnificent your future husband is."
Melissa rolled her eyes. "I still haven't said yes."
Jacob smirked and gave her a wink. "You will." He walked a short distance away, then turned to face her.
Under Melissa's watchful, expectant eyes, Jacob began to change. His body expanded and reshaped. He grew, and grew, and grew, until standing before her was not a man, but a magnificent, terrifying dragon. He was seven meters tall at the shoulder, a creature of sleek, powerful muscle covered in shimmering black scales that drank in the light. Enormous wings, leathery and strong, were folded against his back. His head was crowned with two curved horns, and his eyes glowed with an ancient red light. Even though he was suppressing his aura, he couldn't contain it fully; a powerful, primal energy still radiated from him.
Melissa stumbled back a step, her hand pressed to her chest. Fear, instinctual and cold, shot through her veins as she looked upon the majestic monster Jacob had become.
A deep, resonant voice, both familiar and monstrous, echoed in the air. "Don't be scared."
Jacob lowered his massive head, moving with deliberate slowness until his snout was mere inches from her. The heat of his breath washed over her. "You can touch me. I won't bite. I promise."
Curiosity overcame her fear. Hesitantly, Melissa reached out. Her fingertips brushed the hard, smooth surface of a scale on his snout. It was warm, like sun-baked stone. She traced the line of it, her touch growing surer. "You… you're a dragon," she whispered in disbelief. "With how handsome and charming you are, I thought you were a demon… or something like El Cucuy."
Jacob shifted back, his body shrinking and reshaping. In moments, he stood before her again, completely, unashamedly naked.
He grinned. "What's an El Cucuy?"
Melissa's eyes widened as she took in his powerful, muscular frame. Her gaze dropped to his crotch and stayed there, unblinking, for several seconds before she swallowed hard. "Oh my… That's big." She came back to her senses, blushed furiously, spun around, and shouted, "J-Jacob! Put some clothes on!"
"Oh, my bad," he said with a smile.
She heard the rustle of fabric and glanced over her shoulder. He was pulling on a black tracksuit from what seemed like thin air, taking his time to put it on. Melissa stared until she met his gaze and saw the smirk on his face. She quickly looked away again, a fresh wave of heat in her cheeks.
Once he was dressed, he walked back to her. "So? El Cucuy?"
"It's a monster my mom used to warn me about when I wouldn't listen," Melissa said, her composure returning. "Or when she was warning me about boys. She said it would kidnap me." She gave him a wry look. "And you definitely did something to me because I couldn't stop thinking about you. So I thought you might be something like it. But not El Cucuy, because he's supposed to be very ugly."
Jacob chuckled. "Lucky me, I'm not one." He stepped close to her again, this time cupping her face in his hands, his thumbs gently brushing her cheeks. He looked directly into her eyes. "So, Mel. What do you think? Will you be my wife?"
Melissa's blush returned. She tried to look away, but his gentle hold kept her gaze locked with his. She was still hesitating.
"Look," he said softly, "life with me will never be boring. I can even help you travel to other worlds."
That caught her full attention. "Other worlds?"
"Yes. Worlds you've seen in movies. You know Cogman? And my talking cat, Kitty? I summoned them both from movie worlds."
"Movie worlds… are real? You're kidding, right?"
"Nope. They're pretty much real. And someday, we'll be able to travel there."
Melissa let out a long, shaky sigh, all her doubts swirling in her eyes. "I like you, Jacob. I really do. And I want to be with you. It's just… I'm not too sure."
He brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "What's holding you back? You almost died yesterday. This world will only get more dangerous. Being with me will not only make you safe, but make you happy, and let you live a long, fulfilling life full of wonders and magic. You'll become strong—strong enough to protect Scott. And if you ever face something you can't handle, I will always be there. For both of you."
Melissa's eyes lit up as she finally found a way to get rid of her doubt and hesitation. "Wait—if I choose not to be with you, are you not going to protect Scott?"
Jacob said, "Of course I will. He's my friend. Even if you choose not to be with me, I'll always protect you and him, if I can."
Melissa shook her head. "No, you don't seem to understand, you idiot." She took a step back, pretending to be angry, and pointed an accusatory finger at him, her voice rising in mock outrage. "I said: if I don't want to be your woman, are you not going to protect my son?" Then she pretended to be scared, clutching her chest. "Are you even going to harm him, you monster?"
Jacob finally realized she was making a silly excuse to be with him. 'Ah, women,' he thought, then played along. His eyes glowed red, and he smirked evilly. "Yes. If you don't become my woman, I will kill your son."
Melissa, still pretending to be scared, lifted her chin dramatically. "Then I have no choice. I have to sacrifice myself for the safety of my child."
"Is that a yes?" Jacob asked, the red glow fading from his eyes, replaced by hopeful, open affection.
Melissa looked at him—at the boy who always made her happy whenever he visited her at the hospital. She thought of all the magical things he had shown her, the lonely years behind her, and the breathtaking paradise surrounding her now.
She stopped hesitating. Taking a final, deep breath of Serendell's perfect, magical air, she stepped forward and closed the distance between them. She placed her hands on his chest, feeling the steady, strong beat of his heart.
"Yes," she said, her voice firm and clear. "It's a yes."
Jacob smiled happily and hugged her. Before Melissa could react, he sealed her lips with a deep kiss, which she soon returned.
He didn't let her go until he felt she was out of breath. Looking into her eyes, he whispered, "So… should we go to the bedroom and…"
"Not so fast," Melissa said, catching her breath. "I agreed to be with you, but we're not sleeping together until you reach eighteen. Or at least until I can't resist anymore."
"Okay, I'm in no hurry," Jacob said. Then he wiggled his eyebrows. "But I'll try my best to make you sleep with me as soon as possible."
Melissa gave him a light kiss on the lips, then winked. "I'm looking forward to how hard you'll try." She glanced down. "Now let go of me, because your little dragon is about to drill a hole in my stomach."
Jacob let her go and smirked. "Sorry about him. He's just a little too excited. Why don't you help him go to sleep?"
Melissa rolled her eyes. "If this is the best you can do to seduce me, you can forget sleeping with me and wait obediently until you turn eighteen."
Jacob shrugged. "It was worth a shot."
Then he raised his right hand, revealing a faintly glowing red tattoo—an intricate circle with a dragon's head at its center. "Drop your blood on this tattoo."
Melissa looked at the tattoo. "What for?"
"To become my mate. You'll understand after you do it," Jacob explained. "But think carefully. Once your blood is on it, we'll be bound together for life."
"I already agreed," Melissa said. "But I need a needle or something."
Jacob used a claw to make a small wound on her finger. She let a drop of her blood fall onto the tattoo. The symbol glowed with a bright, vivid light, then slowly faded until it vanished entirely.
Both of them closed their eyes as the magical contract sealed their bond. In Jacob's mind, a screen materialized:
[Contract Successful. Congratulations, Host. You are now married to Melissa McCall. The two of you are bound for life. You cannot betray one another, and her mind is protected from being read by any other creature. You can communicate with her telepathically, and you will sense when she is in danger.]
Jacob opened his eyes and looked at Melissa, who was still processing the connection with her eyes shut. 'I wonder what kind of bloodline she'll get.'
Melissa felt a deep connection to Jacob and the girls. As she was still processing it, she heard three voices in her head:
[Welcome to the family.]
She knew it was Allison, Lydia, and Malia. She responded telepathically, [T-thank you, girls. I thought you'd be mad and wouldn't welcome me.]
Allison replied, [We know what he is and have accepted that he'll have more women. He already asked us this morning about adding you to our family. Anyway, we'll let you talk to Jay now. We'll have our girl talk tonight—unless you want to sleep with him, of course.]
Melissa replied, [No, although I accepted being his… wife, we're not sleeping together just yet.]
Lydia's voice chimed in, [Then we'll have a girls' night tonight and let him spend the night alone.]
Melissa opened her eyes with a smile and looked at Jacob. "I just talked to the girls in my head. They said they want you to join us for a girls' talk tonight."
Jacob looked horrified. "No—anything but that! I'll fall asleep as soon as they start talking again, and then I'll have to pay the price when I wake up. I haven't even dealt with angry Allison yet."
Melissa laughed. "Relax, I was just joking."
Jacob sighed in relief. "Phew, don't joke about stuff like that. I was already thinking of a way to get out of it."
"Let's go back to Beacon Hills," Melissa said. "I think we should tell Scott."
Jacob kissed her. "Just stay here. I'll go get him and Stiles. After we tell him we're together, there are some things I want to give you three."
With that, he teleported back to Beacon Hills, leaving Melissa there with a content smile—and also a bit nervous about telling Scott.
To be continued… 😊
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25 Chapters ahead of webnovel