Chapter 15
“Mom, Dad, stop this. You need to tell me why you did this to me. Why you keep injecting me with whatever the hell it is in that needle.” Emily didn’t mince her words. She wanted answers only they had.
“Because it’s for the best. You don’t know what kind of trouble you’re inviting into your life by siding with these beasts. They will destroy the life we’ve built—the life that we’ve purposely steered clear of,” Layla growled.
“What on Earth is so bad about being a wolf? It’s actually kind of awesome from what I’ve been able to see and do.”
“You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.
You think being a wolf is cool, but it’s not.
You’ve shifted what once? Twice? You don’t know shit.
Breaking your bones repeatedly to let an animal rule you?
Yeah. Tons of fun! Having that animal rule your every damn thought.
Having urges that no human should ever feel?
They should have killed off our entire species long ago and been done with it. ” Eric continued on his tangent.
“Enough!” Rafe’s voice boomed through the house.
“You will not get away with taking my daughter from me. I gave birth to her. She is what I say and who I say she is.”
“Mom, do you even hear yourself? You sound completely nuts!”
“You have no idea the lengths I’ve gone to protect you—to protect all of us from these monsters. I thought you’d be okay, that you’d see he was no good for you, but you just couldn’t stay the hell away from him.” Layla jabbed an accusatory finger at Ian.
“He is my mate. I don’t know if you understand that or not, but you know I’m not lying. You can hear the truth in my words.”
“Like that matters? We can break that mating in a heartbeat and get you back on track. Trust me, we’ve already looked into this. It’s just sad that you are going to force us to go to those lengths. All because you couldn’t stay away from that fucking, pathetic mutt!” Eric scoffed.
Rafe silently nodded to Tanner, giving the unspoken command.
Tanner moved with an inhuman speed, snatching the syringe from Eric’s hand. “Actually, we do.” He held on to Eric. His grip was unbreakable.
Layla tried to rush at Emily, but Ian stepped between them with a snarl. “Don’t.”
“You can’t do this,” Layla pleaded, her composure cracking. “She’s our daughter! She’s mine!”
Rafe’s tone was final. “She’s a member of this pack now—and you’ve broken our laws.”
Layla’s shoulders slumped. Eric struggled against Tanner’s hold, but it was useless. Emily just watched, shocked at how small her parents suddenly looked.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, not sure who she meant it for.
Tanner glanced at Rafe for confirmation. “Ready?”
Rafe nodded. “Take them.”
There was a shimmer of energy, a pop that made the air seem to collapse inward, and then Tanner and the Holmeses vanished. They were gone in an instant, leaving only the echo of Eric’s angry shouts and Layla’s broken sobs.
Rafe looked at Emily, his voice softer. “You did well. You’re safe now. The pack will hold them accountable for their actions and bring them to justice.”
He glanced at Ian, gave a nod, then turned and strode out the door. Silence fell through the house, broken only by the sigh that escaped Emily as the adrenaline fled from her body.
Ian turned to her, wrapping her in his arms. She sagged against him, relief and sorrow mingling in her brain.
“It’s over,” he murmured, his lips pressed to her hair.
Emily nodded, but let herself believe, for just that moment, everything would somehow, magically, be okay.