Page 34 of Last But Not Leashed

“Uncle Alan!” Ethel snarled and tightened her hold on my bag. “I swear, if he gets scared off because of you, no one—”

I tugged on Ethel’s leash. “I’m not sure I can afford a durable house and bail.”

“Damn it, Dale!”

“You’re worrying over nothing.”

Her pout tempted me into beating her uncle so I could take her off and get straight to the mating frenzy part of our day. “But I want to beat sense into him.”

I wanted him to go away, but I restrained myself. Given a few more minutes, she’d need to collar and leash me. Both of us riled up would lead directly to disaster. Lycanthrope males had a reputation of being dangerous, but I’d seen the truth often enough within our pack: it often took violence or intimacy to calm a female ready to rampage. Males had the same issue, but I could be reasoned with—usually.

Ethel tended to stick to her guns, and she was good enough with most weapons the CDC gave her, even the big ones when needed. However, she didn’t need weapons to be dangerous.

I’d have to request a pay increase for saving her uncle’s life. I sighed. “You might regret killing him later, Ethel.”

“Like hell I will!”

“Ethel.”

“What? He’s an ass. My entire family? Asses.”

Ethel’s uncle snickered. “Can’t say she’s wrong, son.”

“Let’s try to get through the evening without mauling anyone, please. I’ve reached my quota of maulings for the week.”

“I don’t know, Dale. Dad deserves it.”

I huffed. “Before you beat your father, perhaps you should ask your uncle why he’s surprised I’m a hybrid—and why they decided to issue the bounty when they did if they weren’t aware I’m a hybrid.”

“Huh. Never thought I’d be sayin’ this, but you’re huntin’ yourself a smart one, baby girl. It’s easy, son. She done called her ma and told her some bitch tried to run off with you. We figured we needed to put an end to that nonsense, so it’s best you accept it now. It’s too late to run. You’re not leavin’ until our baby girl gets what she wants.”

Psychotic family, check. Beautiful woman worth dealing with the psychotic family, check. Approval of psychotic family, check.

My life had become strange, but I didn’t mind it. Did that make me psychotic, too?

I decided to ignore all of the craziness coming out of her uncle’s mouth. “Ethel, why is he calling you a baby girl?”

“I’m the oldest, so I’m saddled with it. Don’t worry about it. You’ll get used to it.”

“Honestly, I’m more worried about another pack of angry lycanthropes beating me. One’s enough for a while.”

“They’re not going to beat you.”

“Maybe. We’ll see, assuming I survive the evening without being beaten. Now, that said, you owe me. You, however accidentally, caused this mess.”

Ethel sighed. “Damn it. I should’ve known my dumbass mother talked to Dad.”

“Now, now, baby girl. Your ma just cares, and she was right worried to hear someone had hurt your Dale.”

“Already claimed your territory with your family, have you?” I teased, giving a gentle tug of the leash. “I’m not that skittish, Ethel.”

“Like hell you aren’t!”

I laughed, shaking my head over how my drive to maintain professionalism had given Ethel the wrong idea about me. “I just wanted to maintain my professionalism at work. I’ve had my assumptions corrected.”

“Good.”

Ethel’s uncle sighed. “We don’t get to knock sense into Dale?”