Page 22 of Sass Me Again

Ian’s voice was low, edged with threat. “You broke into my house. That was your last mistake,” a fierce growl flew from his mouth.

Eric ignored him, his gaze fixed on Emily. “We’re your family. We can still fix this. You just need to come home and let us help you.”

Emily shook her head, fighting to keep her voice hard and steady. “You can’t ‘fix’ me. I’m not broken. I never was.”

Layla’s gaze flicked to Ian. Her contempt for him was as plain as day. “This is his influence on you. He’s always wanted to tear you away from us. You belong with your own kind, Emily. With your family. Not him!”

“She is with her kind,” Ian growled, stepping forward. “With someone who actually wants her to be herself. With someone who has always loved her. With her mate!”

Eric’s lip curled as he turned his attention to Emily. “You have no idea what you’re inviting with this foolishness. You think the pack will protect you? They’ll turn on you the moment you become an inconvenience.” He reached into his coat. A little too quickly for Ian’s liking.

Ian surged forward. In a flash, he’d shoved Emily behind him and crouched, ready to shift. “Don’t,” he barked.

But Eric’s hand came out holding a familiar syringe—the same kind they’d used to suppress Emily’s wolf for years.

Layla stepped closer, eyes pleading now. “Emily, please. We can put this behind us. Just come home and take your medicine. Things can be like they were—safe, normal. No more chaos.”

“No,” Emily shouted, voice clear and resonant. “I’m done hiding. I’m done being your secret. I want to live my own life.”

For a moment, the four of them stood in a tense, silent standoff. Waiting for each other to make their move. A sudden rush of wind and a shimmer of magic filled the room, and Tanner and Rafe appeared out of nowhere.

“I’m never going to get used to that,” Emily said with a start.

Tanner’s shoulders were squared, his eyes scanning the room for any possible threat. Rafe radiated Alpha authority so strongly that it seemed to press the air flat. Emily tried to suck in a deep breath to keep herself steady and alert, but the feeling of Rafe’s magic left her seriously unsettled. She was thankful when Ian wrapped his arm around her to keep her upright and to save her ass from hitting the floor. The last thing she wanted to do was embarrass herself in front of everyone.

“Nobody move,” Rafe commanded, his voice thick with the Alpha timbre. His eyes locked on the Holmeses. “You must be Eric and Layla. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Who the hell are you?” Layla screeched. The thick vein on her forehead grew angrier with each huff of breath.

“I’m the Alpha of Black Paw Pack. Complaints against both of you have been officially filed with the Pack. I’d like to discuss these matters with you.”

“I don’t think so. This is a family matter. Period,” Eric shouted.

“Pack law is clear. What you’ve done to your daughter will not be tolerated. Not by Black Paw Pack and not by the Council. You’re under arrest for endangering a shifter, use of an illegal suppression drug, and trespassing on Black Paw territory.”

Eric’s face contorted with anger. “You have no authority over us! We don’t belong to you!”

“That’s correct. You do not belong to the Pack, but as a shifter, you know better. You know how this world works, whether you choose to participate in it or not. What you have done to your daughter is wrong. Period. You will face the consequences of your actions. Both of you.” Rafe’s voice left no room for discussion.

“Like hell!” Layla shouted.

“I’d drop that syringe if I were you, or this situation is going to get really ugly, really fast.” Rafe made his stance on the situation perfectly clear.

“Fuck you. I don’t care who the hell you are. You will not tell us what we can and can’t do with our family,” Eric shouted.

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.”