convince me that waking my animal is the right choice. You’re acting like a pair of mongrel dogs, and I don’t even know why you’re fighting.”
Margaret swallowed her laughter long enough to choke out a few words. “Scott should have known better than to yell at you.”
“He startled me, but he didn’t hurt me,” Sarah returned. “I snapped at you. I’m sorry, Margaret. I didn’t mean what I said.” Her friend nodded.
Scott’s growled from the floor. “It doesn’t matter,” He stood and shook his head, sending water flying. “Chris acts like you belong to him already. I crossed a line, and I deserved what I got.”
Warmth flooded Sarah’s cheeks. Belong! “I don’t belong to anyone,” she replied. “You don’t want me for me, so I don’t want to have anything to do with you...ever.” She crossed her arms over her chest and sucked in a shaky breath. “Now, will someone please explain to me why both of my parents are sitting in the kitchen witnessing all of this?”
“Sarah.” Chris stood and took a step toward her. She held up her hand to stop him.
“Get out.” She turned away from him and pointed to the door. “Please, all of you just leave. I need to talk to my parents.”
She waited patiently, but within a few moments, the room had cleared and only her parents remained at the bar. Her mom motioned to the stool next to her, and she moved swiftly, sliding into the empty seat.
“Sarah, hon, I had no idea about all of this when Margaret first asked me about you staying.”
“I know, Mom.” She propped her head on her hand and looked down the bar at her mom and dad. “How much have they explained?”
“A lot,” her dad admitted. “Did you know that big guy Chris was fighting, Margaret’s husband, can turn into a grizzly bear?”
Her eyebrows raise. “No, but that explains a lot about his behavior.”
“You’re going through with the...thing tonight, right?” Her mother looked so tired and scared.
“Yes, probably, I don’t know.”
“Honey, if there is a way to escape the nightmare I’ve lived with for over forty years, you have to do this. I can live with taking pills for the rest of my life, but you still have your whole life ahead of you.”
“It’s not fair that you have to. I can’t believe you and grandmother suffered all these years and they had a fix this whole time.”
“They didn’t know, Sarah. Don’t blame them. If they could help us now, they would. You have to take this chance. Grandmother would want it for you as much as I do. And they say these Council people will keep trying to kill you. This Awakening will give you the ability to protect yourself.”
“Mom, slow down. Do you know what you’re saying? What if I don’t want to be part animal? Did you see they way those two men just reacted?”
“Did you see the way their wives reacted, Sarah?” her dad asked.
She looked up. His blue eyes were twinkling.
“They were laughing, honey. They weren’t concerned in the least...I watched them. Yes, yes, they were yelling at them to stop, but none of them were afraid.”
“But I’m different. I haven’t grown up with this other persona. What if I completely go off the deep end once she’s awake for real?”
“Baby girl,” her dad started again, “this Council already stole your fiancé. Don’t let them steal you from me and your mother too.”
“But I won’t be human anymore, Dad.”
“You will always be our little girl, Sarah. No matter what extra DNA or magick runs through your veins. I trust Samantha and Margaret. You grew up with them. They have your best interest at heart,” her mom added softly.
“I like Chris,” her dad murmured and then took a sip of his coffee.
“He wants the wolf to have the last say in who I’m with. I can’t be with someone who would let an animal choose their life partner.”
“Are
Margaret swallowed her laughter long enough to choke out a few words. “Scott should have known better than to yell at you.”
“He startled me, but he didn’t hurt me,” Sarah returned. “I snapped at you. I’m sorry, Margaret. I didn’t mean what I said.” Her friend nodded.
Scott’s growled from the floor. “It doesn’t matter,” He stood and shook his head, sending water flying. “Chris acts like you belong to him already. I crossed a line, and I deserved what I got.”
Warmth flooded Sarah’s cheeks. Belong! “I don’t belong to anyone,” she replied. “You don’t want me for me, so I don’t want to have anything to do with you...ever.” She crossed her arms over her chest and sucked in a shaky breath. “Now, will someone please explain to me why both of my parents are sitting in the kitchen witnessing all of this?”
“Sarah.” Chris stood and took a step toward her. She held up her hand to stop him.
“Get out.” She turned away from him and pointed to the door. “Please, all of you just leave. I need to talk to my parents.”
She waited patiently, but within a few moments, the room had cleared and only her parents remained at the bar. Her mom motioned to the stool next to her, and she moved swiftly, sliding into the empty seat.
“Sarah, hon, I had no idea about all of this when Margaret first asked me about you staying.”
“I know, Mom.” She propped her head on her hand and looked down the bar at her mom and dad. “How much have they explained?”
“A lot,” her dad admitted. “Did you know that big guy Chris was fighting, Margaret’s husband, can turn into a grizzly bear?”
Her eyebrows raise. “No, but that explains a lot about his behavior.”
“You’re going through with the...thing tonight, right?” Her mother looked so tired and scared.
“Yes, probably, I don’t know.”
“Honey, if there is a way to escape the nightmare I’ve lived with for over forty years, you have to do this. I can live with taking pills for the rest of my life, but you still have your whole life ahead of you.”
“It’s not fair that you have to. I can’t believe you and grandmother suffered all these years and they had a fix this whole time.”
“They didn’t know, Sarah. Don’t blame them. If they could help us now, they would. You have to take this chance. Grandmother would want it for you as much as I do. And they say these Council people will keep trying to kill you. This Awakening will give you the ability to protect yourself.”
“Mom, slow down. Do you know what you’re saying? What if I don’t want to be part animal? Did you see they way those two men just reacted?”
“Did you see the way their wives reacted, Sarah?” her dad asked.
She looked up. His blue eyes were twinkling.
“They were laughing, honey. They weren’t concerned in the least...I watched them. Yes, yes, they were yelling at them to stop, but none of them were afraid.”
“But I’m different. I haven’t grown up with this other persona. What if I completely go off the deep end once she’s awake for real?”
“Baby girl,” her dad started again, “this Council already stole your fiancé. Don’t let them steal you from me and your mother too.”
“But I won’t be human anymore, Dad.”
“You will always be our little girl, Sarah. No matter what extra DNA or magick runs through your veins. I trust Samantha and Margaret. You grew up with them. They have your best interest at heart,” her mom added softly.
“I like Chris,” her dad murmured and then took a sip of his coffee.
“He wants the wolf to have the last say in who I’m with. I can’t be with someone who would let an animal choose their life partner.”
“Are
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