"Sam?" Abe questioned, sounding more shocked than upset. By the look in his eyes, I could tell he'd thought he would never see this woman again, and as if the recent turn of events were too good to be true. Of course, her gun stayed level with his heart, and I could see she was uninterested in a reunion.

"We're here to take my daughter, and then we'll leave peacefully. You'll never see us again."

"No," Abe said definitively. "Sam, please, put down the gun."

"Mom, put down the gun."

Sam looked at Andy, and I'm not sure what she saw there, but as she lowered her weapon, she looked both relieved and sad at the same time.

"Grams, you too."

Mel didn't take her tear-filled eyes off Graham as she aimed her gun toward the ground instead of at him. "Get your stuff, Andy; let's go."

"Why are you guys here?

"When you didn't text last night or call this morning, we knew something was wrong," her mother said.

"But how did you find me?"

"We can discuss it in the car; let's go."

Andy ignored the order and asked, "No, seriously, how did you find me? According to them, none of us should've been able to find this place."

"GPS locator on your phone."

"I don't have a signal."

"We knew where you ended up by your last known location. Now, let's go."

"Grams..."

"Before it's too late."

"It's already too late."

Both her grandma and mother shrunk inwardly a little like they'd been hoping for a different outcome...and I didn't blame them. My Dad and uncle had f.u.c.ked them over, and they had no reason to expect anything might be different for Andy.

"It's not too late Andy," I said."We need to talk."

"I don't think so, Mister." Her Grams raised the shotgun and pointed it at me. Andy immediately stepped in front of me in a protective stance.

"Do not point that at my Mate-" Andy tensed. "s.h.i.t!" After slapping her hands onto her hips and shaking her head at herself, she mumbled, "I didn't mean to say that."

"I am your mate, so there isn't any reason not to say it."

She peered over her shoulder at me. "Until-"

"No, there's no until. There are no but's. We need to talk, and we need to do it now."

Her grams c.o.c.ked the hammer again. I was beyond done with this whole situation and released my Alpha power as I said in a calm voice, "Put down your weapons." I watched as they both fought my influence as much as was possible for them. Their arms shook slightly as they fought the urge to obey, but both ended up slowly lowering their weapons to the ground, their heads tilting in submission.

"What are you doing to them?" Andy demanded, not sounding very thrilled by my actions.

"Just making sure no one gets hurt, dear."

"Don't call me dear."

"Honeybuns?"

"Huh?"

"Sugarplum?"

"What the f.u.c.k is a sugarplum?"

"Not a clue, babe."

"What are you doing?"

"Testing out terms of endearment."

"Why?"

"Because I think you're the type of woman who wouldn't appreciate me calling her, mine.' Make no mistake, though; that's what you are."

"I belong to-"

"See."

"Why bother, Walt? You'll say what you need to say, and then I'm out of here." She cleared her throat as she did when she fought tears.

"I told you; I'm not letting you go."

"Oh, please," her mom said, surprising the h.e.l.l out of me. She was a strong Alpha. I still had no idea how the humans before me held any power at all, but I didn't have time to think about it very long because she cut my thoughts off with her sarcastic voice. "Planning on leaving with her and living as a human?" I couldn't help but smile, Andy and her mom were so much alike. "Don't smile at me." I tried to quell my mirth but wasn't very successful. Her mom and grams must have taken it personally, given the expressions on their faces.

"Walt, let them go; let everyone go."

I looked around to find everyone locked in place with their heads tilted in submission. Everyone except Andy. My mate was exceptional. "If they agree to hand over the weapons, they are free to go." Both her mom and grams hesitated, but eventually nodded their a.s.sent. I recalled my power, everyone around me began to move again.

Abe approached Andy's mom with his hand out. She stared at him, fighting tears. When she placed the gun in his hand, her fingers brushed his palm, and she jumped back as if she'd received a shock. Then, she crossed her arms over her chest before looking away from him.

My dad approached Mel, and she handed him the shotgun. This weapon was long enough that they didn't need to touch. But they did stare at each other with such intensity that the room felt like it grew a little warmer.

Andy watched both interactions, her expression saddening even further. "Walt, tell me what you need to say."

"Let's go upstairs."

"Why can't you just say it now, so I can get out of here and take Thelma and Louise with me?"

"You're not going anywhere."

"Oh really?" Andy turned to face me and placed her hands on her hips. "You think you can order me around?"

"I am your mate."

"N-" Andy began to speak, but her mother interrupted.

"Like that makes a difference. She already knows."

"Knows what?"

"About shifters and the laws. You can't be with her, and dragging this whole thing out is just going to make it worse."

"How many times do I need to say she's not leaving?"

"Planning on keeping her hidden and on the side? Come on, Andy. Being alone is better than being used like that."

Andy took a step in their direction, and I grabbed her arm. "You can't leave."

"She's right. I have to."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because-"

"What could you possibly say? You have laws, and you must live by them. What reason could you have to do otherwise?"

"Because they're stupid."

"They always were stupid," Andy insisted.

"Yes, things are different now."

"What could be so different?"

"I met you, and I'm the f.u.c.king Alpha."

"I know all that already." She rolled her eyes.

"I'm going to change everything."

"How? You gonna call a meeting? Have a vote? Do you think the packs, nests, schools, etcetera with their b.i.t.c.hes lined up to be your mate are going to say yes?"

"Yes. No. I mean they have no choice."

I saw that Andy was thinking and didn't quite understand what I was saying. "What the f.u.c.k are you talking about?" she screamed.

"That I don't give a s.h.i.t about a f.u.c.king law that's ridiculous. One that has never worked in the clans' favor, and was a misguided last-ditch effort concocted by a bunch of a.s.sholes a hundred years ago. I am the-"

"Alpha, I know! Geeze, what does that have to do with anything. Don't ya'll vote?"

She was muttering under her breath not entirely paying attention when I said, "Not this time."

"I mean what do- huh? Not this time what?"

"Are you going to yell at me if I say, I'm the Alpha once more?"

I smiled, and she pressed her lips together to prevent herself from returning it, but her eyes sparkled. "No."

"I would rather explain all of this to you when we are alone."

"Why don't you share what you have to say with all of us. I'm dying to know how everything will be so different this time." Mel probably didn't realize it, but she moved a little closer to dad, who grinned when he noticed.

"Yeah, why can't we hear what you have to say too?" her mother asked.

"Because of what will come after."

"And what's that?" Andy c.o.c.ked her head and raised an eyebrow.

"I'm going to make you mine."

I wasn't sure it would work, but I tried to speak to her telepathically. I'm going to make love to you. Her cheeks pinked; it was working. Then, I'm going to f.u.c.k you so hard you'll be walking bowlegged. Her eyes widened, and she shifted where she stood.

I began speaking to the room between intermittently sending Andy private messages. "This is my clan."

And that's my f.u.c.king c.l.i.t, Andy.

"I have the authority to change things as I see fit."

It's going to take me a very long time to get that p.u.s.s.y ready for my c.o.c.k.

"I am not giving the others a choice in this matter."

Maybe I should tie you up, so I can f.u.c.k you with my mouth as long as I f.u.c.king want to.

"Aren't you supposed to vote?" Mel asked.

I didn't look away from Andy, who's eyes had grown heavy-lidded when I answered Mel. "It's always been more of a courtesy." And spoke telepathically to Andy again, No, I don't think I can wait until we make it upstairs or find something to tie you up with.

"And with ninety-nine percent of the issues brought before the clan, the consensus of the group holds sway, but not with this one."

Stop talking in my head. Andy said in my own.

Wow, she picked that trick up quick, I thought, raising my brows.

Andy rolled her eyes, For now. Stop for now. I want to hear every word of this, and I can't concentrate.