*****Edited by krisgee*****

 2011 © All Rights Reserved

Chapter 25 (Amy)

            I couldn’t help but to smile at my Grandpop.  He looked physically weaker due to his illness, but he sure made up for it with his abundance of spirit.  We were all laughing happily when I heard the door creak open.  All three of us turned to the intrusion and my face paled when I spotted my dad standing at the door. 

            He didn’t look like the same loving dad that I was so used come home to everyday after school.  His face was contorted with anger and anyone with half a brain could see that he was harboring one very pissed off wolf.

            “Is that so Dad?” he replied through his extended canine teeth. I took special notice off how his hands were tightly fisted at his sides and how his body started to vibrate with rage.

            Stevie stood and pulled me up to his side.  He laid a possessive arm across my shoulder and glared at my father.  Oh God, I thought to myself.  He was staking his claim in front of my extremely pissed off father.  This was so not going to be good.

            Grandpop stood from his chair and walked forward so that he had positioned himself in front of us.

            “Grandpop,” I whispered fiercely.  “Sit back down, please.”  He glanced back at me and affectionately patted my cheek. 

            “Hush girl, my son will not harm me.  He may throw a temper tantrum but he still holds his respect for his father, so you don’t worry about a thing.”

            I lifted a questioning brow to Grandpop before looking back at my dad.  His words didn’t give me any confidence at all.  My father looked like he was ready to kill.

            “You may be correct in that assumption Dad,” my father sneered.  “However I have no qualms with taking that pup behind you and teaching him a lesson or two about respecting his Alpha’s wishes,” my father said as he took several steps closer to us.  Grandpop turned around so that he was facing my father and straightened his spine.

            “Son, you listen here and you listen well.  Your daughter has found her mate and a damn strong one from what I can tell.  He seems to be an honorable wolf and I have sensed no lies coming from him.   His wolf has more than proved it’s worth in daring to stand here in front of you today, ready to defend his claim.“

            My father rolled his shoulders and settled his eyes on Stevie.  His breaths increased and I watched in horror as his claws extended.

            “Daddy, no!” I screamed as he started to stalk towards us.

            He halted for a moment and his gaze switched to mine.  Sympathy bled through his eyes as he continued to stare at me.  I watched as my father finally closed his own eyes and in a guttural voice he continued.

            “She is my baby.  She isn’t even eighteen yet.  All I asked for was four months, four fucking months.”

            Daddy opened his eyes and they turned that obsidian black color.  He snapped his head back in Stevie’s direction and snarled, “And you couldn’t even give us the four months like we asked.  For that alone pup, your punishment will be my pleasure.”

            “That’s not going to happen,” Grandpop replied in an authoritative tone.  His words were so clear and precise it was hard to tell who was really the Alpha in this room. 

            “Will, son, you are going to have to go through me to get to these kids,” he bellowed.

            My father recoiled like he had received a slap in the face.  He took a step back and I was in awe as I watched his canines recede and his nails withdrawal back to normal.  I tentatively relaxed because it seemed as if some of the tension in the room had momentarily dissipated. 

            “What now?” I spoke softly.  My father’s stare lifted to me and I heard the low rumble of a growl coming from his chest. 

            “His family,” he said while lifting his finger to point at Stevie, “They are now and forever banished from this pack.  I will not tolerate disobedience from a pup, not even if he is your mate.”  My mouth dropped open and I stood there in total shock.  My knees buckled from underneath me, but my Stevie was there to catch me. 

            “You can’t do that,” I hoarsely whispered.

            “I can and I just did,” my father growled while keeping his eyes pinned to Stevie.  “You have forty eight hours to pack your family and get your ass out of my territory.”  I gasped and felt my eyes start to well up.

            “Daddy,” I cried out helplessly.

            Stevie pushed me behind him and focused on my father.  All I could do was hold on to the back of his shirt and pray to the Moon Goddess.

            “With all do respect sir, if I leave, my mate comes with me,” Stevie spoke in a dangerously cool voice.

            “I’ll be damned,” my father barked out.  “She is my daughter and she will stay with me.”

            I held on tight to Stevie and I felt his chest rise when he inhaled a deep breath of air.  Very calmly he replied, “Over my dead body.”

            “Oh God,” I whispered to myself.

            “Pup, that can definitely be arranged,” my father answered back in that same calm tone.

            “There will be no deaths here,” Grandpop declared while pointedly look back and forth between Stevie and my father.  He then turned his sole attention back to Dad.  “Will, you grew up in a pack and you know what a female goes through once she has been claimed.  The heat is a very painful process without her mate.  Why would you want to wish this pain on your daughter?”

            I felt Stevie’s heart rate quicken at the mere mention of my pain.  I slipped my hand under his shirt and felt his breathing slow from my touch against his skin.  My father looked down at the ground. 

            “I know,” he said looking sorely defeated.  “But she is my baby girl; I’m not ready to let her go.  I can’t let her go,” he finished by running his hand recklessly through his thick head of hair.  Grandpop exhaled a deep breath of air. 

            “Will, she is wolf.  You have to let her go; the Moon Goddess fated them to be together.  You need to accept this or you are going to lose your daughter.”

            My fathers eyes snapped up to me and in a gruff voice, he said “No.”  He then turned to Stevie and screamed, “This is your fucking fault.”

            Before I could protest the air crackled and a snarling grey wolf stood before us.

            “No!” I screamed.  “Daddy, please,” I begged of him.  I tried to push my way around Stevie and he just held me back.  The air crackled again and Stevie’s white wolf was nudging me back even further.

            “Stop this insanity,” I yelled to the both of them.  Stevie’s wolf looked up at me with sad eyes and I tried to plead with him.  “You can’t fight my father; you cannot possibly beat an Alpha." I ended with a pathetic sniffle.  In my head I heard his familiar sad voice.

            “Princess, I have to do this.  If we are going to be together I have to prove myself to your father.  I have staked my claim and now I am defending it.”

            I felt the warm tears run down my cheek and I fell to my knees.  I wrenched my hands into his fur and held on to him for dear life.  Maybe if I held on tight enough I would be able to stop the inevitable.

            A dangerous growl came from the other side of the room.  I looked up at my father defiantly.  If he wanted Stevie, then he would have to remove me first.

            “Princess,” Stevie called into my mind.  “Let me go,” he said very calmly.  I shook my head vehemently refusing to release my grip. 

            “No,” I spoke into his fur.  “You can’t make me.”

            “Princess,” Stevie spoke cautiously as he eyed my father.  A warning growl escaped his mouth because my father was slowly advancing on us.

            “Stop this madness,” I cried out once again as I lifted my head and glared at my father.

            I felt strong hands grip me by the shoulders and attempt to move me out of harm’s way.  I jerked carelessly to try and escape the hold. 

            “Come Amy,” Grandpop said as he easily lifted me away from Stevie.  I had no idea he still had that type of strength left in him.  I tried to break away from him but he held fast until I eventually stilled my movements.

            I felt helpless as I watched the horrifying scene play out in front of me.  The two wolves circled each other growling and snarling; attempting to intimidate the other opponent.  Stevie leaped forward but my father was too quick and easily jumped backed out of the way.  Then my father’s wolf jumped on Stevie's back and he easily bucked him off.

            I couldn’t take anymore of this nonsense.  They were determined to kill each other right there in front of me.  Panic started to settle over me and I felt my own wolf whine for release.  I gladly embraced the change and fell to the floor on all fours.  Lifting my head I released a howl of agony and then ran.  That was the only way my wolf knew how to handle the painful situation. Run.

            I jumped through a window and felt instant pain from where the bits of glass stuck in my skin.  I didn’t care.  I needed to run, run until I couldn’t run anymore.  I dashed into the woods, trees whipping by me as I increased my speed.  I pushed myself until I couldn’t push anymore. 

            Stopping by a river bank panting heavily I lapped up some cool water.  Lifting my head I glanced around at my surroundings and realized that I had pushed myself to the end of our territory.  I was exhausted. 

            “Well, well, well….What do we have here gentleman?” 

            My head snapped up at the familiar voice.  I have heard it only one time before; the time that I was taken after the talent show.

            Seven wolves came out of the woods and started to circle me while one man walked forward and stopped in front of me.  He was wolf; I could easily smell it and in response I peeled my lips back to bare my canines and growl at him in warning.   

            “You’re a feisty one aren’t ya,” he said as he kneeled down to my level.

            I continued to let the growl rumble deep in my belly while watching his every move.  He shook his head.

            “I had no idea that it would be this easy.  We were coming to get you, you know.”  He reached for my head and I flinched away from him.  “I know who you are little femme wolf.  I can smell him all over you.  You are our Stevie’s mate.  He was a bad boy and didn’t comply with his Alpha’s orders.  Since we don’t have his mother, then you will just have to do.”

            My heart started to race and fear was like a blanket over me.  There was no way that I could take on seven full grown male wolves.  The man stuck his head in the air and took a long sniff before turning a wicked smile at me. 

            “The Alpha is going to be real happy with you, little wolf.  You’re in heat and prime for pups.  Yes, sir.  He is going to be real happy.”

            Those were the last words I heard just before I felt a sharp pinch in my hind quarter and then the lights went out.