“We know, baby.”
“You do?”
“Dane told us.”
“Your mate’s Alpha called him to let him know you were safe.”
I groaned. “Are you kidding me? What did he say?”
“He’s not happy about it, Win, but it’s fine. We assured him you’re exactly where you need to be,” Dad said.
“Thanks Dad, but I’m not sure that’s true.”
I told them what happened and how Clay had refused to claim me. I left out the part of me being drunk and truthfully the details of how everything happened were a little fuzzy this morning, but that feeling of rejection was something I would never forget. I would never allow myself to be in that position again.
“I want to come home,” I finally told them.
“You’re in Collier Pack, that’s in Wyoming, right?”
“Yes.”
“We’ll be near there this weekend. We should be pulling in with the hour to start unloading and setting things up.”
“Don’t encourage her,” Mom fussed at Dad. “This is her true mate we’re talking about.”
“If my daughter wants to come home, then dammit, I’m going to make sure she gets home.”
“This wasn’t how I imagined it at all.”
Mom huffed. “Before last night, how have things been with your Clay?”
“Perfect. Everything’s been wonderful so I don’t understand why he refused to claim me.”
Because you were drunk,a little voice in my head said, but I shook it off because I didn’t want to admit that I’d done this to myself.
“Well, maybe it’s just a misunderstanding,” she said.
“Stop encouraging her to stay. She wants to come home.”
I sighed as the two of them argued about it.
“Stop! Please, just stop.”
My phone was buzzing with another incoming call. I looked down and saw it was Clay. I pressed the decline button and then told my parents I needed to go.
“Let me know when you’re settled and where exactly you are. Even if I don’t come home, I’d love to come see you. I miss you both so much.”
“We’ll call you with that information in a few hours,” Dad assured me.
“We love you, honey,” Mom said.
“Love you, too,” I said.
As I sat there staring at the silent phone in my hand, the door burst open and went flying off the hinges.
I screamed.
Clay stood there, looking half feral as his head whipped back and forth.