Curves & Courage (15 page)

I bit my lower lip, watching in terror. As much as I hated to admit it, he was right. This was between me and him, not him and them.

I extricated my hand from Dom’s. A growl erupted from him; his eyes glowed as his wolf attempted to take over. I placed a gentle hand on his chest. “Please let me try.”

His gaze danced between my father and me. A war was waging inside him, I knew. His body vibrated before me; his wolf snarled and snapped beneath his surface, shaking my confidence a bit.

“Swanson.” The man was beside Dan in a second. “Go with her.” The alpha gave me a hard stare. “I trust him.”

Swanson appeared as edgy as Dom, though it seemed he had a better grip on his wolf. The man looked directly at me, assessing me until I met his scrutiny. He gave a curt shake of his head, indicating for me to proceed, to move forward.

Tha
t’s what this was about, right? …moving forward; facing my dad, getting closure on my past so I could start a new chapter, a new storybook.

My wolf stirred for the first time, nudging her nose against me, as if to encourage me. She wasn’t brave, but she was strong. And sometimes, it was strength that got you through, not courage.

One swift scan of the crowd behind me proved this was the best time. I’d procrastinated long enough; I’d allowed him to control me, to abuse me, long enough.

I drew in an unsteady breath and strolled towards the door, towards the furious giant.

Swanson moved past me and with one slide of a lock, he invited the giant in.

The door flew open and my dad stomped inside. He was in my face faster than I could process his moves.

“You’re a fucking pussy! I didn’t raise a weak bitch.” His breath reeked of alcohol. His words weren’t slurred, his mind wasn’t impaired, but he’d clearly been indulging.

I turned my face away from him, scrunching my nose.

His hand closed around my bruised skin before I could react. A screech flew out my mouth as a sharp ache flamed from his grip.

Swanson’s hand went around my dad’s bicep, drawing his attention from me. “Hands off. Now,” he snarled. The menace in Kris’ dad’s voice sent chills down my spine.

“She’s my child, mine to handle how I please,” he snapped, shaking my head to prove his point. His fingers pressed into my flesh.

Behind me, I heard Dom
scrounging. His energy carried towards me. I sensed his anger, sensed his fury. Based off the rising volume of his growls, I knew he was close to shifting, close to fighting.

Swanson moved in closer, pressing his chest against my father’s arm. “I said hands off the girl.”

“I said butt the fuck out.” My dad shoved Swanson away.

Swanson’s eyes illuminated immediately; his muscles fluttered, primed and ready.

Anxiety wormed through my chest. I didn’t want a fight. I didn’t want this. I couldn’t watch this. “Stop!”

Both men swung their
attention to me. I wrapped both hands around my dad’s wrist. “Let me go.”

His jaw was cinched tight. Faintly, I heard his teeth grinding together. His nostrils flared with every huff and every
rapid exhale.

As if finally wrapping his mind around the situation, as if finally acknowledging a tiny portion of his conscience, he sighed. Reluctantly, he released me. “What the fuck are you doing, Sophie?”
This time when he spoke, his voice was softer, more of a harsh plea than a booming demand.

“I should ask you to the same question.” I was surprised my voice didn’t
quiver because the rest of me was.

“Don’t get smart with me. You’re in deep shit for this stunt.”

“I think you already gave me enough punishments for one lifetime.”

His
face hardened; his fist flew faster than I could catch. I heard the thick thud before I felt the impact of his blow.

I heard Dom’s wolf, not him, roaring behind me. Someone was bravely holding him back though.

In the blink of an eye, Swanson had my father in a chokehold, surprising us both.

Throbbing pulsated the left side of my face. Bruised flesh cried over newly bruised flesh. He’d punched me. He actually punched me in front of them. He’d never done anything in front of people before. He always hid his actions; ensured walls protected him from shame and persecution for his cruelty.

I was surprised by my wolf’s snarl. She rose up, circling inside me. For the first time, I felt her pain; I understood her heartache as my own. I wasn’t the only victim here. If for nothing else, I needed to fight for her. She didn’t deserve this. We both didn’t, but her more than anyone.

Unknowingly, I’d suppressed my wolf; I’d subjected her to oppression. I allowed my father to diminish me, and, in turn, I weakened her. I was the one who pushed her into a corner; I was the one who didn’t allow her to stand up for herself, for us.

We chose whether or not we took a stand, regardless of the force we were up against. I chose whether to stay or go. I chose whether to fight or flail. I chose to surrender every time. I’d chosen to give up my soul rather than battle for its possession, for its life.

Men, werewolves, my fellow pack members stood behind me, ready to fight my battle. Dom was fighting hard to be set free so he could fight my battle.
Dan had a tight reign on his pack, and his son, giving me what I didn’t know I needed until now: the chance to fight my own battle.

Come on girl. Get up. It’s time. It’s time to fight for our freedom.

My wolf’s strength grew as I allowed her uninhibited access to me, to my body, to our body. Slowly, her moves became bolder. The natural predator within surfaced; her instincts took over, long dormant but not lost.

I pinched my lips together, brushing the ache in my face aside for the moment. I allowed my emotions to consume. I allowed myself to feel what I’d repressed for too long. I allowed my anger to build, my shame to bubble. Wrath surfed through my veins as I thought of every punch, every hit, every kick he unleashed upon me. Ire washed through me, ready to be released upon my prey, the very man who had made me his prey for the past five years.

My muscles rolled beneath my pudgy exterior. My limbs shook with anticipation as my wolf got closer and closer to my surface, demanding her turn.

My vision blurred briefly before returning. Color no longer painted the scene before me; my wolf was watching.

“Let him go,” I stated, menace lacing my voice.

My wolf and I became one, our emotions fusing,
our bond reigniting after years of separation. All these years, we were roommates, but not friends. We were acquaintances, not blood. We knew, but we didn’t share.

Not anymore.

Our desires aligned; our voices were one, and they spoke with vigilance. “You beat me to a fucking pulp regularly for no reason other than you wanted to.”

Sensing my progress, Swanson stepped away, releasing my dad.

His hands fisted and unfisted at his sides. He hunched over a bit, a sneer distorting his face as he tried to intimidate me with his height.

It wouldn’t work this time. We didn’t deserve to be bullied. My wolf and I didn’t deserve to be treated with anything but respect, something we always had given him.

I leaned into him, thrusting a single digit into his chest. “You never treated me like a daughter. I was just a convenient slave for you. You expected me to do everything for you and then disappear. You never did anything to better my life; in fact, you made it a living hell. I didn’t deserve your anger. It’s not my fault you keep messing up.”

“The only thing I messed up was not leaving you when I had the chance,” he growled.

I threw my arms outwards, gesturing to the pack behind me. “Well, here’s your chance, Dad. You can turn and walk right out that door, no strings attached, and I guarantee you’ll never see me again.”

He
jeered at me. “Poor little ignorant twat. You think I get off free from this shit? I’m not a fucking idiot. If I walk out that door, they’ll report me so fast I won’t even make it to the corner.” He leaned in close, meeting my gaze intently, dropping his voice to a faint whisper. “The only way they can’t do anything is if the proof is gone.”

A lump formed in my throat. My resolution wavered as I looked up at him. I studied his weathered features. His lifestyle had aged him considerably beyond his true years.

The haunting truth stabbed my chest. He was serious. He wasn’t exaggerating. He really planned to get rid of me, to get rid of the proof.

The error of my ways was like a bucket of cold water. This whole time I’d been defending him. For years I’d been covering up his abuse, I’d been dancing around his lies. For years I’d been sacrificing who I was for a man who didn’t care, who would never care. As difficult as it was to admit, I was fighting for the enemy; I’d been giving up everything for a narcissistic asshole.

I’d fought harder to protect my dad than I ever had my wolf or myself.

Fury swallowed me. No longer was sweet Sophie present. I was a bitter ball of rage ready to spit fire at whoever crossed my path.

Adrenaline coursed my veins, heating my flesh, fueling my hatred for the very man whose DNA I shared.

What switch went off in his head? What made a parent turn on their own child, their own flesh and blood? What was wrong with someone that they could bury their conscience, ignore ethics and destroy their own home?

I was surprised to find my body shaking violently, much like Dom’s was before.

I glanced back over my shoulder to find five men holding back my determined wolf, my loving mate. His sharp teeth were barred, his eyes glowing honey darts piercing my father.
He was a beautiful wolf. Soft caramel fur was being pressed and pulled as the men continued to shackle him.

His muscles rolled beneath his shiny coat. His lungs battled for air between vicious growls.

My heart beat a little faster; my wolf worked a little harder.

Dom
wanted so bad to make this right for me. He wanted so much to avenge the wrongs against me. He was willing to do whatever it took for me, the ultimate proof of his love.

The legend says you fall in love with your mate before you ever claim them. We loved each
other. He taught me what love was, what love was supposed to feel like.

It’s a sad, bitter reality
when you don’t learn that lesson first from your parents.

I spun back to my father. His focus was on Swanson. The beta lurked beside me, intent wafting from him. I knew the moment my dad so much as breathed wrong, he would be beneath Kris’ father.

“Go, Dad.” My voice was cold, devoid of emotion yet flowing with threat.

His head jerked towards me. His eyes narrowed, spearing me with the array of emotions that passed through me, most of which were dark and deadly. The one that stood out though was sadness. He was actually disappointed that I’d unleashed myself.

“You don’t get to walk away until you’re eighteen,” he stated.

“I’m not walking away. I’m telling you to walk away.”

He puffed up his chest. “I’m not a weakling. I don’t walk away from shit.”

“You walked away- No. You ran away pretty darn easily from our pack all those years ago.”

My wolf sat below my surface. She’d never looked more beautiful. I’d never felt more in tune with her. We were one. I spoke for us both. I was trying to save him from us both.

“You’re a fucking bitch,” he roared. “I didn’t raised you-”

“That’s right!” I angled my body into him, primed and ready for a fight.

Oh my God. I actually wanted to fight my father.

Bitterness clouded my senses; rage demolished my discretions. My breathing labored as my eyes widened, as I returned his glower. “That’s right. You didn’t raise me. I raised myself. You were nothing but a sperm donor turned slave driver. You were never the role model I needed; you were nothing but the disappointment you always claimed I was.”

My pulse thundered in my ears as a growl rumbled from my chest. She was ready. We were ready.

“You can either turn and walk out that door, safe and sound, or you can fight me because I will never willingly be your slave again. I will never be anything more than the daughter you didn’t deserve. You’re not my family. You never were. My family is standing behind me, and they would never raise their hand to me.”

My gums throbbed; my bones ached. An unbearable pressure built in my ligaments as my anger took over, as my wolf began to surface.

“Make your choice!” I cried as the first snap of bone echoed around me.

He glared out at the pack behind me. His jaw clicked as he worked he ground his teeth. “You want a fight?” He snarled, his eyes illuminating with his wolf. “I’ll give you a fight, but only to prove how weak you really are. I’ll be the parent you claim I’m not and teach you a hard earned lesson.” His face was inches from mine.

In the blink of an eye, black out shades dropped down over the windows. I took several steps back as my father shifted on the fly.

It’d been a while for me. I hadn’t shi
fted since I was young. It was harder to concentrate on freeing my wolf with the commotion around me.