Page 58 of The Wolf I Sworn To Hate

Elliot bared his teeth and hissed at her. “You’re going to regret your choices. Shifters are not human and don’t think like you and I do. He will destroy you.”

“He doesn’t think like you, and neither do I. You are so full of hate that you are blind to the truth. You were completely wrong about Sean. I’m sure that there are shifters out there who would kill people, but the prisons are full of full-blooded humans who have killed other humans.”

Her father seemed to ignore her words. “Shifters have no morals, no values. When they are in their shifter form, they don’t think or feel anything but the urge to kill.”

“You’re confusing were-creatures with shifters. Shifters aren’t any different from other humans except that they get to enjoy their animal form. They always have the same thoughts and feelings as humans, no matter what state they are in. Were-creatures are more like rabid animals who lose their human sensibilities when they transform.”

Elliot stared at her with a disgusted look on his face. His upper lip curled and he narrowed his eyes at her.

Xyla shifted from one foot to the other. “I don’t know how you can still hate Sean. He saved all of our lives once and Edward’s life twice. He risked his own life to save Edward. That is not something that a killer would do.”

“You’re stupid and you’re blind.” He poked his head out of the bedroom. “Edward, get your ass in here.”

“I’d rather not. I don’t like being around you when you get this way.”

Edward sounded terrified.

Xyla stood between her father and brother. “He’s going to sleep in the men’s room tonight.”

He turned back around and grabbed the door.

“Don’t you dare slam that door another time,” William called out, shaking his cane at him. “I’ll be happy to throw your butt out into the snow tonight.”

Elliot huffed but shut the door quietly.

Xyla’s face was flushed with embarrassment She knew that everyone in the parlor had heard the fight between her and her father. They would be sympathetic toward her, but her father had degraded her in front of an audience, and not for the first time.

Sawyer put his hand on Edward’s shoulder. “Come on, Little Man. Let’s get some shut-eye. Howard put a cot in the room right next to mine.”

Marcie patted her on the back. “Dads can be impossible sometimes, can’t they?”

Ellie piped up. “Once they get their mind stuck on something, it’s impossible to change it.”

Xyla smiled weakly at the two women. She brushed her hair and teeth, then crawled onto her cot.

As tired as she was, she couldn’t sleep. Xyla stared at the ceiling.

I’ve fallen in love with Sean. He has stolen my heart and soul.

Admitting it to herself shocked Xyla. When she first got to the resort, she despised him simply because her father told her to. She had been no better than him with her blind hate. Sean opened her eyes and her heart.

I love him.It felt so strange to say the words, even if it was just in her mind.Now, how do I tell him?

She closed her eyes and an image of her father and Sean squaring off popped into her mind. How could she choose between her father and Sean? Right now, she didn’t think very highly of Elliot, but he normally didn’t act this way. Usually,he was easy to get along with, although he had his moments. Besides, he was her father.

Xyla bit her bottom lip and thought about Ginny’s story. She was afraid that if she didn’t tell Sean how much she loved him she would spend her entire life wondering about what could have been.

How can I live the rest of my life without him? How could I truly live without feeling the way I do when I’m with Sean?

The questions bounced around in her brain like a ping-pong ball. Finally, she was able to close her eyes and go to sleep.

Xyla woke up early the next morning. She thought about laying in her cot a while longer. She was warm and comfortable. Finally, she decided that she’d better get up and get her day started.

She yawned widely as she walked into the dining room. Elliot passed her with a plate of food as he headed toward his room. He didn’t acknowledge her.

Good. I’m not in the mood to deal with him this morning.

Edward was almost finished when she joined him at the table.

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