Page 24 of Married to the Wolf

“What does he mean if you make her?” Sophia said.

“I’ll talk to her.” Sebastian led the way to the man’s house, and when they drew up to the door, the man ran ahead to throw it open for them. Sophia gazed about the house as they walked to the back where apparently the man’s daughter was. The place looked no different from any house or apartment she lived in or visited, but she didn’t know why she would think it would.

“Katie, sweetheart,” the man yelled through the girl’s bedroom door, “Sebastian is here. Open up. He wants to talk to you.”

Music, discordant with the one blaring outside, grated on Sophia’s eardrums. She wondered, if they were so good at hearing, why it wasn’t giving them a migraine. The girl inside the room either didn’t hear or didn’t care that her alpha was present.

Sebastian leaned over and wrapped on the door. “Katie? It’s Sebastian. I’d like to visit with you if you don’t mind.”

Sophia had never heard his voice so gentle. Still the girl didn’t answer. Her father rattled on about bad influences and human riffraff. Sophia gave him a dirty look. He needed to watch his mouth. Sebastian must have said something to the man because his gaze zipped to Sebastian, and then he snapped his lips together.

“Open the door, Katie.” Sebastian’s tone was still gentle, but there was a note of authority this time. The door opened right away, and the girl stood there with bloodshot eyes and defiance written all over her.

“Did you make her obey?” Sophia whispered.

Sebastian shook his head. “No. To make my people do anything would be to hurt them, and that is the last thing I want to do. Can we come in, Katie? I just want to talk.”

“Show some respect,” her father shouted.”

The girl sighed and dipped one knee almost to the floor. At the same time, she bowed her head. “Sir.”

She backed off the door, and they moved into the room. Sophia expected to be assaulted with pastels and frills or something girlie. Instead, there were deep rich colors and posters on every square inch of wall and ceiling.

The girl appeared to be about fourteen or fifteen. She wore a thick black liner around her eyes, and her hair was either heavily moussed or hadn’t been washed in a week. She dropped onto her bed after letting them in and stared at Sophia.

“She’s the new wife?” A noise of dismissal followed as if she weren’t impressed.

Sophia saw the answer to this man’s problems right off. The girl needed her butt tanned. If she kept up with the attitude, Sophia wouldn’t mind doing the honors.

“Watch your mouth,” her father snapped.

The girl rolled her eyes.

Sebastian sat down on the bed beside her and took her hand. She tried to pull away, but fully Sebastian style he didn’t let go. She stopped struggling and instead leaned into him while watching Sophia.

This girl though.

“My parents don’t understand me, alpha.”

Sebastian smiled. “You’re angry, but it’s not about your parents. Want to talk about it?”

She pouted up at him and batted her lashes. Sophia didn’t fully blame her. Sebastian was hot as hell, but the performance was for her benefit.

“Not really.” She cut her eyes to Sophia and then flashed a smile. The straight normal teeth were gone, and in their place were pointed ones with long sharp-looking canines. Sophia couldn’t help jumping back at the sudden change. There had been no warning. The girl laughed, a husky tone, and she let a low growl start in her throat.

“Stop.” Sebastian’s gentleness disappeared to be replaced by deadly threat. Sophia forgot her own fear when both father and daughter hit the floor hard and rolled over to their sides. The room where just she, Sebastian, and the father and daughter had crowded into was now overrun with the Guard.

Alex dropped to one knee and reached a massive hand toward Katie. Sophia screeched in alarm and dove at him to shove his hand aside before he could grab the girl. “What the hell are you doing?” she demanded.

Sebastian left the bed and moved behind Sophia to drag her up and away from the two shifters. Alex hauled Katie to her feet.

“Let me go, Sebastian. I’m not going to stand here while he acts like that with her. She’s just a kid, and all she did was startle me. I don’t need your abilities to know she was just trying to scare me.”

“Sit down,” Sebastian ordered Katie. Alex didn’t wait for her to comply. He laid a heavy hand on her shoulder so that her knees gave and she sank to the bed. Sebastian moved from behind Sophia. He had calmed down. “As I said, I’ll help you, Katie, but you won’t get anywhere with me antagonizing my mate. You understand that, don’t you?”

She didn’t speak or look at him but nodded.

“Good. Now, talk to me.”

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