30. Ready To Run (Clay POV)

I felt an overwhelming sense of vulnerability as I returned to my human form. I hurriedly picked up my shorts from the car, put them on, and sat on the porch, bracing myself for what would happen. My dad was on his way, and the air was filled with the scent of his Alpha pheromones, making the atmosphere edgy, even with the breeze blowing.

Footsteps resonated through the ground; I felt them before I saw him. His wolf form exuded a raw, domineering aura as he emerged from the dense woods. He shifted back to human, quicker than I ever could, an unsettling reminder of his years of experience and control over his powers.

"You let him back in your life, Clay? That deranged failure of an Alpha? After everything he did?" His voice tremored with disdain, piercing through the silence.

My blood boiled. I was no longer a kid who'd shy away from confrontation. "First off, Luke's not a failure. Second, even if he was, it would be my choice to have him in my life. Not yours."

Dad snarled, pacing