He blanched, his expression paling.

“I mean it. Don’t keep grabbing me.” She fought tears by blinking them back. “I just want to go home. Do you get that? I want the hell out of here. I’m so done with all of this shit!”

Movement from the corner of her eye made her startle and she jerked her focus off Drantos. Yonda, now dressed in sweatpants and a tank top. The woman grinned slyly. “You heard her. I know I did—and I’ll repeat it to anyone who asks. She just renounced you, Drantos.”

“Fuck,” he growled. “She didn’t. She doesn’t know anything about our culture. Knock your shit off.”

Yonda proceeded to murder her with a ferocious glower. Dusti wasn’t about to forget that she could transform from a woman into a hell beast and tear her to shreds with her claws. Pure hatred seemed to radiate off the dark-haired beauty, directed solely at her.

Velder’s sudden appearance almost right behind Dusti had her jumping again, twisting to stare up at him. He hadn’t made a sound when he’d snuck up on her.

“Dad,” Drantos argued. “She’s been raised by humans. She’s just upset because she misunderstood about Yonda and I. Yonda’s manipulating the situation because she’s pissed that Dusti isn’t a full VampLycan. It’s none of her business.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Velder looked angry as he spoke low. “Some of them overheard it and I have to follow the laws, despite you being my son. She made it clear that she doesn’t want you touching her. You must keep away from her at all times. Shift and run back to the clan. You’ll make it there before we arrive and can tell them we’re coming. We’ll find her lodging somewhere safe.” He paused. “Don’t cause another scene. We’d have to fight for certain, son. I’m your clan leader. You must heed my words or be punished more severely. One of us would die.” His voice deepened and grew loud. “You’re to return to our clan now. Go!”

Drantos threw back his head and let out an enraged bellow.

Dusti’s knees almost collapsed under her at the horrifying sound and the shock of seeing him like that. He spun away the second it ended, taking off toward the thick trees. He began to shift, his clothes just tearing apart as his body transformed. He disappeared behind trees before the shift was even complete.

What the hell just happened?

She had no idea…and was afraid to find out.

Chapter Nine

Velder gripped Dusti’s arm in a bruising hold. She didn’t try to pull away when she saw his enraged features, too afraid of him to protest. He jerked her forward toward the nearest truck and then spoke to one of the men.

“Protect her.” He let go and glared down at Dusti. “Give him trouble and he’ll knock you out. Don’t give us any more problems.” He spun away and turned his anger on Yonda. “You and I are going to speak later.”

Yonda’s smug expression morphed into one of fear.

“Dad.” Kraven approached with Bat.

Dusti tried to go to her but the man assigned as guard grabbed her arm. He didn’t hurt her but it was clear he wasn’t allowing it. She froze, afraid of the way the situation had turned.

“Don’t,” Velder hissed. “Just take that sister and get in the other truck. We’ll sort this out when we reach the clan. Right now we have bigger problems to deal with. I wouldn’t put it past Decker to lie to Aveoth and say we stole his granddaughters. We both know what that means.” He glanced up, seeming to search the sky. “We need to get home.”

“Fuck.” Kraven just scooped Bat up into his arms, carrying her to the other truck.

“Come on,” the tall, muscled blond still holding Dusti whispered. “Climb into the back of the truck.”

She let him assist her since the tailgate hadn’t been lowered. Both sides of the bed had a bench and she took a seat where he pointed. He sat on the right of her. Red climbed in next, taking up the space to her left. She stared at him. He wasn’t a fan of hers but he was Drantos’s cousin.

“What just happened?” She needed answers.

“You renounced Drantos and caused him to openly disagree with his father.” He sounded pissed and it showed in his eyes when he turned his head to peer at her. “You’re unfit to become a member of this clan.”

“I never asked to be.”

“Good. You’re nothing but trouble for Drantos. Everyone will be talking about what happened between him and Velder. Fathers and sons shouldn’t argue.”

“In what world do you live in?”

Red growled low. “This one, and you don’t belong here.”

“I’m just trying to get my sister and I home.”

“It will happen eventually since you renounced Drantos. He’ll have to stay away from you. It’s law.”

Dusti felt confused about what had just happened. Drantos had been ordered to leave her and she was surrounded by a bunch of strangers who could shift into beasts. She hadn’t wanted him being all grabby, but she also hadn’t meant to trigger some weird law, either. Renounce? What the hell does that mean to these people? I need to get Bat and I away from here.

She gripped the seat when the truck moved, bouncing as they drove over uneven ground to turn both vehicles around. She glimpsed Bat and even managed to catch her eye. Her sister was talking and lifted a hand to wave. She even flashed a tired smile, as if to say it was all going to be okay.

Dusti wasn’t so sure of that. Maybe she and Bat could talk someone into taking them to an airport. Drantos’s dad might agree to let them go since he seemed less than thrilled to have them there. Though it was possible that their bat-shit crazy grandfather would send some of his minions after them.

She glanced at the faces around her and shivered. They’d at least be surrounded by humans in California.

Or maybe not. A quick image of one of her neighbors flashed. Tim wasn’t the friendliest guy when she ran into him at the mailbox. He’d even growled at her once but she’d figured he was just in a bad mood since she’d overheard that his girlfriend had dumped him. It was possible he could be a Werewolf. She’d never seen anyone with that much body hair before. It covered his arms in mats, probably his chest worse, and the sight of him sporting a pair of shorts had left her horrified. She couldn’t even see skin for all the hair. It even covered the tops of his feet, which she’d seen in flip-flops.