"It is for the best," he said gruffly. "You deserve far better than a man with a past like his."
"Father, you have no idea what you're talking about," Savannah said, voice sharp and impatient. "Why don't you just get over — "
Neva touched her sister's arm, stopping her from saying anything else, and met her father's gaze squarely. "Did you marry your soul mate?"
He frowned. "You know I did."
"And don't you wish both Savannah and me the same happiness?"
"Yes, of course, but — "
"There are no buts, Father. And you've made me choose between my family and my soul mate."
And with that, she pushed past them and walked out the door.
Chapter Sixteen
"I'm really tempted to give the old bastard a piece of my mind," Ari said as she plopped down in the booth seat opposite Neva. "I mean, how dare he spout words of tolerance to the council when he's not even practicing it in his own backyard?"
Neva smiled as she swished the straw through the froth of her strawberry shake. "He'll fire you again."
Ari airily waved the comment away. "He's fired me three times this week already. We both know he can't afford to lose me. You and I are the only ones crazy enough to work for peanuts."
That was certainly true. She sipped her drink and glanced out the diner's window. Nearly two months had passed since Duncan had left, and spring had truly come to Ripple Creek. But the warmth hadn't touched her heart. And wouldn't. Not until he came back into her life.
And that couldn't happen soon enough. She blinked back the sting of tears and tried not to think about him. Tried not to think about the long nights of dreaming about his touch and waking to nothing more than loneliness and despair.
But at least not seeing or talking to him for so long had convinced her of two things. The first being the fact that she loved him, heart and soul, and wanted him in her life no matter what the cost. And the second being she was the biggest goddamned coward on Earth for letting him walk away from her that night. They should have confronted her parents together. Should have given them the ultimatum to accept their relationship if they wanted to be a part of her and Duncan's future.
But even when her heart had been breaking, part of her had still refused to believe love could happen so fast. Nor had she believed the ritual they'd performed was real — not until the next full moon, when the moon's heat did little more than make her ache for his caress. They were one, now and forever, committed to each other heart and soul.
And if her parents couldn't accept that, too bad. She had come to the point where she was more than willing to walk away — except when it came to Savannah.
A hand slid across Neva's, and her gaze jumped to her friend's.
"Your father is a fool," Ari said softly. "But I'm beginning to think you're a bigger one. If you love this man so much, go after him, babe. Your parents will come to their senses once they see how happy you are together."
Neva's smile was slightly bitter. "It's not quite as simple as that."
"Crap." Ari leaned back in the seat and crossed her arms. "Do you love him?"
"Yes."
"Does he love you?"
"Yes."
"Then what else is there to worry about? Go get your man, and to hell with your parents."
"My father swore an oath to the moon that I'd be evicted from the pack should I continue my relationship with Duncan."
Ari stared at her for a moment, then cursed softly. She knew, as Neva knew, that such an oath was binding to all members of the family. If she walked away to be with Duncan, she'd never be able to talk to her sister again. And that was something she wasn't willing to lose.
"Moons," Ari commented. "What a mess."
"That it is." And she didn't see a way out of it. Not without putting Savannah in the middle.
I'll never be in the middle of it. The strength of Savannah's mind voice told Neva she was close to the diner. Because I'm on your side, completely and utterly. You finally ready yet to do something about this whole situation?