That was a risk Duncan wasn't willing to let her take. He reached for the power of the binding. I order you to step away.
She shot him a furious look and clenched her fists, her whole body trembling. But she didn't move. Duncan wasn't sure whether to admire her courage or be angry at her stubbornness.
"I'm not drunk," Levon said into the silence
"No, you're just insane. How's threatening Duncan going to help me or my reputation?"
For someone who wanted to avoid this confrontation at all costs, she was doing a fine job of fighting it without help. He very much suspected this battle had been building for some time now, and his actions had just made it happen sooner rather than later.
"He leaves." Levon's voice was sharp. "Now. Tonight."
"And as I asked before, how is that supposed to help my reputation?"
"One moon dance is an aberration that will quickly be forgotten, as long as he leaves quickly."
Neva raised an eyebrow. "And if it's not an aberration?"
Levon shot her a furious look. "It is. You deserve far better than a man of his ilk."
"Yeah, right," Neva said, voice flat. "It's not for me you're demanding this, is it? You're here to protect your reputation and your image."
Levon glared at her. "I'm not — "
"Aren't you? So why haven't you stopped to ask if this is what I want? Why haven't you bothered to ask how I feel about Duncan? Did you ever stop to consider that this might be more than just a dance?"
Levon's gaze darted between the two of them, and his face went pale. Duncan wasn't sure if it was the shock of having his daughter finally standing up to him or the horror of possibly having him as a permanent member of the pack.
"You can't be serious," Levon muttered. "Surely you know what sort of reputation — "
"I do. And right now, I don't care."
"But ... but..." Levon stopped and scrubbed a hand across his rough jaw. "You can't be serious about a man like him."
She reached out, wrapping a hand around the barrel of the gun and wresting it easily from her father's grip. "Right now, I'm not sure that I am. But I have the right to discover what I do and don't feel. I'm not a teenager any more, so please don't treat me like one."
"I'm only trying to protect you."
"I know, but right now, you're smothering me."
Levon's gaze met Duncan's again, and in the rich green depths he saw both anger and fear. "You deserve better than scum like — "
Even from where he stood, Duncan felt the flash of her fury. "You will not call him scum in my house," she said, her voice soft but shaking with anger. "Get out."
"I'm only trying — "
"Until you — and Mom — are willing to listen to what I have to say, I don't want to talk to you." She strode past him and opened the door. "I said get out."
"Your sister — "
"Was willing to listen to me and understands what I've done. You and Mom aren't even willing to listen."
"It's just that we're disappointed — "
"Yeah? Well, so am I. In you. Where are all those pretty words of tolerance now?" She waved her hand at the open door. "I mean it, Dad. If you want to stay, you apologize to Duncan. If not, leave."
Levon turned around and walked to the door. There he hesitated, meeting Neva's gaze for several seconds. Duncan saw her face go pale and found himself clenching his fists again, ready to step in and defend her even though he had no idea what Levon had just said to her.
"I mean it, Neva," Levon said out loud.