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anger. I had expected unkind words. I knew that my father wouldn’t understand. He might have a pretty open mind when it came to all things around the shifter community. He knew better than most humans out there how it all worked. But when it came to me and Lukas, I thought my father lost all common sense and proprietary.
    "It's exactly what it sounds like. Lukas has declared that I am his mate." I thought about that word again, mate . Even though I understood innately that this was a term of endearment and possession in the shifter community, it was a word that was still unfamiliar for me to associate with myself.
    There was another word the word that was common those of us humans that I wanted to add to that title. I wasn't even sure if that something that was done in shifter community circles. Was there such a thing as weddings? Did they do the big church with the white dress and circle of friends and family? I didn't know. I guess it was something I was going to have to ask Lukas about because I had dreamed of getting married to him since I was a teenager. And I still wanted all of that.
    "Maren, are you sure that you know what you're doing? And I'm saying this not only as your father but also as someone who has seen what's going on right now around the shifters. This is a dangerous time to be anywhere near Lukas Kasper. Your life could be in danger." My father stood up and began to pace the room. "I knew over the last eighteen years of about fifty attempts on Markus's life." He looked at me then, and I saw him register my shocked expression. "Yes, not all of those made it into the paper. Hell, only about a tenth of those made it into the paper. Markus and the sheriff kept a pretty tight lid on all of that kind of talk. They were afraid that if it got out, there would be anarchy. All of this talk of peace, and it's just not happening, Maren. Tempers are too volatile. Beliefs are embedded too deep. People aren't ready to accept an integrated society, no matter what they say. We are too different from them."
    His words created a bolt of fear inside of me, but I thought that he was wrong. It was a debate that he and I had also had for several years. "Dad, there are people who want to do bad things in the world no matter what. I know that, and you know that. There are people who are biased and bigoted and have opinions that are different from mine and yours. But if we stop fighting, if we stop trying to make progress, we’re not going to get anywhere. Are you about concerned about what it looks like for you if I’m with a shifter? Are you ashamed of me now?"
    My father's face softened for the first time since he walked through the door. He pointed at my face. "What happened there, Maren? You said that Lukas didn't do it, so that can only mean that someone else did. The fact that you're sitting in the man's house right now with a guard outside tells me that he thinks you're in trouble too."
    Naturally, my father was as perceptive as ever. It was time to tell him the other truths of the matter. "During the opening ceremony, I was kidnapped. They took me out to the old mining town. I don't think that they meant to hurt me, at least not initially. What they were trying to do was scare Lukas. They were definitely gunning for him and not for me. Lukas and Billy came after me, and they saved me. My face got in the way during the process. I’m okay, so you don’t need to worry about me. Lukas is taking good care of me." I let him absorb the story.
    "I can't believe you'd ever think that I was ashamed of you," he said softly. "I am prouder of you than I could ever imagine. I may not say it much, but I think you are amazing. I don't know why the hell you been sitting in this podunk town writing for your old man when clearly you're far more talented than that."
    "What? I thought that's what you wanted," I said.
    "The only thing I ever wanted was for you to be happy," he said. "I wanted you to go to school. I wanted you to get a good