Niall stalked forward, his fists clenched in a white-knuckle grip, and came to a stop directly in front of Elijah. His angry eyes scanned the length of her lover.

Mila bit her lip, and felt it quiver beneath her teeth. She could only imagine what her father was thinking right now. If he was angry when he came in, he was surely beyond incensed by Elijah’s naked state.

They all stood there in silence, the tension hanging between them like a thick fog. Mila held her breath, debating between saying something and waiting for her father to speak.

Without warning, Niall lashed out and struck Elijah across the face with the back of his hand. Mila screamed, lunging forward to stand between them, and put her hand out to stop her father from striking again.

“Daddy! Stop it!”

Elijah remained still as stone aside from the blood trickling down his mouth. “It’s fine, Mila. The man has a right to challenge his daughter’s suitors. It’s pack law.”

“Fuck pack law,” Mila spat. “It’s ridiculous and antiquated, and I’m sick of all these behaving like barbarians and acting like they own me.” She narrowed her eyes at her father. “I am a grown woman, and I will not be treated like a possession any longer.” She pointed to the door, fury darting from her eyes. “Get out of my room.”

Niall growled. “Young lady, this is my house, and I will go wherever I damn well please.”

“Fine,” Mila replied. “Stay as long as you like. We’ll leave.” She took Elijah’s hand, pushed past her father and started to cross to the doorway.

“Is this the man your mother saw you with today?”

Mila stopped and turned to face him, her cheeks burning. “She saw me? But she didn’t say anything.” She braced herself against Elijah, clinging to his arm for support.

Maeva stepped through the doorway. “Of course not. I couldn’t be certain. I only saw his shadow in profile as I saw you run out of the stables. I hoped it was just my imagination.” She shook her head. “How could you do this, Mila? You know how important it is for you to join with Jared.”

“She doesn’t love him.” Anger iced Elijah’s tone, and his muscled arms tensed beneath her palms. “Mila is my mate, and I won’t give her up.”

“You’re just an Omega.” Niall spat the word, not bothering to hide his disdain. “She could never be happy with you.”

Elijah met her father’s cold gaze with one so hot with anger that Mila almost expected her father’s eyes to start smoking. He was well within his rights to respond to his father’s violent attack, but she didn’t want to see either man get hurt. That said, she wasn’t about to let her father’s cruelty to her mate slide.

“I don’t care if he’s an Omega,” Mila declared. Her eyes darkened, and she stepped toward her father, bucking his authority with a piercing gaze. “We are mated, forever, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

“Oh, there’s plenty I can do. An Omega’s death will have little affect on the pack.” Niall sneered. “Take him,” he commanded. “Use whatever means necessary to make sure he never bothers us again.”

Dean hesitated, glancing from Niall to Elijah, to Mila and back again.

Mila felt the rage rising inside her, prickling her skin with a mix of fear and fury. She took a deep breath, knowing that if left unchecked, her anger would force a shift into wolf form. That was the last thing she needed right now. She looked to Elijah, squeezed his hand, and gathered every bit of strength within her to challenge her father.

“If you kill him, you’d better kill me too.” She held up her hand to warn Dean against moving toward them as she spoke to her father in a low, measured tone. “You think you raised some shrinking violet, that my obedience and disinterest in pack politics meant I wasn’t watching you all these years, that I didn’t listen in and hear what went on behind closed doors? I know every dirty secret this pack is hiding. And if you don’t let us go in peace, I will lay everything bare for the whole damn world to see.”

Niall’s jaw dropped open. Maeva brought a hand to her mouth, and Dean stepped back.

Elijah was quiet, but she could feel the tension radiating from his body as she stood even taller, making it clear to her father that she had no intention of backing down.

“Now, Mila—“ Niall began.

“No.” She interrupted. “No negotiations. You lost that privilege, along with every ounce of respect I had for you, when you threatened to kill my mate.” She balled her hands into fists, fighting the internal battle to keep her wolf at bay as she made her vow. “I swear on everything I love, if you lay one hand on Elijah, I will burn this fucking pack to the ground, consequences be damned.”

Niall sputtered, clearly having trouble finding the words to express his rage. When Maeva eased into the room and touched his arm, he turned to her with pleading eyes, as if hoping she could verbalize what he wanted to say.

“Let them go, darling. Can’t you see how much she loves him?” Niall’s eyes widened in shock as Maeva spoke. “She’s willing to risk everything for the mere chance at happiness with him. To see her fight for him with such passion, such determination… Doesn’t she deserve to see it through?” She tilted her head, offering him a loving smile. “I was lucky — so lucky — to fall in love with you. But not all arranged marriages have such a blissful outcome. I want our daughter to love her husband as much as I love you.”

“Maeva…” His mouth fluttered for a moment before he began speaking again. “Do you know what this will do to us, to Jared?”

She nodded, appearing serene. “It doesn’t matter. Our daughter’s happiness is more important. If Jared doesn’t understand that, so be it.” Maeva turned to Elijah, assessing him with a level stare. “You will treat her well or answer to me.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Elijah appeared as overwhelmed as she felt. His head was a little shaky when he nodded back to her.

“I’ll have Penelope bring some clothes from your father’s closet,” Maeva offered. Her eyes dropped from Elijah’s face to his nude body. “Once you’re a little less naked, join us in the library.” She gave Mila a sly nod of approval and tucked her hand into the crook of her husband’s arm to lead him from the bedroom.

With a sigh of defeat, Niall waved away the security men and walked out with Maeva, leaving Mila and Elijah alone in the room.

In the ensuing silence, they exchanged a look of astonishment. A happy laugh exploded from her belly, and she threw herself into his arms, pressing kisses to his face as she strained on tiptoe to reach him. “I can’t believe it.”

He shook his head. “I’m still in shock. Is it really over?”

Mila nodded. “Yes. We’re free to go! This is really happening!”

“You were… That was…” Elijah inhaled, apparently struggling to absorb what had happened.

“I know,” Mila said, the exuberance falling from her voice. She bit her lip as she realized just how far she had gone to challenge her father. “I can’t believe I said those things to him. I was just so scared. And then so fucking mad.”

Elijah shook his head, his mouth quirking into a small grin. “Remind me never to make you angry.”

She laughed, scooping her bags off the floor to add a few more necessities. Now that they had a few more minutes to spare, she wanted to be sure she had everything she needed.

A quiet knock at the door announced the housekeeper’s arrival. Penelope dropped off a stack of casual clothing — jogging pants, a plain black t-shirt and a light hoodie — for Elijah to wear. She blushed at the sight of him propped against Mila’s bed in all his muscular, naked glory, and gave a small giggle as she backed out of the room.

Elijah pulled the borrowed clothes on, slung the newly repacked bags over his shoulders, and took Mila’s hand in his.

Together, they stepped through the doorway, fingers firmly entwined. No one stood in the hall to block their way. Mila remained watchful as they walked down the stairs, but didn’t expect her father to try to stop them. He hadn’t given his blessing, but after Maeva’s heartfelt speech, she didn’t think he was going to fight their union any longer.

When they stepped onto the first floor, they found Maeva and Niall waiting for them in the library off the main hall. They exchanged a bracing look before crossing into the room to face her parents. No matter what happened next, she knew her father couldn’t convince them to separate.

Niall appeared disconcerted, but her mother remained composed. She placed a hand on her husband’s shoulder, as if offering silent support. “We want you to have this.”

Mila didn’t miss the slight nudge her mother gave Niall before he stepped forward, extending a check to Elijah. She glanced down, surprised to see both of their names in the “To” field, along with a generous sum.

He knows Elijah’s name.

Of course her father would know every member of the pack. He was the Beta. Meanwhile, she had remained in her figurative ivory tower, interacting only with those in her class. A sudden wave of guilt squirmed through her belly. To think that she was so close to never even knowing Elijah, never loving him…

“We don’t need your money.” Elijah’s shoulders took on a stubborn set.

“I… I know, but I want you to have it.” Niall’s voice, though low, didn’t lack conviction. “Please take it, so that you can take care of my daughter.”

Mila held her breath as their gazes clashed. A silent contest of wills seemed to be taking place between the men.

Her father’s shoulders sagged and Elijah reacted, taking the check in a brisk motion. She assumed he would tear it up, but he held it firmly and extended his other hand to Niall. “Thank you,” he offered. His expression warmed, losing the wary watchfulness it had exhibited since they stepped inside the room.

Niall shook Elijah’s hand, giving a firm clap on the shoulder. “She deserves the world.”

Elijah nodded. “And I intend to give it to her, Sir.”

Niall turned to Mila with a sigh. He gathered her into an embrace, then drew her mother in as well. After what somehow seemed like an eternity and yet not enough time at all, he released them both and nodded to his daughter with tearful determination.

“I’m sorry it took such an ugly encounter for me to see the error of my ways,” he said. “Be happy, Mila.”

“Yes. Be happy and know that we love you always.” Maeva slipped an envelope into Mila’s hand. “Keys to the boat and the condo in Vancouver,” she whispered. “They’re yours, for as long as you need them.”

Mila choked back a cry and squeezed her mother’s hand. “I love you.” She turned back to her father, offering him a sweet smile. “Both of you.”

The partings were quick after that, and as they cut through the forest to find Elijah’s clothes and car, Mila could still feel the phantom sensation of her father’s arms around her. When they drove off, she had looked back just once, waiting for a pang at leaving, but experiencing none. She was doing the right thing, even if it meant leaving her parents behind.

As Elijah turned onto the main street that would take them to the dock, negotiating the sharp turns with expert precision, she asked, “Why did you take the money? Daddy wasn’t going to press us to.”

He shrugged. “I had to.”

She sighed. “I don’t need a bunch of fancy things to be happy. As long as we’re together, that’s all that matters.”

He surprised her with a chuckle. “I know that. I didn’t take it for you. I saw how defeated he looked when he thought I was going to refuse his gift, and I realized that was his way of showing his acceptance, of giving his approval. I don’t know if we’ll use it or not, but I couldn’t refuse it without rejecting his blessing.”

How had he figured out her father’s personality in such a short time when she hadn’t realized what her father’s gesture represented, and she had known him all her life? “I’m glad you took it then.”

He didn’t reply as he parked the SUV in the parking lot of the boat launch. Once the engine was silent, he turned in his seat to look at her. “Where will we go?”

“Anacortes, and from there…who knows?” She shrugged, filled with a heady sense of freedom. “The possibilities are limitless.”

They met at the back of the SUV to grab their bags, and Elijah caught her in a passionate kiss. His strong arms curled around her waist to draw her against him, and she tipped her face up to meet his mouth with fervor. As their tongues danced between quiet moans and breathless sighs, Mila felt her sex come alive with need for him.

Had it really only been a day since he was last inside her?

She pressed herself against the rock-hard bulge behind the thin fabric of his borrowed jogging pants and groaned, aching for him to take her.

The scrape of a shoe on the asphalt caused them to jerk apart. Heat invaded Mila’s cheeks when she saw Jared standing in front of them, his hands tucked casually into his jacket pockets, his eyes narrowed in disdain.