Mila smoothed her hair and wiped at her mouth, still numb from the shock of what had just happened.

As she stepped out of the stall, Elijah’s words circled in her mind, muddling an already difficult situation with even more confusion. He seemed so angry with her.

And she wanted to be angry, too. To accuse her of using him, after all they had shared? The mere suggestion was cruel and hurtful.

But as she tried to see things from his perspective, she softened. He wasn’t really angry. He was jealous. And dare she say heartsick?

After all, how would she feel if Elijah were the one engaged to marry another? A wave of sadness swept through her, bringing those pesky tears back all over again.

She swiped a finger beneath her eyes as she walked back to the lawn.

Did he just end things? Had he decided it was all too much? Was he leaving her to her own devices, to an unwanted marriage and a mediocre life with Jared?

Jared.

She had to find a way to solve this problem.

However she broke the news to her forced fiancé, she couldn’t let him find out about her lover. He didn’t love her, but pride alone would compel him to punish Elijah.

Their strength was evenly matched, but what about their motivation?

Jared had a hundred reasons to win. Losing would not only cost him Mila, but without a mate, he wouldn’t be allowed to rise to the position of Alpha. Beyond that, it would humiliate him to yield to an Omega. He would rather die — or kill Elijah — than face a legacy of defeat.

And Elijah? As far as she could tell, he only had one reason to fight. Her.

She wanted to believe his love for her was strong enough to fuel him through any challenge. But after the way he just walked out on her, leaving her swimming in uncertainty, Mila didn’t know what to think.

As she rounded a corner and stepped onto the lawn to approach the mothers, she plastered a pleasant smile on her face. She had all night to come up with a plan. For now, it was important to play the part.

Maeva frowned as Mila approached. “Where in the world have you been?”

The hint of suspicion in her eyes gave Mila pause, but she swallowed her apprehension and forced a shrug. “I’m sorry, Mother. My stomach was a bit upset, but I’m fine now. It must be all the excitement over the wedding.”

Charlotte brushed off her disappearance and snapped back into planning mode. “We came up with a compromise.” Her face brightened, and she waved at someone approaching behind Mila. “There you are darling! Come, come!”

Mila stiffened.

Please don’t let that be Jared.

She looked over her shoulder, hoping her panic stayed hidden beneath her slow, controlled movements. Sure enough, Jared was crossing the lawn to meet them, his head held high, his broad chest leading the way as he strode toward them with a clear purpose.

“I was just offering Mila a suggestion for the wedding. She’s simply so overwhelmed with excitement, she hasn’t been able to make a decision on her own.” Charlotte reached out to pat Mila’s shoulder.

Jared raised an eyebrow at Mila as he took his final steps to join their circle. “I’m sure Mila has other things on her mind as well,” he replied.

His voice was as smooth as melted butter, but something about the way his gaze raked over her made Mila’s skin tingle with fear. Jared was a predator in the purest sense of the word. And in that moment, Mila felt like a helpless prey animal, trapped between his razor sharp teeth.

“We’ll have the ceremony on the lawn, overlooking the lake. Then a cocktail hour in the gardens, followed by a reception in the grand ballroom.”

Mila nodded. “That sounds wonderful, Charlotte. The best of both worlds.” She bit back a twinge of guilt as she lied. Charlotte really was a nice woman, and she felt bad about he putting so much effort into an event that would never come to fruition. But now wasn’t the time to tell her — or Jared — there wasn’t going to be a wedding.

She had to tell her own parents, and then they could tell Jared’s family. But first, she had to speak to Elijah.

“Well, we should go,” Meava interjected. Her mother’s tone, bright with a counterfeit cheerfulness, was jarring. Mila waited for Charlotte to realize something wasn’t right, that everyone around her was entirely too tense, but she seemed oblivious.

“Of course. There is still so much to do, and I’m sure you and Mila have all sorts of preparation to attend to before the big day.” She leaned forward to kiss Maeva’s cheek, receiving a reciprocal parting.

Mila endured the sticky brush of Charlotte’s lips against her skin, resisting the urge to wipe at the pink lipstick print she was sure the woman had left behind.

She took a deep breath as she turned to Jared and held out her hand. To her surprise, he ignored their standard way of meeting and parting to lean in close, as if about to kiss her.

Instead, he inhaled deeply, his brow furrowing. Mila’s stomach churned with anxiety as he stared at her, sniffing lightly. Did he smell Elijah on her? She held her breath, wondering if all hell was about to break loose. He leaned eased his lips against her cheek, whispering in her ear as he pretended to give her a chaste kiss.

“You have until sundown tomorrow to bring him to me. Or I’ll find out who he is and hunt him down myself.”

Jared gave her arm a hard squeeze, just shy of causing pain, and stood up straight to lock his eyes on hers. She gave a small, almost imperceptible nod to acknowledge that she heard his warning. With a sharp nod, he turned toward the main house and strode away as confidently as he came.