As soon as they entered the Marceau home, Maeva called for Niall. Mila winced at the strident tone of her mother’s voice and resolved to disappear to her room before her father tore himself away from the stock reports to answer her mother’s summons.

Maeva had other ideas. Her nails dug into the skin of Mila’s arm when she arrested her flight in mid-step. “No, you don’t.”

Niall appeared, looking annoyed at the interruption. He squinted at them, his glasses pushed onto his forehead. Although he did most trading from home, he still insisted on wearing a suit each day. The cut of the brown jacket he wore did nothing to conceal the subtle softening in his physique, and the buttons strained against the small paunch he sported. Still, he was an imposing figure and more than capable of enforcing his position of Beta.

Mila swallowed down a protest at her mother’s hold and waited. Her stomach sank into her feet as her mother began speaking, her voice brittle with fear.

“Mila is deliberately trying to sabotage the wedding.”

Her mouth dropped open in much the same way as her father’s, before he composed himself. Mila shook her head when his stern gaze settled on her. Although he had never given her cause to fear him, under his powerful gaze, she shivered with dread. “I’m not trying to sabotage anything.” The words flew from her in a rush, and heat scalded her cheeks.

Maeva shook her head. “She told me last week she didn’t want to marry him. Today, she disappeared. I don’t know where she went, but when she came back your daughter was disheveled, and there was hay stuck to her clothes.”

Mila looked down, horrified to see a couple of golden stalks lodged in the gauzy fabric of her dress.

“Where were you?” Niall’s level voice was all the more intimidating for its lack of force.

“That’s not all, Niall,” Maeva continued. “When Jared joined us, he seemed cold, angry. He certainly was not happy to see Mila.”

As Niall stepped toward his daughter, his nostrils flared. He cocked his head, peering at her as if seeing her for the first time.

Mila was determined not to let their tag team tactics intimidate her. She raised her chin, firmed her shoulders and met her father’s eyes. “I’m not marrying Jared.”

“Oh, Mila! Not this again!” Maeva shouted.

“Shhh,” Niall held a hand up at his wife. “Let the girl finish.”

“I don’t love him, Daddy.” Mila’s eyes pleaded with her father, begging for his understanding. “And he doesn’t love me. I deserve better.”

A wail escaped Maeva, who was not given to fits of hysteria. Niall jerked in response, and Mila held her breath, wondering which of them would start in first.

Her mother began listing all the reasons why she had to marry Jared, but in such a high-pitched, fast voice that few of the words were comprehensible.

Mila shook her head and turned to face her father. His expression of disappointment was worse than the stern look he had given her just moments before. “Who is he?” He asked, his voice quiet, his tone calm.

“W—What?” She stuttered.

“I can smell him on you, Mila.” Niall shook his head. “I can’t believe you would be so reckless.”

Mila’s head dropped. She couldn’t bear to see her father so upset with her. For a moment her resolve crumbled. But then Elijah’s face filled her mind, strengthening her determination. “I’m sorry, Daddy. I didn’t plan for this to happen. But it did. And now I belong to someone else. I can’t marry Jared. I won’t.”

“You don’t have the luxury of choosing a mate for love.” Niall sighed, as if bearing a heavy burden. “Your role was decided from the moment of your birth.”

“By you, not me.” She shook her head, ignoring the dart of shock in his gaze when she spoke back. “I’ve made my decision.” Her mother wailed again, and she glanced briefly at her. “My mind is made up.”

Before either could respond, Mila turned and walked from the sitting room, ascending the stairs with what she hoped was poise and grace. She swore she could feel their eyes boring into her as her mother’s hysterical sobs echoed through the room below.

Still, she kept walking, determined they wouldn’t change her mind.

She had to reach Elijah before it was too late.