Sebastian couldn't believe how beautiful Harper looked in the clothes he'd picked out for her. The tension was palpable in her, but she put up a good front. Her gaze met his and his beast roared to take his mate and claim her. To make her his and fill her with his seed.

Soon. Very soon. He offered her his arm. For a moment, she stared at it, undecided. He scented the sweet fragrance of her desire. She wanted him. He loved knowing that. Hesitation gone, she took his arm and allowed him to lead her to the dining table. He pulled her chair and waited for her to take a seat. He did the same for Sarai.

They were all in their destined places. Him at the head, Harper to his right, and Sarai to his left. It had been the same way with his parents.

His mom always sat to the right of his father. When he was a boy, he asked his dad why, and his answer told him even more than he realized about their marriage.

"Your mother is my right hand, son. I can live with getting my left hand cut off, but I use my right for everything. She's my lifeline. The one person I need to make me complete. She's my best friend and I couldn't imagine life without her. She will always sit to my right. As my partner. Your mate will one day, too."

His wolf wanted her. Harper. His mate. She was the only woman who could save his life. He knew she needed time to get to know him, but his birthday was coming up. The date loomed over his head like a sick reminder of how quickly his time was running out.

"Tell me what you did to Christian," Harper said with a glare.

He should tell her the truth, but that would get him nowhere. "It doesn't matter. He's alive as long as you stay and do what I ask."

Her glare turned deadly. The scent of her fury and watching the color ride her cheeks was sexy as hell.

"A baby. How do you suppose we do that?" she snapped. "I don't sleep with men I don't know."

A slow grin spread over his lips. "We'll get to know each other very soon."

"Seb!" Sarai chastised. "Look how uncomfortable you made her."

There was no more time for talking about how delightfully beautiful Harper looked when angry.

He'd been worried when she stared at his face earlier in his office and then in the glass room, but at least there hadn't been fear or disgust in her features. Not that it would have made a difference.

Sebastian didn't particularly want to die, but he felt it was time to claim what was his. Christian Burns had made the job easier for him. As long as she stayed, the millions owed to Sebastian would be forgiven. The deaths of his parents would go on the back burner when it came to revenge. Only if she stayed.

What Christian Burns didn't know was Seb had known from the beginning what Burns was doing. Seb simply gave him rope to hang himself.

Harper glanced at Sarai, her expression murderous. "He is not embarrassing me. He's the one intent on using me as some kind of breeding machine in exchange for whatever Christian did."

Sarai slipped a long blonde curl behind her ear. "Christian is not a very good man."

"I know," she sighed, her shoulders slumping. "He's not a good father, either."

Sarai stopped and frowned at her. "But you're willing to be here, do as Seb says to ensure he stays alive?"

He watched her fidget in her seat. "I don't want to be responsible for anyone's death."

Sarai glared at him as if trying to get him to reassure Harper her lowlife father was safe from harm. Not fucking likely.

"What's for dinner?" Seb demanded, the anger over the fact Christian had mistreated the one woman Seb would give his life for spiking his fury.

Sarai rolled her eyes and Harper pressed her lips into a tight line. He couldn't wait to watch her wrap those full, sexy lips around his cock. Fuck, she needed to stop fighting her desire for him.

He'd scented it enough times to know she wanted him. He wanted her willing and ready before they did anything. He wouldn't be blamed for forcing her.

Yes, he was keeping her in the castle under duress, but he would never gain her love by using force. Besides, she was free to go. He’d always bring her back, but she was free to go.

The doorbell rang at that moment. He raised his brows at Sarai.

"It's Delilah," Sarai told Harper. "She's my best friend."

Moments later, Delilah waltzed into the dining room, a wide smile on her lips as she glanced at the three of them at the table.

"Sorry, I'm late." Her eyes narrowed when she stopped on Harper. "Hell-o?"

Tom, the butler, pulled a chair for Delilah next to Sarai, where the fourth place was set on the table.

Delilah ignored Tom and kissed Sarai on the cheek then rushed over to give Sebastian a kiss and a hug.

Delilah had been a part of the family since Sarai had been a little girl, so he was used to her displays of affection.

"Nice to meet you," Harper muttered, her eyes flashing angrily from Sebastian to Delilah.

The wolf in Seb wanted to take his woman then and there. She was jealous. And he fucking loved it.

"Same here," Delilah replied as she sat in the chair Tom was still holding out for her. "So, who are you?"

Harper smiled coldly at Sebastian. "Me? I'm about to be his baby mama."