Chapter 2 #2
Ivan let out a bark of laughter. "The family’s future? You’re talking about your legacy. You’re talking about keeping the seat warm for another decade while you play kingmaker."
My father’s face darkened. "Watch your tone, Ivan."
Ivan didn’t back down. "Or what? You’ll arrange a marriage for me next?"
Volkov’s voice cut through the tension like a scalpel. "The girl is here with her parents."
My father nodded. "Take them into the sitting room."
I didn’t wait for permission. I strode toward the door, my shoes thudding against the floor. My pack fell into step behind me. Ivan’s long, angry strides, and Gregor’s silent, measured pace.
The hallway was lined with portraits of Petrov's past, their stern faces watching us like judges.
The sitting room was at the end of the hall, its double doors carved with the Petrov crest. A wolf’s head snarling over two swords. I pushed them open without knocking.
This room was darker than the rest. My father’s favorite. Old wood and deep reds, a space designed to intimidate. And there, perched on the edge of the sofa was a girl.
She was young. Far too young. Black hair, like our omega’s. This girl’s hair was pulled into a tight braid. She was small, dwarfed by the sofa, her hands clenched in her lap. Her dress was a deep green, her tights opaque black. She looked frightened.
“She looks like an elf,” Ivan muttered.
“Do you think I choose—”
“Mary—”
The girl huffed and looked at the woman beside her. Her mother, presumably. She had the same black hair, the same sharp features, but her eyes were cold, and she looked at us like we were a business transaction she was already regretting.
Mary’s eyes flicked back up to mine. They were wide, dark, and her hands shook.
Beside her, a tall, broad man stood. He had the look of a man who was used to getting what he wanted. His daughter, clearly, was no exception. He held out his hand to my father. “Let’s conclude business.”
“Sit.” My father beckoned him with his hand.
Callum nodded, pulled on the pants of his suit and sat on the other side of his daughter, swinging one leg over the other and resting the ankle on his knee. His shoes were polished to a mirror shine.
My father stepped toward the girl, his voice smooth as oil. "Mary, this is my son, Artem.” He gestured my way. “And his brother, Ivan."
Mary’s gaze darted between us. She was only eighteen and she was being sold like a prize heifer at the market.
Ivan’s voice was a growl. "She’s a child."
Mary flinched.
Her father’s hand lifted and tightened on her shoulder, his fingers digging in. "She’s of age. And she understands her duty."
Mary’s voice was barely a whisper. "I don’t want to."
Callum McCarthy’s grip on her shoulder tightened. "It’s already agreed."
I saw red. Actual, fucking red. The kind that made my vision blur at the edges. "Agreed by who?"
My father’s voice was calm, infuriatingly so. "By me. By Callum. The contract is drawn. The deal is set. The alliance is beneficial for both families."
Ivan’s laugh was a sharp, bitter thing. "Beneficial? You’re trading a girl who looks like she’s still in school for a business deal."
Mary’s eyes filled with big fat tears. My chest ached for her.
"Please," she said, her voice breaking.
"Enough." Her father’s voice was a whip-crack.
I stepped forward, my shadow falling over her. She was tiny. Fragile. And she was looking at me like I was the monster under her bed.
"You don’t have to," I said, my voice low. "Not if you don’t want to."
Callum McCarthy’s face darkened. "The contract—"
"Can go to hell," I finished. I turned to my father, my voice a blade. "We haven’t had an arranged marriage in this family in twenty years. We don’t make these kinds of trades anymore."
My father’s face was a mask. "This will be beneficial for you."
My laugh was hollow. "You think this makes us strong? You think forcing a girl into a life she doesn’t want makes us better? It makes us monsters."
My father’s eyes flashed. "It’s a necessity."
"No. It’s a mistake.” I shook my head, my hands curling into fists. “And it ends now."
Mary's tears carved paths down her cheeks. Her mother cringed, looking as if she wanted to disappear into the sofa.
Callum McCarthy looked like he wanted to strangle me. Let him try.
I turned back to Mary, my voice softer than before. "You’re not marrying anyone. Not me. Not Ivan. Not anyone. Not unless you want to."
Her father’s face twisted. "You can’t—"
"I can," I said, my voice a whip-crack. "And I will. She can stay here until she is ready."
The room was silent. The fire popped. Somewhere outside, the rain began again, a steady drumbeat against the windows.
My father’s voice was low, dangerous. "Artem. This is not your decision. The marriage goes ahead."
I met his gaze, unflinching. "Only when she is ready. I want to get to know her first."
For the first time in my life, I saw my father hesitate. Just for a second. Just long enough for me to know I’d won.
Then he straightened, his voice cold. "We will discuss this later. In private."
I didn’t move. "There’s nothing to discuss."
Callum McCarthy’s mouth pursed into the tightest line as he decided on his next words. "You’re making a mistake, Petrov."
I didn’t look at him. I kept my eyes on Mary. "Get her out of here and we'll continue the discussion."
Gregor didn’t need to be told twice. He stepped forward, his massive frame blocking the McCarthys’ view of the door. "This way, miss."
Mary hesitated, her eyes flicking between her father and me. Then she ran, but not toward the door, toward me. She grabbed my sleeve, her fingers digging in like she was afraid I’d disappear if she let go.
"Please," she whispered. "Please don't let him take me."
I looked down at her and something inside me snapped as I pried her fingers gently from my sleeve and nodded to Gregor. "Take her to the guest room. See that she’s comfortable while we talk."
“Mary, come here.” Callum McCarthy stood and took a step forward, his face mottled with rage.
Her eyes begged me to save her.
"Go with Gregor," I ordered.
“You can’t take her—” her father began.
“I need to know if we're compatible,” I said.
Gregor’s voice was a growl as he shielded Mary from his view and took her out of the room.