So ruthless
Alpha Torin.
My breath caught in my throat.
He was sitting at the head of the table beside my father, casually, like he already owned the place,.. like he owned us.
His posture was relaxed, but there was nothing soft about him. Not his eyes, not his jaw, not the aura that hung around him like a storm waiting to break.
He had a crystal glass in hand, sipping it like everything was fine.
He looked exactly like I remembered silent and dangerous. I froze more the moment his eyes shifted and fall on me. They locked onto me, assessing, stripping me bare without even moving. My entire body stiffened more under the weight of his stare.
“Lily,” my father last spoke sharply, making me flinch. “Take a sit.”
"You late , but it's fine", My mother turned toward me with a soft expression that quickly shifted when she saw my face. Her brow furrowed, and I could see the question forming on her lips.
I obeyed on instinct, moving to the furthest chair I could find from Alpha Torin. But it didn’t matter. I still felt him. He was watching me , judging me probably.
“We weren’t expecting a guest,” my mother said, offering a polite smile, though there was a crease forming between her brows. “Not that you aren’t welcome, Alpha.” My mom added. Torin didn’t return the smile and didn't respond.
"Yeah Alpha Torin came early,” my father said smoothly. “We thought it was best to have a quiet dinner before tomorrow’s meeting.” He continued.
“Of course. It’s… an honor.” My mother gave a tight smile to my father.
"Yes, plans changed. Your husband and I agreed it was time to move forward.” Torin inclined his head in that cold way then he spoke. My pulse spiked immediately and my fingers clenched under the table. I already knew what he was going to say.
“Move forward with what?” my mother asked, her voice light but uncertain.
The clink of my father’s fork pausing on his plate was deafening and I felt like dying. “The alliance,” he said simply. “Through marriage.”
My breath caught instantly and my head whipped toward him, but it was my mother who spoke first.
“Marriage?” she repeated slowly, blinking. “Whose?”, She asked more interested.
There was a beat of silence. The air felt thick, heavy.
“Lily’s,” my father said. “To Alpha Torin.”
The suddenyly room turned to ice. His words were final but my mother straightened in her chair, color draining from her face. “What?”
“I’ve made the arrangements,” my father continued, like he was discussing the weather. “The next full moon. It’s done.”
“You made them without me?” my mother hissed. She pushed back from the table slightly, stunned. “Without her?”
I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t even speak. My heart was pounding so loud I couldn’t hear anything else. “She’s sixteen, Eland,” my mother snapped, using my father’s name like a blade. “You promised we’d talk about this together. You promised—”
“She’s ready,” my father interrupted angrily. “Her wolf is strong. This is what’s best for the pack.”
My mother turned to me then, her eyes wide and searching. “Lily, did you know?”
I opened my mouth but closed it. Then shook my head slowly, swallowing the lump in my throat.
“I found out the same way you did,” I whispered, tears already brimming in my eyes.
"But Eland...", Just as my mother began, Torin set his glass down with a quiet clink that somehow silenced the entire room.
“That’s enough,” he said coldly, his eyes locked on my mother like a predator sizing up prey. “I won’t sit here while your wife questions my judgment or undermines your authority, Eland.”
The air went still when he spoke that.
“I’m here for an alliance, not a family fight,” he continued, voice low but cutting. “If your mate cannot hold her tongue, perhaps she should excuse herself.”
My mother’s lips parted, stunned but Torin didn’t even blink. “This marriage is happening. There’s no discussion left to be had.”He murmured then leaned back slightly, picking up his glass again with infuriating calm.
Dinner was tense the minutes that followed. My mother tried to make conversation, changing the topic but my father kept on answering too quickly. I didn't say anything, I kept my eyes on my plate, barely tasting a thing.
“We’re having a meeting after dinner,” My father’s words made my blood pressure to rise again.
"A meeting for", My mother interrupted again quickly.
My father didn’t answer right away, but Torin did.
“To discuss preparations. The ceremony. Security. Arrangements for Lily to move to my estate.”
“Meetings are more efficient when the subject is present.” He added.
The subject?! Me.
My father barely looked up from his plate. “Alpha Torin was gracious enough to arrive early. We’ll be finalizing the terms of the alliance tonight.”
Finalizing?!
My hand jerked. My fork clattered against the plate, and everyone looked at me. Even him so coldly.
Move? My throat closed up. I hadn’t even agreed and they were already planning to take me away.
“She's not ready for that,” my mother said, her voice trembling with restrained fury. “She doesn’t even know him.”
“She’ll have time to adjust,” my father said dismissively, waving a hand. “It’s done, Amara.”
My mother’s jaw tensed, but she said nothing more.
For a long moment, no one spoke then my mother stood up again. "You’re not doing this. You don’t get to hand off our daughter like she’s—”
“Sit down,” my father immediately growled, low and cold.
Torin remained silent through it all, watching us with that same cold detachment. Like none of it mattered. Like we were all just pawns already moving across the board.
I wanted to scream. Run. Shift but I did nothing. Instead, I sat there, silent and still, trapped between two parents at war and a monster who believed he had already won.
Torin finished the last sip of his drink and set the glass down then he stood up.
“I’ll wait in the study,” he said, his tone final. “We can speak there, Eland. Bring the documents.”
My father nodded and stood to follow. Torin gave me one last look, long and cold, then disappeared down the hall with heavy footsteps that echoed in my chest.
My father turned, his brow furrowing as he saw me still sitting.
“Lily, now.”