Page 14 of Knot the One They Want

He looks up, his gaze landing on me. Dread crawls its way up my spine. "It's a formal summons. The Blackwood pack has requested an audience in front of both coalitions."

"About what?" Vivienne presses, but I can tell from the gleam in her eyes, she already knows.

"What else?" Dad asks. "To discuss a potential mating. With Evangeline."

The room spins. This can't be happening.

My disastrous first meeting with the pack flashes through my mind. The one thing I was counting on was that they were as unimpressed with me as I was with them.

At least, Damien was.

And he's the pack leader.

"They want to mate Evie?" Lily pipes up. "But we haven't even met them yet!"

Jasper trots into the room at that moment, his curls bouncing and his eyes blown wide at Lily's words. He looks between us and our parents. "Is that true?" he asks in the same disbelief I still feel.

"Hush, Lily," Vivienne admonishes. "This is wonderful news. The Blackwoods are the most influential pack in the city. An alliance with them would open so many doors for us."

It's the first time she's ever looked at me like that. Like I'm actually worth something, even if it's tinged with jealousy.

I'm pretty sure I like it better when she's just ignoring me.

But I barely hear her through the blood pounding in my ears anyway. An arranged mating. My dream, and my nightmare. To have my future decided, my mates chosen, without any say.

And yet, some secret, shameful part of me still craves it, however it happens to come to be. To be wanted, claimed, cherished.

Even if my alphas never truly love me.

Tristan just looks pissed. He hates not being the center of attention. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree and all that.

"I don't even know them," I protest. There's no reason they'd be requesting our presence in front of both coalitions unless they intended to propose officially. "I haven't even met them one on one. It's not conventional."

Not that I have any interest in that.

"That hardly matters," Dad says in a gruff tone. "You're twenty-two, and you haven't even officially had a coming out, so there's hardly anything conventional about you, either."

"And whose fault is that?" I demand before I can stop myself.

Dad and Vivienne go silent, and I know that look on Dad's face. It's never anything good.

"Tristan, Jasper, Lily, go upstairs," Dad says.

Lily and Jasper cast me sympathetic glances, but Tristan smirks as he leads the way out of the room.

Wonderful. Now I'm in the dog house again.

"Evangeline? Did you hear me?" Dad's voice snaps me out of my spiraling thoughts.

"No, I'm sorry, I didn't hear you," I admit, my voice small. I can't bring myself to meet his eyes, knowing the disappointment and frustration I'll find there.

Dad sighs heavily, the weight of his expectations bearing down on me. "Evangeline, it's time you start thinking about what's best for this family and the coalition. I've been more than patient with you turning down the other packs, but there's no good reason for you to say no to the Blackwoods."

His words settle like a stone in my stomach. Of course he thinks he's been "patient." Patient in waiting for me to fulfill my duty as the perfect omega daughter, to secure an advantageous match that will elevate our family's status. Never mind my own hopes and dreams.

"But Dad, I barely know them. Shouldn't I at least have a chance to-"

"Enough," he cuts me off, his tone leaving no room for argument. "If you won't make the right choice, then I'll make it for you. And I doubt you'll like the results."

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