Page 9 of Ruthless Moon

He’s conditioned me to obey. It’s painful to go against him. I’ve been taught that over and over and over.

“These two don’t look very enamored with each other, Oliver. I thought this was a love match.” Dave tosses the accusation across the table at his brother with a vengeful grin. “Are you manipulating these young people for your own benefit? Because if we’re negotiating terms openly, I can offer Aiden a much better deal if he marries my youngest daughter.”

“Fuck off, Dave. You weren’t invited to this engagement dinner.” My father’s eyes are dark and his voice is lethal. “Get your fucking wolves out of my town.”

Aunt Kate fidgets in her seat, but Dave gives an I-see-right-through-your-bullshit smile and dabs his mouth with a napkin. “I have two wolves with me here today. My driver and my second-in-command. So whoever’s got you on edge tonight, brother, it’s not my fault.”

That makes my father growl, but he doesn’t respond otherwise.

“This dinner is finished.” Aiden stands, and his chair clatters loudly to the floor. “I will not sit here and listen to you threaten her or me. Back. The. Fuck. Off. Both of you. Are we clear?”

My heart stops in my chest and it takes everything in my entire body to keep from leaping to my feet and running. My hands tremble. I can’t breathe.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

“How dare you.” My father’s voice is deadly calm and words come out sharp like a blade’s edge.

Aiden doesn’t flinch. “Neither of you want an all-out war. I certainly don’t. I want Imogen to feel comfortable and both of you need to take a breath and step back. I am an alpha. I will have your respect and so will your daughter as my wife. I will stand for nothing less.”

I want to melt into the chair and disappear. He doesn’t get it. Every word, no matter how right and brave, will only infuriate my father more. No one saysnoto Oliver Gallagher. I can’t decide if Aiden is brave or stupid. Maybe it’s that he really doesn’t understand the severity of their rivalry.

“Perhaps you’re right. Perhaps I don’t want an open war with my brother, but you don’t tell me or Dave what we do or don’t want. If it happens again, there will be consequences.” Oliver Gallagher stands and walks around Aiden to where I’m sitting. “Am I being perfectly clear, Aiden?”

Uncle Dave sits smugly quiet next to his wife. He’s enjoying this. They hate each other, but he relishes this power display as much as my father does.

My whole body is tense. I hold my breath to stop the shaking.

Don’t react. Don’t react. It will be worse if you show fear.

Hard hands come down on my shoulders. “She is your intended, but you’re an alpha in name only from this point forward. You bow to me. You do as I say when I say. And shebelongsto me until she ceases breathing.”

Don’t cry, Gen. Don’t do it. Don’t give him the satisfaction.I know pain is coming. I just don’t know where it will hit.

Aiden is tense beside me. Anger and confusion roll off him in waves. But my father is like a cobra. Dancing about his prey, mesmerizing it until it can’t move.

We’re all waiting for the strike.

Then it comes. One of his hands grabs the back of my neck and yanks me up from the chair.

Aiden lunges.

“No, don’t.” I raise my hand to warn him off. He’s only making this worse. By the grace of Fate, he listens to me and halts mid-rush.

“Touch me or her without my permission and the deal’s off.”

Aiden’s face is tight with anger. But he’s leashing it and I’m grateful for that self-control.

My father has him where it hurts. Aiden’s desperate to protect his pack and he’s trying to be an honorable man and protect me. But my father’s not honorable and he enjoys watching other men fall from honor too.

He and Dave will destroy the O’Connor pack together and then bicker over the entrails. Aiden just doesn’t see it happening.

My father pushes me a step away.

Shit.I raise an arm to shield my face. Conditioned habit.

Crack.

I chose wrong.

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