The word landed like a weight in my chest. Trained. Like a dog.
My father sighed, setting his glass down with a soft click. "It means they care about more than just having an obedient Omega. Vale's pack is... different. They've turned down offers from families with more money, more connections."
"We have a flawless reputation," my mother insisted, her voice rising slightly before she caught herself.
"Which is why they're considering us at all," my father countered. "But Julian made it clear—they want to meet with Lilianna. Alone."
The silence that followed was sharp enough to cut. My mother's face went completely still, that perfect mask she wore slipping just enough to reveal the calculation beneath.
"Absolutely not," she finally said. "That's completely inappropriate. An unmated Omega alone with four Alphas? It's unthinkable."
My father's jaw tightened. "It wasn't a request, Caroline. It was a condition."
"When?" I asked before I could stop myself.
Both my parents' heads snapped toward me, surprised by my interruption. The single word hung in the air like something forbidden. My mother's eyes narrowed to slits.
"You speak when spoken to," she reminded me, voice honeyed but venomous. "This is precisely why they can't see you alone. You haven't mastered your impulses."
My father studied me with cold calculation. "They wish to discuss it for a day or two but after that they wish to meet with her. They've arranged a private breakfast at their hotel suite."
"Richard!" My mother's voice cracked like a whip. "You can't possibly be considering this."
"We have no choice." He drained his whiskey in one swift motion. "If we refuse, they walk. And you know what that means for us."
I did know. The Wycliffe name carried weight, but our finances have taken a hit the last few years. One thing people were unaware of, after a series of bad investments made by my father, he'd leveraged himself to the point of near ruin..The only thing we had left was our reputation—and me.
"I don't like it," my mother hissed. "What if she says something...inappropriate?"
My father's eyes met mine, cold and assessing. "She won't. Will you, Lilianna?"
I lowered my gaze. "No, Father."
"See? She understands what's at stake." He crossed the room, his footsteps heavy on the plush carpet. "The Vale pack is worth more than any other prospect we've considered. Julian's not just a tennis champion—his business holdings are extensive. Technology, real estate, private equity. And his packmates are equally accomplished."
My mother's lips thinned into a tight line. "If they want to meet her alone, they must already be interested," she conceded, her voice softening slightly. "Perhaps they just need to feel they've done their due diligence."
"Precisely," my father said. "They want to satisfy themselves that she's not being coerced."
A bitter laugh almost escaped my throat. Almost. I caught it just in time, swallowing it down like a pill too large for my throat.
"Fine," my mother finally said. "But she needs preparation. Coaching."
My father nodded. "We have time. They won't meet with her until the day after tomorrow at the earliest. They said they would call."
I kept my expression neutral as they discussed me like I was a meat product being readied for market inspection. Inside, something twisted—not quite rebellion, not yet, but awareness. Sharp and uncomfortable.
"Lilianna," my father said, turning to me. "You understand what's expected of you?"
"Yes, Father." I replied obediently, knowing if I said anything else I would be punished.
"Good." He nodded, satisfied with my response. "This is the opportunity we've been preparing you for. The Vale pack is... exceptional. Their reputation is beyond reproach."
My mother stepped closer, her perfume—expensive jasmine and something sharper beneath—enveloping me as she smoothed hand over my hair. The gesture might have seemed affectionate to an outsider, but I felt the subtle pressure of her fingers against my scalp. A reminder.
"You'll need to be perfect," she murmured. "Demure, but not lifeless. Responsive, but not eager. They need to see your value without you appearing to know it yourself."
I nodded, the movement small and precise.
