The Lycan’s forbid desire

Elara Pov "You're getting married in three weeks." Father's words hung in the air like smoke. I stood in the doorway of his study clutching the tea tray so hard my knuckles went white."What?" "Darius Myrlander has agreed to take you as his third wife." Father didn't look up from the papers scattered across his desk. "The contract is signed." The tray slipped from my hands. Porcelain shattered against the floor but I barely heard it. "You sold me." "I saved us." He finally looked at me and his eyes were hollow. "The creditors were going to seize everything next month. The house, the business, everything your grandfather built." I stepped over the broken cups. My feet crunched on shards. "So you traded me instead." "Elara please." He stood up and reached for my arm but I jerked away. "You don't understand how bad things are. I have debts I can't pay, men who will take more than just property if I don't settle accounts." "I'm not property either." "You're an omega." His voice went flat. "You were always going to marry someone. At least this way you'll be comfortable. Myrlander is wealthy. He'll provide for you." My laugh came out sharp and bitter. "He has two other wives already. What does he need me for?" Father's jaw tightened. "He wants children, legitimate heirs. His other wives haven't given him any." "So I'm a broodmare now." "You're being dramatic." "Am I?" I moved closer to his desk. The anger burned hot in my chest. "Did you ask me? Did you even consider that I might have thoughts about who I marry?" "Your thoughts don't pay debts." He sat back down heavily. "I did what I had to do. What any father would do." "Any father would fight." My voice cracked. "Any father would find another way." "There is no other way." He picked up one of the papers. His hands shook slightly. "I've looked, begged and sold everything that wasn't nailed down. This was the only option left." I stared at him and saw a stranger. The man who used to let me help in the shop. Who taught me numbers and let me practice writing in the ledgers. That man was gone. "When do I meet him?" "Tomorrow. He's coming for dinner." "Of course he is." I turned toward the door. My chest felt tight, like I couldn't get enough air. "Elara." Father's voice stopped me. "I know you're angry, but you'll understand someday. When you have children of your own and you'd do anything to protect them." I looked back at him. "You're not protecting me. You're sacrificing me." The walk to my room felt longer than usual. My feet moved but I couldn't feel them, everything seemed distant and unreal. I locked my door and sat on the bed. The walls pressed in around me, three weeks. Twenty one days until I belonged to a man I'd never met. A man who collected wives like Father used to collect debts. My hands shook when I tried to unbraid my hair. I gave up and just sat there staring at nothing. A knock came at the door. "Go away." "It's me." My little brother Marcus. "Can I come in?" I unlocked the door. He slipped inside and closed it behind him. "I heard." He sat next to me. "I'm sorry." "Did you know?" He shook his head. "Father only told me today. After the papers were signed." "He didn't want anyone talking him out of it." Marcus picked at a thread on my blanket. "Maybe Myrlander won't be so bad. Maybe he's kind." "He's on his third wife Marcus. Kind men don't need that many." "What are you going to do?" I didn't answer right away. What could I do? Run? I had no money. No skills except keeping Father's books, no family except the one selling me off. "I don't know." Marcus leaned against my shoulder. "I'll miss you. That broke something in me. Tears came hot and fast, i wrapped my arms around my little brother and cried into his hair. When I finally stopped Marcus pulled back and looked at me seriously. "There's a ball next week at the palace. Queen Matilda is hosting it." "So?" I asked. "So Father got an invitation. All the noble families are going, he's taking you." "Why would he do that when I'm already engaged?" Marcus shrugged. "Maybe he wants to show you off one last time, maybe Myrlander asked him to. I don't know." A ball. One last night before I became someone's third wife, one last chance to pretend I had choices. "Will you help me find something to wear?" He nodded. After Marcus left I sat by the window and watched the sun set. The sky turned orange then pink then deep purple, stars came out one by one. Tomorrow I would meet Darius Myrlander. Tomorrow I would smile and nod and play the obedient daughter, but tonight I let myself hate everything.e Father's words echoed in my head. You don't need love, you need survival. Maybe he was right. Maybe love was a luxury girls like me couldn't afford. Maybe survival was all that mattered. But deep down something whispered that surviving wasn't the same as living. I pressed my forehead against the cool glass. One week until the ball, three weeks until the wedding. The numbers felt like a countdown to my execution. The next morning Darius Myrlander came for dinner as promised. I watched from the top of the stairs as Father greeted him at the door. He was tall and handsome in an aristocratic way. Long legs, blond hair pulled back neatly and grey eyes that assessed everything they touched. He looked up and saw me watching. His smile was polite but his eyes were calculating and measuring. Like he was inspecting merchandise before purchase. I came down slowly. Each step felt like walking toward my execution. "Elara." Father's voice was too bright. "This is Darius Myrlander, your betrothed." "Miss Harworth." Darius took my hand and kissed it. His lips were cold. "I've heard much about you." "Have you." I pulled my hand back. "Your father says you help with the business. That you're clever with numbers." He studied my face. "Beauty and intelligence, that's a rare combination." "How kind of you to say." If he heard the ice in my voice he didn't show it. "Shall we dine?" Dinner was torture. Darius spoke of his trading empire, his connections and wealth. Everything designed to impress, to show me what I was gaining by marrying him. All I could think about was what I was losing. That night I made a decision. I would go to the ball, wear the prettiest dress I could find and dance if anyone asked. I would drink wine and eat cake and pretend for a few hours that my future wasn't already decided. I would escape duty for one night even if it was the last free choice I ever made.