If Only

5. Emily

This document serves as a seal for the marriage between Alpha Malachi Kasey Callahan, of the Forest, age 24, and Princess Emily Faye Carter, of the Snow, age 20. If both parties agree to the marriage, the houses become interconnected. The union will stop the war on that date. Upon the occurrence, both Alphas will pull their men back and out of the other's land. The forest leopards will occupy land held by Alpha Callahan, and the Snow Leopards will occupy land that Alpha Carter currently has. These terms are non-negotiable.

Any threat or harm to either party will nullify this agreement and result in war. Therefore, both Alphas agree to these peace terms by signing the document below.

Below Malachi's flowing signature was my father's scribble. Signed and dated three weeks ago. Three weeks, this plan had been in motion for weeks, and here I was, thinking I got a say in this.

"Well, first off." I clear my throat. His eyes look at mine from watching my finger run down the page, his eyes burning into mine.

"Yes?"

"I'm not twenty." His fingers pinch the bridge of his nose, his eyes closing, his other hand running through his black hair.

He knew.

"Yeah. I know. How old are you?" If I could take a deep breath, I would with his blue eyes swirling at me, round and round the blue went, flashing a golden amber back out at me.

"Not twenty," I whisper back, my fingers playing with the edge of the paper, panicking that somehow by telling him the truth, I would be disappointing him.

"Emily." His tone is short, the Alpha authority growing in his voice.

"I'm seventeen."

The words linger around us, "seventeen? Your fucking seventeen!" His chair is back as he stands up suddenly, his hands flat against the table. "Alright. Well, don't bother with the rest of that." Malachi growls, pointing at the paperwork still grasped in my hands. "Goddess, fucking seventeen. Your father has thrown you at me, so that's what's happening here. Why is he so interested in getting rid of you? Your sisters are closer to my age, yet he hasn't brought them up." His head leans down, his back hunched over the table, waiting for an answer I couldn't give him. I can't. Not here. His dark blue eyes swirled, amber swirling underneath the blue like lightning in the sky, holding mine and waiting to strike.

"I can't tell you here."

"Why not?" He snaps back, his eyes growing darker, golden amber taking over the oceans.

"I can't. Please. I'll explain everything tonight. Meet me at nine in the kitchen, and I'll explain." I hear my father coming, his sharp footsteps against the wooden floor, heavy, quick, dangerous. "Please." My eyes meet his, trying to show him how much I can't say aloud.

"Fine." He grumbles. My head drops, and my eyes can no longer watch him.

"Did you two get everything settled?" Fathers booming voice echoes around me; my eyes watch my fingers in my lap, my jaw tight, wishing I would be strong enough to shout to the world what is going on, but I've learned. I learned the hard way what happens when I open my mouth.

I can hear the smile in his words, "not quite. But we have all week. I want your daughter to ensure that this is what she wants before doing this." A chair scrapes, and light, sure footsteps walk away from me.

"Alpha Callahan, I'm not sure what my daughter has told you."

"It doesn't matter what she told me."

My father's footsteps drift from me. "Will you join us for dinner then?" My father is scrambling, trying to preserve what he thinks might be ruined.

"What time?" Malachi's voice is flat.

"Seven?" I can hear the grumble in his voice, even if Alpha Callahan can't. The grumble comes before the rage, before the lessons.

"Very well. We will see you then."

"Yes. Yes." He nods his head, "Jacob!" Father yells, the door creaks open, and I know Jacob is in a low, respectful bow to his Alpha. "Show Alpha Callahan and his Beta to their rooms, please."

"Yes, Alpha." Of course, Alpha. How high would you like me to jump, Alpha? The sound makes me gag. My father isn't an Alpha. He uses and abuses his power because he was lucky enough to be born to the royal family. He has no respect for his people.

The door closes, leaving me in the cold conference room, but I can feel him. I can feel the anger flowing off his body, burning into my skin as if I brushed against the sun. "You little," Father growls, ripping me out of my chair by my hair.

"Father!" My screams stop with a slap across my face, leaving a sudden, stinging pain as my cheek heats from the force of his hand on me. His dark hazel eyes filled with rage, hatred, and disgust. His fingers are back in my hair, ripping my eyes up. My fingers tighten around his wrist, trying to stop the pain.

"What did you tell him!" Father snarls.

"Nothing. Father. Nothing. I promise." I feel the heat burning in my eyes, pulling her out; we can't win against him. Females are taught how to fight, males learn from a young age how to win, how to put down the little rebel females.

We can't, and I haven't, yet. "Then tell me why you haven't signed that document. Why does Alpha Callahan want to wait? Before you opened your mouth, I had you out of my house. And now he wants to make sure. What the fuck did you say!" His fingers bring my face closer to his, forcing me on my tiptoes to meet his eyes, meet them or have my hair ripped out.

"I didn't say anything. I asked to think about the terms. That's it. Father, I promise. He wants to wait for me because I asked. Please." I can hear the tears filling my voice, the raw hot emotion sliding down my throat. I'll never forget the pain of the lessons, from trying to be the Luna my leopard wants, not here.

"Get the fuck out of my face." He throws me across the room as I stumble for my footing, keeping my eyes down, "you better fix this." He growls before leaving me crumpled and shaken on the hard hardwood floor.