I crossed my arms and glared at the white dress laying on the bed. I didn’t want anything to do with the dress or Colt Richards. All I wanted was to get out of here.

I didn’t have any idea of how I was going to get Amy or myself out of this but running wasn’t an option anymore and that meant I had to figure out a way to stop this.

It was while I was surveying the dress with distaste I had an idea. What if Colt didn’t want to mate with me? My family was determined for this union to take place but what if I could make Colt reconsider this arrangement? If I could make myself less than what he wanted, could that sway him to renegade on the deal?

I had no other options. I picked up the dress. It the classic virginal type of dress, white, long flowing, non revealing. Totally not my style.

Feeling hopeful, I smiled triumphantly as I held the dress up against me. I was sure it would be enough to put Colt off marrying, especially when I was determined not to be suitable.

It was the first time I had a proper plan to put in place. I had no idea if it would work but for the first time I felt hopeful. It was something.

Quickly, I dressed and began to make adjustments to the dress. I couldn’t wait to see my family and Colt’s face when they saw me. Once I was finished, I would not resemble anything the Colt was expecting or would want.

It didn’t take that many changes to ensure my cleavage stood out. The material just covering what it needed. It was so short my legs looked like they went on forever.

Not for a second did I contemplate that my plan would not work. The little I had discovered about Colt made me believe he was superficial and this would deter him.

I had to hope it was enough to wreck my family’s plans. If Colt didn’t want me than nothing my family had planned would matter. Everything was riding on this.

There was knock at the door and Marshall entered.

For a moment his eyes widened and then he frowned disapprovingly.

I couldn’t stop from smiling at his visible reaction. I folded my arms across my eyes and sent him a challenging look. “What do you think?”

“You look…like you belong on a street corner,” he murmured with distaste.

It was exactly the reaction I had been aiming for. “Maybe I do.” I challenged.

He shook his head. “You will become Colt’s mate. This,” he waved in my direction, “will not change anything.”

I glared at him. “We’ll see.”

“He is here.” He opened the door and waited for me.

I dropped my arms and set my shoulders straight holding my head high. I would not allow any of these people intimidate me.

Marshall led me to the living room downstairs. As I entered the room there was an audible gasp which had been elicited from my mother. I smiled, satisfied with their reaction.

She stared at me in horror. My father’s expression was stern, anger simmered in his eyes. I trembled for a second, knowing that if we didn’t have an audience he would have physically lashed out.

I recognized Colt from the pictures online I had seen. He was good looking but there was no warmth in his eyes. In fact, he seemed to fit right in with my diabolical family.

His eyes slid down my form only taking longer on the sections of my dress that revealed far too much. I stood proud, refusing to cower.

“Is this some sort of joke?” he tersely directed the question to my father.

“We have just recently been reunited with our long lost daughter and had no idea how she was raised to believe this is an acceptable way to dress.”

I clenched my jaw but smiled. “You don’t like?” I asked innocently. “I thought you should see the goods so you know what you’re getting.”

Colt’s gaze met mine. “Why does she reek of another?” He spoked through clenched teeth.

“She was mated with another before we found her.” Marshall was the one to answer. “We are just as mortified as you are.”

That made me angry. Maverick was more of a man than all these guys put together. They didn’t hold a candle to him.

“You expect me to take a mate that has been touched by another?” he asked, coldly with a hard look to my father.

“She is still a powerful line of alpha. Mated or not.” My father’s point was made.

Colt’s lip curled as he studied me.

I smiled at him, enjoying every moment of his glare. “You don’t like what you see.”

I refused to look away. He was powerful, I could feel it emanate from him.

“She will give you the most powerful line of alphas,” my mother added.

I was being mated to breed their next generation of alphas. I would rather die than go along with any of it.

My whole life I had been given no choices, I would not allow them to take my freedom.

“Uggh,” I murmured. “Who wants brats?”

The room fell silent, my question unexpected and not well received by the look on their faces.

But Colt looked at me closer, almost with curiosity. “You believe you have a choice?”

“She has not grown up with our kind and therefore does not understand the importance of this union. She was hidden in an orphanage unaware of what she really was until recently.” This excuse came from my mother, who was clearly trying to soothe the situation so they could proceed with their plan. A plan I would not go along with.

“Why so serious?” I moved closer and he stilled as if taken aback by my bold action.

He frowned.

“At least I’ve had some practice.” The statement was fell into the silence, deepening it.

His frowned grew in his features. “Practice?” he echoed.

“Sex. You know the horizontal tango.” I smiled sweetly with a wink with the suggestive shake of my hips.

He clenched his fists. My plan was working.

“At least I’ll be able to make you feel good, you know…” I neared him, trying to push his limit.

His dark gaze followed my hand that rest against his chest. I leaned closer to whisper into this ear.

“All the hot and sweaty sex has taught me a lot.”

His hand closed over my wrist, tightening painfully. “If you know what is good for you’ll stop talking.”

I refused to show the pain he was inflicting.

“Aww come on.” I fluttered my eyelashes at him, knowing my next statement would push him further. “You might even like to share me.”

He pulled me up against the wall of his chest. “Keep your mouth shut or I’ll shut it for you.”

I refused to allow him to scare me. “Are you this rough in the bedroom?” I gazed up at him feigning excitement.

He pushed me from him and I stumbled back but managed to keep myself upright. I rubbed my wrist, hating that I revealed I had felt the pain he caused.

“How do you expect me to take a mate like this?” Colt glared at my father.

“She might be a little rough around the edges but her blood line is more important.”

I frowned. That was an understatement. My performance had been much worse than that.

“You will enjoy breaking her in.” My father shrugged is shoulders. “Teaching her her place. You know?”

My mouth fell open. To be talked about in that was went against who I was.

“I don’t know if that’s even possible with this one.” Colt shook his head.

“What if we sweeten the deal?” Dominque spoke this time.

“I’m not sure there is anything you can offer that I will want.” He was a man used to getting exactly what he wanted, not less than.

Which I clearly wasn’t. I was no where near the perfect, virgin obedient mate he had been expecting.

“We have another girl you can have.”

I frowned. They wouldn’t. Fear crept up my spine.

“What girl?” Colt’s interest peaked.

“She is a rogue.”

They couldn’t be talking about Amy, could they?

Colt studied my father before taking another long look at me. “I would like to see her.”

They could not be doing this. Using woman as pawns to barter as they saw fit.

“No,” I stamped out. “You can’t do this.”

This time Colt smiled for the first time. “I can do whatever I want.”

Fear trembled through me when a few minutes later Amy entered the room, looking disheveled.