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“Someday, we'll both be two of the most influential men in the world.”

I laughed to myself.

I couldn't wait.

“This alliance will pay off remarkably well for you.” He patted me on the shoulder before finally letting go of me and clasping his hands behind his back. “Maybe we'll find an equally charming woman for you?”

He laughed, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't bring a smile to my lips. All I could do was stare at him.

I would probably make the same mistake as Alarik and reject Senseque women. I would never be able to offer them the life they deserved or force them to give up their dreams to become trophy wives trapped in political marriages of convenience. But as an Alpha, I couldn't just be with a human. That's what the damn Code dictated.

“Your sister and I will give you strong nephews, maybe even a beautiful niece.”

Mikhail's words brought me back to the painful present.

Now I had to laugh. Amused and bitter at the same time.

Disgust rose in me at the mere thought that he intended to...

“You don't even know if she wants children,” I forced my words out, trying to avoid any images in my head, while my expression darkened.

Mikhail stared at me, and for a moment, I thought I could see thoughtfulness in his gaze.

“Emely is dutiful,” he muttered. “She will fit well into the hierarchies of the Russian pack and accept our rules.”

She would. But at what price?

Without an heir, his line would not continue. But would he force my sister...

The mere thought made me feel even more nauseous.

With clenched teeth, I stepped closer to Mikhail.

“My sister is not a doll. She has interests, desires, and a hell of a lot of potential.”

Mikhail's gaze darkened as well. He seemed to be losing patience with me.

“At my side, she will be able to fulfill her potential.”

I snorted in annoyance and turned away from him.

But he wasn't finished. “For Emely, the pack comes first. That's exactly the kind of woman I'm looking for.” I turned to him. “And I will do my best to read her every wish from her lips if that's what it takes to save my bloodline.”

His goddamn bloodline..

And his best?

I suppressed another snort.

Obviously.

He kept missing the mark. And Emely remained silent to please Father. She did all this for a man who barely knew her. And I didn't mean Mikhail.

“But don't worry,” he murmured, lowering his voice. “First, I have to win the games.” He laughed and propped himself up on the stone balustrade of the venerable terrace to look out into the garden, where the guys were training like crazy, for once without Emely. “Which shouldn’t be too difficult.”

I gritted my teeth, turned away, and left Mikhail alone on the terrace.

That arrogant bastard would stop at nothing to win Emely over, and she herself refused to see it.