CLAIMED BY THE WRONG ALPHA

Eva Callahan stood in the parking lot, arms crossed, staring at the man she would marry in a few months.

Ryan Carter leaned against his elegant black automobile, his appeal turned on full tilt as he muttered something to a giggling brunette. Laughing at whatever absurdity he was feeding her, the girl twirled her hair.

"Same thing every time," Cassidy murmured next to her.

Eva closed her jaw. "I lost him."

Ryan insisted on picking her up from college, which gave the impression of some wonderful romantic gesture. Actually, it was only a means of scouting his next conquest. He went on to another the instant he grew bored with one girl.

The worst of all is that everyone knew.

Her stomach turned at the pitying looks and the snickers behind her back. Still, there was no getting away from it. She was from the Callahan family, and women from that family married Carter men. That was the norm, entered into some ludicrous contract signed centuries ago.

Already promised to Lucas Carter, the eldest and most dreaded of the Carter brothers, was her older sister Lillian. People whispered his name like a plague-a guy so merciless.

Eva appreciated not being the one getting married to him. Ryan? But neither was he a prize either.

He had one marriage earlier, but shortly after their wedding, his wife passed away in an unexplained accident. At twenty-seven he was once more on the market.

Eva, still in college, was twenty-one and had to walk directly toward her death.

She yawned. "Let us simply leave. He doesn't have a scheduled visit.

"Good idea," Cassidy said as she grabbed her hand and walked her toward her car. "How about our hitting the club? For a bit, forget all this.

Eva hesitated and turned back toward Ryan. He had not even seen her. typical.

Surely. Let us depart.

The club throbbed with music, the bass thumping Eva's chest. Resolved to drive any ideas of Ryan and the planned marriage out of her head, she let Cassidy lead her onto the dance floor.

"You have to let go!" Cassidy yelled above the melody.

Eva giggled and let herself swing with the beat.

She felt a bit lighter, the first in weeks.

Then suddenly a tight grip clamped around her wrist.

She turned, anticipating Ryan, her heart slamming against her ribs. However, it wasn't him.

Lucas Carter stood in front of me.

She lost the breath from her lungs.

Cassidy stopped right next to her. Ignorant of the storm that had suddenly swept in, the throng surrounding them kept marching.

Lucas stood there, blank as usual, his icy blue eyes fixed on hers.

"You shouldn't be here," he stated with a steady but firm voice.

Eva jerked her wrist free and pointed sharply at him. "Excuse me?"

"You have obligations." One of them is not rushing off to clubs."

She stroked angrily. "Since when would you be interested in where I travel? Not me, but your sister is being married.

Ryan is not suited to deal with you. We both are aware of that.

Her gut turned. "That is not your choice."

Lucas watched her for a time before approaching her so closely she could feel heat radiating off him. No, but it is my issue.

She shot back, "I can take care of myself."

He stayed silent. He simply maintained her stare for a long, stifling minute before moving away. "Then show it."

And he vanished into the throng exactly like that.

Frozen, Eva's heart hammered against her ribs.

Cassidy reached for her arm. "Okay, what the devil was that?"

Not sure what to say, Eva shook her head.

She wasn't sure what the rules were anymore, for the first time in her life.

Eva swept the living room back at the flat.

Cassidy muttered, sliding onto the couch, "You're spiraling." "Just let me know what's happening in that head of yours after a long breath."

"Why does Lucas worry where I go?" Eva hurried out. "He speaks to Lillian seldom at all. Why does he suddenly have an opinion about my life?

Maybe he believes you are a liability.

"I have no interest in his opinion."

Cassidy pouted. "Look, your family does not merit your allegiance. We both know this. Lillian, let us not even begin on her; your dad never treated you like a true daughter. You could sprint, Eva. I have reserves of money. We may leave from this place.

Eva ceased to pace. "They would come upon me. You are aware that they would."

"So what?" Let them. Perhaps it is time you begin to rebel.

Eva buried her face in her hands and collapsed onto the couch next to her.

"I can't," she said in a whisper. "I simply cannot."

Cassidy closed her hand. "Then we find still another way."

And Eva let herself hope for the first time in a very long time.