Dominic snickered. “Well, she’ll just have to deal with it.”

Shoving her pasta around the lunch container with her fork, Mila sighed. She’d known that her parents wouldn’t take the whole “arranged mating” thing well. Known they wouldn’t want her to take a mate who’d only looked her way because he wanted an alliance with the Ivanov wolverines. Known they’d hate that mating Maksim would mean her staying permanently in Russia. Although she’d been braced for their disappointment, the weight of it still hurt.

Her mother was beyond furious. Her mouth tight, Valentina was sharply striding around the barbershop’s break room cleaning in fast-forward—wiping coffee grounds from the counter, cleaning mug rings from the table, tidying the newspapers, washing cups, and even wiping the screen of the wall-mounted TV.

“I can’t believe I’m hearing this,” said James, sitting on the couch with his elbows braced on his thighs and his hand clenched around a porcelain mug. “You’re the last person I ever thought would enter into an arranged mating.”

“It sounds cold, I know, but I like the guy, Dad.” Mila leaned back in the plastic chair. “It’s not official yet. I haven’t allowed Maksim to lay any claim on me—not even a temporary one. We’ll get to know each other better when I return to Russia. I’m not rushing into anything—I can’t rush, since the visa application process takes time. It’s not like I’m leaving next week or anything.”

“Arranged matings can be disastrous if the couple never imprints on each other.”

“Which is why I won’t go through with the mating ceremony unless we imprint. If it doesn’t happen, I’ll walk away. But there are many instances where such matings do go well.”

“Oh, couples can grow to care for each other, sure, and the bonds they form can be strong. But not always strong enough that their happiness is long lasting.”

“What about my grandparents?” she challenged, referring to Valentina’s parents. “They entered into an arranged mating, and they’re happy.”

James flicked his hand. “Skeletor and her man-slave don’t count.”

“Why not?”

“Because they’re both highly dysfunctional.”

Considering her grandfather did odd shit like pretend to be agoraphobic so that her grandmother wouldn’t make him go shopping, Mila couldn’t argue with that. She dumped her fork in the plastic tub, and her mother instantly snatched it up, along with James’s cup. “Mom, sit down, I’ll clean them.” But Valentina went ahead and did it herself as if Mila hadn’t spoken. Wiping her hands on a napkin, Mila turned back to her father. “I’m sorry that this isn’t a decision you can support or respect, I truly am, but—”

“I want to support you,” he said. “I just can’t support you shortchanging yourself. Just because you can’t be with your true mate doesn’t mean that an arranged mating is your only option. It doesn’t mean you can’t find real happiness with someone else.”

“I know that. But who says I can’t find it with Maksim?”

“That is not your father’s point.” Valentina dried her hands on a dish towel and tossed it aside. “You can do better than an arranged mating, Mila.”

“It was more like your brothers did a little matchmaking than it was a business transaction,” said Mila.

“But your mating the Alpha’s son would solidify an alliance; that makes it business.” Valentina pointed at her. “You deserve better. You can do better. You have a life here, Mila.”

“I enjoy my jobs, but they’re not jobs I can’t do elsewhere.” She’d miss this place, though. She’d worked at Blade and Spice Barbershop since she was a teenager. She loved it here. Loved its rustic charm and relaxed atmosphere. Loved that each day was different and that she could help others feel their best. Offering cuts, shaves, facials, and other services, it was a popular place.

The barbershop belonged to her uncle Vinnie, just as all the other nearby businesses did. Unlike most species of shifter, pallas cats kept the existence of their breed secret from humans and didn’t claim territories. They did, however, often group together for protection. The pride owned every store on both sides of the street—some they used themselves; others Vinnie rented out.

Her pride mates didn’t work in every store, though. Humans ran the bookstore, and a shifter-witch hybrid ran the herbalist store. The pride hired humans and even lone shifters.

Vinnie also owned two nearby apartment buildings, where many members of the pride lived. The cats working and living so close together was similar to a pack hanging out on its territory. The pride might not have claimed the land and segregated themselves from the public, but they liked to stay near each other.

“What about us?” demanded Valentina, returning dishware to cupboards. “You would leave us—your own parents?”

Ah, here came the emotional blackmail. Her mother could wield it like a pro. “You’ve been globe-trotters ever since I turned eighteen. If I leave here, I’ll still see you about as much as I do now.”

“What about your brother? He is your twin. You cannot leave your twin.”

“Alex is always roaming, and he goes to Russia a lot.”

“And what about your friends? Hmm?”

“If they’re real friends, they’ll get off their asses and come visit me.”

With a little growl, Valentina mule-kicked a cupboard door, slamming it shut. “I blame Adele and Joel for this. I will make them pay.”

Mila held up a calming hand. “I don’t begrudge them what they have, nor do I resent them for what they’re building. But my cat does, and I don’t know how to help her.” Even hearing Joel’s name was enough to make her cat curl back her upper lip.

James scrubbed a hand down his face. “I can understand why you’d want to put space between you and them if your cat’s struggling so much. But moving to Russia? That’s a hell of a distance.”

“Like I told you, it’ll depend on how things go between me and Maksim,” Mila reminded him. “He seems like a nice guy. You’d like him.”

James snorted. “No, I won’t. Not if he takes my baby girl from me.”

Valentina planted her hands on her hips. “And if things do not work out between you and this Maksim, you will come home. Yes?”

“If my cat manages to work through her shit, yeah.” But Mila didn’t see that happening in a hurry.

“Honey,” began James, his voice gentle, “it’s unlikely that she’ll ever forgive Joel.”

“I know.” Mila swallowed. “But if she found happiness with someone else, she might be able to look at Joel without wanting to slit him from throat to sternum.”

James winced. “That bad, huh?”

Mila nodded. “That bad.”

A stream of Russian curses flew out of Valentina’s mouth, her voice so loud that it bounced off the walls of the small room. “He should be the one to leave. Not you.”

“Joel hasn’t done anything wrong,” said Mila.

Valentina’s nostrils flared. “But he was not born in this pride. You were.”