Declan stood rigid in his father Rowan's study, the scent of expensive cognac doing little to calm his racing thoughts. "No," he stated, his voice tight with barely contained fury. "You made me a promise all those years ago. You can’t ask me to do that. Ask Samuel…or Matthew. I can’t…no…never."

Rowan's lips thinned. "They already have several brides between them – Edward Montgomery doesn’t want his daughter to…share."

Declan grabbed a crystal goblet, his hands shaking despite his efforts to appear composed. He was trapped, cornered like an animal. He had to escape this.

"What about Katelynn?" he managed, the name a desperate plea. "I can’t just…abandon her."

Rowan snorted, his gaze unwavering. "She’s a human you’ve refused to wed. How much do you really love her?" The words cut deep, each one a calculated jab.

"It’s because I love her that I won’t do it…the risks--" Declan began, his voice strained.

"Are worth taking if you love someone enough," Rowan finished, a cold certainty in his tone.

Declan roared, hurling the goblet across the room. It shattered against the wall, crystal fragments catching the light like scattered diamonds. He stared at the shimmering pieces, his chest heaving, the weight of his impossible choice pressing down on him. He was losing. He knew it.

He had to say goodbye to the woman he loved more than himself. He had to betray her. Tonight.