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He needed her to be specific. “You mean your father?”

Her head gave a slight bob. “Yes.”

“Is he hurting you or forcing you to mate?”

“Both,” she whispered. Tears trailed down her round cheeks. Her entire body shook.

“It’ll be all right, Aislinn.” Ever so gently, he pulled her into his arms. “I promise. First, the age of consent to mate is eighteen. I’m not sure how either set of our parents can get around that.”

“My father.” Her voice broke as she continued to cry on his chest. “He said there is some ancient law which will allow it.”

Shit.He knew the law she spoke of. Every Alpha did. The law was put in place to protect the bloodlines of the Alphas. Simply put, it allowed the mating to happen between two individuals no matter age. Problem was, in order to enact the law, you had to show proof of your Alpha lineage and prove the individual had no chance of survival without the mating. His family didn’t fall into that category. He couldn’t speak for hers. “Do you have siblings?”

“No.” She adjusted her position. For this to work, he had to have her trust. “But I have plenty of cousins and uncles. Our line will survive without being forced to mate with you.”

“I know someone who can help—”

“No!No one can know! If my father finds out about this conversation, he would…” She swallowed hard.

“Beat you?” Christoph hedged.

“Yes.”

Bell and Jackson were his mates, but he had to help her. To do nothing and continue to allow her father to abuse her made him culpable for everything that happened to her. Not to mention his son. If he didn’t show the boy he wasn’t like Michel, what did it say about him? No, he had to do this. He had to figure out a way to get Aislinn out. He had to show everyone, including his mates he had honor and compassion like he suspected Rapier did, too.

“Aislinn, listen to me. I’m going to need a little time. You have to stay with your father until I can make arrangements for your safety. I want you to trust me.”

“Trust must be earned,” she murmured.

“You are correct. The fact I’m telling you to do so means nothing, and you hardly know me. Therefore, I hope you don’t automatically place your trust in me.” He tipped her chin up when she refused to meet his gaze. “Since you’ve been completely honest with me, let me return the favor. I do not want this mating. I have a mate. Mates, actually. I can’t—won’t leave you in your father's hands or with your father either. You deserve to be set free.”

“How long do you need?” A glimmer of hope flared to life in her features.

“It will require some time to plan. The person who will help is trustworthy.” The minute he told Rapier the truth, he knew the man would lose his shit, but he hoped beyond everything he could get Aislinn, even his son, out of the area to protect them and free Christoph as well.

Aislinn shoved at him, trying to get out of his arms, but he held fast to her. “He’s a good man. A fair man. And he can be trusted.”

“How do you know?” Aislinn, for all of her fear, could be fierce when she wanted to be. Christoph glimpsed the lioness she’d become.

“Because he offered me sanctuary within his pride. Because he’s my mate’s father. I’m going to take him up on his offer. I will no longer be ruled by my parents and their need to further their own gains. No matter the cost.” Already he knew Isaac would be better off with Rapier until Christoph finished college. At least then the boy would have a stable environment and could grow a little without having to worry about what Michel would do to him.

“That’s you, though. You have no clue if he will offer me sanctuary!” The wild bite of her words didn’t surprise him. She was afraid and worried. She had every right to be considering their situation.

“He will. I know he will.” He suspected her situation had been dire.

“I won’t live to see my next birthday if he doesn’t, and you run off!” she pleaded. “Don’t leave me to this life so you can be happy with yours.”

He glanced down at his watch. The hour time frame placed on them for this meeting quickly approaching. He needed to wrap up. “We need to stay in contact at all times. I will not leave you. I promise.”

“I have no cell phone. My father won’t allow it.”

“Take mine.” He pulled out his cell phone out of his pocket and handed it to her. “Hide it. It has a full charge and should last long enough for me to get everything set up for you. I’ll call you, Aislinn. Only me. When I call, the name on the caller ID will be Jackson Dalco. Answer it. Got it?”

“Yes.” She reached for his phone and held onto it like a lifeline. And, perhaps for her, it would be. “What if… What if the phone dies or he finds it?”

“If it’s going to be longer than a couple of days, I’ll request another meeting. It shouldn’t raise anyone’s suspicions, especially if we are to be mates.” He winked at her, and a small smile formed on her lips. “You can do this. I know it.”

“I’m tired, Christoph. Tired of trying to maintain my invisibility to my father and my pride, who believes I’m nothing because I’m a girl, but I will do this if it means being free.”