Chapter 11
Dozens of people were working inside of the ballroom. From Sienna’s perspective, as she shink through the propped open door, they were having just as much fun getting ready for the event as many of them probably would the night of the dance. At least, Sienna imagined that might be the case, sled never been to a ball before, or anything like that—not a party, a dinner, a concert, nothing like that-
1—so she didn’t really know. From the sindles are laughs she heard echoing through the room, she thought this must be what a party was like.
Music boomed from large speakers across the room. This song didn’t sound a lot like the ones Jenna listened to it. Instead, this one had a happy. upbeat vibe to it, and it almost brought a smile to Sienna’s face, Jenna always listened to dark songs with loud guitars and lyrics with a lot of curse words and racial slurs. Sienna definitely preferred the music playing now.
Groups of people were working on different aspects of preparing for the ball. Some were hanging streamers. Some were blowing up balloons. Others seemed to just be dancing and laughing with friends. Sienna saw one group of younger girls sliding around on the gym floor in their socks. running into one another and exploding in fits of laughter. Sienna couldn’t help but smile at them. They were having such a good time. For a moment, she imagined what it would be like to go over to them and join in the fun, even though they were probably only thirteen or fourteen, but she stayed in her spot in the shadows by the door, not wanting to be seen.
Unfortunately, that plan didn’t work out for her when those same mean girls from before walked in. The tall blonde girl with the long leg stopped short in the doorway. Her mouth dropped open when she saw Sienna. There was something about this girl that reminded Sienna of Jenna. It wasn’t that they were both beautiful and blonde. More than that, it was the awful look she had on her face when she looked in Sienna’s direction. It was like she’d just seen a bug crawling on the ground and felt the urge to smash it.
“What are you doing in here?” the girl asked, stepping in front of Sienna so that she was cut off from the door and every escape route. The wall behind her was unyielding as she backed into it. “You’re not supposed to be in here! This is for pack members only! Not nasty little servant girls?”
“She’s probably spying for her mistress,” one of the other girls said.
“… just came to look at the decorations for Miss Jenna,” Sienna said, keeping her eyes down and trying to be respectful.
One of the other girls mocked her in a whiny voice, repeating what she’d said, and then they all laughed.
Sienna was used to being picked on by Jenna and her friends at home, but there was something different about being literally cornered like this on lands that belonged to another pack. Inside of her, Sienna felt her wolf activate, felt the urge to run these bullies off. Her fight or flight response had been activated, and for a shifter, that instinct was nearly impossible to resist.
“Leave me alone,” Sienna said, not daring to look up at them. If she made eye contact with any of them, especially the lead blonde, she might lose her sh*t. She honestly wasn’t sure what might happen if she did because she’d never snapped before. The cost associated with losing it on Jenna or someone else in her own pack was too high. But these people were strangers, and she had no idea how dangerous they might be to her. If she had to protect herself, she would.
“Leave me alone?” the blonde replied. “Did you say, “Leave me alone?” She pushed Sienna hard in the shoulder, knocking her backward
Sienna rocked on her heels but didn’t hit the wall. Her shoulder stung where the girl’s fingers had bitten into it, but it definitely wasn’t the sort of blow that would take her out.
Her hands fisted ather
r sides, and she released them. Looking up through her eyelashes, she took a deep breath and said, “Go away”
The girls started laughing loudly, mocking her again. “Go away!”
The bonele took another step forward. “Go away or what? Do you think that other blonde girl you came here with is a bitch? Baby, you ain’t seen nothin‘ yet.” She raised her hand like she might slap Sienna, and, instinctively, Sienna’s hand darted out, grabbing hold of her fingers. Using a techroque Joel had taught her during their training sessions, she isolated the girl’s fourth finger and began to twist and pull
Immediately, the girl started to scream. “Ah! Let go of
I’me, you stupid bitch!”
Sanna didn’t let go. The other girls didn’t know what to do. They just stood there, shifting on their weight, looking around. “Seriously, let go,” one
“Ti gundua get my dad” another one muntered
Realizing these girls were not trained warriors like she was. Sienna pushed the blonde backward by her finger, almost knocking her to the flour. She raught herself, despite her large heal, and one of the other girls helped her to stay upright. “You stupid bich the girl snarled, cradling her injured hand with the other our “What the hell is the matter with your”
Sunna said nothing. She only wared at her. The girls barked away, calling her names “Prycho” “Stinky little ho!” “Weird–ass bich”
She lowered her gate to the door, trying to regain her composure and she heard a familiar voice. “Hey, Sylvia. Are you okay!”
“No, Tim not okay, Alec‘ she said in a rude and disrespectful tone. “That little bich of a new friend of yours just broke my goddamn fingert”
Sienna looked over at the Beta and held her breath, certain be’d come and slap her for hurting one of his packmates. “Co see the healer,” he said to
1/2
Π
Chapter 11
the gut schaa
- Twitt, And then I’m going to p see that Jenna girl. She needs to know that her girl here is psychotic”
The idea that she might report to Jenna made Sienna feel unsettled. Maybe now would be a good time for her to take off through the woods and
si a place to hide. she could just leave the pack life forever.
Beta Alec wasn’t looking at her the way she expected him to though. He had sympathy in his eyes when he took her in. “Are you all right, Sienna?”
a stunned, staring at him hearing him say her name like she was a person, someone with feelings. Someone
y How did you-” she started, but she stopped. The girls were across the room, pointing at her now, talking to a tall woman
She might be Sylvia’s mother
me?” Beta Alec asked. “I may have heard someone scream it a time or two. He laughed nervously like it was an inside joke. While it pesbably wasn’t funny that someone had been screaming her name loudly most of her life, it was sort of humorous that was the way he’d picked up on in
she assured him. “Thank you for asking” She glanced over at the girls again and saw that the woman was headed in their direction at a
i swinging back and forth as she pumped her way across the room
“Beta Alec” she said, once she reached them. “I sure hope you are taking this matter seriously. Did you hear what this savage little girl did to my Sylvia’s finge
Alec deseed bas at did he nodded. “And I heard all of the names that Sylvia called her before it happened too. Sienna didn’t think that was
cince he’d walked in only after Sienna had assaulted the girl, but he probably heard the ones she and her friends were yelling as they walked
away
Name are one thing This beast nearly tore Sylvia’s finger of! And she plays the piano” The woman had to be Sylvia’s mother, Sienna supposed. “Tassure you. I’m handing it” Alec said “Now, Mrs. Waters, if you’ll excuse us…”
bould hope she is severely punished” The woman spun around and walked back over to where her daughter and the other girls were waiting. Alec turned back to face her hiding a smile. “Sorry about that. They’re used to getting their way.”
“I didnt want to hurt her. Sienna said. She couldn’t quite look him in the face while she was speaking to him, but he was easy to talk to. Even easier than Joel, and he was the only person she’d ever felt comfortable with.
“I’m sure she deserved it” He looked over at the girls and shook his head. “I’m sorry you haven’t been made too terribly welcome in our pack” Sienna shrugged. “It’s okay. It’s no different than in my own pack”
by is that?” Alec asked
Again the
sure how to answer. She blew out a deep breath and said, “It’s a long story.”
1 on time” he said
Svenna’s eyes went to the door. She didn’t know how long Jenna would expect her to be gone. Maybe just a few minutes. Maybe she’d forget she was there, and Sienna could be gone for hour without her noticing
Sinna looked over at Alec and saw that his hand was extended to her. She took a step backward. She couldn’t remember the last time someone raised a hand to her for a reason other than slapping her. Timidly, she slid her hand into his, and Alec closed his fingers around hers, gently tugging
her out the door.
