Chapter 19
Sienna
Walking into a room full of strangers was always difficult, but in this particular case, it was even more so because all of these people held high stations in various packs from nearby territories. Sienna kept her head down and tried to be invisible, sticking to the outer edge of the family and trying to look as if she wasn’t quite with them, though she had to be nearby enough to come when Jenna called.
Kaden was standing across the room talking to a lovely couple and a young girl. He had his back to her, but she could tell he knew she was there. He lad to know. His scent was a beacon to her, so she had to imagine he sensed her the same way. He didn’t turn around, but he rubbed the back of his neck as if her gaze was boring into him. She dropped her eyes.
“Alpha Stanley Kent said, approaching an older man with a large belly and a small blonde woman. “How are you?”
Good good! How are the Burks?”
Kent grunted. “You know, we’re hanging in there. It’s been rough recently
“Zane!” Stanley asked, his voice a hushed whisper.
“Really, I wish he would just go a
go away
“Yes, well, perhaps we can all work on that together,” Stanley said and gave a rich chuckle.
A waiter with a tray came by and offered champagne flutes to everyone. All of them took a glass, yet the waiter continued to stand there until Jenna harshly said, “She doesn’t need any.”
“Yes, Miss,” he replied, hurrying off. Sienna had no idea he had been waiting on her since her eyes were on the ground. She was wearing actual clothes now, nice clothes that didn’t have holes or stink. Perhaps the waiter had assumed she was a real member of the family and not whatever she was. Servant didn’t quite seem like the right word.
“We are going in have to do something soon,” Kent said, getting back to Stanley about the threat they’d been discussing. Stenna was trying not to eavesdrop on the conversation about pack business, but it was hard when she knew they were talking about the same pack that had attacked them the night she was born–the night her mother died, and the same night her father was banished for leaving his post. Kent’s first wife had died, so he obviously hated that pack and wanted to get vengeance, but they were a large pack made of viscous souls, and he was more cowardly than he liked
to leron
Sienna’s eyes went to Kaden. He still wasn’t looking at her, which was a good thing, but she wondered if he was the sort of Alpha who would need others to help him right a wrong or if he would be able to take Zane’s pack down all on his own.
Her thoughts were interrupted when the beard someone saying her name from across the room. Her eyes raised to meet Beta Alec, flying over from the doorway with a huge smile on his face. “Oh, wow, Sienna! You look amazing! Pink is the perfect color for you. I’ve never seen someone so pretty in pink.”
Jenna cleared her throat loudly and turned around to face the Beta. “Excuse me,” she said through gritted teeth, “I would really appreciate it if you would stop addressing my servant like she is your equal Aren’t you the Beta of this pack? Shouldn’t you be acting like it?”
Sienna took a step backward, not sure what was going to happen. She knew that Jenna was upset by Alec’s comment mostly because she was also wearing pink. It was a slap in the face he hadn’t intended since he probably hadn’t even looked at Jenna. “What’s that now?” Alec asked, obviously
offended.
Kent stepped over, excusing himself from Alpha Stanley. “Jenna, honey, be polite. Alec is the Beta here, and there’s no reason to offend him. He simply didn’t realize that Sienna is our servant merely here to help with the dinner service, not to be seen or heart”
“Oh, Alex said, and Jenna prayed that was all he said. “I was under the impression this was the twenty–first century and we weren’t treating people like animalı anymore, but I guess that’s not how things are handled at Thundering Moon”
Kent’s eyes widened as Veronica gasped in horror, literally chaching the pearl necklace around her mouth as she declared, “Well, I never!”
Aine opened his mouth to respond, but then his expression completely changed. He closed his mouth, dropped his eyes, closed them, then shook his head and took a few steps away. Before he left, he said, “Tll talk to you later, Sienna.”
She said nothing and only kept her head down. She had to assume Aler had been called away by a mind–link anessage from Kaden, but daring to look in the Alplus direction right now would be a mistake.
“I don’t know what you said to that Hera, Kent said, stepping so close to Sienna that she could smell his foul breath, “but you’d better cut this sh*t out. We should not have to explain to everyone and their d’an dog what our situation is here. If you want to be able to walk when you get home, not anotlier word to any of these people, you hear me?”
“Yes, Alpha Burk, Sir“ Sienna did not dare lili her eyes. She knew the threat was real. He’ll broken both of her ankles before. He’d broken her left leg twice, and her right leg three times. She healed quickly because she was a shifter, even if she wasn’t allowed to shift, but the pain had been excruciating every single time, and she didn’t want to live through is again Kven now, three years since the last time he’d broken her leg, the site of a sledgehammer made herausrated.
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Chapter 19:
The conversation around her continued. People drank champagne and chatted. Laughter rang out. Sienna stood with her head down, trying her best not to feel any eyes on her, especially not Kaden’s. She knew he didn’t glance in her direction often, but when he did, she could feel it.
They were there for about twenty minutes before Luna Hannah called for their attention. Sienna hadn’t even seen the woman. She’d been so busy mastering the memorization of the color pattern in the carpet. When she spoke, Sienna’s head lifted slightly.
“Esteemed ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for joining us at the dinner to launch the annual Goddess Moon Ball. We are so very glad that all of you have chosen to join us today. Now, if you will please make your way to the table, you will see your spots with your names in front of them. Please, have a seat, and let’s get started with the main course.”
Cheerful banter lit up the room as the guests filed over to the large, elaborately decorated dining table. An enormous crystal chandelier hung above the expansive oak table. The white lace tablecloth was so beautiful that Sienna thought it may have been handmade. Each setting had white China plates atop a silver charger, soup bowls, enough silverware for all eleven courses, and crystal champagne glasses for drinking. The nameplates in front of each one were beautiful pewter moons, and the blue cards inside revealed the names written in beautiful silver calligraphy. Sienna could’ve stared at the table all night as it was the most beautiful dining arrangement she’d ever seen. Even the other guests, who were used to this sort of elegant dining remarked on how lovely it was, especially the beautiful flower arrangements in the center of the table. There were silver, blue and white flowers in silver and blue vases that were low enough that the guests could see over the top to speak to those sitting across from them.
It seemed the guests were seated in groups by their packs. Once someone found a seat with their name on it, it was enough for others to fill in. Luna Hannah was at the far end of the table while Alpha Kaden was at the other, their places as the host and hostess. Beta Alec had a spot right next to Alpha Kaden. The Burks were seated near Alec, though not directly next to him, which seemed to irritate Kent as he pulled out the chair for his wife and then the one on his other side for his daughter. Sienna took a step back and found the safety of the wall.
Once everyone had taken their seats, Jenna noticed that the chair next to her was empty. “Oh! Who are we missing?” she asked, looking at the family on the other side of the empty seat.
The Luna there shrugged. “No one from our family.”
“Huh,” Jenna said. “That’s odd” She glanced around the room. Everyone was seated now. Jenna picked up the place card and nearly screamed as she put it down. “Is this a joke?”
Kent put an arm on her shoulder. “Calm down, Jenna. What does it say?”
Jenna’s eyes were fixed on Luna Hannah, who was seated at the far end of the table, a long way from her when she growled, “It says Sienna.”
