Chapter 22
Whost char you want?” Sen asked the man who’d stepped out of the shadows next to her on the driveway. A beam of moonlight aluminated his Dave, and she saw that it wax who she thesight it was. Beta Alec. He was one of the last people in the world who’d threaten to hurt her, but she was caught off guard. Besides, frana dalis) like it when people were nice to her, and he had been nothing but kind.
siemna remembered the threat Jenna had made about breaking her bones if I ma Hannah was nice to her again and wondered if Heta Alec would fall into the same category. She just needed to keep her distance.
“Tis surprised to see you” he said. “I was just on my way home after the summer, but how are you?”
Her eyes kered back to the house. There were still people in there talkingg. She imagined Kaden was one of them. Hannali was probably tired and (minilid preter in it all of those people would get out of her house so she conlil rest, but she was so sweet that she’d let them linger and talk as long as they wanted to
Renaming her gare to Alex, she shrugged. “I’m hine”
“Are you sure? Because Jenna seemed pretty pissed
doff a
“at you. What in the world is wrong with that woman?”
Sienna shook her head. “You wouldn’t understand. It’s not entirely her fault”
His eyes widened. “Are you actually standing up for her? Why would you do that? She’s awful to you, and you don’t deserve it.”
she sucked in a deep breath and considered how to answer that. “Like I said, Alec, you don’t understand. You think I don’t deserve it, but without all of the information, how can you know that?”
“Are you serious?” He shook his head and rested his hands on his hips. “No one deserves to be treated the way that she treats you. Really. Sienna, what could you have possibly done for her to hit you and knock you around, to treat you the way that she does? Call you names and all of that sh*t. It’s like she doesn’t even realize how awful in makes her look. It’s not just me who thinks so either. The people from the other packs were all shocked
ther behavior”
Sienna found that hard to believe. The way Kent talked, all Alphas had servants they treated badly, the same way that Jenna treated her. So they couldn’t possibly think it was that awful. Maybe they just didn’t want to admit it and were trying to save face in public, something Jenna didn’t care
much about
hr’s been dis way her whole life. Sienna explained. “It’s how she’s been raised. She honestly doesn’t know any better.”
“Well then, that’s just pinful on her parents part. To think that they never bothered to teach her how to treat other human beings, they should all be ashamed of themselves”
He’d said parents, but Sienna knew that wasn’t quite right. “Her mother died, you know? Veronica is her stepmom.”
“That’s too bad, but what does it have to do with how she treats you!” Alec asked
“Everything“Sienna looked into his eyes as one eyebrow arched. He was trying to figure out how that could be the case. “It’s my family’s fault that her mom died”
What” He stufted slightly on his feet. “How could it be your fauli? Did you kill her mom!” He asked it as i ho voice that showed he thought that was ridiculous
it as if he already
dy knew the answ
answer, a tone
“No, not me. But the night her mother died in an attack, my father was supposed to be on patrol duty. He left his station to be at my birth, and the Luna was killed in the attack. Kent has never forgiven us.
hish
“Wow” Alec sand, shaking his head. “That’s terrible”
“I know” Sienna agreed. “My father was a good man, but he made a mistake, and now I am paying that debt.”
“I meant it’s terrible that they’re letting something like that affect the way they are treating you. Sienna. It’s not your fault the Luna died. You were a baby. I doubt it was oor Onirga’s fauli rither.”
“Nut Ohmirga” she corrected. “My father was the Beta. He wasn’t just on duty, he was overseeing the other I’ve heard some people say that he was supposed to have switched with another person, but I don’t know if it’s true.”
Alec sull shook has brad. “Still, seems ridiculous to me. Is your dad still being punished?”
“sort of. He was banished.”
“Sounds like he got the bargain end then I hope wherever he’s at, he’s found some peace. Whereas you’re tortured every day. Does he know they’re doing to you?”
“I have no idea,” she said. “I haven’t seen him since that night. I don’t know what they told
13
10:01 AM
Chapter 22
“What about your mom?” he asked. “What was her punishumerat?”
swallowed back the emotion that surfaced when she thought of her mom. “She died that night too,
“Oh” Alec’s fave fell, the color draining from his cheeks. “I’m so very sorry to hear that.”
She shrugged. “It was a long time ago,
I never inct her,”
“You have had no parents and been raised by the lurks as a servant your entire life.”
“When I was a baby and a small child, other pack members took care of me, I went to live with them when I was old enough to work More or less, he was right though. It was hand to remember a time when sie wasn’t a servant to them.
Alec was quiet for a few moments. The misty rain was beginning to let ups. Normally, Sienna would like to stand outside and get wet, but she didn’t want to ruin Hannah’s clothes. She wished he’ll just go away. Since he wasn’t talking anymore, she decided to try and dismiss herself.
The question that blurted out of his lips next completely caught her off guant.
What about Kaden?”
Sienna froze with her hand on the door handle of the SUV. “Kaden?” she repeated, his name sounding like honey and feeling like poison on her Lips What do you mean?
“I mean… When you’re around him, do you feel anything? You know, anything different?”
The fact that Alec was obviously asking her about the fated mate bond was shocking to her. How would he have any idea that something was going on between her and Kaden that neither one of them had even acknowledged yet? She habit even admitted it to herself, let alone to another
Unless he could just see it in the way she was acting. Was it really that obvious? Had she been staring that much? “Uh.. no” she stammered, not as good at lying as she wished she could be. “Nothing Why She tried to sound stunned as if it had never occurred to her that there could be something going on between herself and Kaden, which was exactly how she’d expect him to sound if anyone asked him about her.
Alec looked puzzled. “I don’t know,” he said, shrugging. He showed his hands deep down inside of the pockets of his dress black slacks and rocked back and forth from his heels to his toes, “I just thought maybe you might be experiencing something.”
She should’ve let it go. She should’ve stuck to her denial and let it be, but curiosity got the better of her. Despite all of the times she’d gotten injured in the past from asking questions that were better off left unasked, her mouth was moving and words coming out of it. “What in the world have I done that would make you think that I’m attracted to Kaden?”
Alec’s stare morphed again, from confusion to
to amusement. “Is that what I said?” He chuckled and ran a lund through his hair. “I don’t think that ́s what I asked you. Sienna”
“Isn’t it! You said that you thought I was experiencing something related to him, so I just assumed that’s what you meant.”
“Well, I guess you assumed wrong”
“Why is that funny!” She folded her arms and considered him. There was something about Aler that made him unbelievably easy to talk to, which wasn’t necessarily a good thing
“Because… the fact that you assume that’s what I meant makes me think that you are attracted to him.”
“Oh, please,” Sienna said, waving a hand at him. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“You’re right. It’s ridiculous for me to think that you might be attracted to a strong, handsome, powerful Alpha that a thousand girls over the years have swooned over. How silly of me,”
Sienna shook her head. “You’re something else, Heta Alec. Str
“Dour’s call me that,” he said, still laughing
Sienna could feel her face turning red. She pulled the door open. I said. “I have to go. I’ll see you tomorrow”
“Where are you going? |
ed, nut laughing anymore.
“Right here. To the back seat of this car, which will be the most comfortable place I’ve slept in years.”
“stem” he said, a l
ouse. În a house.”
a hand on her shoulder, “I can find you a bed. A real one
“Beta Aler, please stop trying to be nice to me. Yosu and Lana Hannah are lovely people, and I appreciate your kindness. But both of you are just making it worse. Have a good night”
He let go of her, and she slid into the vehicle, closing the door, and locking the car, Sienna ducked down where he couldn’t see her and waited. A few minutes later, she peeked out and was relieved to see that he was gone. Chisce again, she was alone. Just like she liked it..
