“Why is that your business?” I ask calmly.
“Sienna.”
“Alpha Steele.” My head tilts, and my voice comes out sweet and cold. “I have worked very hard these past weeks. I decided to blow off some steam. I went into town. I danced. I enjoyed myself.” My mouth curls into a small, vicious smile. “I had such a great time. Human men are so…friendly.”
His face goes white.
“And,” I murmur, half to myself, “so incredibly creative.”
That does it.
He moves so fast, I don’t even see him coming. My back hits one of the columns flanking the front entrance hard enough to knock the wind out of me. His forearm lands above my head, his other hand at my hip, his chest pressed into mine. Heat pours off him in waves that make my skin prickle. His eyes are pure gold now.
“Don’t push me, Sienna.”
For one treacherous fraction of a second, my body wants to press against his. My wolf whines; she has not stopped whining since the hotel room. She smells him. She smells Lydia on him.
I catch myself before my body takes over. But suddenly, my right palm itches. I want to slap him—so badly that my fingers dig into my leg.
I don’t.
His gaze holds mine. My heart is hammering so loudly, I am sure he can hear it. My body is a traitor. I spent last night crying over this man; I will not spend this morning doing it again.
My voice comes out cool. “Get your hands off me, Alpha Steele. Or I will file a formal complaint with my alpha.”
I don’t so much as blink. For one terrible heartbeat, I am afraid I have pushed too far. Then, he releases me. Slowly. He moves back. One step. Another.
My hands come up to my blouse and straighten it. My fingers are trembling; I hope he doesn’t notice.
“Do not touch me ever again.” My words are a low warning, and his eyes tighten around the corners.
Behind him, there is the sound of heels on marble. We both look in that direction.
Lydia is coming down the steps of the attached administration building, her hair tied back in a blue ribbon. She looks like a painting of a queen. She looks like the future.
She stops halfway down.
Her eyes move from me to Lucas. And back again.
“Is everything okay?” she asks slowly. “Sienna, are you alright? You look like hell.”
Lucas does not answer, but I beam at her. The smile feels wrong on my face, fake, but I don’t think she can tell.
“I had a night out. Alpha Steele has never seen my wild side, I’m afraid, and he got a little worried.”
My hand goes to the pocket of my jacket and draws out the small, wrapped parcel I picked up in the human town last night: candied violets from a shop near the hotel, wrapped in pale green paper with a narrow ribbon. I hold it out to her.
“Congratulations on your engagement. I picked this up for you two. I’m sure my alpha will provide a more worthy gift, but I couldn’t congratulate you empty-handed.”
Lydia studies my face before accepting the box and giving me a warm smile. “Thank you, Sienna.” Her fingers play with the ribbon for a few seconds.
“I hope you will be very happy.”
I make myself look at her fully. She lifts her gaze to mine, and my eyes hold hers. Whatever she sees in them makes her mouth open slightly.
“Thank you,” she murmurs.
I turn around and walk into the estate house, resuming the humming. The sound, the vibration in my throat—it’s what’skeeping me together. Each step feels like a blade under my foot, but I don’t flinch.