Chapter 2 The Little Sister

Sienna

I was halfway to the dining area when I caught Dante’s voice, low and clearly not meant for my ears.

"You sure you are actually going to take care of that brat?"

Sev let out a deep, relaxed chuckle. "If it keeps your sister's life on track, I do not see why not. You are like a brother to me, Dante, and she is like the little sister I never had."

My jaw clenched so hard I thought a molar might shatter. A little fucking sister?

I walked straight into the dining room before I had to listen to another second of their Alpha-bro bonding.

"Good morning."

Whatever lingering embarrassment I had from last night evaporated, completely replaced by annoyance.

My eyes locked onto Sev. He was doing the classic newspaper routine—sipping his coffee and looking intensely serious about whatever world crisis was on page three. He really was that age, wasn't he?

Then there was Dante, who had the nerve to arch an eyebrow at me the second I pulled out a chair. My temper flared.

In my side vision, I saw Sev fold his paper and set it down. When I turned toward him, his smile hit me immediately, warm and effortless.

"Good morning, princess."

That deep, quiet tone melted every bit of my anger. My heart gave a stupid, involuntary flutter. All I could manage was a dumb little smile as I sat down next to Dante.

"You can say 'princess' again," Dante snorted, ruining the moment before it even started. "She has done nothing but look pretty and party. I mean, come on. A dancing pole is not going to seduce a man, especially when you are built like a chopping board."

I kicked him hard under the table. Thwack!

He cursed under his breath, clutching his shin. Totally worth it. Why are brothers biologically programmed to wreck their sisters' self-esteem? And for the record, I am not that flat. I read an article that said women keep growing until their early twenties.

I gave Dante the sweetest, fake smile I could muster. "Brother, you really have a terrible mouth. We are eating. Why do you not try being more like Sev? He is a model Alpha."

"More like Sebastian?" Dante shot Sev a look that was way too knowing.

Sev just returned it with a calm, blank expression.

"As much as I appreciate the praise, we do need to talk about your relocation." Sebastian turned to face me, his attention entirely on the topic. It was almost funny how formal he was about it, like a prince addressing court.

"Yes," I replied, completely hypnotized. Seriously, that voice was unfair.

"He asked what you think about moving, genius, and you said yes?" Dante muttered.

I blinked twice, pulling myself back to reality. "I said yes to agree to the conversation, dumbass—" I forced a loud cough. "Yes, I would love to, as long as it works out for me."

Sev smiled. "Excellent. A spot at the academy is set up for you in a two-year Health Sciences program. You will stay until you graduate. How does that sound?"

"Perfect."

Dante threw his head back and let out a dramatic laugh. "Unbelievable. Look how fast she caved. Sebastian, just adopt her already. She is impossible to raise."

Sev let out a low, deep laugh, and that familiar, confusing knot tied itself in my stomach again.

"I just want to put some serious distance between us, Dante," I said, turning to my brother with a bright, vicious smile. "Who knows? Maybe you will actually find a decent, sincere partner while I am gone."

His smile died instantly. His eyes went sharp and dark.

I knew the second the words left my mouth that I had crossed a line. He did have someone, but she was definitely not the kind of girl our vacationing parents would ever approve of.

"I—"

"Pack your things, Sienna. You are leaving tonight." Dante pushed his chair back and walked out before I could even try to apologize.

"Fuck," I mumbled, staring at his back as he left the room. A heavy wave of guilt settled right in my chest.

"A mistake, indeed," Sev commented, drawing my gaze back to him. "Especially given that your parents just secured a match for him."

"A match?" My blood ran cold.

"Yes. An arranged marriage. And since you both respect your parents, he will not be able to refuse it."

The guilt ate at me the entire time I was jamming clothes into my suitcases. I honestly had no idea he was being forced into a marriage. That was messed up, even by pack leadership standards.

Once I zipped up the last bag, I went looking for him. I found him out on the balcony, leaning over the railing and blowing a cloud of smoke into the late afternoon air.

I spotted an ashtray on a nearby side table, grabbed it, and walked over, setting it down right next to his elbow.

"I am sorry," I muttered.

"You did not know," he replied, taking a slow, heavy drag. He crushed the cigarette out in the tray and turned around to look at me. His expression was serious, but the sharp anger from breakfast had cooled down. "Look, you have a real chance to get your life together, Sienna. Make something out of this. Do not waste it."

I nodded, actually taking the words to heart.

"Looks like I am the only one running escort," Dante said, walking over as the house staff shoved the last of my bags into Sev's car. "Julian and Theo are completely MIA."

Julian and Theo were my other two older brothers. They were supposed to be Dante's co-leaders, but honestly, they were just as obsessed with avoiding responsibility as I was. Maybe more.

"It is fine," I waved it off. "They can come visit me whenever. It is not like they have actual commitments."

Dante actually snorted a laugh at that. "Fair point."

I gave him a quick smile before he opened the passenger door for me. Sev was already behind the wheel, engine idling, looking annoyingly ready to leave.

Dante leaned down, resting his forearms on the open window frame to look past me at Sev.

"Take care of this brat, Sebastian. Just remember, my pack is laid-back. Yours is known for being tough." He threw in a sneaky, knowing smirk on the word tough.

Sev smirked right back, cool and unfazed. "Duly noted."

"What do you mean, tough?" I demanded, looking between the two of them. What was I actually agreeing to here?

Dante just gave me that infuriating, silent smile. "You will see."

He shut the door, and then we were moving.

The drive was quiet. The air inside the car was thick, smelling strictly of leather and Sebastian's cologne. I chewed on my lower lip, my pulse racing just from sitting this close to him in the dark.

It was not until we finally pulled up to a massive set of black iron gates—gates that looked like they belonged on a medieval fortress rather than a residential estate—that I realized what Dante had actually meant.