I wait for Logan to grip my neck, but he slides his hand up and into my hair, underneath the layers of flowers to cradle the back of my head as his arm slips around my waist. He holds me like I’m something precious.
They all did. And that hurts most of all.
When he’s done, fresh lemon sherbet sinking into my skin, he takes a step away, looking behind him before he glances back at me.
I wet my lips. “Are you waiting for permission?”
Turning, he makes his way down the aisle, and I catch a glimpse of Jessalyn glaring at him, my mother’s hand clamped around her arm.
It’s nearly over. Just one more humiliating moment to go.
I force myself to watch as Logan brushes a kiss over Alicia’s glistening mouth. She continues to grin, even as they all walk away from her, back towards me as Ollena Hayward reappears, a white ribbon twisting uncertainly between her fingers.
Our normally unflappable omega Council representative is well and truly flapped. Her mouth opens, then closes again as the Cohen pack forms a circle, Tristan standing to my right.
Warmth brushes my arm as I stare straight ahead, my eyes on Ollena. She meets my eyes with a question as her head tilts to the side soundlessly, and I nod, straightening my back.
“Reach out your hands.”
The words are almost sorrowful as the five of us lift our hands in unison, holding them out towards the center of the circle. Tristan’s knuckles are white next to mine, his fists clenched as Ollena works between us, looping the ribbon around our wrists.
Stepping back, she blows out a breath before turning to the crowd.
“Tristan Cohen. Has your omega passed the Scent Marking ceremony?”
I brace myself, waiting for the tense alpha next to me to finalize my humiliation. At least it’ll stop here. They’ll stop it, and I can go home, lick my wounds and try to figure out how the hell I move away from this, now that I’ve found them.
The ribbon pulls lightly against my wrist as he hesitates, before his voice rings out.
“She has. We accept Sienna Michaels as a potential Bonded.”
Gasps of shock ring out around the room as I spin to Tristan, the ribbon pulling tightly at my wrist.
“Are youserious?” I snap.
He only looks at me, those mixed eyes impossibly dark before he looks away. “It’s done.”
19
SIENNA
It’s done?
It’s fucking done?
“It’s not done.” My gaze swings to Jax and quickly moves to Grayson. “What the hell is this?”
Why the hell would they want to continue with this shitshow of a Bonding Trial when they have someone else? My eyes dart to Alicia Erikkson. She smiles widely, her hands smoothing down her elaborate gown before she lifts her fingers and wiggles them at me.
My eyes skip over my family. I can’t face them right now.
“Why?” I ask quietly, facing forward. “This makes no sense, Tristan.”
Unless their only goal is to cause me as much pain as possible.
His jaw works, but he doesn’t give me anything more than an empty “I’m sorry.”
The ribbon loosens, the ceremony complete, and his arm drops, sending a swirl of heated whiskey warmth my way. My stomach twists, wanting something that apparently isn’t on the table. Or is. I’m not quite sure right now.
