“I’m afraid that’s not possible.” Ollena Hayward interjects, and I shove down the relief. I don’t want to be here, with them.
Idon’t.
Tell that to my traitorous body, though.
“I’m afraid that Sienna turned down the opportunity to withdraw from the Trials,” Ollena continues. “I offered it, and she declined. She passed the Trial. She is now required to participate.”
“That’s ridiculous,” my father argues. “If she refuses?”
“Then she will be refused the opportunity to participate again.”
I flinch. Blocked from ever having a pack of my own. My future, the children I might have all wiped away in a moment.
My fists clench. I can’t make that decision. The Cohens have to withdraw, have to let me go.
Theyhaveto.
Dad swings back to me, his eyes searching mine. “Sienna?” he asks. His voice wavers.
I force a smile. “You can’t fix this, Dad,” I whisper. “I have to go now.”
Face crumpling, he nods, his hands falling away from me as he turns back towards the Cohens.
“If you touch a hair on her head,” he says slowly. “If you hurt my daughter in any way, no law of Navarre will save you. Do you understand me?”
Tristan inclines his head, before holding his arm towards the door. “After you.”
His eyes barely cross my face before he turns, the others ignoring me as they follow his lead.
Swallowing, I pick up my skirts and take one more look at my dad. He offers me a shaking smile.
“Tell Mama and Jess I’ll see them soon,” I murmur. “Tell them I’m okay, Dad.”
And then I walk out, my Soul Bonded following me in silence.
20
TRISTAN
Sienna holds her head high as she sweeps past us, not sparing us a glance.
I don’t blame her.
I can feel the shame coiling around my pack, bunching our shoulders, tightening our chests. It’s a heavy weight.
But it will keep everyone safe.
That’s what I tell myself as I leave, even as my chest burns to grab Sienna, to tell her everything. The pull is visceral, the yearning of my Soul Bonded almost impossible to ignore. The way my pack keeps reaching for their chests tells me they feel the same. I’m impressed that Sienna is as composed as she is.
Her composure lasts as long as it takes to spot Alicia and Councilor Erikkson waiting by the black car that transported us here. She stops short before turning to us, face expressionless but a hint of hurt in her eyes.
“I’ll wait here,” she says quietly.
Shaking my head, I take her arm. “She’s coming with us.”
Sienna inhales sharply, her feet dragging just for a second before she picks her steps up. “I see.”
The stab of pain inside my chest doesn’t belong to me. Logan swears softly behind me as we reach the pair responsible for today. I don’t have the patience to be nice.
