The Alpha's Decision

Sienna POV

I meticulously avoided everyone in the house for the rest of the afternoon, desperately trying to contain my overwhelming desolation. The walls of my own home felt suffocating. Roxy was not only my stepsister but also my best friend, yet her impending engagement to the man I loved left me entirely drained of life. Whenever I was alone, I felt like breaking down and crying. To make matters worse, I hadn't even found Lukas yet to convey her cruel break-up message. The sheer guilt of carrying her deceitful secrets was eating away at me.

At home, the atmosphere was chaotic and lively. I could hear my stepmother, Gemma, and Roxy eagerly and loudly preparing for the Alpha's grand dinner party. Unable to face their excitement, I dragged myself into my room, locked the door, and crashed onto my bed, drowning in a sea of despair.

Half an hour later, my dad suddenly pounded aggressively on my door. "Sienna, are you ready?"

Reluctantly, I dragged myself up and opened the door. He gave me a quick once-over, his eyes narrowing at my disheveled state. "Change into something decent," he urged immediately, turning on his heel. "We leave in fifteen minutes."

I sighed, pulling myself together. I didn't have the energy to care about dressing to impress. I simply threw on a simple yellow shirt and a pair of denim shorts, completely unbothered by my appearance.

Just as I tied my sneakers, Roxy twirled into my room. She looked dazzling and overly confident in a striking red dress that ended at her thighs. "How do I look, Sienna?" she asked brightly, admiring her own reflection.

"Beautiful," I replied, forcing a painful, fake smile onto my lips.

She threw her arms around me and hugged me tightly. "Goddess, I am so happy! Finally, Ryker and I are going to be engaged. Imagine being the Luna of the strongest pack!"

Her words felt like daggers twisting in my chest. I murmured that I was happy for her, but she pulled back, reading the stiffness in my posture. She begged me not to be mad at her, claiming she had to make a tough choice between Ryker and Lukas. Since Ryker was her destined mate, the choice was basically made for her. I couldn't comprehend how she could so easily juggle two men like that without a shred of genuine remorse.

"Did you talk to Lukas?" she asked, her eyes searching my face.

When I softly admitted that I couldn't bring myself to meet Lukas to deliver her message, her demeanor flipped instantly. The sweet, bubbly sister act vanished. She gritted her teeth in frustration. "Damn it! Please, just call him."

Before I could succumb to her mounting pressure, Dad's booming voice echoed through the hall, hurrying us out of the house. We didn't have another second to spare.

We arrived at Alpha Conrad's imposing manor shortly after. The sheer luxury and magnitude of the estate was incredibly intimidating. Luna Celine warmly greeted us right at the grand entrance and pulled me in to hug me kindly.

"Happy Birthday, Sienna. You must be waiting for your wolf to come out!" she beamed, her eyes crinkling at the corners.

I offered a weak nod. I was indeed waiting, but deep down, my wolf was highly reluctant and deeply dejected by Ryker’s continuous dismissiveness toward us. Why would my wolf want to fully surface for a mate who didn't even acknowledge our existence?

Inside the lavish hall, Ryker’s younger brother Brody warmly greeted me. He jumped up and hugged me, offering a brief moment of comfort that I desperately needed in this otherwise hostile environment.

As we all sat down in the opulent living room, Gemma immediately began boasting and kissing up to the Luna.

"My Roxy is perfect at looking after our house and makes excellent food," she giggled, glancing fondly at Roxy, who blushed under her gaze. It was a blatant, unapologetic lie. Roxy had never shown the slightest interest in taking care of anything but herself.

Then, Gemma maliciously chuckled, her sharp gaze shifting directly to me. "But I can’t say the same for Sienna. She is more like a tomboy! She is sporty and loves to make a mess in her room. She’s the brightest bulb in the chandelier! And it’s amazing how she finds new ways to be wrong."

Her backhanded compliments deeply flustered me, forcing me to clasp my clammy hands together in pure embarrassment. I wanted to sink straight into the expensive rug.

Suddenly, the heavy main doors opened, and Ryker walked in.

My breath instantly lodged tightly in my throat. He was tall, strikingly handsome, and exuded a commanding aura; his mere presence electrified the air in the room and sent my pulse racing wildly.

His intense gray eyes dropped to me, sparking a brief, treacherous flutter in my chest, but then his attention predictably and painfully shifted right back to Roxy.

"Hi!" she waved, grinning from ear to ear, completely captivated by him.

"Hi!" he replied excitedly, striding over to take a seat directly next to his powerful father.

My insides instantly turned to cold ashes. He didn't care about me at all.

Alpha Conrad looked at my father with a deep sense of pride and authority. The entire room fell into a heavy, expectant silence. "Declan, I’ve called you here to inform that we have decided that Ryker will marry—"

Gemma squealed softly in the background, and Roxy giggled, practically vibrating with anticipation.

My fragile heart plummeted straight to the floor. I lowered my face to my lap, fighting back a fresh wave of humiliating tears as I braced myself, waiting for the Alpha to drop the final, devastating bomb on my already shattered life.

The Alpha paused dramatically, letting the silence stretch, before he finally completed his sentence, "—your daughter, Sienna."