Chapter 5

Sienna Valerius Pov

“Father!” I turned just in time to see him disappear around the corner.

For a second, I simply stood there, staring at the empty hallway.

He let go of my hand. He looked at Kieran, and then he ran.

“Father!” I shouted again, my voice cracking as I hurried after him. “Wait!”

My shoes slipped slightly against the floor as I chased after him, but when I reached the end of the corridor, there was no sign of him.

Nothing.Just the distant sounds of fighting, shouting, and breaking glass echoing through the mansion. My chest tightened. My father had spent my entire life telling me that the world was dangerous. He surrounded me with guards and controlled where I went, who I spoke to, and what I was allowed to know.

He had always said it was because he loved me. Because he wanted to protect me. But now, when I needed him most, he ran without me.

My eyes burned. I slowly turned around, and Kieran was still there.

For one foolish second, relief washed over me.

Kieran. My mate.

The man who had held me UNDER the moonlight. The man who had kissed me like there was nothing else in the world.

Maybe he would help me. Maybe he would take me away from all of this. But the moment I looked into his eyes, that hope died. He wasn't looking at me the way he had last night. Blood covered his clothes. His sword hung loosely in his hand, its blade stained red. His chest rose and fell heavily, and his gray eyes were fixed on me.

For one stupid, hopeful second, relief flooded through me.

“Kieran…” I took a small step toward him. He didn't move. His expression wasn't the one I remembered. No trace of the man who had whispered my name against my lips.

There was only hatred and something that looked dangerously close to disgust.

His gaze moved slowly over my face before stopping on the necklace in my hand, my mother’s necklace which was the only thing I could take with me..

Then his eyes hardened. “Valerius?”

My stomach dropped and I swallowed. “What?”

His jaw clenched. “Your name.”

I stared at him. He stepped closer. “Sienna what?”

My lips parted. “Sienna Valerius.” He looked at me as if he had never seen me before. “You're his daughter.”

I shook my head quickly. “Who?”

“Darius.” The name came out like poison.

“My father?”

Kieran laughed once, but there was no humor in it. “Of course.”

I frowned. “What is happening?”

“You knew.”

“Knew what?”

“You knew who I was.”

“No.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

I felt panic rising inside my chest. “I didn't know who you were either. You never told me anything about your family.”

His eyes flashed. “You didn't know my name?”

“I knew your name. Kieran Lucian. That's all.”

“And you didn't know what my family had done?”

I stared at him. “I don't understand.”

His expression twisted with anger. “Your father destroyed my family.”

The words hit me. I shook my head slowly. “No.”

“He attacked my pack.”

“I didn't know.”

“He slaughtered people I loved.”

My eyes filled with tears. “Kieran, I swear to you, I didn't know.”

“You carry his blood.”

“I didn't choose who my father was!” My voice cracked. “I didn't choose any of this.”

For a moment, he said nothing. His eyes remained locked on mine. I could see the war happening inside him. His wolf was reacting to mine. I could feel it. The bond between us was still there, pulling at my chest despite everything.

I took another trembling step toward him. “Kieran, please.”

His eyes flickered the moment I called him; I reached for him.He stepped back. And that hurt more than I expected.

“I am not my father,” I whispered.

His jaw tightened then he looked away.“But you're his daughter.”

My heart sank. “You don't get to punish me for something I didn't do.”

His eyes snapped back to mine. “You have no idea what your father took from me.”

“No,” I whispered. “I don't.”

“Exactly.”

He looked at me for a long moment. Then his expression hardened.

I knew before he spoke. Somehow, my wolf knew too.

“No.” I shook my head. “Kieran, please don’t do it…”

He stepped forward. His voice was cold and emotionless. “I, Kieran Lucian, reject you, Sienna Valerius, as my mate.”

The world stopped. I couldn't breathe. For one terrible second, I thought I had misunderstood him and didn’t hear him correctly but then pain exploded through my chest.

I gasped, stumbling backward as something inside me tore apart.

My wolf screamed. A raw, agonizing cry ripped through my mind. “No…” I pressed a hand against my chest. It felt like someone had reached inside me and ripped something out with their bare hands.

Tears blurred my vision. “Kieran…”

He stood there, watching me. Then he turned away.

I dropped to my knees. The necklace fell from my fingers and landed against the floor.

Around us, warriors began gathering. They had seen everything. Their eyes were filled with hatred.

“That's Valerius's daughter.”

“Murderer's blood.”

“She should pay for what he did.”

I tried to stand, but my legs wouldn't cooperate.

Someone grabbed my arm and pulled me upright.

“Let go of me!” I struggled, but the rejection had drained whatever strength I had left.

Another voice shouted, “Her father murdered our families!”

Something hit the floor beside my feet.

Dirt.

I flinched. Then another object flew through the air.

A stone struck the side of my forehead and hot pain exploded through my skull.

I touched the wound.

When I pulled my fingers away, they were covered in blood. Someone moved forward again.

But before anything else could reach me, a roar shook the entire hallway.

“ENOUGH!”

Everyone froze. Kieran stood several feet away. His chest heaved, and His eyes had turned darker than I'd ever seen them. For a moment, nobody moved, not even me.

His gaze landed on the blood running down the side of my face. He looked away almost immediately.

“Take her to the cells. Everyone move!”

My heart sank. The warriors grabbed my arms. I didn't fight them this time. I couldn't. As they dragged me away, I looked back at Kieran.

The man who had held me beneath the moonlight. The man who had kissed me like I was the only woman in the world. The man my wolf had recognized as home. He wouldn't look at me.

I was the daughter of the man he hated. My father had abandoned me. My mate had rejected me. And now I was being taken prisoner by the very pack that wanted my family dead.