Alpha Chose My Half-Sister, I Left

Kieran paused.

In two years, every time I had appeared before him I'd been vivid and striking and completely put-together.

He had never seen me like this.

He frowned and stepped toward me quickly, reaching out as if to help me up. "What happened? How are you this injured?"

"Don't touch me." I stepped back and nearly fell.

Kieran's expression hardened. His Alpha dominance radiated off him. "Seraphina. What are you doing? Over a few burned pages?"

He looked at the charred manuscript in my arms, uncomprehending. "You didn't even flinch when you donated things worth a fortune. But now you're risking your life for scorched paper?"

I laughed. It came out loud, and then the tears followed — one after another, dropping onto the blackened parchment.

I raised my head and looked straight into his eyes.

"Brother-in-law." I said it slowly, watching the color drain from his face. "You don't understand. You'll never understand. Stay out of my business from now on."

Kieran went rigid. His eyes narrowed and turned a dangerous shade of red.

"Seraphina—" His voice dropped to something close to a threat.

A scream cut him off. It came from the hall entrance — Melody's voice.

We both turned. Flames were erupting from the entrance to the charity hall.

"Help!" Melody stumbled out of the fire, her dress scorched through in several places. She ran, sobbing, and threw herself at Kieran.

Kieran caught her instantly, pulling off his suit jacket to drape around her.

"You're safe. I'm here." His voice went warm and soft in a way that had been completely absent when he spoke to me.

Melody cried beautifully. "I only went back in to get the necklace — the first thing you ever gave me. I couldn't stand the thought of it burning... I had no idea there'd be a fire..."

She looked up at him, all helpless devotion.

The hall staff came running, faces white with panic. "Alpha! The fire started near the furnace area — there's no way that furnace should have spread like this — and the suppression system malfunctioned—"

Kieran's expression changed. He turned slowly, and his gaze landed on me.

His Alpha dominance crashed down over me like a wave. "Did you start this fire?"

I stared at him. "What?"

"Were you jealous of Melody?" He walked toward me, each step deliberate. "Jealous enough to try to kill her?"

I opened my mouth. Nothing came out.

"Pull the security footage. Now." Kieran's voice was ice.

Staff scrambled back. Minutes later, a tablet was placed in Kieran's hands.

On the screen, my silver wolf form was clearly visible near the furnace, and then the fire spreading out of control.

Every gaze in the crowd swung toward me. Condemnation, all of it.

Melody was still tucked against Kieran, her shoulders shaking — but I caught her eyes, darting up to check my reaction. The triumph in them was unmistakable.

"I didn't—" My voice came out barely above a whisper.

"The evidence is right there." He cut me off. "What are you trying to argue?"

His voice was without feeling. "Enforcement team. Take Seraphina to the silver holding cell to await Alpha Council judgment."

The enforcers came for me immediately. Cold silver cuffs locked around my wrists, burning through to the bone.

Kieran watched without moving.

As they turned me away, I saw Melody lean back into his arms. Smiling at me.