CHAPTER 38: THE GREAT GUIDE TO BEING A WICKED HALF SISTER 1

HAZEL

The car wheels rattled against the road. I watched the landscape blur past my window and fought to keep the smile off my face.

Milo was dead. Actually dead. I’d watched his execution myself just this morning. Watched the life drain from his eyes as the elders of Silver Creek passed judgment. The memory was delicious. Sweet. I kept replaying it in my mind like a favorite song.

"You’re smiling." My mother’s voice cut through my thoughts.

I turned to look at her. Mother sat across from me with her hands folded neatly in her lap. She was dressed in her best traveling clothes. Dark blue silk that made her look regal. Sympathetic. Like a concerned mother making a difficult journey to check on her wayward daughter.

The performance had already begun.

"I’m just thinking about Fia," I said. Let some sadness creep into my voice. "Wondering how she’s doing. If she’s still alive."

My mother’s lips curved slightly. "Of course you are."

She knew better. She always knew better. But that was fine. We didn’t need to pretend with each other. Not here. Not when we were alone.

"But Skollrend does look divine. Don’t you think?"

It did. If Cian had been any other man, I might not have minded being tied to this place. But he was a beast. The stories and the facts were there. They didn’t lie.

"So?"

"Hmmm. I believe," she said slowly, "we might have made a mistake. This should have been your life."

I blinked. That was new. Honest. A hint of something she almost never let slip—regret.

"Cian is a beast," I maintained.

"What if we were wrong?"

"What if we were wrong? What then?"

"Hazel—"

"Do you think he’ll break the bond?" I asked. There was no need for the sad sister act now. "Cian. Do you think he’ll get rid of her?"

My mother considered the question. She was good at this. At reading situations. At knowing which political moves would pay off and which would backfire. That’s why Silver Creek hadn’t completely collapsed despite our financial troubles. She’d kept us afloat through sheer cunning and of course her father’s politics and position.

"Possibly," she said finally. "I will ask for sure. Fuck. Look at this place. But we need to be careful. If we push too hard, he’ll dig in his heels. Alphas are territorial. Even about things they don’t want."

I knew that. Had seen it before. Men were simple that way. They didn’t like being told what to do. Didn’t like feeling manipulated even when they were actively being manipulated.

"So we play concerned family," I said. "We act like we just want to make sure Fia is okay and you can ask your stupid question if you are so obsessed with how grand Skollrend looks."

"I will." My mother leaned forward slightly. "And I will gauge his commitment to the bond. See how deep it runs. If it’s shallow, if he barely tolerates her, then we have options. But if it’s stronger than we think..."

"Oh I doubt that," I finished.

"Right?"

"Exactly. He hates her."

My mother smiled. "He probably does. I am in over my head."

The truth however was I didn’t care that much about the bond. Not really. I mean yes, it would be convenient if Cian broke it. It would be nice if he decided Fia wasn’t worth the trouble and sent her back to Silver Creek in even more disgrace. That would be perfect. Beautiful even.

But my real goal was simpler.

I wanted Fia to suffer.

I wanted her to know that I’d won again. That Milo was dead because of her. That she was trapped in a loveless bond with an Alpha who despised her. That everything she’d tried to do had failed spectacularly.

I wanted to see the look in her eyes when she realized how completely I’d destroyed her.

The car began to slow. I looked out the window and saw Skollrend’s gates ahead. Massive iron things that probably cost more than my family’s entire estate. Guards stood at attention. The whole place screamed power and wealth.

My chest tightened.

Skollrend was bigger than Silver Creek. Everyone knew that. But seeing it up close was different. The main house was enormous. Three stories of stone and glass that sprawled across manicured grounds. The gardens were immaculate. The walls were thick and high. Everything about this place spoke to strength and stability.

Everything my own pack lacked.

I hated it. Despite hating the idea of being Skollrend’s Luna and being a woman without choice. I hated that Fia was here. That she was somehow in luxury while I was stuck watching our humble family’s estate crumble.

But I swallowed the bitterness. I put on my concerned sister face. Let my eyes fill with practiced tears.

The guards let us through. Our vehicle rolled up the main drive and stopped in front of the entrance. Servants appeared immediately. One opened the door. Another offered a hand to help my mother down.

I followed. I stepped out onto the gravel drive and looked up at the house.

A guard approached. He was young and nervous looking. "Luna Isobel. Luna Hazel. The Alpha is expecting you."

My mother thanked him graciously. I said nothing. Just kept my eyes downcast. Kept playing my part.

They led us inside. Through hallways that were bigger than entire rooms back home. Past artwork that probably cost a fortune. Everything was pristine. Perfect. My kind of gathering.

The receiving room was exactly what I expected. It had high ceilings, expensive furniture and windows overlooking gardens that looked like something from a painting. I moved to stand near those windows. Let my mother take the lead on the initial greeting.

The doors opened.

Alpha Cian walked in.

I’d seen him at the wedding of course while I was plotting to get out of his grip. But I hadn’t taken the time to study him properly. Not really. Not when I was fuming with bitter rage at being practically sold.

Now I did.

He was tall. Broad shouldered. He had that presence that powerful Alphas carried like a second skin. His dark hair was slightly messy. Like he’d been running his hands through it. His expression was carefully neutral but I caught the tension in his jaw. The way his eyes scanned the room like he was looking for threats.

He was on edge.

I liked that.

My mother greeted him warmly. I hung back. Let her handle the pleasantries while I observed.

Cian was cold. Not openly hostile but definitely not welcoming either. He stood with his arms crossed. His posture was closed off. Defensive. Like he didn’t want us here but couldn’t find a good reason to throw us out.

Perfect.

When my mother introduced me properly I stepped forward. I let the tears that had been threatening finally fall; made my voice break when I spoke.

"Alpha Cian, please. I know this is improper. I know I have no right to ask anything of you after what my sister did. We are lucky you even spared Silver Creek. But I need to see her. I need to know she’s safe."

I’d practiced those words. Said them over and over in the ride until they sounded natural. Spontaneous. Like they were coming from a place of genuine worry.

Cian studied me. His eyes were sharp. Calculating. For a second I wondered if he could see through the act. If he knew I was lying.

But then his expression softened. Just slightly.

"Fia is safe," he said. His voice was measured. Careful. "I’m not a monster. Despite what happened, despite the circumstances behind our bond, she’s my Luna. She’s treated with the respect that position demands."

Relief flooded through me. Not because Fia was safe. Goddess no. But because he’d just confirmed what I needed to know.

He didn’t love her. Didn’t even particularly like her. She was an obligation. A responsibility. Something he was stuck with because of the mate bond.

This was going to be easier than I thought.

"Thank you," I said.

I put as much gratitude into my voice as I could manage. "Goddess, thank you. I’ve been so worried. Fia can be impulsive and foolish but she’s still my sister. I still love her."

That last part was particularly inspired considering it rolled off my tongue like bile.

My mother moved beside me. Put her hand on my shoulder in that comforting mother way she did so well. "We understand this is a difficult situation for everyone involved. Fia’s actions have caused pain to many people. But family is family. We couldn’t rest without knowing she was being cared for properly."

Cian’s jaw tightened slightly. Interesting. That had struck a nerve.

"She has her own quarters," he said. His tone was clipped now. "The Luna suite. She’s been given everything she needs."

The Luna suite?

The words hit me like a slap. Fia was in the Luna suite. The most prestigious rooms in the house. The quarters traditionally reserved for the Alpha’s mate and equal.

My mother made a small sound. Actual shock. She hadn’t been expecting that either.

I had to move quickly. Had to smooth this over before my mother’s surprise became obvious. "What my mom meant was... may we see her?" I made my voice tremble. Like I was barely holding myself together. "Please. Just for a few minutes. I need to look my sister in the eye and know she’s truly alright."

It was a reasonable request. Any Alpha would grant it. But I saw Cian hesitate.

I also saw something flicker across his face. Uncertainty maybe. Or suspicion.

Then he spoke and I knew we had a problem.

"Of course you can see her. But it will be in the gardens. Not private quarters."

He suspected something was off.

My mother’s smile tightened. I felt my own mask slip for just a second before I caught myself.

"The gardens?" My mother’s voice was pleasant but I heard the question underneath.

"Yes. It’s a beautiful afternoon. The gardens are lovely this time of year. And more appropriate for a supervised visit."

Supervised....

He was going to watch us. He was going to make sure we didn’t have privacy with Fia. That complicated things. Made my plans significantly harder to execute.

"Supervised?" I let hurt creep into my voice. "You don’t trust us... me with my own sister?"

"Well, I don’t really know you," Cian said. It was simple and direct. "Considering our marriage did not quite happen. And given recent events, I think some caution is warranted."

Damn him. He was smarter than I’d given him credit for. Not trusting. Not easily manipulated. I chuckled at that. It was not easy but it was not impossible.

My mother tried one more angle. Suggested privacy was necessary. That we were family. That surely there was no need for such measures.

Cian shut her down. Called Fia manipulative. Said he was looking out for us.

But it felt more like he was protecting her.

The room went silent.

I studied him. Tried to read what he was thinking. He was watching us both now. His expression was neutral but his eyes were too sharp. Too focused.

He suspected something. Maybe not the full truth but something.

My mother recovered first. She smiled like this was all perfectly reasonable. "Of course. We understand. The gardens will be perfect."

I nodded quickly. Wiped at my eyes like I was still emotional. "Yes. Yes, that’s fine. I just want to see her. That’s all."

But inside I was frustrated. Angry. This wasn’t going according to plan. I’d wanted privacy with Fia. Wanted to whisper all the details about Milo’s death into her ear where no one else could hear. Wanted to watch her face crumble as I described every moment of his execution.

Now I’d have to be more careful. More subtle.