Chapter 11 Hush With A Kiss
Sienna
My heart felt like it just hit the floor. Her name was Elizabeth, and she was beautiful—elegant, poised, and definitely not looking like a "child." Sev had an agreement with someone practically my age, yet he treated me like a little sister?
I bit my lip, the envy starting to sting.
“Some people say she might even be the Luna someday,” Keisha added, watching my face. “I wouldn't even mind. She’s perfect for him. So, stop assuming Sebastian is ever going to see you as anything but a kid. Because he won't.”
The bell rang. “Good luck with your next class,” she called back, and before I could even find my voice, she was gone.
She knew exactly what she’d done, she knew there was no way I was going to sit through a lecture with my head spinning like this.
So, I didn't. Instead of turning back toward the building, I just kept walking. I went right past the campus gates and headed toward the highway, my feet moving on autopilot.
I didn’t have a plan or a destination; I just needed to be anywhere that wasn't near Keisha or the thought of Sebastian with someone else.
Why was I feeling so brokenhearted and betrayed when I already knew the truth? It’s not like I actually expected him to look at me romantically, especially not after seeing the lineup of gorgeous women he actually spends his time with. But a one-sided love really knows how to hit you where it hurts, doesn’t it?
A single drop of rain hit my arm, making me look up at the gray sky. What started as a light drizzle quickly turned into a heavy downpour, and honestly, the rain was the final straw. I just broke down.
"Great. I'm lost..." I whispered, the words coming out as a sob.
I stopped in my tracks and looked back, but the Academy had completely vanished. The trees seemed to tower over me, and the thick mist from the rain made everything look like a blurry, gray mess.
I tried to retrace my steps, but the harder I tried, the more the frustration took over, and the tears just wouldn't stop.
"Did I turn right? Or was it left?" I whispered to myself, my voice cracking.
I was so overwhelmed that I just collapsed onto my knees. I couldn't help it, I started crying like a total kid. And honestly? Fine. Maybe I am a child sometimes. But who wouldn't break down when they’re hopelessly lost, soaked to the bone, and shivering in the cold? Without my wolf yet, I had nothing to keep me warm. I felt small, tired, and desperate for any kind of help.
Then, as if the Moon Goddess had finally taken pity on me, two bright headlights cut through the trees ahead. I scrambled to my feet, waving my arms frantically, praying they would see me through the storm.
As the car pulled closer, I recognized it instantly. It was his. Sev stepped out, and even through the sheets of rain, his frustration was radiating off him.
"Sienna!" he called out.
He reached me in a few strides, his face tight. "Keisha told me you skipped every single class this afternoon," he said, shouting slightly to be heard over the downpour. "Let’s get you inside."
He reached over and pulled open the passenger door, but I stayed rooted to the spot, shaking my head. "I'm soaking wet," I managed to say, thinking of his expensive leather seats. "I'll ruin the car."
He let out a heavy sigh, looking like he was at the end of his rope. "Sien, that’s really not the priority right now."
"I’m sorry," I started, the words tumbling out of me as the adrenaline and exhaustion hit all at once. "I didn't mean to. I just needed to walk, I really did, and then—"
"Sienna, just get in. You're freezing."
I couldn't stop. I felt like if I stopped talking, I’d just dissolve into the mud. "I got lost and I didn't even realize which path I took. Then the rain started and everything got so dark, I couldn't see the way back—"
"Sienna, get inside."
He was trying to tell me something, but my brain was moving too fast to listen. "I'm so glad you found me. I didn't even realize how late it was, I promise. I just kept walking and walking and—"
"Fuck it."
Before I could get another word out, the world went silent. My breath hitched in a sharp gasp as the freezing rain was suddenly replaced by the searing warmth of Sev’s lips against mine.
Time stopped. My heart felt like it was trying to hammer its way right out of my chest. I probably looked ridiculous—my eyes were definitely wide enough to pop out of their sockets—but I couldn't move. It was just a light touch, a brief, firm pressure, but to me, it felt like the entire world had shifted on its axis.
He pulled back just a fraction, his gaze dark and commanding as he looked me in the eye.
"Now," he whispered, his voice low and dangerous. "Are you willing to listen?"
The silence in the car was heavy, almost suffocating, as Sev drove us back toward the mansion. I sat there in a complete daze, my mind spinning in useless circles.
I knew logically why he’d done it—I was rambling, freezing, and probably borderline hysterical, and he just needed me to snap out of it so I’d actually get in the car.
But even knowing it was just a "hush" tactic, I couldn't stop my heart from racing. Keisha had basically shredded my self-esteem earlier by parading those gorgeous, "developed" women in front of me, yet here I was, losing my mind over a kiss that was probably nothing more than a strategic move to get me out of the rain.
“That’s one hell of a walk, Sien,” he commented quietly, glancing out at the long stretch of road we were covering.
Seeing the distance from the comfort of the car made me realize just how far I’d actually wandered.
I couldn’t stop fidgeting, my fingers twisting the damp fabric of my skirt. I must have looked like a wreck, and he definitely noticed the tension radiating off me because his voice dropped.
“I’m sorry about what happened back there,” he added, his tone softening. “You were trembling and wouldn’t listen to reason. I just... I had to do something to get through to you.”
“D-don’t even worry about it,” I stammered, trying to sound like I was totally unfazed.
I forced out a laugh that sounded way too high-pitched and awkward, even to my own ears. “Whatever works, right? I guess desperate times call for desperate measures when you need someone to shut up.”
Sebastian didn't say anything for a long moment. The only sound was the rhythmic hum of the windshield wipers.
“Yes,” he finally said, his voice low and strangely tight. “Indeed.”