Chapter 33 His Grip
Sienna
“Can you travel?” Sev asked.
He was already standing by the window, calmly fixing his cuffs and straightening his coat like he hadn't just spent the last hour wrecking my world. He looked down at me, his face back to that cool, untouchable mask.
I scrambled to sit up, clutching the thin blanket to my chest to hide the marks he’d left. “Of course I can!”
Sev gave me a small, soft smile—the kind that didn’t quite reach his eyes. "Very well. I must speak with Carius once more. See that you return to Regalia without further incident."
He didn't wait for a reply. He just turned and sauntered out the door like he’d just finished a boring business meeting. I sat there in the sudden silence, my heart thumping against my ribs. He didn't care who saw him leave. He didn't care about the whispers. I shook my head, trying to clear the fog, and started throwing my clothes on. He was serious about leaving, and honestly, the air in this place felt like it was choking me.
“Hey.”
Gael was standing by the van with Elizabeth as I dragged my bags out. I braced myself for another round of screaming, but when I looked at Elizabeth, she smiled at me.
“I am so sorry, Sienna. A big misunderstanding happened because of me,” Elizabeth said. She reached out and held my arm, her eyes all watery and soft. She looked like she was about to burst into tears.
“No, it was my fault for jumping to a conclusion,” Gael muttered, looking at her shoes. “I should apologize.”
“It’s done. Let’s just forget it,” I said.
I was in such a weirdly good mood because of what happened with Sev that I couldn't even bring myself to be a bitch to them. I was basically laughing on the inside, feeling like I had a secret they’d never understand.
“Thank you,” Gael said, looking all depressed. “I was just so stressed. Elizabeth is... she’s not the type to do something so dangerous.”
“Well, she did,” I said, popping an eyebrow. “She doesn’t need you to be her nanny, Gael.”
Gael bit her lip, looking like she’d swallowed a lemon. “I suppose so.”
Just then, Tristan and Teyam showed up, and we all piled into the van. The drive back was miserable. The snow was deep, and the van kept slipping.
Everyone was quiet, the silence making my skin crawl. It felt like the trip getting cut short was all my fault because I’d chased after a kid I didn't even know.
Suddenly, Tristan let out a loud laugh. “You all look like you’re at a funeral! You know what, can you guys keep a secret?”
We all looked up as he caught our eyes in the rearview mirror.
“Look, last night, Sebastian had a meeting with Carius. Our Alpha was already beyond pissed off by that conversation, and then everything this morning just added fuel to the fire,” Tristan said with a shrug. “What I’m saying is, it’s not anyone’s fault. He was looking for a reason to leave anyway.” He winked at us.
The air left my lungs. My stomach did a sick little flip.
If Sev was angry and stressed because of Carius, did that mean I was just a distraction? Did he come to my room just to burn off some steam as well? The thought made me feel cheap.
There was no way he would have broken our "Friday only" rule unless he was just using me as a stress ball.
Fuck.
When we finally got back to Regalia, I didn't want to talk to anyone. I went straight to my room and locked the door.
Five days. Sev stayed away for five days after doing that to me. It wasn't until Saturday that I heard him come home.
I wasn't going to let him just use me as some kind of stress ball and then toss me aside. I wasn't some toy he could pick up when he was pissed at other Alphas and drop when he was bored.
I waited until I heard his boots on the floorboards, then I marched to his room.
“Sienna?” Sev looked shocked when he opened the door. He looked tired, like he’d been through hell. “What is it?”
I didn’t say a word. I just shoved him. I put my whole weight into it, pushing him back into the room until he stumbled. I followed him in and slammed the door, twisting the lock with a loud click.
He just stood there, looking at me like I’d lost my mind. I didn’t give him a chance to ask again. I started pulling my clothes off. My shirt, my pants—I let them fall wherever.
“What are you doing?” he asked. His voice was still that calm, but I saw his eyes track me.
I still didn't talk. I couldn't. If I opened my mouth, I was afraid I’d either scream at him or start crying. I stepped into his space, grabbed his face, and kissed him. It was messy and desperate. He froze at first, probably surprised I was being so aggressive, but then he groaned. It was a low, dark sound. He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me so close it hurt, and carried me to the bed.
“What has gotten into you…” he muttered against my lips. He was breathing hard now, his composure finally slipping.
I didn't answer. I just pulled his head back down.
Inside, I felt like I was breaking. I knew I was throwing myself at him because I was hurt and angry that Friday had passed and he wasn't there.
Was he with someone else? Did he go to Alpha Carius’s daughter? Was I just part of some weekly routine to help him handle whatever "urges" he had? I needed to know what he was thinking. I needed him to actually see me.
“Ah! Sev…” I gasped when his tongue swiped over my nipple, followed by a sharp bite.
“Focus,” he smirked, looking up at me with those dark, hungry eyes. “You were the one who initiated this.”
I knew I was going to regret what I was about to do. My heart was thumping so hard I could feel it in my throat. I reached up and cupped his cheeks, forcing him to stop. I pulled him up away from my chest until we were eye-to-eye.
“I love you, Sebastian.”
He went totally still. Not just a pause—he actually turned into stone. The heat I’d felt from him a second ago just... died. I stared at him, trying to figure out what that look was. It wasn't happy. It looked like a flash of pain, then something much colder. Rage.
The air in the room changed. The hair on my neck stood up, and I wasn't feeling love anymore. I was feeling terrified.
“Sev…?” I whispered. My heart was hammering against my ribs.
He didn’t say a word. His face went completely blank. Then, before I could even blink, his big hands moved. They didn't go for my waist or my hair.
He wrapped his fingers around my throat.