Chapter 150 To Have Your Hand

Chapter 150 To Have Your Hand
Sienna
Midnight came and went, but Sebastian and my mother still hadn’t returned. I stayed anchored to the living room sofa, staring at the front entryway as the clock kept ticking.
Dad had already stuffed me with enough food to feed a small town, hovering around the kitchen counter until I couldn't physically take another bite.
Finally, around twelve-thirty in the morning, the elevator chime broke the silence.
I instantly bolted up from my seat and hurried toward the foyer, only to stop dead in my tracks.
Standing there was a completely exhausted, visibly intoxicated Alpha who was doing his absolute best to maintain a straight line. Sebastian was holding armfuls of designer paper bags, swaying so hard on his feet that he looked ready to tip over.
I rushed forward the second he stumbled off the runner, throwing my arms around his waist to catch his weight before he hit the floor.
“Sien... there you are. I have been looking for you all day...” Sebastian murmured softly into my hair. He buried his face in the crook of my neck, wrapping his arms tightly around me.
Behind him, my mother walked out of the elevator with a triumphant smile plastered across her face.
“Well,” she announced, dusting off her sleeves. “The man passed.”
I clenched my jaw, glaring at her through the hallway light. A sudden, overwhelming surge of emotion tightened my chest, making my eyes sting with hot tears. “Was this really necessary?”
“What did you even do to him?” my voice shook.
“Oh, relax, sweetie,” Mom said, waving a casual hand. “I simply had him assist me with a little shopping. At a few dozen stores.”
“Just shopping,” I repeated flatly.
That was when the smell hit me. Beneath his natural scent was the unmistakable, heavy reek of hard liquor—so much stronger than anything he’d had when he went out with Liam. And mixed with the alcohol was something else. Cheaper, heavy perfumes clinging to his jacket.
“And, well... we stopped by a strip club,” she added casually.
“What the actual fuck, Mom?!”
“Language, baby.”
“Don’t call me that!”
I ignored her, wrapping my arm firmly around Sebastian’s waist to guide him over to the sofa. He was remarkably submissive in this state, obediently shuffling his feet wherever I directed him.
“Stay right here, okay?” I murmured, easing him down onto the cushions.
He gave a slow, solemn nod. “Mm. Yes, ma’am.”
I turned around to face my mother, whose confident posture was finally crumbling into a flicker of guilt.
“You took him to a strip club?” my voice rose, trembling with anger. “What kind of sick logic is that?!”
“Calm down,” she insisted defensively. “The man didn't even look at them, let alone touch anyone, even while completely intoxicated. Though he does become ridiculously compliant when he drinks.”
I balled my hands into tight fists at my sides, my heart pounding against my ribs. This was exact behavior I hated about my parents. They always took everything ten steps too far under the guise of 'protecting' me. This whole 'Montclair family tradition' wasn't even a real thing—it was just an excuse to flex control.
I had trusted them enough to let Sebastian go along with it because he wanted so badly to prove his intentions to them. I never imagined they would humiliate him like this.
“We’re going back to Regalia,” I said.
Mom’s eyes widened in surprise. “Sienna—”
“What did you expect?” I stared at her blankly. “You treated my man like a joke, knowing full well he would put up with whatever insanity you threw at him just to get your blessing.”
“I’m sorry, baby,” she softened, taking a step toward me with her hands raised. “I just... I didn't want some man coming into your life without knowing if he was genuine. You’re the princess of this family. You deserve someone who won't disrespect women, someone who will be fiercely loyal to you.”
“And your brilliant solution was to parade him through a strip club?!”
Dad must have heard the shouting from the back suite, because he came shuffling into the living room, rubbing sleep from his eyes.
I rounded on him the second he stepped into view. “And what about you, Dad? What was your big test going to be? Throwing him onto a deserted island to see if he survives three days?”
Dad blinked, looking slightly caught off guard. “Well... not quite that extreme, but now that you mention it—”
“Fuck it!”
I had never screamed at my parents in my entire life. I’d rebelled, I’d ignored them, but I had never lost my temper like this.
Before I could tear into them any further, a pair of large, warm arms wrapped around my waist from behind. Sebastian pulled me back against his chest.
“Sien... let’s just go to bed, hmm?” he muttered softly, his deep voice thick with sleep and liquor.
The heat in my chest slowly ebbed away, replaced by an exhausted ache. I clenched my jaw, shooting one last glare at my mother before turning around in Sebastian’s arms.
“Alright,” I whispered, taking his hand. “Let's go.”
I slung his arm over my shoulder, taking most of his weight as we made our way toward the guest hall. Thankfully, he still had enough motor control to keep his feet under him, though he did manage to crack his forehead directly against the top of my doorframe—the door had been built low, and he was far too tall to be walking around drunk without looking up.
I helped him stumble into the room and guided him down onto the edge of the mattress.
He immediately slumped back, his hands fumbling uselessly at his shirt collar. “It’s warm...”
I let out a quiet sigh, sitting beside him to unbutton his shirt and slide the dark fabric off his broad shoulders. But before I could pull my hands away, he reached out and folded his arms around my waist, pulling me down onto the bed with him.
“Can we stay like this tonight?” he murmured against my shoulder.
“Your muscles are going to be stiff again tomorrow,” I warned gently.
“I do not mind.”
I let my body relax into his hold, swinging my legs up over the mattress and tucking my head under his chin.
“Your mother...” Sebastian breathed out slowly, his voice low against my hair. “She approves of me now.”
“What she did was completely unforgivable,” I muttered, staring at the dark ceiling.
A quiet chuckle rumbled deep in his chest. “If we have a daughter one day, Sienna... I would likely do far worse to any man who came seeking her hand.”
A soft gasp escaped my lips. I pushed myself up slightly, resting my chin on his chest to look at him. He was staring down at me through heavy eyelids, those gray eyes shining softly with a subtle golden glint peeking through the pupils.
“Sien... forgive them, please?” he whispered, his thumb lightly stroking my cheek. "I would endure far worse if it means I may claim your hand with their blessing."