Page 40 of Sold to the Alphas

I knew it was her—my sister. The way she tilted her head, the way she held herself, even her hair—everything about her was unmistakable. But how? How could she be here?

I was frozen for a moment, trying to convince myself it wasn’t her, but my feet started moving of their own accord.

As soon as I got closer, she slipped around the corner of a building and vanished from sight. I pushed through the crowd toward where she’d disappeared, ignoring people’s murmurs and sideways glances at me. I didn’t care. I had to find her.

But as I turned the corner, there was no sign of her.

How could she have gotten here? Was she alone? Had she been exiled?

I stood in the middle of the street, scanning every face that passed with growing panic and catching snippets of nearby conversations that made my heart twist in my chest.

“Have you seen the new ones?” a woman whispered to her neighbor.

“Yeah, those strangers. Don’t know what they’re up to,” came the reply.

I froze. They weren’t talking about me, were they?

Another voice broke through my thoughts. “I hear they’re from the Carlisle pack. Not sure what they’re up to, but the way they’re always watching...too many of them in one place.”

My stomach dropped. I knew that tone. It was the kind of tone used when people looked at you like you didn’t belong—when they saw you as an outsider.

I knew exactly who they were talking about. Me.

I wasn’t part of this place. I wasn’t from here. I didn’t belong, and they could see that. A pack this bright, this full of life, would never accept me.

But I couldn’t let that stop me. I couldn’t let myself feel like I was just some stranger in the background. I wasn’t going to hide. Not anymore. Not when I had to find my sister.

I pushed forward again, but this time, I was more cautious, my steps slower, more deliberate. The feeling of being watched hung over me, thick and heavy.

I rounded another corner and finally spotted her again—Mily. But this time, she was walking farther down the street and talking to someone. The way she moved and her back arched just slightly as she conversed with the person in front of her—it was her.

I moved to follow her, my pace quickening, but I felt a sharp pull on my senses before I could make it another step. My wolf flared to life inside me, the hairs on the back of my neck standing up as I realized I wasn’t alone.

I glanced to my side, and that’s when I saw them. Two men, their eyes dark with intent, followed me at a distance. Their postures were stiff, almost predatory, and their gazes flicked back to me every few moments.

I should have turned back. I should have gone straight to the house, found August, and told him everything. But something inside me—something infinitely stubborn and reckless when it came to those I loved—urged me to keep going, to follow my sister.

I walked faster, but the two men followed. My heart was pounding now, my body tensing with the realization that something was wrong. I tried to focus on the figure ahead of me, but every time I turned a corner, the men were lurking just behind me.

Panic bubbled up in my chest, and I turned down another narrow street, hoping to lose them, but it only made things worse. They were still there while Mily was nowhere near.

Just when I thought they were about to close in on me, a shadow appeared at the end of the alley.

August.

His presence was like a storm, a whirlwind of power and fury. He didn’t even hesitate. With a single, sharp command, the two men froze in their tracks, their eyes wide with recognition.

“Get lost,” August growled, his voice low and dangerous. “Now.”

The men hesitated for a split second before they turned and bolted, disappearing into the crowd without another word.

I exhaled, the tension draining out of me. August moved toward me, his gaze sweeping over me in an instant, making sure I was unharmed.

“What the hell were you thinking?” he demanded, his voice tight and angry.

I couldn’t help the snort of indignation that escaped me. He had no idea why I was out here and just assumed the worst of me. “I was thinking that I don’t need a damn babysitter, August.”

He grabbed my arm, pulling me close to him, his grip possessive and firm. “You don’t need a babysitter, but you do need to stay safe.” His eyes darkened as they locked onto mine. “What were you doing out here, Elisabed?”

---