THE UNWANTED VISITOR

Cassian was still standing with his back to me, his eyes fixed on the door as if he expected something to burst through it at any moment. Theo stood on the other side of the room, his gaze flickering between Cassian and me, as if calculating his next move. Both were ready to fight, but I was the only one who had no idea what was really going on.

Then, footsteps outside broke the tension. They weren’t the heavy, threatening steps of the Council’s hunters. These were measured, deliberate, as if whoever was out there wanted to be heard.

Cassian moved quickly, positioning himself between me and the door. Theo stepped forward, his golden eyes glowing.

“Stay here,” Cassian ordered in a low voice.

Before he could open the door, it burst open on its own. The figure who entered made my stomach drop. Celine.

My sister was as impeccably dressed as always, wearing an outfit more suited for a runway than the middle of a forest. Her hair was perfectly styled, and her cold, calculating eyes swept the room. Behind her, two massive men in black uniforms stepped in, their rigid postures ready for any sign of danger.

“You really know how to hide in the most despicable places, Sienna,” she said, her voice sweet as poison.

I stood slowly, shock and confusion battling for control of my mind. “Celine? What are you doing here?”

She gave a small smile, but there was no warmth in it. “Oh, dear sister, I’m here to take you home, of course.”

Cassian stepped forward, his gaze lethal. “She’s not going anywhere with you.”

Celine didn’t seem intimidated. She glanced at him with disdain, as though assessing an enemy far beneath her. “And you must be the rogue Alpha,” she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Let me be clear: you have no authority here. My sister belongs to our family, and it’s time to take her back.”

“I don’t belong to anyone,” I snapped, my voice firmer than I expected.

“Don’t be foolish, Sienna,” Celine said, rolling her eyes. “You’re hiding with men who can’t protect you. Our family has the resources to keep you safe.”

“Safe? You think I’ll trust you after everything?” My anger finally boiled over. “After you stole Theo from me? After being part of all this?”

For a moment, something flashed across Celine’s face—guilt, perhaps? But it was gone so quickly I couldn’t be sure.

“This isn’t about the past,” she said finally, her voice colder now. “This is about the future. You don’t understand what’s happening, but I do. And, as always, I’m here to fix things.”

Cassian stepped forward, his body radiating danger. “You’re not touching her. No matter what you say, she’s not going with you.”

The guards behind Celine shifted slightly, but she raised a hand to stop them. “Do you really think you can stop me?”

“You’re welcome to find out,” Cassian retorted, his voice thick with menace.

Theo approached me, ignoring the confrontation between Cassian and Celine. “Sienna, listen,” he said, his voice almost pleading. “She’s right about one thing: the Council is coming. You need to be prepared. Your family, as complicated as it is, may have the resources to protect you.”

I looked at Theo, then at Cassian, and finally at Celine. None of this felt right. My sister never did anything that didn’t benefit her directly. Why did she suddenly seem so desperate to take me back?

“Why are you really here, Celine?” I asked, crossing my arms.

She looked at me for a long moment, her smile fading. “Because, despite everything, you’re my sister. And you have something no one else has. Something the Council wants. If they get you, it will be the end. And unlike these two, I won’t let that happen.”

“Enough games,” Cassian said, stepping menacingly toward Celine. “If you want to take her, you’ll have to go through me.”

Celine gave a small smile. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

Before any of us could react, the guards stepped forward. Theo moved to shield me as Cassian lunged forward. The tension in the cabin erupted into chaos, voices and rapid movements filling the cramped space.

I froze for a moment, but something inside me stirred. A wave of energy surged through my body, and before I realized it, my voice echoed through the cabin.

“Stop!”

The force that erupted from me was so intense that everyone froze. The guards, Cassian, Theo, even Celine—all of them stared at me with a mixture of surprise and awe.

Cassian was the first to move, his red eyes locking onto mine. “Sienna,” he said, his voice low. “You’re not just a Luna. You’re something much greater.”

Celine smiled slowly, as if she’d gotten exactly what she wanted. “Now you understand, little sister. Now you know why everyone is after you.”