The Alphas Sister (Complete)

Chapter Five: Bars, Bacon, and Buried Truths

Sleeping in the pack jail wasn't how I'd planned to spend the night, but here I was, sprawled on a creaky cot in the dank cell beneath the pack house, chasing rest that wouldn't come. The walls loomed around me, rough stone etched with claw marks from past occupants, rogues, drunks, or hotheads like me. The air stank of mould and rust, a slow drip of water plinking from the ceiling into a puddle near the corner. A grimy bucket sat by the bars, the so-called toilet, its stench a sour reminder of where I'd landed. Fair to say, I never thought I'd end up back here, not after the last time.

I'd been a kid then, just eight, small and scrappy, caught swiping bread from the kitchen stores and a rusty dagger from the shed. Dumb, desperate grabs, driven by an empty belly and the ache of losing my parents two years before, rogues had torn them apart, leaving me an orphan in a pack that barely knew what to do with me. The council had locked me up for a night, a harsh lesson for a runt, but Cade's dad, alpha back then, saw something worth salvaging. He'd started me training for beta a few years later when Cade and I had become friends, pulling me out of that hole. I'd sworn I'd never see these bars again, yet here I was, thirteen years later, the irony bitter as the mould on my tongue.

At least they'd stuck Shane in a cell down the hall, far enough that I couldn't hear his whining, or rip his throat out. After last night, I wasn't sure I'd stop myself if I got the chance. My knuckles still ached from his jaw, a dull throb syncing with the bruise Cade had left on mine during training. Sleep was a lost cause; my wolf paced inside me, restless, clawing at the cage of my ribs.

The heavy clank of the outer door jolted me upright. Footsteps echoed down the concrete corridor, soft but purposeful. I squinted through the dimness, the single bulb overhead flickering like it was on its last breath. Diana emerged from the shadows, her dark hair tangled, her steps hesitant. The bruises on her face had faded to faint yellows, wolf healing doing its work, but the cuts still stood out, raw and pink.

"Come to bust me out?" I said, forcing a smile, leaning against the bars. Her lips twitched, a ghost of a smirk, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"I wish I could," she sighed, her voice heavy with sadness. She stopped a few feet away, fidgeting with her sleeves. "Did you hear they might kick Shane out of the pack?"

"Yeah, I did," I said, keeping my tone neutral, watching her closely.

"I, uh..." She paused, her brown eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I love him, you know."

"Diana..." I started, disbelief tightening my chest.

She cut me off, words tumbling out fast. "I know what he did wasn't right. I know I'm an idiot, but deep down, I really do love him. If he gets kicked out, I don't know what I'll do." Her hands drifted to her stomach, a subtle move, but my heightened senses caught it, the faint, sweet tang of pregnancy in her scent. Not far along, maybe a few weeks, but there it was. My jaw clenched; love or not, that shouldn't chain her to a bastard like Shane.

I studied her, the anger from last night flaring anew. "Diana, you can't be serious. You came to me for help, and now you're taking it back?" My voice rose, sharp with frustration. I'd thrown that punch for her, landed in here for her, and she was unravelling it all.

"I thought I could just talk to you," she mumbled, staring at the floor, shame curling her shoulders. "I didn't know you'd run off ready to fight him."

"I don't think you believe what you're saying," I said, softer now, catching the tears brimming in her eyes. "If he gets kicked out tomorrow, that's his problem. Don't blame yourself for this."

"But..." she started, voice cracking.

"No," I cut in, firm but not harsh. "It's his fault. He deserves what's coming. If they boot him, he can't touch you again, and the pack will help with everything." I didn't say "baby" out loud, but my eyes flicked to her stomach. She'd get it.