The Alphas Sister (Complete)

Chapter Nine: Chases, Chances, and Crossing Lines

The next morning, a knock yanked me from a tangle of restless sleep, sharp against the fog in my head.

"Kyan?" Electra's voice came through the door, bright but edged with hesitation. "Did you still want to go on a run?"

My stomach knotted. Ignoring her hurt, her voice alone tugged at me, but I rolled over, the mattress creaking under my weight, and squeezed my eyes shut, willing her to leave. My breath stayed shallow, ears straining until her footsteps faded down the hall, no second knock to break the silence. Maybe she'd given up, gone to hang with some of her other friends. Lila, maybe. I let out a slow exhale, relief warring with a guilt I couldn't shake, her cream wolf and that laugh still haunting me.

Ten minutes crawled by, my mind spinning. Her grin, that stupid moment I'd licked her cheek, the deal with Cade hanging over me like a noose. No flirting, no trouble, or you're gone. I couldn't hide forever. With a groan, I threw off the sheets, the cool air biting my skin as I fumbled for sweatpants on the floor. My black hair fell messy over my eyes, and I shoved it back, too lazy to check a mirror. I yanked the door open, ready to bolt downstairs, and froze.

"Ha! I knew you were faking it!" Electra shouted, leaning against the wall beside my door, arms crossed, a triumphant grin splitting her face. Her green eyes sparkled with mischief, her ponytail loose from sleep, strands brushing her cheeks like a soft frame.

I groaned, loud and dramatic, wishing I'd stayed buried in bed just a little longer. "You're relentless," I muttered, rubbing my face, but her grin held firm. Then her gaze dropped, snagging on my bare chest, old scars crisscrossing my skin from years of fights, and her lips parted slightly. I cleared my throat, sharp and deliberate, and she snapped her eyes up, wide and caught, a blush blooming across her cheeks. Smirking, I couldn't resist. The flustered look was too good, even if it stirred something I shouldn't let grow.

She ducked her head, muttering, "Come on, let's go on that run," and started down the hall without looking back. Halfway there, she paused, glancing over her shoulder. "You coming?"

Frustration rumbled in my chest, but I followed, boots thudding on the hardwood. This wasn't helping my plan to keep my distance. Matt's cover wouldn't mean much if Cade caught us again, but I couldn't drum up a decent excuse. Telling her I didn't want to hang out would've crushed her, and despite the risk, I didn't have the heart to do it. Her footsteps echoed ahead, pulling me along like a rope I couldn't cut.

We reached the tree line, the forest air crisp with pine and dew, the morning sun just peeking through the canopy. She stopped, gesturing to her usual spot behind a cluster of pines.

"So, um, I'll change over there," she said, her voice quieter now, pointing to where she'd darted off before.

I waited until she was out of sight, then stripped, facing away, the chill prickling my skin as I tossed my sweatpants onto a low branch. The shift came quick. Bones popped, fur rippled, and my dark grey wolf shook out its coat, claws sinking into the mossy earth. Electra padded up soon after, her cream wolf gleaming in the dawn light, smaller than mine but sturdy, her alpha blood giving her a quiet power.

We didn't speak. We just ran, paws thudding in sync through the underbrush. The rhythm was steady, a stamina building pace, and her presence, silent but warm, eased the tightness in my chest. For a while it was just us and the woods. No rules, no threats, no looming consequences.

We kept it up for days, rising early to beat training, a routine that dug into my bones like a familiar trail. Being beta meant no town job. My days were patrols, when I wasn't sidelined, pack chores, and keeping us safe. Electra, though, had no duty tying her here. As the alpha's daughter, she could have lounged by the fire all day, but she trained anyway and ran with me anyway, her grit shining through.