Chapter 88 Something Else

Isabella’s stomach dropped, staring at her phone.

"He yell at you?" Serena caught the caller ID.

"No. Just told me to get home. But I can tell he’s fuming." Isabella fired off a text to her mom. The reply came fast. Her eyes went wide. "He wants me to apologize to Eira? Seriously?"

Serena’s eyes snagged on the line underneath.

[ Something else. Sebastian had something bigger he needed to ask.]

Her gut clenched. Had to be about Eira. Which meant it was about that day at the Sterling House.

Alpha Sebastian had been drifting closer to Eira lately, further from her by the day.

"Don’t sweat it." Serena stroked Isabella’s hair, sweet as pie. "Bet Eira’s whispering in his ear again."

"Right? This is all on her." Isabella pouted, easy to play as ever. "Sebastian’s been riding me hard, always taking her side now."

"Come home with me. Maybe I can talk him down."

"I don’t know." Serena hesitated, playing it up. "Things with Sebastian are rocky right now."

Isabella melted with sympathy. "Don’t stress. Nobody likes Eira. He’s into you, just too stubborn to admit it. He’s only still with her out of guilt."

Disgust flickered and vanished across Serena’s face. Alpha Roger and Alpha Sebastian were the only Hales worth two cents. Luna Margaret and Isabella, cut from the same cheap cloth.

"I’m actually scared," Serena said, careful with every word. "What if he thinks I was in on it? You’re his sister, he’ll yell and move on. Me? I don’t get that pass. He finds out, he’s done with me. Straight back to Eira."

Serena’s aim landed dead on.

"Relax. I’m not dumb. None of this touches you. Mom and Dad don’t care. He’s just pitching a fit."

"You’re the best." Serena stroked her hair again, same energy as petting a dog that just did a trick.

The two of them showed up at the Hale estate together.

"Feels like it’s been forever," Serena said, all smiles.

"Work’s been crazy." Alpha Sebastian’s face twisted, watching that warm smile.

He poured Serena a glass of water, parked her in the living room. Isabella, his study, now. Alone.

Door clicked shut. Soundproof. Nothing getting out.

Alpha Sebastian cut straight to it. "Sterling House. Who else was in on it?"

"Just me. Who else would there even be?" Isabella rolled her eyes. "Come on, Sebastian, quit giving me so much credit."

Watching her act this smug about it lit Alpha Sebastian up.

"Watch your mouth. You screwed up bad, and you’re gonna get sassy with me?"

"Eira’s fine, isn’t she?" Isabella waved it off.

"And if she wasn’t?" Alpha Sebastian snapped, chest tightening at just the thought.

"Cut the act. Somebody help you? Don’t make me find out myself, or it’s not just your cards getting frozen."

"Go ahead, freeze ’em." Isabella shot back.

She had Serena now. Forget stingy Eira, Serena actually spent money.

"It was all me. Nobody else. I already did a night in a holding cell, what more do you want?" She whined it out, playing victim hard.

Alpha Sebastian wasn’t having it. "Where’d the drug come from? Who’s your guy?"

"I... found it online."

"Buy it online, feds trace that in a heartbeat." His glare cut sharp. "Isabella. That’s trafficking. Federal charge. Long as Eira doesn’t drop this, it stays open, and eventually they find your source. Can’t wait to see who’s covering for you then."

Isabella’s eyes went wide. Actually rattled now.

"It’s not that deep. I’ll apologize to Eira. Done."

"You’re apologizing either way." Alpha Sebastian exhaled slow. "But you’re also telling me who hooked you up."

"Hooked me up with what? Quit talking like this is some cartel thing." Her hands started shaking.

Alpha Sebastian read her face close.

Isabella was a coward, always had been. No shot she pulled this off solo.

"Who helped you. Was it..." Serena’s name sat right on his tongue. He bit it back.

Fist clenched at his side.

"I... I..." Isabella’s brain spun.

[Sebastian finds out Serena’s involved, he’s done with her for good. And Eira’s stuck in this house forever.]

That thought stiffened her spine right back up.

"I just ran into some guy. He had it, I bought it." She dug in, playing martyr in her own head, doing it all for the family, for Alpha Sebastian and Serena.

This is all Eira’s fault. She just won’t drop it.

"Did Eira say something to you? She thinks I did this with Serena, doesn’t she? She’s trying to drag Serena down with me!" Isabella’s voice climbed. "What kind of woman goes after her husband’s friends like that? You know Serena, Sebastian. Why are you buying whatever Eira’s selling?"

"She’s jealous, plain and simple. Can’t stand you having female friends, wants you all to herself. It’s sad, honestly."

Alpha Sebastian’s face shifted. "You think Eira’s jealous?"

"Duh." Isabella rolled her eyes. "Eira’s not exactly a saint, Sebastian. You can’t just swallow everything she says."

"Serena’s been grinding overseas for years, and every spare second, she’s thinking about you. She finds out you suspected her? She’s gonna be gutted. I’m telling her right now."

Isabella made a show of storming for the door.

"Stop." Alpha Sebastian’s voice went flat and hard. He stepped in front of her, blocking her out. "So you’re telling me this was all you. Solo mission."

"I’m done talking to you. I’m telling Serena you don’t trust her." Isabella wrenched the door open. Alpha Sebastian caught her arm before she cleared it.

"Fine. We’re done here." He let it drop, chose to believe his sister. And Serena, apparently.

"But you’re apologizing to Eira. She’s not dropping the charges till you do." Alpha Sebastian held her gaze. "And if this drags on, word gets out. Every Pack within a hundred miles hears a Hale drugged her own Luna. No Alpha out there’s putting a mark on someone tangled up in an investigation like that. You can kiss every offer you got this year goodbye."

Isabella’s eyes went wide. "I’ll say sorry right now!"

Sorry cost her nothing. Never had.

"You made her wait when you swiped her stuff. Now it’s your turn to wait."

"Is she out of her mind?" Isabella’s temper flared. "What if this wrecks every offer I’ve got lined up?"

Alpha Sebastian just shook his head and walked out ahead of her.

--

Hearing the door open, Serena stood, eyes cutting straight to Isabella.

Isabella flashed her a shaky thumbs-up.

Serena dropped her gaze fast, burying the flicker of satisfaction underneath. Then she walked over. "You didn’t go too hard on her, did you?"

"He totally did!" Isabella whined, glomming onto Serena’s arm. "I already said I’d apologize. He still chewed me out."

"Sebastian, she knows she screwed up. Cut her some slack?" Serena’s eyes went wide, all innocence.

Alpha Sebastian stared into that clean, guileless face. How’d he ever doubt her?

But he couldn’t exactly blame Eira either.

Eira was jealous.

Jealous.

The word landed in his chest, and weirdly, it didn’t sting. It felt kind of good.

Eira cares.

"Sebastian? You zone out on me?"

"Nah, I’m good." He shook it off.

Serena caught the dodge anyway. Stung more than she let on.

Her phone buzzed right then.

[Hi, this is the Office of Sponsored Research, just a courtesy call. Your grant account got flagged yesterday for a compliance review, part of a larger audit into one of your funding sources. Formal documentation’s already on its way to your inbox, wanted to give you a heads-up before it lands.]

Serena’s brow furrowed.

She’d never requested any review.

Never asked anyone to look into anything.