THE RETURN OF THE ALPHA SISTER

THE FIRST LIE

CHAPTER TWO

THE FIRST LIE

Aria barely slept.

Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Selena standing outside her bedroom.

The look in her eyes had not been one of welcome.

It had been hatred.

Aria sat up in bed as the first rays of sunlight entered through the curtains.

Her wolf was restless again.

Something was wrong.

She just didn't know what.

A knock sounded on the door.

"Aria?"

It was Elena.

Aria quickly got out of bed.

"Come in, Mom."

The door opened, and Elena walked inside carrying a beautiful dress.

"I thought we could have breakfast together."

Aria smiled.

"Okay."

Elena placed the dress on the bed.

"And tonight, your father is holding a welcome dinner for you."

Aria stared at the dress.

"Tonight?"

"Yes. He wants the entire family to be there."

A strange warmth filled Aria's chest.

Maybe this really was going to be her new beginning.

Maybe she could finally have the family she had always dreamed about.

"I'd like that."

Elena hugged her.

"I've waited so long to do things like this with you."

Aria smiled against her shoulder.

"I have too."

Neither woman noticed the figure standing at the end of the hallway.

Selena.

She had heard everything.

Her jaw tightened.

A welcome dinner.

For Aria.

Another thing that used to belong to her.

She turned and walked away.

By the time Aria entered the dining room, everyone was already seated.

Her four brothers were talking among themselves.

Selena sat between Ethan and Lucas.

The seat beside their mother was empty.

Aria assumed it was for her.

She pulled out the chair.

Before she could sit, Selena smiled.

"Oh, Aria. That's actually my seat."

Aria froze.

She looked at the chair.

Then at Selena.

"Your seat?"

Selena nodded.

"Mom usually sits there, and I sit beside her."

Elena immediately frowned.

"Selena, there's another seat."

Selena lowered her eyes.

"I know. I just thought Aria might want to sit somewhere else."

Aria forced a smile.

"It's okay. I'll sit there."

She moved to another chair.

Ethan frowned at Selena.

"You could have let her sit there."

Selena's eyes became watery.

"I didn't mean anything by it."

Ethan immediately softened.

"It's fine."

Aria watched silently.

Something about the exchange bothered her.

But she said nothing.

Breakfast began.

For a few minutes, everything was peaceful.

Then Selena suddenly asked,

"Aria, can I ask you something?"

Aria looked up.

"Sure."

"Where were you all these years?"

The room became quiet.

Aria lowered her spoon.

"I don't remember everything."

"Really?"

Selena tilted her head.

"You don't remember anything about your childhood?"

Aria shook her head.

"Only fragments."

"What kind of fragments?"

"A forest. A woman carrying me. And someone calling my name."

Selena's fingers tightened around her glass.

"And you don't remember anything else?"

"No."

Selena smiled.

"That's unfortunate."

Aria frowned.

"Why?"

"I was just wondering."

She looked toward the others.

"Because if you don't remember your childhood, how can we be sure you're really our sister?"

Silence.

Aria's heart dropped.

Elena immediately spoke.

"Selena!"

"I didn't mean it like that."

Her eyes filled with tears.

"I'm sorry."

Ryan sighed.

"Selena, enough."

But Aria noticed something.

Selena wasn't nervous.

She was watching everyone's reactions.

Testing them.

Aria's wolf growled quietly inside her.

*She is dangerous.*

Aria ignored it.

Then suddenly—

CRASH!

A glass fell from the table.

Everyone turned.

Selena's hand was bleeding.

"Selena!"

Ethan jumped to his feet.

"What happened?"

Selena stared at the broken glass.

"I don't know."

Then she looked at Aria.

Her face went pale.

"Aria..."

Aria blinked.

"What?"

Selena stepped backward.

"You... you did something."

"What are you talking about?"

"I felt your wolf."

Aria's blood ran cold.

Everyone stared at her.

"I didn't do anything."

Selena's eyes filled with fear.

"Please don't hurt me."

Aria stood up.

"I didn't touch you!"

Ethan immediately moved between them.

"Aria, calm down."

"Why are you telling me to calm down? She just accused me!"

"I didn't accuse you."

Selena began crying.

"I just said I felt something."

Lucas looked at Aria suspiciously.

"Did you use your wolf power?"

"No!"

Aria's voice cracked.

"I swear I didn't."

Her mother approached her.

"Aria..."

"Mom, please."

Aria looked desperately into Elena's eyes.

"Believe me."

Elena hesitated.

That hesitation hurt more than anything.

Then Selena whispered,

"I don't want to fight with my sister."

Aria stared at her.

*My sister.*

The words sounded poisonous.

Selena turned toward Elena.

"Mom, maybe she just needs time to control her wolf."

Aria's eyes widened.

"Stop pretending to care about me!"

Everyone went silent.

Selena's tears immediately returned.

"I was only trying to help."

Aria realized her mistake.

She was already losing.

Selena had made herself the victim.

And Aria had played directly into her hands.

Ethan looked at Aria with disappointment.

"You shouldn't have shouted at her."

Aria stared at him.

"You believe her?"

"I don't know what to believe."

That answer broke something inside her.

She looked around the table.

Her mother.

Her brothers.

All of them were looking at her differently now.

Except Selena.

Selena was hiding a tiny smile.

Only Aria saw it.

And suddenly, Aria understood.

This wasn't an accident.

The broken glass.

The accusation.

The tears.

It had all been planned.

Aria slowly sat down.

She said nothing else.

Selena smiled sweetly.

"Are you okay, sister?"

Aria looked directly into her eyes.

"Yes."

But inside, her wolf whispered—

*Fight back.*

Aria clenched her fists beneath the table.

She wasn't going to let Selena destroy her.

Not without a fight.

That evening, the welcome dinner began.

The Sterling mansion was filled with guests from powerful werewolf families.

Music played.

Servants carried expensive food through the hall.

Everyone came to see the missing Sterling daughter.

Aria stood beside her mother, trying to smile.

Then the doors opened.

Their grandmother entered.

The entire room fell silent.

She was the most respected elder in the Sterling family.

Her gaze immediately landed on Aria.

For several seconds, she simply stared.

Then she smiled.

"My granddaughter."

Aria's eyes filled with tears.

She stepped forward.

"Grandmother."

The elderly woman opened her arms.

Aria walked into them.

For the first time since returning home, she felt completely safe.

Grandmother kissed her forehead.

"I knew you would come back to us."

Aria smiled.

"I missed you."

Behind them, Selena watched.

Her expression slowly changed.

The grandmother had always been the hardest person for Selena to impress.

And now she had given Aria her affection immediately.

Selena's hands curled into fists.

She couldn't allow this.

Not even for one more night.

She quietly left the ballroom.

A few minutes later, Aria excused herself and went upstairs.

As she walked through the hallway, she heard a strange sound.

A low growl.

She stopped.

Her wolf immediately became alert.

*Danger.*

Aria followed the sound.

It led to her grandmother's private room.

The door was slightly open.

"Grandmother?"

No answer.

Aria pushed the door open.

And froze.

Her grandmother was lying on the floor.

Her body was shaking.

Her eyes were wide with terror.

"Grandmother!"

Aria rushed toward her.

But before she could reach her—

The lights suddenly came on.

People screamed behind her.

Aria turned.

Her mother.

Her father.

Her four brothers.

And Selena.

They were all standing in the doorway.

Selena stared at the unconscious grandmother.

Then slowly looked at Aria.

Her expression became one of horror.

"Oh my God..."

Elena pushed past everyone.

"What happened?"

Selena pointed at Aria with a trembling hand.

"I... I saw her come in here."

Aria's heart stopped.

"What?"

Selena began crying.

"I think Aria attacked Grandmother."

Aria stared at her in disbelief.

"No."

Her father looked at her coldly.

"Aria."

"I didn't do this!"

Then Grandmother suddenly groaned.

Everyone turned toward her.

Her eyes opened.

She looked directly at Aria.

And whispered one terrifying sentence—

"Her wolf... attacked me."

Aria's face went completely pale.

Because she knew the truth.

**She hadn't used her wolf power.**

But someone had.

And whoever did it had just made sure the entire Sterling family would hate her.