KANEI stepped into the way, blocking off Erin's attack. Our weapons clashed hard. My eyes landed on Dane running out of the mansion with an unconscious Zane on his back and Maya by his side. Before Erin could notice what was happening, I immediately averted my gaze.Erin needed to be distracted so they could leave and that was my assignment."This fight isn't for little boys." Erin huffed angrily, he moved his foot so discreetly but I was quick to notice, Using one hand to hold his weapon, I blocked his leg with the other hand. In one swift movement, using his leg, I threw him off me.He flew a few metres away from me but his legs were strong so he landed on his feet.My eyes quickly flickered around the mansion, Dane and the others were no longer in sight, they had managed to escape, I heaved a sigh of relief as I turned back to Alpha Erin."Not a move you expected from a little boy huh?" I sent him a mocking smile. For once, I was grateful for the numerous battle classes that Dad h
ERINI watched as the dagger meant for arrogant Kane sank deep into Thane's chest, and he fell to the ground in pain. The young man knelt by his side as though checking if he was alive. He threw a glance at my way before picking his father up and running into the forest."Thane," I said softly to myself, "you left just as I imagined," I laughed watching as the young man tried to balance the weight of his father as he ran."That stupid child thinks he could stand before me?" I laughed recalling the look on his face when he saw his father was wounded.I called after them, "Keep running, slow down and my dogs would have your legs for breakfast."He could hear me, the wind carried my voice down into the woods. "Thane never considered his weight, he was proud of those muscles, now see him weighing you down." I mocked as I watched Kane slow a little trying to adjust his wounded father in his arms."Should we go after them?" My guard who led the reinforcements asked.I turned to him, and beh
SIERRAMy throat ached from screaming too much earlier. The snakes were harmless, but I just had to be quiet in a bid to conceal my presence so they wouldn't notice me. My entire body trembled as they glided around me hissing."Seems you made a bond with them so soon witch!" Beta Orion spat not bothering to look at the red bite marks on my skin. I watched silently as he picked them up, placed them inside a basket, covered the lid then took them out. I heaved a sigh of relief as he left, finally a moment of peace.The cut in my head didn't stop bleeding, I could still feel its warm sensation as it trickled down my head. My eyes landed on a piece of clothing lying a few feet away from me, I tried moving towards it but it was impossible with my hands and legs tied together. I only ended up falling on my side. Pain ran through my entire body at the impact caused by the fall.The door creaked open Beta Orion came in.His eyes stared at me hard, "You moved didn't you?" He asked angrily.I
SIERRA"What are you doing in my house?"Claire asked me.I raised my brow in question, "What do you mean your house?"I asked in return wondering if Claire had finally gone mad."This mansion now belongs to my father, Alpha Erin."She said smiling as she folded her arms in her bosom proudly."The last I checked, I live here and you know that," I said trying to walk past her. I was tired, hurt, and bruised, I wanted nothing more but to sink inside a warm tub of bath water with roses and lavender soaked in it with my mother standing close to me.Her eyes were fixed on my bloodied head, thankfully, the bite marks had vanished leaving just the cut on my forehead and it was healing gradually."You think I'm kidding, if you don't mind, I can show you the evidence."She said moving an inch so I could take a glimpse inside the house.The inner court was a mess, I could see blood on the ground as though a war had just been fought. I could also perceive it in the air, the smell of fresh blood. My
SIERRA"Oh my God, what happened to him?" I asked as I hurried forward to meet him.Thane's face was pale, a dagger was struck in his chest, his shirt was stained with blood and the blood flowed to the ground, forming a pool around them.Kane choked as he held him tighter, he was too shocked to listen to me. The pieces of the puzzle fell together, the blood I had seen earlier in the bushes belonged to Thane. He must've been wounded in the fight.Why wasn't he healing?He was not only a werewolf, he was a lycan, they had special abilities that a normal werewolf didn't possess. But he wasn't healing, instead he was getting worse.There had to be a reason Kane couldn't help, he just knelt there crying with his hands stained with blood as he rested his palms on the area as though trying to stop the bleeding but was failing miserably."Dad..." his voice trailed off in a sob, "please get up." My heart broke as I heard his voice, I never thought I'd live to see the day cold-hearted Kane woul
SIERRAThe voice of the moon goddess kept ringing in my head as the rogues pulled me away along with them.Believe in yourself... stay strong.I frowned, Maybe all I had to do was trust me and let go of every other thing. I needed to learn how to trust myself then perhaps the answers would find me instead of me searching for the answers."She's awake." One of the rogues grunted throwing me a glance."Sleeping beauty, I thought you needed a Prince." Another mocked and his friends laughed.I remained silent, they didn't bother me, I was too focused on the moon goddess's words to be bothered by mere rogues. This was a time I could use to test my abilities."Perhaps she's dumb?""Maybe she's blind too because she doesn't look scared."I closed my eyes trying to focus on my inner mind as the words of the goddess echoed even more loudly in my head. Everything starts with me, I had to make a move before everything else would follow, my change begins with me.My eyes shot open as I counted th
CLAIREThrowing Sierra one last glance, I walked into the mansion closing the door behind me. She was looking so pale.I was still deciding where I wanted my room to be, so I decided to do a quick survey, I walked up the stairs checking the rooms. They were all so big and beautiful. As I walked past a door, it was opened halfway and I could hear murmurs of people."You will step down for me." Alpha Elvis shouted."I don't understand."I paused instantly, the second voice was my father, it sounded as though they were disagreeing on something."I am going to take full control over the park." Alpha Elvis was saying, "No one, absolutely no one can oppose my decision."I shuddered by the door, Alpha Elvis had a way of making people feel scared around him. His voice carried an aura that screamed 'Dare me and I will have your head on a spike.' Even my father wouldn't have a say in where he was involved.If he was going to take over the kingdom, where does that leave us? My father had fought
KANESomething was not right with Sierra, her face looked pale and her eyes were unfocused not to mention how dazed she looked."What's wrong Sierra?" I asked holding her shoulders.She remained silent, her gaze was fixed somewhere else. "Tell me what's wrong?" I asked calmly."I keep hearing voices in my head." She said clutching her hair with both palms as though she wanted to pull out the voices along with her hair."Voices?" I frowned, "explain further." I said listening."They keep telling me strange things, I hear them so loud and clear that it is frightening." She explained pulling hard at her hair."Those voices you hear, do you know who they belong to?" I asked reaching for her hands to stop her from hurting herself.She nodded with tears in her eyes, "Yes.""Tell me, whose voice do you hear?" I asked calmly taking her hands in mine, I held it tight to let her know that I was with her and she didn't need to be scared."It's Elvis." She said calmly as she gazed into my eyes.A
SIERRAI didn’t move. None of us did. We just stood there and took it as Ariel laughed like we were the biggest fools she had ever seen. Her voice echoed off the walls, high and sharp, like a knife digging into my already shredded nerves.“Oh, my sweet, sweet Sierra,” she said between giggles, wiping a fake tear from the corner of her eye. “You actually think a few little weeds are going to save your precious sister from me?”I kept my face blank, even though my heart was hammering against my ribs. If I gave her any more reason to doubt me, she would tear us all apart.Ariel circled slowly around me, hands clasped behind her back, her boots clicking softly against the floor. I could feel the others tense up, ready to move if she tried anything.She leaned in close, so close I could smell the sickly sweet scent of her perfume. “You have no idea what you’re dealing with,” she whispered. “No idea how deep this bond goes.”I clenched my teeth to keep from flinching. I would not give her t
SIERRAI stared at Ariel, my heart thudding painfully in my chest. Her arms were folded, her chin lifted stubbornly, and her accusing eyes bore into mine like she could see right through me. I sighed heavily, feeling the weight of everything come crashing down.“Fine,” I muttered, raising my hands slowly in surrender. “You want the truth? I’ll tell you.”“Sierra, don’t,” Kane hissed beside me. His hand brushed my arm like he was trying to pull me back. Alpha Thane shook his head sharply, his eyes pleading. “We can still fix this without telling her anything.”Zane stepped closer too, his voice low and urgent. “Don’t give her any more power over us.”I glanced at them, feeling their concern wrapping around me like a blanket. But the damage was done. Ariel had already caught us. Lying now would only make things worse.“It’s too late,” I said quietly. “She’s already suspicious. Might as well just come clean.”Ariel smirked a little, clearly enjoying every second of this.“But,” I added,
SIERRAThe moment I heard Dane’s voice calling out to Ariel in the hallway, my heart stopped. I knew that tone, forced, nervous, fake. And Ariel… she wasn’t dumb. She could read people far too well, especially when it came to Dane.I barely had time to brace myself before the door creaked open.“There you all are,” Ariel said, stepping inside with a sweet smile that made my stomach turn. Her eyes flicked from face to face, sharp and calculating. “Funny thing… I had a feeling you were up to something.”I stepped forward quickly, swallowing the fear in my throat. “We’re not,” I said, forcing my voice to stay calm. “We’re just… tired. Talking. Trying to figure out how to live with all of this.”Ariel’s gaze settled on me. Her smile didn’t reach her eyes. “You always did lie poorly, Sierra.”“We’re not lying,” I said quickly. I tried to keep my face blank, even though my pulse was racing. “You think if we were plotting something, we’d all be in the same room with the door unlocked?”Zane
SIERRA“What do you mean you figured it out?” I asked Alpha Thane, stepping closer to him, my voice a little louder than I meant it to be. My heart was still pounding from everything that had just happened, and the last thing I needed was another mystery.Alpha Thane held up a hand calmly. “I mean, I know how to break the bond. Not on my own,” he added quickly, seeing the hopeful spark in my eyes. “But I know someone who can help us.”“Who?” Kane asked beside me, his jaw tight with tension.“An old warlock,” Alpha Thane answered. “Powerful. Wise. He helped my father during the old wars. If anyone can teach Sierra how to activate the bind properly and destroy it, it’s him.”I blinked, trying to process that. “You mean… I have the power to break the bond, but I don’t know how to use it.”“Exactly,” Alpha Thane nodded. “You’ve barely scratched the surface of what you’re capable of. That’s why Ariel’s getting away with this. She’s counting on you not knowing.”I swallowed, my throat dry.
SIERRAI stood stiffly, my jaw clenched so tight I could feel my teeth grinding. The room was filled with tension so thick it felt like we could slice it with a knife; ironically, that’s exactly what Ariel had just done.She was humming. Humming like everything was normal. Like we weren’t in the middle of a hostage situation. Then, without a word of warning, she picked up the knife from earlier and dragged the blade across her palm with a careless flick.The sound was soft, almost nothing, but the moment that tiny line of blood welled up on her hand, the baby let out a loud, distressed wail from the next room.My heart dropped.“What did you do?” I asked, my voice trembling. My eyes went wide as I took a step forward, fear creeping into every part of me.Ariel just smirked and looked down at her bleeding hand. “Oops.”Dane, Kane, and Zane were already moving, their faces pale, eyes locked on Ariel’s hand like it were made of fire.“You’re linked,” Zane whispered in horror.“Now you’re
SIERRAI stood frozen, my fists clenched so tightly my knuckles turned white. Ariel's smug grin burned into my vision, and the memory of her lips pressed against Dane's was a brand searing into my mind. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat echoing the fury building inside me."You think this is a game?" I spat, my voice trembling with barely contained rage.Ariel's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Oh, Sierra, always so dramatic. It's just a kiss."I took a step forward, the air around me crackling with energy. "Stay away from him."She tilted her head, feigning innocence. "Or what? You'll hurt me? Go ahead. But remember, hurting me means hurting your sister."I froze, the weight of her words crashing down on me. The bond between us meant any pain I inflicted on Ariel would be mirrored in my sister. I couldn't risk that.Dane stepped between us, his tall frame blocking me from Ariel's view. His jaw was tight, eyes locked on mine, full of worry and restraint. "Sierra, don't," he
SIERRAI stood rooted to the spot, my fists clenched so tightly my nails dug into my palms. Every nerve in my body was on fire, screaming at me to do something—anything. But I couldn’t. Not with the way she was holding us hostage.Ariel sat on the edge of the bed like it was her throne, her long legs crossed, her eyes gleaming with amusement as she slowly reached for the knife resting beside her. My stomach twisted.She lifted the blade with the ease of someone holding a spoon, turning it slightly so the metal caught the light. Her lips curled into a smug, knowing smile. I hated that smile. I hated that she looked so calm, like she was in complete control—because right now, she was.Then she began to trace the knife around her finger. Slowly. Precisely. Not enough to cut, but just enough to make her point clear. I could hear the faint scrape of metal on skin, and I wanted to scream.“You know,” she said sweetly, her voice light and mocking, “this could get messy. But it doesn’t have t
SIERRAI stood by the doorway, my arms crossed tightly against my chest as I watched Ariel lounging across the bed like she owned the place. The room had started to take on her scent, something sharp, overpowering, and just wrong. It was mixed with the familiar smell of the house, and I hated it. Every part of me screamed to push her out, to slam the door and throw her into the street where she belonged, but I couldn’t. Not yet.Her presence felt like a violation, an infection spreading through the walls of my home. My home. The one place where I should feel safe. But now, with her in it, everything felt different, off, wrong. She didn’t belong here. She had no right to be here. But the sick part was, she knew she had me trapped. She was the puppet master, and I was the one tangled in her strings. I couldn’t even defend myself properly because of the spell she had over me. And that made it worse. So much worse.She caught my eye as if she had been waiting for me to react. Her lips str
SIERRAAfter lunch, I went straight to my mother’s room. I needed to see her. I needed to see my baby. Just a few minutes with them always gave me the strength I needed to keep going. The moment I opened the door, the smell of herbs and warm blankets hit me. It was comforting. Safe.My mother was sitting on the edge of the bed, gently rocking my daughter in her arms. The baby was wrapped in a soft pink blanket, her tiny hands peeking out now and then as she stirred.“Hey,” I whispered, walking in slowly.Mom looked up at me. Her face was tired, but there was a soft smile tugging at her lips. “She just finished feeding,” she said quietly, “She’s sleepy now.”I sat down beside her, brushing my fingers gently over the baby’s cheek. Her skin was so soft. So warm. It made my heart ache in ways I couldn’t explain.“Thank you for taking care of her,” I said softly, watching the little rise and fall of her chest. She looked so peaceful.“You don’t have to thank me, Sierra,” Mom said, glancing