SIERRAIt felt as though a bowl of cold water was doused on my head, I stood still watching the healer in shock."What did you just say?" My mother asked unable to take her eyes off the healer."We have to pause the procedure because she's with a child." The healer repeated."No, that's not even possible." She snapped immediately. "There's no way that is possible. Sierra can not be pregnant."Thane nodded as he watched, "What Maya is saying is the truth."I remained silent trying to think about what was going on."The last time I checked, people don't get pregnant like that." She added with a huge frown on her face as she turned towards me, "I'm sorry healer, but I advise you run your test again."The healer remained quiet as he stood without touching me, "I know this might seem sudden and ridiculous to you, but my diagnosis is never wrong." The healer said with his arms folded behind him."This is not possible, she doesn't even have a mate yet, so how is she pregnant?" My mother ask
SIERRAThane sprung into action immediately, he grabbed my hand pulling me up from the bed. "Maya! We need to leave now." He said in a panicked voice, "Hurry, grab the things you need, we can't let him capture her for a second time."I struggled to keep up with him as he dragged me to the living room. My mother appeared with a small bag, "I'm here Thane." She said, her eyes darting around the room in panic, she was still very much terrified of Alpha Elvis and I was sure that she didn't want to see him.He grabbed her by the shoulders, "Listen to me Maya, you will take Sierra far away from here, can you do that for me?" He asked.She nodded panting, "What about you?" She asked, "Aren't you coming with us?""You don't have to worry about me, the boys and I will go north to distract Elvis from getting to you guys, I'm doing this to make sure you and Sierra are safe." He said as he gave her shoulders a firm squeeze."Please stay safe Thane." She said holding his hand.He stared into her e
KANE"I think we can camp here." Dad said glancing around, "We are miles away from Elvis, it will take him quite some time before he realizes we tricked him." He added bringing out a blanket, he laid it down for Maya and Sierra to sit on."Thank you," Sierra said laying on the blankets. "My legs hurt from walking for too long." She grumbled.Maya reached for her bag and brought out two bottles of water, "Here, drink." She handed one to Sierra who gratefully took two huge gulps."Care for some?" She held out the bottle to Dad who smiled at her."Thank you." He uncaps it before drinking.I looked around, everyone was seated, and we were safe from Elvis's reach but it was just for now. Zane was seated beside Sierra and Dane was by her other side, they too were checking the surroundings.Alpha Erin sat at the far end of our camp, his eyes darting around wildly, he was still very much shaken from his encounter with Dad, he should consider himself lucky, I was very much mad at what he had d
Kane"What's happening to you?" Maya asked in panic-filled eyes as she knelt beside Sierra who couldn't stop screaming."My back! It's killing me!" She screamed with tears running down her eyes."What happened to it? How did you hurt your back?" She asked.Sierra shook her head whimpering, "I.. I don't know what happened." She cried. "It just started suddenly."We hurried towards her, "Let's lift her." I said placing my hand under her."I will arrange a makeshift bed for her, hold on," Dane said grabbing some blankets from one of the bags. He spread the blanket on a clearing then added another to make the surface smoother and fluffy. "We can lay her down here." He said patting the blankets."Can you stand?" Zane asked, his eyes were sad as he stared at her.Sierra shook her head but made an attempt to stand up, her legs wobbled and she would have ended up face-first on the ground but thankfully, we caught her on time. I wrapped my arms around her upper half while Zane held her legs, w
KANEI exchanged looks with my brothers, they too were hesitant to speak, and their eyes moved very fast, I understood immediately what it meant, they too didn't want Dad to know.Turning to him, I sent him a nervous smile, praying under my breath that he wouldn't see past the facade."You must have misheard us Dad, we weren't talking about you." I said but his face didn't change, he kept staring at us, "You boys better not hide anything from me."Zane smiled as he scratched his hair nervously, "No, no, no Dad, we wouldn't do that." He said."We are sorry if that's what it seemed like but we aren't hiding anything from you," Dane said apologetically.It was a good idea, it was better we apologize and brush it off than allow him to hear something likely to break his heart."Yeah, we are sorry Dad, we really didn't mean to make it sound like that, we were just fooling around as usual," I said."There's nothing we haven't told you," Zane said turning to face us and we nodded in agreement
KANE"No, that's not true." Dad said shaking his head in denial, "There's no way that is possible.""Dad, I know you're finding it so hard to believe right now, but you need to trust us this once, everything we just told you is true," I said drawing closer to him."I mean, how is it even possible? Maya had never done anything to hurt any of us so why now?" He asked.Dad loved Maya, but he never ceased to show it, he has always been in love with her."It's hard, we understand but you have to do this Dad, we have to let them go," Dane said calmly."I can't believe this." He said bending down to the ground, it broke my heart to see him like this, but it was a stage we had to pass through."Dad, you have to, you have to believe us," Zane said."This is just too much." He groaned running his fingers through his hair."We understand, believe me, Dad, we understand," I said hoping it would calm her down but he shook his head."No, I don't think you do." He said getting up from where he was s
MAYAI followed closely behind the guys as they searched through the woods."Let's check over there," Kane said pointing to a small trail that had been created by constant steps of people. "You guys wait here, we'll be back," Dane said as he hurried after him, I watched as they disappeared into the bushy trail."Maya, are you alright?" Zane asked walking closer to me. I sniffled trying to wipe off my tears, "I will be fine once I see her." I replied trying to hold back a sob. "I know this is hard for you, but you need to calm down a bit, you'll end up getting a headache," Thane said from behind me, I didn't notice him coming. "I will be fine, I just need to see my daughter," I answered.Soon Dane and Kane returned from the trail, from the look on their faces, I could tell that they hadn't found anything. "There was not even a single clue, it's as though she vanished into thin air," Kane said wiping off the sweat on his forehead."The trail was as neat as hell, not even the prints
THANE"These woods have no suitable hiding place, I doubt she's here," Dane said as he searched through the bushes. He was right, the forest was home mostly to shrubs and little pests, yet that was what made it even more suspicious, men like Elvis tend to act in a manner that would surprise people, he knew how people thought and what they expected so he works oppositely. "I wonder if Elvis has her," Zane muttered as though he was talking to himself. "If he does have her, how and when did he sneak on us?" He asked frowning. "We could have caught his smell miles before he got close," Dane added."That's if he doesn't hide his scent." Kane countered. "Keep searching, Sierra has to be somewhere," I said and they moved to work immediately. We got to a crossroad, the trail we had been walking through was split into two. "I guess this is where we go our separate ways," Zane said causally shrugging his shoulders. I knew he was worried, they all were, she was their mate as much as I found
SIERRAI gasped as my eyes flew open, my body jerking upright. My chest felt like it was caving in, my throat raw like I had been screaming for hours. The room was dark, the air thick with something I couldn’t name. My hands trembled as I clutched at the sheets, trying to ground myself, trying to make sense of where I was.“Sierra!”Hands gripped my arms, firm, steady, holding me in place like I might collapse at any second. My head snapped toward the voices. Zane. Kane. Dane. All of them hovering over me, eyes filled with worry, their faces tense. The warmth of their touch should have reassured me, but it only made the panic claw deeper into my chest.“What’s wrong?” Dane’s voice was sharp, demanding, like he needed to know immediately.“You screamed,” Kane added, his grip on me tightening. His jaw was clenched, his brows furrowed. “You scared the hell out of us.”I tried to swallow, but my throat was too dry. My breaths came in short, uneven gasps. My heart pounded so hard it hurt,
SIERRAI blinked.Once.Twice.The ceiling above me wasn’t familiar. The walls were different. Everything was different.I sat up fast, my heart slamming against my ribs.Where the hell was I?The air was thick, pressing against my skin like invisible hands. Heavy. Unnatural. It clung to me, making it hard to breathe. I swallowed, forcing myself to stay calm.The room was dim, the light coming from… nowhere. No lamps, no windows, but still, a glow. Faint. Cold. My fingers curled into the sheets beneath me, silk. Soft, too soft. It sent a chill through me. This wasn’t my bed. This wasn’t my room.I turned my head, scanning the space. Large. Empty. The walls stretched endlessly, shifting between deep blue and silver, almost like they were alive, moving, breathing. The air hummed with something ancient, something powerful. My stomach twisted.Nothing made sense.And then I saw her.Standing in the corner, silent.A presence too strong to be ignored.Silver hair cascaded down her back, sh
SIERRAThe second I stepped inside, I froze.Blood. So much blood. It stained the floor, the walls, the furniture. The smell of it, thick, metallic hung in the air, making my stomach turn. My heart pounded as my eyes darted to my friends, their faces pale, their clothes splattered in red.“What the hell happened here?” My voice came out sharp, urgent.Kane wiped a hand down his face, smearing red across his cheek. “Sierra…”I looked at Zane, then Dane. They all looked shaken.“Someone tell me what happened,” I demanded.Dane swallowed hard. “Astrid came.”I frowned. “What?”Zane exhaled, rubbing his temples. “She showed up out of nowhere. She was bleeding, barely able to stand. She tried to talk, but…”“She exploded,” Kane finished, his voice flat.I blinked. “She what?”They all exchanged glances, like they weren’t sure how to say it again. Like somehow, saying it out loud would make it more real.Dane cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck. “She… exploded. Like, literally.
KANE“Hurry up, Dane! That banner looks like it’s about to fall.”Dane grumbled as he adjusted the string, his fingers fumbling with the knot. “If you’re so concerned, do it yourself.”I rolled my eyes. “I would, but someone has to make sure the cake doesn’t end up on the floor like last time.”Zane snorted from across the room as he stacked plates on the table. “That was one time. Let it go.”“One time was enough,” I shot back, giving him a pointed look. “Sierra nearly cried.”Alpha Thane chuckled as he set down a crate of drinks. “I can’t believe you boys planned all this. Sierra’s going to love it.”I smiled, glancing around the room. Balloons, streamers, and twinkling lights covered the walls. A table was stacked with gifts, food, and an enormous cake that, this time, was safely positioned far from the edges.“She deserves it,” I said. “She’s been through too much.”Dane climbed down from the chair, wiping his hands. “Yeah, and she never asks for anything in return. This is the le
SIERRAI blinked. The room was spinning, and my body was heavy like I had been dragged through a storm. My throat was dry, and my head ached like I had been fighting in my sleep.Voices. So many voices.“Sierra?”I turned my head, confused by the way everyone was looking at me, worried, scared, relieved. “What?” My voice came out rough. “What’s wrong?”Dane stepped forward first. “Is it…you?”I frowned. “What the hell does that mean?”Kane let out a breath. “Your wolf took over.”I stared at him. “What?”“You weren’t here, Sierra,” my mom said gently. “Your wolf spoke to us.”A shiver ran down my spine. “She… spoke?”Zane nodded. “Yeah. She said you’re different. That you need help.”I pressed a hand to my temple. My head was pounding. “I don’t understand.”“You don’t remember?” Kane asked.I shook my head. “No. I just… I woke up, and now you’re all looking at me like I died or something.”My mom touched my face, her warm hands grounding me. “You scared us.”I swallowed, my chest tigh
ZANEI couldn’t shake the feeling. Something was wrong.Sierra hadn’t spoken in hours. She hadn’t moved, hadn’t blinked. Just sat there, staring at the wall like she wasn’t even here. And that scared the hell out of me.I rushed to find my family. I didn’t care if I sounded crazy.“She’s not okay,” I said, breathless. “Something’s wrong with Sierra.”Luna Maya frowned. “What do you mean?”“She’s just…staring. Not talking, not moving. It’s like she’s not even in her own body.”My father stood up immediately. “Where is she?”“In her room.”We didn’t waste time. Everyone followed me, their footsteps heavy with worry. When we got there, Sierra was exactly how I left her—sitting on the edge of the bed, her hands resting on her lap, her eyes empty.“Sierra?” Luna Maya called softly.No response.“Sierra?” Dane tried, stepping closer. Still nothing.Luna Maya’s face paled. She rushed forward, kneeling in front of Sierra and grabbing her hands. “Baby, look at me,” she pleaded. “It’s Mom. Can
SIERRAThe fire was out, but my hands wouldn’t stop shaking. My heart pounded so hard it hurt. The smell of smoke still clung to the air, burning my nose, and making my throat tight. I could still hear the screams, the crackling flames, the chaos.I pressed my palms against my face, trying to push it all away. Just breathe. Just calm down. But it wasn’t working. The panic clawed at me, twisting my insides into knots. My whole body felt wrong, like I wasn’t even in control of it anymore.A warm hand landed on my shoulder. Kane. His touch was steady, grounding. “You okay?” His voice was soft, careful. But I could hear it. The worry underneath.“No,” I whispered. My voice barely worked. “I don’t think I am.”I wasn’t okay. Not even close.Dane crouched beside me, searching my face. “You want to tell us what happened?”I let out a shaky breath. Where did I even start? The dream? The fire? The fact that I was losing control over something that should’ve been mine to command? I curled my fi
SIERRA The first thing I noticed was the cold. Not the kind that gives you a little shiver and makes you pull the blanket up. This was bone-deep, icy, like I’d been dumped in a frozen lake. I blinked, confused. The soft warmth of my bed was gone. “Where am I…?” I whispered, sitting up slowly. Everything looked strange. The sky above me wasn’t blue. It wasn’t night, either. It was…gray, swirling, like thick smoke. The ground beneath me was damp and cold, like wet stone. “Hello?” I called out again, louder this time, my voice echoing back at me like I was yelling into a bottomless pit. Nothing. No answer. Just thick, suffocating silence. I swallowed hard, my heart pounding as I stood up, my legs trembling beneath me. The ground felt damp and cold, like stone soaked in icy water, and a chill raced up my spine. Wherever I was, it wasn’t anywhere normal. I squinted into the grayish haze that hung in the air, swirling around me like smoke, and that’s when I saw her. Ariel.
SIERRAIt felt so damn good to be home.The air smelled fresher, like pine and freedom, and everywhere I turned, familiar faces smiled at me. I wasn’t used to all this attention, but I couldn’t lie, it made me feel warm inside.“Can’t believe you’re really back,” Alpha Thane said as he handed me a drink. His grin stretched wide, and for once, he wasn’t scowling or trying to lecture me.“Surprise,” I teased, clinking my glass against his.“Party’s for you, you know,” he added, nodding toward the bonfire they’d just lit. “Whole pack’s been waiting for this.”I looked around and smiled. Wolves were laughing, drinking, and dancing. It felt alive. For the first time in forever, things felt right. No Ariel. No chaos. Just peace. And it was all ours.“Think they’ll fit in?” I asked, nodding toward the new wolves. They still looked a little awkward, standing in a tight group near the food table.“Give them time,” Alpha Thane said. “They’ll come around.”“Hope so,” I muttered.Just then, someo