SIERRAI slammed the door behind me, my heart pounding in my chest as anger and guilt churned inside me. I couldn’t believe what had just happened. The weight of everything, the guilt, the frustration, the pressure, was too much. My mind was a mess, full of things I couldn’t even begin to sort through.I stormed down the hall, not even acknowledging the few guards and maids who looked at me with concern. They wouldn’t understand. No one would. I felt completely alone in this.I reached the door leading outside and didn’t hesitate. I pushed it open and ran into the woods. The cool night air hit me, and I didn’t care about the dampness on my skin or the sound of the trees swaying. I just needed to be away from it all.The moon hung above, its pale light distant and cold. I could feel its pull, the connection we all had to it, but tonight, it only reminded me of how isolated I felt. How suffocated I was by.I couldn’t hold it in anymore.Without thinking, I threw my head back and howled
SIERRAI couldn't stop pacing. The thoughts were all over the place, Harold's words, the baby... my sister. It felt like my mind was spinning out of control. I didn’t know what to do. I could feel the weight of everything pressing down on me, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake it off."Stop pacing," Alpha Thane said. He didn’t even sound annoyed, just tired. "It won’t help.""I know," I snapped, running my hands through my hair. "But I can’t just sit still. I have to do something. I need to find my sister. Now.""You need to rest," he said, his voice calm. "We’ve already called Gerald. He’ll be here soon to help. Right now, you need to let your mother rest."I was the one who was supposed to fix this, not them."Your Majesty, this isn’t about resting. Harold’s going after my sister, not me. It’s me he wants, and I can’t let anyone else get hurt because of me."He stepped forward, closing the distance between us. "Sierra, we do this together. You’re not alone in this, oka
ZANEI woke up before anyone else, the quiet of the house sinking deep into my bones. Something felt off. My instincts told me Sierra wasn’t there. I stood up and walked over to her bed, half-expecting to find her still asleep, but the bed was empty.I frowned, my mind racing.“Where was she?” I muttered to myself.I wandered down the hall, knocking softly on a few doors, but no sign of her. Then I ended up in the kitchen where I found Luna Maya. She was stirring something in a pot, but her eyes were tired, and there was a sadness that made my heart tug.“Maya?” I said, leaning against the doorframe. “Have you seen Sierra?”She didn’t look up at first, still focused on her task. When she did finally turn, her eyes were tired but full of concern. “Sierra? No, I haven’t. Why? Is she not in her room?”I felt a tightness in my chest. “I don’t know... I can’t find her anywhere. Have you seen her this morning?”She sighed and set the spoon down. “No... I haven’t. She’s been distant, Zane. E
SIERRA I sighed deeply as I arrived at the third tower. It had been a long, exhausting day. The first two towers hadn’t led me anywhere. The sisters there had told me Harold wasn’t there, and neither was my sister. But I had a feeling this tower would be different. It had to be. My gut was telling me that everything was going to change here. I pushed open the door and stepped inside, preparing myself for anything. But what I saw took me by surprise. The tower wasn’t as dark and dangerous as I had expected. Instead, there was a feast happening. Music, laughter, food, and drinks were all around me. I froze for a moment, unsure of what to do. It felt so… out of place. A woman noticed me standing there and walked toward me. She wore a simple white robe, her face kind but cautious. “Ah, you are?” “I’m Sierra,” I replied. “ Welcome.” I barely nodded, too stunned by the scene to speak. “I’m looking for my sister. She’s been taken by Harold. He’s—” The woman nodded, cutting me off. “We
ZANE I stood with my brothers, our eyes glued to the maps Gerald had spread out on the table. The pressure was on, Sierra and her baby were out there somewhere, and we had no time to waste. Gerald was going over the potential places where Harold could’ve taken them, but honestly, the more we looked, the more I felt the panic bubbling up inside me. “Look at these places,” Gerald said, pointing to ten locations on the map. “I’m sure Harold’s hiding them in one of these spots. He is not stupid. He’d go somewhere remote, somewhere with no civilization to keep his movements quiet.” I stared at the maps but couldn’t focus. My mind was on Sierra. Was she okay? Was the baby safe? My gut twisted in knots, the worry tightening around my chest like a vice. I needed to do something, anything. “Do we have to search all of these?” Dane asked, his voice laced with frustration. “There’s so much ground to cover.” “Yeah, we do,” Gerald replied. “I’m telling you, we have to check every one of these
KANEWe all gathered by the door, our faces grim but determined. We knew this was it. We were going out there, and we weren’t coming back without Sierra and the baby.Dane turned to face us, his eyes hard. “No one’s getting left behind. We do this together. We’re a team.”Zane nodded. “We find her. No matter what.”I clenched my fists. “We won’t stop. We get them back, no matter what it takes.”And with that, we headed out. Every step I took felt heavy, but I kept my head up. We weren’t going to fail. Not this time.We were going to bring her home.I sat by the campfire, trying to keep my mind off the darkness that seemed to be swallowing me whole. The air was cold, the silence heavy, and the only sound was the crackling of the fire. My brothers were around me, but I barely noticed them anymore. I couldn’t stop thinking about Sierra. She’s always been stubborn, always doing things her way and never thinking about the consequences. I just... I couldn't understand why she had to put her
ZANEThe air was thick with tension as we stood under the moonlight. I looked at the woman standing a few feet away, her hood casting shadows over her face. She had offered to lead us to a convent where she claimed we might find Sierra or at least some clue about her.I turned to my brothers, my gut twisting. “Do you guys really think this is a good idea?” I asked, my voice tight. “We don’t know this woman. For all we know, this could be a trap.”Kane shrugged, his tone calm but firm. “We don’t have many options, Zane. Sierra and her baby sister are out there somewhere, and every second we waste could mean danger for them.”Dane chimed in, his voice more relaxed but equally determined. “She said she knows something, and we need all the help we can get. If this leads us to Sierra, then it’s worth the risk.”I crossed my arms, shaking my head. “Something feels off, though. Think about it. Everything’s been too smooth. This random stranger just happens to know where we should go? It does
SIERRAI opened my eyes slowly, groaning as the blinding lights stabbed into my skull like a thousand needles. Everything felt wrong, my head spun, my body ached, and I couldn’t tell how much time had passed. Days? Weeks? The haze that clouded my mind was only now starting to lift. I tried to move, but the ropes digging into my wrists reminded me I wasn’t going anywhere.The room was dark except for a harsh light hanging above me. My voice cracked as I called out weakly, “Hello? Is anyone there? Please, help me!”The heavy creak of a door opening made my heart pound. I turned my head to see him, Harold. His smug grin made my skin crawl.“Well, well,” Harold said, strolling into the room like he owned it. “The mighty Sierra, brought down by her own desperation. I knew you’d fall into my trap.”I clenched my fists, feeling the ropes bite deeper into my skin as I glared at Harold. My voice cracked as I demanded, “Where’s my sister? Where’s the baby?”Harold’s laugh was low and chilling.
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