SIERRADarkness surrounded me, thick and endless, pressing against my skin like a heavy blanket. Then suddenly, light. Blinding, golden light.I gasped, stumbling forward as my feet hit solid ground. My breath came in sharp bursts. This wasn’t the house. This wasn’t anywhere I recognized. The air felt heavy, and charged, like it hummed with energy.Voices whispered all around me, low and urgent.“She’s here.”“She finally made it.”I turned, my eyes scanning the unfamiliar world. My heart nearly stopped when I saw them, figures that looked eerily familiar.Zane? Dane? Kane?No. Not them. Not exactly. Their features were similar, but there was something different about them. Their eyes held an unnatural glow, like reflections of a world I didn’t understand. The way they stood, the way they carried themselves, it was as if they were caught between existing and fading away.And they were all staring right at me.“You see us,” one of them said, stepping forward. His voice was calm, almost
SIERRAThe light around me grew brighter and brighter until I couldn’t see anything at all. My body felt weightless like I was floating through space.Then, just as suddenly as it had begun, it stopped.I was back.I gasped as my eyes shot open, my heart pounding against my ribs. The room spun for a moment before settling into focus. I was back. The dim glow of the bedside lamp cast shadows across the walls, and the steady rise and fall of breathing filled the space. I turned my head and saw the boys sprawled out beside me, all asleep. My body felt heavy, and drained, but my mind raced with everything I had just seen.A rustle beside me made me jump. My body felt heavy, my limbs sluggish, as if I had been weighed down by something unseen. Before I could process anything, a familiar voice broke through the fog in my mind.“Sierra!”Dane’s voice was thick with relief. His strong hands reached for mine, squeezing tightly, grounding me in reality. His eyes, dark with worry, searched my fa
SIERRAI knelt beside one of the fallen locals, pressing two fingers against his neck. His pulse was steady, his chest rising and falling as if he were simply asleep. But no matter how much I shook him, called his name, or even lightly slapped his cheek, he wouldn’t wake up.“They’re in a trance,” I muttered, realization sinking in. My heart pounded. This wasn’t just some spell, it was powerful, something dark.Dane crouched beside me, his expression grim. “Can you break it?”“I don’t know.” I swallowed hard, looking around. More bodies lay scattered, lifeless yet breathing. A shiver ran down my spine.A gust of wind rushed past us, and I turned sharply. Alpha Thane stood at the edge of the clearing, his eyes scanning the scene. “I felt something was wrong,” he said, striding toward us. “What happened?”I quickly explained everything, the spirits, the grandmother, the girl’s uncontrolled powers. His face hardened as I spoke. When I finished, he exhaled sharply.“We don’t have much tim
SIERRAThe air crackled with energy, thick and heavy, making it hard to breathe. I barely had time to react before a powerful force exploded from the girl’s body, knocking me and the boys backward. I hit the ground hard, my palms scraping against the rough dirt. My ears rang from the sudden blast, and my heart pounded wildly in my chest.Around us, objects lifted into the air, stones, broken branches, even small patches of dirt. They spun wildly, caught in an invisible storm that had no wind. The ground beneath us shook violently, as if it were alive, trembling under the weight of the girl’s power.“Get down!” Dane shouted. His strong hand grabbed my arm and yanked me to the side just as a thick tree branch snapped free from above. It hurtled toward us, slicing through the air like a thrown spear. It crashed into the ground inches from where we had just been standing, sinking deep into the dirt with a loud, sickening crunch. My breath hitched. If we had moved a second later, that woul
SIERRAThe dark mist thickened around the cave, pulsing like a living heartbeat. The grandmother’s voice grew louder, her ancient words echoing through the night. Every syllable sent a shiver down my spine.“We have to stop her!” I shouted, gripping Dane’s arm. “Now!”Alpha Thane growled, stepping forward. “We must break the ritual before it’s too late.”I raised my hands, willing my power to surge forward, to do something, anything. But nothing happened. My mind was blank, my body frozen. It was like I had forgotten how to use my own magic.“Damn it!” I hissed, frustration bubbling in my chest.Kane grabbed my shoulders, forcing me to look at him. “Sierra, focus! You can do this. Just remember how!”“I…I don’t know how!” My voice cracked, my breathing ragged.The grandmother laughed, her eyes gleaming with victory. “It’s too late, child. You can’t stop what has already begun.”The villagers suddenly twitched, their bodies jerking as if strings controlled them. Their blank eyes filled
SIERRAThe night air was thick with fear. I could feel it pressing against me, swirling around the town like a ghost. The vampires had grown stronger, and everyone knew it. Their attacks were getting bolder, their hunger more relentless. We were running out of time.“This is madness,” a villager muttered, his voice shaky. “We can’t fight them. We should leave while we still can.”Murmurs of agreement spread through the gathered crowd. People clutched their loved ones, their eyes darting toward the woods as if expecting a vampire to leap out at any moment.“We don’t stand a chance,” another woman whispered. “They’re too strong.”A man stepped forward, his face pale. “My wife and son are already gone. I won’t lose my daughter, too.”I clenched my fists. “Running won’t save you,” I said firmly, scanning the crowd. “The vampires won’t stop at just this town. They’ll follow you. They’ll take everything.”Silence fell over the villagers. Some avoided my gaze, shifting uncomfortably. Others
SIERRAThe forest was silent, almost too silent. Dane moved ahead of me, his sharp eyes scanning every shadow, while Zane walked beside me, his body tense and ready for a fight. The map in my hands felt heavier than it should as if it carried the weight of every failed attempt before us.“We need to move fast,” Dane whispered. “The longer we stay out here, the more likely they’ll sense us.”I nodded. “Stay close. We can’t afford to be separated.”We pressed on, careful with every step. Then, the air around us shifted. A cold gust of wind blew through the trees, carrying a strange scent, something old, something rotten.Zane stiffened. “Do you smell that?”I swallowed hard. “Yeah. Death.”As we stepped forward, the ground beneath us changed. The lush forest floor gave way to something unnatural, a graveyard. But this wasn’t just any graveyard. Broken weapons lay scattered among the graves, burnt stakes sticking out of the earth like forgotten warnings.“This place…” Dane muttered, crou
SIERRADane was the first to break the silence. “Isolde?” he echoed, his voice filled with disbelief. “What the hell is she talking about, Sierra?”I swallowed hard, shaking my head. “I don’t know,” I admitted. “And honestly? I don’t care right now.”Zane’s grip tightened around his blade. “You don’t care? Some stranger just called you by another name, an old name. What if this means something?”“It doesn’t matter,” I insisted. “What matters is stopping these vampires before they tear this town apart. We have a mission.”“What about her warning, Isolde? The past will not stay buried.” Zane said, his eyes narrowing slightly.I clenched my fists. “Whatever that means, I’ll deal with it later. Right now, we need to find the white oak stake. I have to protect everyone in this village, and that can be done with the oak tree.”Zane exhaled sharply. “Are you sure about this?”“Yes,” I said firmly. “I need you both to help me find it.”Dane and Zane exchanged uneasy glances. It was clear they
SIERRAThe world around me blurred as I gasped, my chest tightening with panic. Dane, Kane, Zane, everyone was in danger. The storm was still raging, the ground still cracking beneath us. But something was off. My thoughts felt heavy, my mind clouded. Then, it hit me.The vampires. They were in my head.They had done this so I wouldn’t be able to save them. My heart pounded as I forced myself to push past the haze. I reached deep inside, tapping into the energy that had always been there but now felt like it was slipping away. No. I wasn’t going to let them win. I clenched my fists, focused, and let my power surge through me.A sharp pain stabbed through my skull, but I didn’t let it stop me. The vampires were trying to break me, to keep me locked in this mental prison, but they underestimated me. I took a deep breath, drowning out the chaos, and reached for the bond that connected me to my pack. Dane, Kane, and Zane were fighting, struggling, and I could feel their desperation. They
SIERRAThe sun's warmth kissed my skin as I walked barefoot along the soft sand. The ocean stretched endlessly before me, its waves rolling gently onto the shore. The sky was clear, a brilliant blue, with the sun shining bright and high. Everything was perfect and peaceful.And yet, deep inside, I knew something was wrong. I shouldn’t be here.Frowning, I stopped walking and turned my gaze to the sky. “Moon Goddess,” I called out. “Why am I here?”Silence. Only the soothing crash of waves answered me. The air was fresh, carrying the faint scent of salt and warmth. My fingers curled at my sides. Something about this place felt… too perfect.I turned in a slow circle, searching for any sign of movement. Nothing. Just endless sand and water, stretching far beyond what seemed real. My heart pounded.“Moon Goddess,” I tried again, louder this time. “Please, show yourself.”A gentle breeze wrapped around me, warm and soft, like a mother’s embrace. Then, she appeared.The Moon Goddess stood
ZANESierra still wasn’t waking up.I ran a hand through my hair, pacing the length of the room while Dane and Kane hovered around her unconscious form. It had been hours since she blacked out, and no matter what we did, shaking her, calling her name, even trying to tap into our bond, nothing worked.“She’s never been out this long before,” Dane muttered, his voice laced with frustration and worry. He sat at the edge of the bed, gripping Sierra’s limp hand. “What if…”“Don’t say it,” I snapped, cutting him off before he could voice the worst possible outcome. The thought of losing her, of something worse happening, made my chest tighten. “She’ll wake up. She has to.”Dane exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. His jaw was clenched, his eyes never leaving Sierra’s still form. Her breathing was steady but shallow, her face pale against the pillows. It had been hours, longer than any of the other times she had blacked out. This wasn’t normal.Kane leaned against the wall, arms
SIERRAThe silence was deafening. My breath came in ragged gasps as I stared at the devastation around me. The cursed woods were gone…nothing but smoldering remains stretching as far as I could see. The once towering trees, the suffocating darkness, the whispers that had clawed into my mind…everything had been reduced to ash.My hands trembled at my sides, faint embers still flickering around my fingertips. I clenched them into fists, my heart hammering against my ribs. I could feel the heat still lingering on my skin, but inside, I was cold. Completely numb.A hand touched my shoulder. I flinched, turning sharply to see Zane watching me with wide eyes. “Sierra… what the hell happened?”Dane stood beside him, his gaze flickering between me and the burned landscape, his brows furrowed. “The nightmare… it’s gone,” he murmured as if trying to convince himself that what he was seeing was real.I swallowed, my throat dry and tight. “The vampires… and the woods… they got into my head.” My v
SIERRAThe moment we stepped deeper into the cursed woods, I knew something was wrong. The air was thick and suffocating, pressing against my skin like an invisible force. Shadows twisted unnaturally, stretching and moving as if they were alive. The whispers started softly at first, just a faint murmur in the wind, but then they grew louder."Isolde..." a voice hissed in my head.I stiffened. Not that name again."Do you hear that?" I asked, glancing at Zane and Dane.Zane frowned, his grip tightening around his weapon. "Hear what?"Dane, however, had gone completely still. His breathing was heavy, and his hands were clenched into fists. "They’re laughing at us," he muttered. "Mocking us. They think we’re weak."I swallowed hard, realizing they were hearing different things. This was the woods’ doing, twisting reality to turn us against each other."Dane, it’s not real," I said quickly, reaching for him. "Whatever you’re hearing, whatever you’re feeling—it’s the curse. We have to figh
SIERRADane was the first to break the silence. “Isolde?” he echoed, his voice filled with disbelief. “What the hell is she talking about, Sierra?”I swallowed hard, shaking my head. “I don’t know,” I admitted. “And honestly? I don’t care right now.”Zane’s grip tightened around his blade. “You don’t care? Some stranger just called you by another name, an old name. What if this means something?”“It doesn’t matter,” I insisted. “What matters is stopping these vampires before they tear this town apart. We have a mission.”“What about her warning, Isolde? The past will not stay buried.” Zane said, his eyes narrowing slightly.I clenched my fists. “Whatever that means, I’ll deal with it later. Right now, we need to find the white oak stake. I have to protect everyone in this village, and that can be done with the oak tree.”Zane exhaled sharply. “Are you sure about this?”“Yes,” I said firmly. “I need you both to help me find it.”Dane and Zane exchanged uneasy glances. It was clear they
SIERRAThe forest was silent, almost too silent. Dane moved ahead of me, his sharp eyes scanning every shadow, while Zane walked beside me, his body tense and ready for a fight. The map in my hands felt heavier than it should as if it carried the weight of every failed attempt before us.“We need to move fast,” Dane whispered. “The longer we stay out here, the more likely they’ll sense us.”I nodded. “Stay close. We can’t afford to be separated.”We pressed on, careful with every step. Then, the air around us shifted. A cold gust of wind blew through the trees, carrying a strange scent, something old, something rotten.Zane stiffened. “Do you smell that?”I swallowed hard. “Yeah. Death.”As we stepped forward, the ground beneath us changed. The lush forest floor gave way to something unnatural, a graveyard. But this wasn’t just any graveyard. Broken weapons lay scattered among the graves, burnt stakes sticking out of the earth like forgotten warnings.“This place…” Dane muttered, crou
SIERRAThe night air was thick with fear. I could feel it pressing against me, swirling around the town like a ghost. The vampires had grown stronger, and everyone knew it. Their attacks were getting bolder, their hunger more relentless. We were running out of time.“This is madness,” a villager muttered, his voice shaky. “We can’t fight them. We should leave while we still can.”Murmurs of agreement spread through the gathered crowd. People clutched their loved ones, their eyes darting toward the woods as if expecting a vampire to leap out at any moment.“We don’t stand a chance,” another woman whispered. “They’re too strong.”A man stepped forward, his face pale. “My wife and son are already gone. I won’t lose my daughter, too.”I clenched my fists. “Running won’t save you,” I said firmly, scanning the crowd. “The vampires won’t stop at just this town. They’ll follow you. They’ll take everything.”Silence fell over the villagers. Some avoided my gaze, shifting uncomfortably. Others
SIERRAThe dark mist thickened around the cave, pulsing like a living heartbeat. The grandmother’s voice grew louder, her ancient words echoing through the night. Every syllable sent a shiver down my spine.“We have to stop her!” I shouted, gripping Dane’s arm. “Now!”Alpha Thane growled, stepping forward. “We must break the ritual before it’s too late.”I raised my hands, willing my power to surge forward, to do something, anything. But nothing happened. My mind was blank, my body frozen. It was like I had forgotten how to use my own magic.“Damn it!” I hissed, frustration bubbling in my chest.Kane grabbed my shoulders, forcing me to look at him. “Sierra, focus! You can do this. Just remember how!”“I…I don’t know how!” My voice cracked, my breathing ragged.The grandmother laughed, her eyes gleaming with victory. “It’s too late, child. You can’t stop what has already begun.”The villagers suddenly twitched, their bodies jerking as if strings controlled them. Their blank eyes filled