SIERRAI tried. I really did. But the flames didn’t listen. They just kept spreading, faster and hotter, eating up everything in their path. The heat was unbearable, licking at my skin like it was hungry for me, too. My chest heaved as I coughed, desperate for air, but all I got was thick, choking smoke. It felt like it was wrapping around my throat, squeezing tighter with every second.My lungs burned, and my eyes watered so bad I could barely see anymore. Everything was just a blur of red and orange and black, swirling together like some kind of nightmare. I wiped at my face, but it didn’t help. The tears kept falling anyway.“Come on,” I whispered to myself, my voice hoarse and shaking. “Come on, Sierra. You can do this.”I reached deep inside me, searching for the fire I used to control so easily. It was supposed to be mine. It always answered me before. But this time… nothing.Nothing.Panic clawed at my chest. I tried again, harder this time, but it was like trying to grab onto
SIERRAZane stayed close, his steady presence grounding me, but inside, I was falling apart. My powers were everything, my identity, my strength, my connection to the pack. Without them, I felt hollow. Useless.A cold shiver ran down my spine despite the lingering heat in the hallway. Ariel’s voice still echoed in my mind, taunting me, her words like poison seeping into my veins.“Just an empty shell.”I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to push the thought away. No. I wasn’t broken. Not yet.Zane’s grip on my arm tightened slightly, like he could sense the spiral I was falling into. “Let’s get out of here,” he said softly, his voice calm but firm. “You need air.”I nodded, too drained to argue, and let him guide me down the hallway. My legs felt like lead, every step a struggle, but I kept moving. I had to. Stopping wasn’t an option.We stepped outside into the cool night air, and I inhaled deeply, letting the fresh scent of pine and earth fill my lungs. It helped, a little. The smoke th
SIERRAZane's voice sliced through the haze of my thoughts. "Focus, Sierra. Your mind's not here."I clenched my fists, feeling the sting of my nails digging into my palms. "I'm trying."He stepped closer, his gaze unwavering and intense. "Trying isn't enough. You need to be present. Whatever's bothering you, leave it outside."Frustration bubbled up inside me, threatening to spill over. "It's not that simple."Zane sighed, running a hand through his hair, a gesture that spoke of his own mounting frustration. "I know it's not. But if you want to regain control, you have to start somewhere."Closing my eyes for a moment, I centered myself, pushing aside the thoughts that had been plaguing me.When I opened my eyes, I met Zane's gaze, "Okay. Let's go again."He nodded, a hint of approval in his eyes. "Good. Remember, every moment you spend here is a step toward reclaiming your strength."Zane's instructions were clear and precise, guiding me through the sequences with a patience
ZANEI barged into the room, slamming the door behind me so hard it rattled in its frame. Kane, sitting cross-legged on the bed with his arms folded, looked up sharply, his frown deepening.“Zane, what the hell?” His eyes scanned my face, clearly picking up on my panic. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”“It’s Sierra,” I blurted out, my chest heaving as I tried to catch my breath. My thoughts were racing, and the words tumbled out before I could organize them properly. “Something’s wrong. Seriously wrong.”Kane immediately sat up straighter, his expression changing from irritation to concern in a split second. “What do you mean? Where is she?”“She’s losing it, man,” I said, pacing. “She was talking about the Moon Goddess, mumbling stuff I didn’t understand. Then she just… broke down. Screaming, crying… I’ve never seen her like that.”Dane ran a hand down his face, looking tense. “Ever since we came here, things have been falling apart for her.”“Tell me about it,” I muttered.“She
ASTRIDI waited until Ariel was gone. It wasn’t easy sneaking around her anymore. She seemed to be everywhere and nowhere all at once. But the moment she disappeared, I grabbed the small communicator we’d hidden under the floorboards. It was a miracle it hadn’t been destroyed yet.I pressed the button. “It’s me. We need to talk. Now.”There was silence for a few seconds, then a crackle. A deep voice answered, sounding tired and defeated. “Astrid? What do you want now?”“What do you think?” I snapped. “It’s time we fight back. We can’t keep hiding like rats while Ariel tears everything apart.”A bitter laugh echoed through the line. It was cold and sharp, the kind of laugh that made your skin crawl. “Fight back? Against her? You’ve lost it, Astrid.”“Have I?” I shot back, pacing the room in tight circles. My footsteps were almost loud enough to drown out the pounding of my heart, but not quite. “Or are we just sitting here waiting to die? Because that’s what it feels like. Every day, s
SIERRAIt felt like I couldn’t breathe. Ariel was standing right there, smirking like she owned the place, and honestly, in her mind, she probably did. She carried herself like a queen surveying her kingdom, and her energy was suffocating, pressing down on the room like a storm about to unleash destruction. It felt heavy, thick with danger, and I knew, deep down, that she could do anything she wanted, and no one here could stop her.“What do you want, Ariel?” I asked, forcing the words out even though my voice shook. I hated how small I sounded, but I couldn’t help it. She was terrifying. I tried to steady myself, but my hands were trembling, and my heart was pounding so hard I was sure everyone in the room could hear it. “Haven’t you done enough? Or are you not done torturing me yet?”Ariel tilted her head slightly, like she was thinking about it, and her eyes gleamed with amusement. That smirk on her face made my blood boil, but it also scared me. She looked like she was having fun,
SIERRAI burst out laughing. I couldn’t help it. Ariel had finally lost it. Completely.“You’re delusional,” I said, wiping a tear from the corner of my eye as the last bit of laughter slipped out. “Dane? Stay with you? That’s the best joke I’ve heard all day. You really think I’d let that happen?”Ariel tilted her head, smiling slow and smug like she knew some grand secret I didn’t. Like she was already winning some twisted game she’d invented. It made my blood boil.“Think about it,” she said sweetly, her voice practically dripping with fake innocence. Then, without giving me a chance to snap back, she vanished into thin air, leaving nothing behind except the suffocating weight of her words.I let out a shaky breath, trying to calm the anger buzzing under my skin, but it wasn’t working. My fists were still clenched, and my heart was still racing. I was about to say something, anything, to break the heavy silence she’d left behind when Dane’s voice cut through the tension.“It’d be b
ARIELThe cool night air wrapped around me as I stepped back inside, and for the first time in days, I felt at ease. A smile tugged at my lips, slow and lazy, as I let the quiet satisfaction sink in. Everything felt… right. After all the chaos, after dealing with those annoying whispers of rebellion and the endless sniveling of the others, I could finally breathe.This was my place now. My power. And everything, every vampire, every shadow in this place belonged to me.As I strolled through the dimly lit halls, I took in the sight of the vampires standing in line, their heads bowed respectfully as I passed. Obedient little soldiers. Not one of them dared look me in the eye, and that was exactly how I liked it.I hummed softly to myself, feeling unusually light. Maybe I’d throw a party later. Something extravagant. Blood, music, dancing. A night of celebration for me. I’d earned it, after all. It wasn’t easy keeping these creatures in line, but I’d done it. I’d fought my way to the top
SIERRAThe wind hit me like a punch to the chest, stealing the breath from my lungs. One second I was standing firm, ready to fight, and the next, I was spinning through the air like a leaf in a storm. My hair whipped around my face, stinging my skin, and I couldn’t even scream before everything went dark.It felt like I was falling through nothingness, tumbling helplessly with no sense of direction. My heart pounded wildly, and my mind screamed for me to get a grip, but there was nothing to grab, nothing to hold on to. Just air, and chaos, and the roaring sound of the wind in my ears.Then, bam!I hit the ground hard. Flat on my back. The impact knocked the air out of me in a single, painful gasp, and for a second, all I could do was lie there, staring up at the sky, my chest heaving as I tried to breathe. My head spun like I’d been on a roller coaster that flipped too many times.“What the hell…” I gasped, trying to sit up, though my body felt like it weighed a ton.Everything hurt.
ASTRIDAriel stood there, grinning like she owned the entire world. I hated that smile. I hated everything about her. But I wasn’t going to back down, not now. Not ever.“You think you scare me?” I said, tilting my chin up, staring her down. “What are you going to do, Ariel? Hurt me? Kill me? You already did worse to Celia.”At the mention of Celia’s name, something dark flickered in her eyes, and I knew I’d hit a nerve. But before I could savor that small victory, a sharp, searing pain exploded inside me.I gasped, doubling over as the heat spread through my veins. It felt like my blood was boiling, like fire was eating me alive from the inside.“What…” I choked out, clutching my chest.Ariel laughed, a cold, cruel sound that echoed around the room. “Even though you’re cold-blooded, Astrid, I can still make you burn.”I howled in pain, falling to my knees as the burning intensified. My vision blurred, and all I could hear was Ariel’s laughter, loud and merciless.“Stop!” I screamed,
ARIELThe room felt cooler after Elise left, and I stood there for a moment, basking in the afterglow of her compliments. It had been a long time since someone admired me so openly. Most of these vampires only followed me out of fear. But Elise? She looked at me like I was a queen. That felt… good.I shook off the feeling, flipping my hair over my shoulder. Enough of that. I wasn’t here to make friends or play nice. I was here to rule. And if what Elise said was true, it was time to remind Astrid exactly who was in charge.With that thought in mind, I made my way through the winding hallways until I reached the west wing. It didn’t take long to find her. Astrid was sprawled on a plush velvet sofa like she owned the place, one leg casually draped over the armrest. Her long silver hair shimmered in the dim light, and her red-painted lips were curled into that same smug smile she always wore. The one that made my blood simmer.She looked up lazily as I stepped inside, her ice-blue eyes n
SIERRAI stormed through the woods, my fists clenched so tight my nails were digging into my palms. I didn’t care. The pain was nothing compared to the rage boiling inside me. How dare they? How dare they even consider giving in to Ariel’s demands? After everything we’ve been through, after everything I’ve fought for, they wanted to just… hand me over like I was some kind of bargaining chip. Like I didn’t have a say in my own life.“No, no, no,” I muttered to myself, kicking a rock out of my way. “This isn’t happening. I’m not doing this. I’m not some damsel who needs saving.”But no matter how much I tried to push the anger away, it clung to me, thick and heavy, making my chest ache. I couldn’t breathe. My vision blurred with hot, angry tears, and before I knew it, I was pulling out my phone and dialing my mom.She picked up on the second ring.“Sierra, honey, what’s wrong?”I didn’t even get a word out before the tears came. Big, ugly sobs that made it hard to speak. “Mom… I… I can’
ARIELThe cool night air wrapped around me as I stepped back inside, and for the first time in days, I felt at ease. A smile tugged at my lips, slow and lazy, as I let the quiet satisfaction sink in. Everything felt… right. After all the chaos, after dealing with those annoying whispers of rebellion and the endless sniveling of the others, I could finally breathe.This was my place now. My power. And everything, every vampire, every shadow in this place belonged to me.As I strolled through the dimly lit halls, I took in the sight of the vampires standing in line, their heads bowed respectfully as I passed. Obedient little soldiers. Not one of them dared look me in the eye, and that was exactly how I liked it.I hummed softly to myself, feeling unusually light. Maybe I’d throw a party later. Something extravagant. Blood, music, dancing. A night of celebration for me. I’d earned it, after all. It wasn’t easy keeping these creatures in line, but I’d done it. I’d fought my way to the top
SIERRAI burst out laughing. I couldn’t help it. Ariel had finally lost it. Completely.“You’re delusional,” I said, wiping a tear from the corner of my eye as the last bit of laughter slipped out. “Dane? Stay with you? That’s the best joke I’ve heard all day. You really think I’d let that happen?”Ariel tilted her head, smiling slow and smug like she knew some grand secret I didn’t. Like she was already winning some twisted game she’d invented. It made my blood boil.“Think about it,” she said sweetly, her voice practically dripping with fake innocence. Then, without giving me a chance to snap back, she vanished into thin air, leaving nothing behind except the suffocating weight of her words.I let out a shaky breath, trying to calm the anger buzzing under my skin, but it wasn’t working. My fists were still clenched, and my heart was still racing. I was about to say something, anything, to break the heavy silence she’d left behind when Dane’s voice cut through the tension.“It’d be b
SIERRAIt felt like I couldn’t breathe. Ariel was standing right there, smirking like she owned the place, and honestly, in her mind, she probably did. She carried herself like a queen surveying her kingdom, and her energy was suffocating, pressing down on the room like a storm about to unleash destruction. It felt heavy, thick with danger, and I knew, deep down, that she could do anything she wanted, and no one here could stop her.“What do you want, Ariel?” I asked, forcing the words out even though my voice shook. I hated how small I sounded, but I couldn’t help it. She was terrifying. I tried to steady myself, but my hands were trembling, and my heart was pounding so hard I was sure everyone in the room could hear it. “Haven’t you done enough? Or are you not done torturing me yet?”Ariel tilted her head slightly, like she was thinking about it, and her eyes gleamed with amusement. That smirk on her face made my blood boil, but it also scared me. She looked like she was having fun,
ASTRIDI waited until Ariel was gone. It wasn’t easy sneaking around her anymore. She seemed to be everywhere and nowhere all at once. But the moment she disappeared, I grabbed the small communicator we’d hidden under the floorboards. It was a miracle it hadn’t been destroyed yet.I pressed the button. “It’s me. We need to talk. Now.”There was silence for a few seconds, then a crackle. A deep voice answered, sounding tired and defeated. “Astrid? What do you want now?”“What do you think?” I snapped. “It’s time we fight back. We can’t keep hiding like rats while Ariel tears everything apart.”A bitter laugh echoed through the line. It was cold and sharp, the kind of laugh that made your skin crawl. “Fight back? Against her? You’ve lost it, Astrid.”“Have I?” I shot back, pacing the room in tight circles. My footsteps were almost loud enough to drown out the pounding of my heart, but not quite. “Or are we just sitting here waiting to die? Because that’s what it feels like. Every day, s
ZANEI barged into the room, slamming the door behind me so hard it rattled in its frame. Kane, sitting cross-legged on the bed with his arms folded, looked up sharply, his frown deepening.“Zane, what the hell?” His eyes scanned my face, clearly picking up on my panic. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”“It’s Sierra,” I blurted out, my chest heaving as I tried to catch my breath. My thoughts were racing, and the words tumbled out before I could organize them properly. “Something’s wrong. Seriously wrong.”Kane immediately sat up straighter, his expression changing from irritation to concern in a split second. “What do you mean? Where is she?”“She’s losing it, man,” I said, pacing. “She was talking about the Moon Goddess, mumbling stuff I didn’t understand. Then she just… broke down. Screaming, crying… I’ve never seen her like that.”Dane ran a hand down his face, looking tense. “Ever since we came here, things have been falling apart for her.”“Tell me about it,” I muttered.“She