SIERRAI clenched my fists, staring at my mother. She hadn’t stopped crying. Not for a second. No matter what I said, no matter what Alpha Thane said, she just kept sobbing like the world had shattered beneath her feet.“Mom, please,” I whispered, kneeling beside her. “We’ll find her. Kane and the others are already tracking her scent.”She didn’t answer. Didn’t even blink. Just rocked back and forth, her hands gripping the fabric of her dress like it was the only thing keeping her together. Her breaths came in sharp gasps, her shoulders shaking with the weight of her grief.I reached for her hand, my fingers barely brushing hers. “Mom…”She flinched away.Like I burned her.I pulled back, my throat tightening.Alpha Thane stepped closer, his expression hard, unreadable. “She won’t hear you, Sierra.”I turned to him, desperate. “She has to. I can’t just…” I gestured helplessly. “I can’t just leave her like this.”“She’s already gone,” he muttered.I shook my head. “No. She’s just…” I
SIERRAI stood there, the weight of everything pressing down on me. The garden, once so peaceful, felt suffocating now. The smell of the flowers wasn’t enough to mask the sour, bitter taste in the back of my throat. I tried to swallow it down, but it wouldn’t go away. Nothing seemed to.I could hear the distant sound of footsteps, the crunch of gravel under heavy boots. The wolf troopers had returned. My heart skipped, hope rising in my chest. Maybe…just maybe, there was news, something that would make sense of everything. But when Kane and the others came into view, their faces said it all.Nothing.Not a single trace of her scent.I felt my stomach drop."Where is she?" I asked, barely able to get the words out. My voice cracked, betraying the tears I was desperately holding back.Kane’s face was grim, his jaw tight. He didn’t even look at me. He just shook his head. “Gone. It’s like she vanished.”I didn’t know what to say. How could I? What was there to say? Ariel had always been
SIERRA"I hear her. I swear I hear her."Zane turned to me slowly, his brows pinched like he was scared of what I might say next. "Sierra, who?""Ariel." My voice cracked, barely a whisper by the time it left my mouth. "She’s talking to me. In my head."Dane stepped closer, his frown deepening. "Are you sure?""Yes," I said quickly, too quickly. My heart was racing. "She’s mocking me. Laughing. Saying I failed. Over and over again. It’s her. I know her voice. I know it."Kane’s eyes narrowed as he looked at me, then exchanged glances with the others. "Sierra, nobody else hears anything.""It doesn’t matter," I said, gripping my arms tight as if I could hold myself together with just my fingers. "I do."Zane took a small step toward me, reaching out like I was a wild animal. "You’ve been through a lot. Your mind’s just…""I’m not crazy!" I shouted, my voice rising high and sharp.Silence dropped like a stone.No one spoke.No one breathed.Tears burned behind my eyes but I blinked them
SIERRAWe stepped inside the room and shut the door behind us. My mom was still crying, her shoulders shaking like her whole world was crumbling.“Mom…” I whispered, going to her.She turned and pulled me into a hug so tight, I could barely breathe. “I can’t lose you too,” she sobbed. “I can’t. I’m not strong enough.”“I’ll be back,” I told her, my voice shaky. “I promise you, I’ll come back.”But her tears wouldn’t stop.Alpha Thane walked in and saw her falling apart. Without a word, he came over, gently took her hand, and led her away. She kept looking back at me like I was already a ghost.The door clicked shut behind them. Silence filled the room.I stood there, numb. “Why is it always like this?” I whispered. “Every time I come around… someone gets hurt, something breaks. It’s like I ruin everything.”“Stop,” Zane said, stepping forward.“You don’t ruin anything,” Kane added.“You bring the storm, but you also bring the light after it,” Dane said softly. “You’re not the problem,
SIERRAI banged harder on the door. “Zane! Dane! Kane! Open this damn door!”My fists slammed into the wood again and again, my knuckles stinging. It rattled beneath my hands, but it didn’t give way. My throat burned from shouting, and my chest felt like it was caving in, heart pounding so hard it echoed in my ears.“What the hell is going on?” I screamed. “Open the door!”Silence.Then I heard footsteps. Soft ones. Cautious. Then a voice. Familiar. Quiet.“Sierra,” my mom’s voice came, barely above a whisper.I froze. Took a step back. “Mom?” My voice was sharp, panicked. “What’s happening? Why am I locked in?”There was a pause.Too long.I felt it coming before she even said it.“They… they left.”I blinked, confusion crawling up my spine. “What?”“They didn’t want you following them,” she said slowly, voice shaking. “They left without telling me too. I only just found out.”My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach.“No,” I whispered, shaking my head. “No. That’s not real. That’s
THANEI found her curled up on the floor, forehead pressed against the door. My heart twisted. My daughter, my strong, stubborn Sierra, looked so small, so broken.I crouched down slowly and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Sierra..."She flinched. Her face lifted, red-eyed and wet with tears. "You let them go."I sighed. "No. I didn’t know. They didn’t tell me either."She turned away from me, wiping her face with the back of her hand. "They left me.""I know," I said quietly. "And I know how much that hurts. But they're doing what they think is right.""It’s not right," she snapped. "They think I’m weak. They think I can't handle myself."Her mother appeared behind me, her voice soft and trembling. "Sweetheart... they were only trying to protect you.""I don’t need protection," Sierra said, voice rising. "I need to be with them. I need to fight, not sit locked away like some... prisoner."I stood slowly and turned to my mate. I took her hand. "She needs time. But we have to go. The
SIERRAThe steady rhythm of my breath helped calm my racing heart. For the first time in what felt like forever, I let myself focus on connecting with my wolf. The bond between us was strained, stretched thin from all the chaos and confusion. I shut my eyes, clearing my mind of everything. The voices, the shouts, the arguments , I didn’t want any of that. I needed peace.“Come on,” I whispered to myself, pushing all the anger and frustration out of my mind. “Just focus.”I reached out to her, feeling the pulse of her energy like a distant hum. At first, it felt like a faint whisper, but as I quieted my thoughts, the hum grew stronger. I felt the presence of my wolf inside me, stirring from the depths, her energy warm and comforting.“Hey, you,” I said softly, a small smile tugging at my lips. I didn’t even know what to call her anymore. We had been through so much together, and now it felt like we were strangers in a way. “Are you still with me?”A growl echoed in my mind, but it was
THANE"I’m tired of this," I muttered under my breath as we approached the pack house.My fingers gripped the steering wheel tighter than necessary. The meeting had drained every ounce of patience I had left. Again, my leadership was being questioned. Again, the council demanded answers about the vampires. Some even called for war."They’re not just rogue vampires, Thane. They’re a threat to our entire species," Beta Colin had said, slamming his fist on the table.“They slaughtered three of our scouts last week,” another growled. “And what’s your response? Peace?”It took every bit of control not to explode in that room. I knew they didn’t understand the weight I carried. If I went to war now, we’d lose more than wolves. We’d lose lives, peace, trust…everything.Beside me in the car, my wife laid a calming hand over mine.“You need to breathe,” she whispered gently. “You can’t help anyone if you’re this worked up.”I glanced at her and gave a small nod. “I know… I just…”I didn’t fini
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