KANEI jolted awake.It wasn’t the sound of wind or a branch snapping outside, it was Sierra’s scream. High-pitched, raw, and full of terror. The kind that crawls under your skin and makes your blood run cold.“Sierra!” I was already halfway out of my blanket, stumbling over my boots as I rushed toward her tent. Zane and Dane were right behind me, their faces pale and eyes wide. The cold night air slapped against my skin as I tore open the tent flap.She was on her knees, shaking, her hands covered in blood. Her hair was wild, her face drenched in sweat and tears, and her mouth was still open from the scream that had just ripped through her.“Oh my god…” Zane froze at the entrance.“Sierra…hey, hey,” I knelt beside her. “It’s me, Kane. You’re okay now. You’re safe.”She didn’t respond. She was gasping for air like she couldn’t breathe. Her whole body trembled like she’d been dropped into ice water.Dane gently touched her shoulder. “Sierra, look at us. It’s okay. You’re safe. No one’s
SIERRA“I can’t do this anymore,” I whispered, arms wrapped tight around myself as I sat on the log by the dead campfire.Kane looked up first, his eyes gentle but heavy. “Sierra…”“No.” I shook my head. “I don’t get it. Why haven’t I found her? Why did I wake up while she was still out there? Why am I here?”Dane crouched beside me. “You’re here because we found you. And we’re going to find her too.”“But we haven’t.” My voice cracked. “I haven’t even felt her. Not even a trace.”Zane sighed from behind me. “We checked every lead this stupid town has. It’s like she just vanished.”I let out a shaky breath, blinking back tears. “It’s not just that. It’s everything. I feel useless. My powers are still all over the place. I can’t help. I can’t protect her. And all I get are nightmares and whispers in my head.”“You’re not useless,” Kane said, sitting beside me. “You’ve been through hell. You’re still healing.”I nodded slowly, then after a long pause, I looked at them. “I need to tell y
DANEI’d been up most of the night, buried in old books and pages that barely made sense. My eyes were dry, my fingers stained with ink, and my head throbbed, but I couldn’t stop. Every lead, every myth, every spell, I needed to understand. If there was a way to help Sierra or find our sister, I had to figure it out.Kane and Zane were asleep across the room. I glanced at them and sighed. They didn’t say it out loud, but I knew they were scared. We all were. We were running out of time, and Sierra wasn’t getting stronger.I flipped another page, squinting at the scribbled writing. Just as I started to highlight something, I heard it.A scream.My heart dropped.“Sierra!” I shot up from my spot, nearly tripping over the scattered books as I ran out.Zane sat up quickly. “What was that?!”“Sierra!” I shouted again, already pushing the tent flap open.Kane stumbled after me, pulling on his shirt. “Where is she?!”“I don’t know! I heard her scream!”We ran into the trees, our eyes scannin
SIERRAMy heart slammed against my chest as I saw her. Ariel. But now she was something entirely different. Her eyes glowed, no longer filled with the warmth I remembered, but with a kind of cold fury that sent chills through me.“Surprised to see me?” she asked, her voice dripping with venom. It was like a twisted echo of the person I used to call a friend. But this... this wasn’t her. This was someone else entirely.I tried to move, to speak, but my body felt like it was made of stone, and the silver was still burning through my skin. The pain was unbearable, but nothing compared to the sheer horror of seeing Ariel like this.“Thought you killed me, didn’t you?” Ariel continued, stepping closer, her eyes never leaving me. “You all did. You really thought that was the end, didn’t you?” She let out a bitter laugh, one that made my blood freeze. “Well, you were wrong.”My throat went dry. I wanted to say something, to ask why, but the words wouldn’t come. All I could do was stare at h
SIERRAMy blood froze. Every part of me went still at the sound of her voice, the way she said it.“My sister?” I whispered, my heart pounding. “What did you say about my sister?”Ariel’s eyes gleamed like cold fire. She smiled, slow and wicked like she had been waiting for this moment.“Oh, Sierra,” she purred. “I’ve got her. Your precious baby sister.”I couldn’t breathe. My chest ached, my legs trembled. I took a step toward her, arms shaking. “Where is she?” I asked, voice breaking. “Ariel, what did you do to her? Where is she?!”“You think I’d tell you?” Ariel laughed, and the sound didn’t feel real, it echoed through the trees like it belonged to something dead and forgotten. It was sharp, cold, and laced with something dark. “You all thought I was gone. You thought you killed me.” She took a slow step forward, her voice thick with mockery. “But I’ve been so busy.”My breath caught in my throat as she smiled. That smile, it wasn’t hers. It didn’t belong to the girl I used to kno
SIERRAI didn’t think. I didn’t hesitate. I lunged, claws out, rage tearing through every inch of me as I tackled Ariel to the ground. My weight landed hard against her, and I felt her body hit the forest floor with a thud. I was breathing heavy, growling from deep in my throat as I pinned her down.“You won’t touch her!” I shouted, my voice thick with fury. “You hear me? You won’t lay a hand on her again!”She didn’t answer.Something was wrong.The body beneath me… it wasn’t fighting back.I blinked, heart racing, and I saw her face shift.Her eyes dulled.Her hair changed color.I staggered back in confusion.It wasn’t Ariel anymore.It was a girl. A young, human girl. Maybe fifteen. Her face was pale, her lips trembling. Blood soaked her shirt and neck, and she was breathing shallowly like she was trying to hold on.“Oh no…” I whispered, horrified. “No, no, no…”I knelt beside her, shifting back to human instantly, my hands hovering helplessly over her wounds.She’d been bitten.B
SIERRAZane stood and backed away, shaking his head. “What is this? What kind of sick game is Ariel playing?”I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. My throat tightened, and everything around me blurred. My gaze stayed locked on the girl. Her lips were slightly parted, her eyes still open, staring at nothing. She couldn’t have been more than seventeen. Maybe younger. Someone’s daughter. Someone’s sister. Just like mine.“She didn’t even fight back,” I whispered, barely hearing my own voice. “She wasn’t trying to hurt anyone… she didn’t deserve this.”“She wasn’t supposed to be part of this,” Zane said softly, his voice filled with confusion. “She was just… there.”“No,” I said, slowly shaking my head. “She was placed here. Ariel made sure of it. She knew I’d go after her. She wanted me to hit her.”Kane’s fists were clenched at his sides. “That’s twisted.”“It’s evil,” I said through gritted teeth. “She used this girl like she was nothing. Like she didn’t matter.”Zane exhaled harshly. “So that
SIERRAThe moment the spell lit up in my hands, I could hardly believe it. A soft glow pulsed from my fingertips, and a trail shimmered faintly on the ground like a glowing thread winding through the trees.“It… worked,” Zane breathed behind me.Kane leaned in, squinting. “That’s Ariel’s trail?”I nodded, too stunned to speak at first. I hadn’t cast a spell in years, not since before everything fell apart. Not since I lost my sister. My hands trembled, but not from fear, for once, it was hope.“I can feel her,” I whispered. “She’s close. Let’s go.”We moved quickly through the forest, following the glowing path. Every step made my heart beat faster. The trees grew denser, the light dimmer, but the thread never faded. It was guiding us straight to her.And then we saw it.A small house stood in a clearing, hidden between thick oaks and wild vines. Smoke curled lazily from the crooked chimney. It looked abandoned, like it belonged to an old witch, but the moment we got close, we heard i
SIERRAI ran out of the room angrily and frustrated. I didn’t want to talk to anyone. I didn’t want to explain how I felt, not even to Alpha Thane. I just needed to get away, to let the frustration and fear out in a way that made sense. And that’s why I shifted.The air felt cold on my fur as I ran, my paws pounding the earth beneath me, my mind barely able to process anything except the need to escape. My heart was racing, and the adrenaline pumping through my body only made the anger and fear swirl together like a violent storm.I ran deeper into the woods, ignoring the world around me, just focused on the rhythmic pounding of my paws. The trees blurred by in a mixture of green and brown, the earth beneath me firm and solid. But even in my wolf form, the worry gnawed at my insides, and all I wanted was for the weight to lift, even if just for a moment.Eventually, the tension in my body started to ease just a little, but I wasn’t running anymore. I slowed down and then stopped, my b
SIERRAI walked into the room, my mind racing with questions. The man, the warlock, was standing by a table covered in books and strange artifacts. His eyes flickered up when I entered, and I could feel the weight of his gaze. He knew why I was here."You are here," he said, his voice calm but heavy with something I couldn't place.I didn't waste time with pleasantries. "I need your help," I said bluntly. "I need to learn how to use my powers. And I need to do it fast."The warlock raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. "Binding spells," he said slowly, almost to himself, "are tricky. Especially one like the one you're asking for."I didn’t have the patience for his caution. "I don’t care about how tricky it is," I snapped. "I need to stop her. Ariel is... she’s going to ruin everything. I can’t let that happen. I just need to know how to make it work."He looked at me, the seriousness in his eyes growing. "Binding spells are not something to take lightly. They tie you to someo
SIERRAI could feel my whole body burning with anger as Ariel’s voice cut through the garden like a sharp knife. She just stood there, smirking at us like she hadn’t just interrupted something important, something real.I turned to her, fists clenching at my sides. "Don’t you have anything better to do than irritate me?" I snapped, my voice louder than I intended. Dane shifted uncomfortably behind me, but I didn’t care. I was tired of her games.Ariel just giggled like I had told her a joke. "Nope," she said with a sweet shrug. "Turns out, irritating you is way more fun than I ever thought it would be."I wanted to slap that smug smile off her face. I really did. But I held myself back because that's exactly what she wanted, to push me until I broke.Then she turned her full attention to Dane, her smile softening in a way that made my stomach twist in disgust. "I miss Dane," she said in a whiny voice. "I want him to stay with me for a while."I stepped protectively in front of Dane w
DANEI woke up to the sound of soft giggles.My head felt heavy, like I’d slept for days, and for a second, I didn’t even know where I was. But then I blinked and saw her, Ariel, sitting at the edge of the bed, grinning at me like I was some kind of adorable pet.“You look so cute when you’re sleeping,” she said in a sing-song voice.My whole body tensed up instantly. Memories rushed back….the food, the plan, everything. I shot up, heart pounding.“What happened?” I croaked, throat dry.Ariel gave a playful shrug, almost like she was proud of herself. “You tried to drug me, silly. But I’m smarter than that.” She leaned in closer, lowering her voice like she was sharing a secret. “I swapped the plates. You ate the laced one instead.”I cursed under my breath and swung my legs off the bed. I couldn’t even look at her as I stood up."Aw, don't be mad," Ariel called after me as I stormed toward the door. "You needed the rest anyway!"I didn’t answer. I just left.When I finally made it do
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