SIERRAThose two words brought fear to my heart, I didn't need to ask who because there was only one person who could make my mom quiver in fear. It wasn't even Beta Orion, it was only Alpha Elvis that could."Mom, calm down," I muttered struggling to get up from the bed. She tried her best to stop shaking but she couldn't. Her whole body trembled while she tried to speak. I wrapped my arms around her in a bid to calm her down.A series of thoughts ran through my head as I tried to process the whole situation, what was Alpha Elvis doing here? How did he find us?I shook my head, that wasn't even supposed to be a bone of contention, Beta Orion knew where we were so it was only a matter of seconds before he told his master. If Alpha Elvis was here, then he must've already met Thane. Judging from the way my mom was trembling, something must have happened while I was asleep. Mom hated anything that had to do with Alpha Elvis, he had traumatized her so that she didn't want to hear the s
SIERRAAfter staying at home for what seemed like forever, Thane decided that it was time we resumed school.That morning, I woke up having mixed feelings, it seemed like ages since I had been in school but I missed Hailey, and the thought of seeing her sent me to the bathroom in a hurry. After taking my bath, I hurried over to my wardrobe to select my outfit for the day. I stared at the jeans I had picked out earlier with dissatisfaction. I wanted to dress like a girly girl so I returned the jeans and then picked out a dress. It was a flowery knee-length gown, its brown color complimented my skin giving me a princess kind of look. Standing before my mirror, I twirled grinning with satisfaction at what I saw. I slid into my shoes before picking up my bag and books."I see someone is excited to go to school today." My head shot towards the direction of the voice, my mother stood at the door with a smile on her face."I'm not excited to go to school, I just want to see Hailey, it's be
SIERRAI released a painful growl as my eyes opened, I was back in the library lying on the bare floor with water drenching my dress. "Sierra!" Hailey's eyes looked panicked as she fused over me. "Thank goodness, you're awake." She muttered as her shoulders slumped down in relief."Who on earth spills water in the library without informing the cleaners?" Hailey shouted ignoring the decorum ethic that surrounded the library rules and regulations."I'm okay now," I grumbled trying to stand up. Hailey held out a hand which I took gratefully. As soon as I stood on my feet, the gazes of the students in the library feasted on me. "Ignore them." Hailey said picking up her bag, "News spread immediately after you fell, they ran over here to find out what had happened." She explained not bothering to look at the faces that were staring. "Freak!" A boy shouted from the other end of the library.I kept my head down as I walked with Hailey while we headed out of the library. "They pry on peop
CLAIREThe entire house was quiet, Dad had a meeting with his friends, wanting to be all by himself. I sent out all the servants and guards earlier. There was no sound heard except for the occasional chirping of birds that found their homes in the trees that surrounded the house. I made a mental note to tell the head of servants to bring down the nest.I rolled over on my bed with my eyes glued to my phone and a glass of wine in my hands. The only thing missing was him. Kane.The doorbell rang out loud, almost making me jump. Just as I was about to ignore the person at the door, Beta Orion's voice spoke through the intercom."Is anyone home?" I contemplated telling him to come some other time but I remained silent, he would leave when no one replied to him. Or so I thought."I'm coming in." He said I heard the door creak open, those maids dared to leave the door open. I groaned struggling up to my feet as I headed downstairs. The main door leading to the house was locked, it was jus
ORIONI couldn't help but sigh as the packhouse came into sight, that spoiled brat sure has a way of ruining my plans. As much as I was back home, I feared for my life. Alpha Elvis did not tolerate sloppy jobs."Beta Orion!" My head snapped at the direction of the voice. It belonged to the head of guards of the packhouse. "Do you have to scream my head off?" I frowned at him."I have been calling your name for about five minutes now." He said, shaking his head. "Where has your mind wandered to?" He asked."You don't want to know," I muttered gazing towards the door where my judgment lies in wait. "How was your trip?" He asked, it was obvious he was ready for a chit chat but I wasn't in the mood."Is the Alpha home?" I asked feeling stupid, I knew fully well that he was home, if he wasn't why then would he ask me to report?"Yes, he's in the study." The head guard replied, giving me a questioning look. "Well then, go on with your duties." With that, I walked towards the door in fear
SIERRAI released a groan as I lay on my bed with my face up, I felt extremely bored as I gazed up at the ceiling.A knock sounded on the door making me sit up instantly. "Come in." The knob twisted and the door gave way revealing a uniformed maid. "Hello, ma'am." She greeted me with her knees bent slightly. "Hi, what do you want?" I asked staring at her curiously."Someone is downstairs looking for you." She replied. I frowned slightly, "Who might that be?" I asked trying to think."A visitor from your school." She answered. "Oh, Hailey?" She shook her head, "When I asked for her name, she mentioned something like Clara, or was it Clare?" I scoffed in disbelief standing up, "Do you mean Claire?" The maid nodded vigorously, "That is it." She smiled. "She wants to see you."Surprised, I sat back down. "Why would Claire want to see me?" I asked no one in particular. "I have no Idea." The maid answered with a shrug.I couldn't help but feel surprised, she didn't for once hide t
DANEAs Sierra headed upstairs, Kane and Zane headed outside saying they had something to do, I immediately followed Sierra, there were some issues we needed to discuss.Before I could call her to wait up, I noticed that there was a slight change in her walking step, she moved as though she couldn't locate the stairs.Her body swayed and she fell. I was by her side at the speed of lightning, holding her in my arms, while saving her from falling head-first off the stairs."What is the matter?" I asked immediately her eyes fluttered open. We were still on the ground with her in my arms."Dane." She muttered staring at me."You nearly broke all 206 bones in your body," I said raising her as I got up.She chuckled lightly, "Really?""What happened to you?" I asked as we walked to her room. I couldn't risk her walking by herself again, who knew when she might fall?"Nothing, I'm fine really." She replied with her arms wrapped tightly around my neck"Are you sure about that?" I asked again
MAYA"Her fainting spells are becoming worse." The healer said with his eyes fixed on Sierra.My heart couldn't stop pounding hard, it's been that way since Dane came running to us that Siera had passed out in her room. In a panic, Thane had sent the messenger to come with the healer immediately."Please great one, help us find out what's wrong with her?" Thane said with his brows furrowed.I hated making him worried because of me or Sierra.The healer hummed with his eyes hovering over Sierra. He was an old and frail-looking man who supported himself with a crooked stick. His assistant held a bag on his shoulders, he stood by his master with his hands folded, watching."Fetch me the leaf." The healer instructed without taking his gaze Sierra.The assistant immediately searched the bag and he brought out a long, green, and very fresh leaf."Here it is master." Holding it by the tip, he handed it over to the healer."Hmm." The healer grunted taking the leaf with his mouth.He placed h
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
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