SIERRAWe had math and it was a general class. The boys were seated at the back of the classroom. They still had that solemn expression on their faces and they were quiet, unable to just walk past them, so I decided to walk towards them."Hey." I sent them a bright smile as I sat on Kane's desk."Hi, Sierra." They said in unison without returning my smile. For a weird reason, I felt hurt. Just as I decided to ask them what the issue was, the math teacher walked in."Everyone, hurry over to your chairs, let's get started." The teacher said before he began to write on the board.I walked to my seat taking a mental note to corner them later. "What are you up to?" Hailey asked as we walked out of the cafeteria."Nothing much, what about you?" I asked, eyeing the books in her hands."I am thinking of going to the school library, there are some assignments I need to finish." She replied, patting the books in her arms."Alright," I said with my eyes scanning through the crowd in the hallwa
SIERRAMy hands trembled uncontrollably as the voice barked out laughing. It was him, I could never forget that voice, it has traumatized me for years, and even in dreams, he was unforgettable.How could it be?How is it even possible?Let it be that I'm mistaken, let it be that it's nothing but a similar voice. I prayed under my breath.Noticing my sudden change of mood, Hailey turned to me inquisitively, "are you okay?" She asked.I nodded, unable to speak. "There are goosebumps all over your arms." She observed.They were all over my body, not just my arms but I wasn't going to tell her that."You're sure you're okay?" She asked again.This time I sent her a forced smile and nodded, "I'm okay, why wouldn't I be?" I asked in a low voice.I wasn't okay at all."The bumps on your arms say otherwise."Oh this," I raised my arm, "it's nothing, happens to me all the time." I replied, trying to wave off her worries.She stared at me for a while as though she was trying to see through me.
SIERRABeta Orion jumped away from me with an awkward smile playing on his lips. "My good men," he grinned sheepishly, "nothing is going on," he gestured to me, "I was just asking this young lady for directions." The boys turned to stare at me as though asking me if he was saying the truth but I stood frozen and unable to speak."Is that true?" Dane asked me with his eyes still fixed on Beta Orion."Of course it's true." Orion released a nervous laugh.Dane and Kane growled and Beta took a step back in fright."He wasn't talking to you." Zane snapped and Beta Orion scratched his head nervously.He turned to me placing an arm on my shoulders, "Are you fine Sierra?" I nodded quickly.Kane kept on staring at Beta Orion who still had an awkward smile on his face."We've met before right?" He asked and Beta Orion took a step back. "No." He shook his head vehemently, "We haven't." Kane kept on staring at him with steady eyes and I could tell that Beta Orion was becoming uncomfortable.
SIERRAMy mother quickly collected herself, and she pulled me closer to her, I fell in her arms panting for air. "Mom, I can't believe that he's still alive." Tears slid down my eyes and she wiped them off with her palm."I saw them… I.. I.. saw him die." I stuttered. The way he stared at me flashed through my head. It was as though he was telling me that we'd meet again."Sier-" my mom called but I was no longer listening to her. "She thinks she would be able to stay away from us if she seduced the King?" His words echoed in my head, Beta Orion knows, he knows everything about us, he must've been watching us for a long time. Panic filled my entire being as I began to pace around the room with my hands on my waist."Sierra, Calm down-"I grabbed her by the shoulders, "He knows, he knows about us." My whole body was trembling in fright, only the heavens knew for how long."What did he say?" She asked quietly, given how bad the situation was, she appeared way more collected than I w
SIERRAKane's eyes pinned me down, I had no escape route, I kept opening my mouth but nothing came out. His eyes seemed as though he was staring deep into my soul. My heart was racing, why was he here? Why did he have to come when I could barely compose myself?"Sierra, who's he, and why did he approach you in school?" He asked again but I was tongue-tied.My lips couldn't fathom the right words to say, I wanted to melt in the spot but his gaze in me didn't falter, not even for a second.Fear gripped me, this time, not because of Beta Orion but because Kane's gaze pierced through my soul as though he could see everything in my head.They can't find out who Beta Orion was, and they can't find out what happened. I had to act nonchalant if I wanted Kane off my back but knowing him, he might be a little bullheaded.Suddenly, the words spilled out before I could stop myself, "I.. I don't know him." I swallowed very hard avoiding his gaze. "I was walking home that night when he kidnapped m
CLAIREI glanced around my surroundings as I walked through the lonely trail in the woods. The rogue who I had arranged with to threaten Sierra had called me the previous night demanding the remainder of his money.Thankfully, Dad had just deposited some money in my account so I took out the balance I was supposed to pay and went over to his hideout. I was careful enough to ensure that I wasn't followed.He refused to come to our meeting spot for the danger of being seen by any of the Lycan King's guards and I agreed with him that it would cause very bad problems if I was spotted with them a second time.So I left the house very early dressed as though I was going for a random walk. The driver had dropped me off at the entrance of the woods, so I continued with my legs till I was deep into the woods. "This is so annoying!" I groaned as I almost slipped. My fingers caught a branch and held on till I was able to get stable on both feet.I kept on walking through the trail not knowing w
SIERRA"How do you feel now?" Zane asked taking my hand in his. I felt guilty, I felt like trash for making the boys fight over nothing. I wanted to crawl into a hole and hide from all of them. The eyes Kane had given me before he stormed out of the room angrily broke my heart. He was mad at me but I couldn't help it. I sent Zane a small smile that didn't reach my eyes. "I'm fine Zane," I replied laying on my bed while covering my body tightly with the duvet as Kane's angry face kept popping in my head. My heart was heavy, and my mind kept wandering to every event that happened that day, from Beta Orion showing up at school to my mother asking me to act normal to keep our secret. Kane demanded answers then he fought with Zane all because of me."You look dull." He commented climbing the bed to sit by my side."I just feel a bit tired, today drained the living hell out of me," I said, holding my head with both palms."I'm so sorry you had a bad day." He leaned down to plant a kiss o
SIERRAThe knock persisted but no one in the room answered. I pushed Dane off me with panic written in my eyes. "What are we going to do?" I asked in alarm. Dane looked unbothered as he attempted to return to his position but I pushed him back. "We can't, someone is at the door," I whispered in fear.My heart was pounding wildly, as the knocking continued. What if it was my mother? Were we caught? The boys couldn't magically disappear, could they?"Hmm, do Lycans have the power to vanish or something?" I asked, making Zane burst into laughter. My eyes widened in panic as my hands instinctively covered his mouth. "Hush!" I held her finger against my mouth, motioning him to keep quiet. "They might hear you." I strained my ears to listen to the sounds coming from behind the door. "Relax." Dane said laughing, "Lycans don't vanish, we aren't witches." He replied.The way the boys spoke, they weren't in the least bothered, I couldn't help but wonder if they were either careless or unaf
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
SIERRAI paced the room, my mind racing as I tried to figure out the best way to explain everything to my mother. The weight of the situation felt heavier than ever, and every thought in my head seemed tangled, impossible to unravel. The fear for my sister still twisted in my chest, and the knowledge that Ariel had somehow gained control over us, over me, made me feel more helpless than I ever had before.Mom sat in front of me, her expression filled with worry. I could see how badly she wanted answers, but there was no way around it. I had to tell her.“It’s... It’s Ariel,” I started, the words coming out slowly, like I had to convince myself first. “She’s been controlling everything from the start. She put this spell on my sister, and now... now, I can’t stop it. Not until I undo whatever she’s done.”My mother’s face drained of color as she listened, her hand trembling slightly as it rested in her lap. I couldn’t bear to see her like this, so broken by the weight of what was happen
SIERRAWe walked in silence, the weight of the last few hours hanging heavy on me. My arms were still shaking from holding back every instinct I had to strangle Ariel right then and there. The image of my baby sister, struggling to breathe, haunted my mind like a twisted nightmare that wouldn’t go away. My hands were clenched into fists at my sides as I tried to suppress the anger bubbling inside me.Ariel’s voice broke the silence, sharp and taunting, as usual.“There’s no point in taking me,” she said, her tone too casual for my liking. “You should just leave me here. You’re too soft to kill me, Sierra. I know you won’t.”I wanted to snap at her, to yell at her for every vile thing she’d done. But I couldn’t. Not now. Not when my sister’s life was still hanging in the balance.“You’re right,” I said through gritted teeth, trying to hold onto the calmness I was barely clinging to. “I’m not going to kill you. Not yet.”Ariel smirked, clearly pleased with my words, like she was somehow