SIERRASuddenly, the day turned gloomy and the birds stopped whistling as the realization of what Kane had done dawned on us. My body still trembled as I stared at the two men before me. When Kane had sliced off Alpha Gerald's head, his blood had soiled my already torn dress. Kane's face held a shock, he never expected it to be the Alpha, his eyes moved from the Alpha's dead body to Kol's emotionless face."Kol," Kane called softly, taking a step towards him but Kol moved back. My breathing turned shallow, I witnessed how these guys had accepted themselves and how pure their friendship was, seeing them right now broke my heart."You could have controlled yourself." Came Kol's calm voice which made me tremble even more in fear."Try to understand, Sierra was in danger so I had to step in." "Danger?" Kol's laughter was dry and void of every emotion. "And now he's gone." He whispered, still staring at his father's lifeless body.Kane swallowed, "I was only
SIERRAKane's face was twisted in pain as the chains tightened around him. The pain I felt earlier was gone, my legs felt energized as I ran towards Kane. He couldn't move, I expected him to break through the chains but he lay there hopeless, howling painfully."Kane!" I screamed trying to yank at the chains but my hands burned making me step back. It was wolfbane, the chains were heavily laced in wolfbane, and the smell of it choked me, leaving me in a coughing fit.The chains were pulled away from me and went deeper into the forest, Kane was dragged on the ground ruthlessly.His skin where the silver chains held him was burnt, and the wolfbane weakened him even more.I glanced around looking for the attackers or anything I could use to help him. My eyes landed on a stick lying close by, it was useless but it was better than nothing.Snatching it up, I ran towards Kane. I hit the chain continuously but it was useless, I couldn't even make a dent. What was I even thinking?Using a
THANE"What the fuck!" Zane exclaimed from the back of the car. If it were under normal circumstances, I would have told him to mind his language but I couldn't find the courage to mutter the words. The sight before us was unbelievable, the village was burnt to the ground and thick black smoke filled the air."Don't tell me that this was what we perceived back?" Dane said in a voice deeply laced with unbelief."I think so," I replied, trying to compose myself. "What on earth happened here?" I muttered looking for a spot to park my car. There was no person or wolf in sight, everything was burnt, the houses, trees, and even the cars. After finding a suitable spot that was free from fire and smoke, I parked the car and the boys climbed down.Earlier, the boys had told me that Kane was in some kind of trouble with Sierra, he had tried calling me but I had left my phone in my study. When I heard what had happened, we tried calling his mobile but it wasn't reachable, after some time, it
THANEI stood up staring at the door wondering who'd dare barge into my royal chambers and spill such nonsense."I'll be back," I said to Kane and Maya as I walked out of the door towards the entrance. On getting to the door leading me out of the house, I spotted Alpha Erin and a group of other Alphas walking into my house."Erin, what are you doing here?" I asked, surprised.The last I recalled, he was placed on suspension and he wasn't to show his face till further notice but here he was in the company of other Alphas in my own home. Alpha Erin sent me a look of disdain before strolling in as though he owned the place. I was tempted to reach for his neck and slash his veins but I chose to keep calm, I didn't want his trashy blood to contaminate my home.The alphas present had an angry look on their faces, it was obvious that they hadn't come to say hello. They meant serious business. What the heck was Erin planning? I wondered as I watched them as they entered a single file."What
MAYACold ran through my veins as I heard what Alpha Josh had told Thane. A part of me always knew that a day like this would come but I never expected it to come so fast. Sierra was still unconscious, I couldn't ask her what exactly had happened.The kingdom was at stake, Thane was in trouble because of us. I had come out earlier to speak to him but unfortunately, I managed to overhear what Alpha Josh was saying."You have to act fast Thane, from the looks of things, Erin and the other Alphas are not going to relent." The Alpha said.Thane's face looked calm and it was difficult to read but I could tell that he was deeply lost in thought. "Even if you don't want to, you just have to, it's for the best." He advised but Thane still sat unmoving, his arms folded as he gazed at his feet in a thinking posture.Not wanting to make my presence known, I turned and quietly walked back to the inner room, careful not to make my presence known. I pushed open the door, the boys were no longer
MAYAI took a step backward away from him, I was shocked by his accusations but that wouldn't stop me from doing what I came here to do. There was no way Alpha Erin could know what happened in my past, it was impossible."What do you mean by that, Alpha Erin?" I said in a scolding voice."You don't have to pretend, Maya." He was smiling at me.I paused.From the look in his eyes, it was as though he knew something but it wasn't possible, we were far away from Alpha Elvis and the others, Erin was just bluffing.That was what I tried telling myself but I was still finding it difficult to believe it myself. My heart sped up in panic as his eyes stared down at me accusingly. It was ages ago since I was looked down on in that manner but I held my chin up not wanting to give him the satisfaction of seeing me break. "I would advise you, Alpha Erin, don't go about calling people names, in case you are not aware, that is defamation," I said with a frown on my face. I made sure to fold my arms
ZANEI could see the shock and panic in Maya's face as she sighted me. She wasn't expecting to see me at all. But I couldn't tell whether she was more shocked about my presence or the fact that I had called her mother. Nevertheless, I couldn't just watch another man touch the only mother figure in my life and go scout-free. Her mouth opened to speak as I approached them but she closed it back not knowing what to say, her eyes were as wide as saucers and her lips kept parting open and closing. I could tell that both men didn't have any good intentions about her, if not for my timely intervention, only the heavens knew what could have happened.The man holding Maya turned to stare at me. His anger-filled face on sighting me relaxed and his lips curled up in a smile."H.. hello young man." He said, as he allowed Maya's hand to fall out of his hold and he approached me.I sent him a glare, I must've looked like the angry version of Kane, he alone could muster a mean look without breakin
SIERRASuddenly, my eyes shot open, I was panting, it felt as though I couldn't breathe for a very long time so, I was panting for breath. The light was a little too bright making me groan and my eyes closed into slits as I struggled to keep them open against the lights."Pull down the window blinds." A voice ordered, "The light's too bright for her eyes." My feet scurried over to the window and soon my view felt better and my eyes fluttered open fully.Heads popped in my vision staring down at me with both worry and curiosity. My mates, Zane, Kane, and Dane were looking at me with worry laced in their eyes, turning over to the other side, Thane and my mom were staring at me with the same expression on their faces. I closed my eyes trying to reminisce about what had happened last. Kane!I recalled him being dragged in chains away from me, I recalled Kol dragging me off to a dungeon all alone, and after that, nothing. Kane's twisted face as the wolfbane burnt his flesh filled my he
CELIAAstrid lay there, barely breathing. Her skin had turned a sickly gray, her body thin and weak. The chains around her wrists and ankles had cut deep, silver burning into her flesh. She hadn’t fed in days, and it showed.I clenched my fists. This wasn’t right. I had to do something.Swallowing hard, I made my way to Ariel’s chambers. The guards outside barely glanced at me before letting me in. Ariel sat by the window, her expression calm, like she hadn’t just sentenced one of our own to a slow, painful death.I took a deep breath. “Ariel, please.”She didn’t even turn to look at me. “No.”I stepped closer, careful with my words. “You don’t even know what I’m going to say.”Now she turned, her sharp eyes locking onto mine. “You’re going to beg for Astrid.”I clenched my fists but nodded. “She’s suffering. You’ve made your point. Let her feed, just a little.”Ariel smirked, crossing her arms. “And what has she done to deserve mercy?”I swallowed. “She’s one of us.”Ariel stood, wal
SIERRAI sat with my mates, my head in my hands, my mind racing. Ariel was too powerful. Too unpredictable. And we had no idea how to deal with her.Dane crossed his arms, his jaw tight. “How do we even know she actually healed you?”I exhaled sharply. “I don’t know. I feel fine, but… can we trust anything she does?”Zane frowned, his fingers drumming against the table. “What if it’s temporary? What if she did something worse instead?”Kane ran a hand through his hair, looking as frustrated as I felt. “That’s the problem. We don’t know. And we don’t know what to do about her.”Silence filled the room. The weight of Ariel’s power pressed down on all of us like a heavy cloud. None of us could predict what she’d do next.“She’s our biggest threat right now,” Dane finally said, his voice low. “The wolves are terrified of her. Hell, I’m terrified of her.”I looked up at him. Dane was scared. And he wasn’t wrong. Ariel didn’t just have power, she enjoyed using it. She liked watching people
SIERRAAstrid’s screams faded the moment Ariel slipped the ring back onto her finger. The burning stopped. Her body sagged, trembling, the unbearable agony leaving her breathless. But the damage was done. Her skin was raw, her strength almost gone.The air was thick with tension. The scent of scorched flesh clung to everything. No one moved. No one spoke.I swallowed hard, my throat dry. My eyes flicked to Ariel. "Did you… actually heal me?"Ariel turned to me slowly, a grin curling on her lips. Her eyes gleamed, dark and amused. "You just have to trust me, Sierra."My stomach twisted. Trust her? Not even for a second.I clenched my fists. "That wasn’t healing."Ariel raised a brow. "Wasn’t it? I healed you and Ariel is not burning anymore, is she?" She gestured lazily to Astrid, who lay there, gasping, broken. "She’s alive, isn’t she?"I ground my teeth. "You tortured her."Ariel let out a soft, mocking laugh. "And? Actions have consequences, Sierra. She betrayed me. I don’t let thin
ARIELI was furious.My hands shook, my breath came out in short, sharp bursts, and my entire body burned with rage. Astrid. That traitor. She ran to Sierra, ran straight into the arms of our enemies, spilling my secrets like a pathetic little rat.How dare she?I stormed through the house, knocking over anything in my path. A vase shattered against the floor. A chair crashed against the wall. The vampires around me scrambled out of my way, their heads lowered, their bodies pressed against the walls like they could disappear if they stayed still enough.They should be afraid.I wanted them to be afraid.I stopped, my sharp eyes landing on one of the younger ones, a nervous-looking fool hovering in the corner. His hands twitched at his sides like he was debating whether to run.I moved before he could even think about it.One second, I was across the room. The next, I had my fingers wrapped around his throat, lifting him off the ground with ease. His hands clawed at mine, his feet kick
SIERRAI folded my arms, overseeing Astrid. Everything in me screamed not to trust her, but I couldn’t ignore what she was saying either. Ariel’s magic had already done enough damage, I knew that firsthand.Before I could respond, Dane stepped beside me, his stance tense and rigid. His distrust was written all over his face. “You’re really going to listen to her?” he scoffed. “It’s probably a trick. Ariel could’ve put her up to this.”“She’s a vampire,” Zane added sharply. “Why would she suddenly care about helping us? It doesn’t make sense.” His jaw clenched as he eyed Astrid with suspicion.Astrid let out a slow breath as if she had expected this reaction. “I wouldn’t risk coming here,” she said, her voice steady but urgent. “Not when I know exactly what Ariel is capable of.” Her golden eyes flickered with something close to desperation. “You don’t understand, if she finds out I came here, I’ll pay for it.”“She will find out,” Kane snapped. His fists curled at his sides. “She alway
ASTRIDSierra’s eyes widened at my words, but she masked her shock quickly, narrowing her gaze at me. I could see the battle happening in her mind, the way she warred with whether to believe me or not. I didn’t blame her. We had never been on the same side, and now, here I was, claiming to offer an alliance.“I don’t trust you,” she said flatly, her arms crossing over her chest.“I don’t expect you to,” I admitted. “But trust isn’t necessary. What matters is that we both have a common problem and right now, I’m offering you the truth.”Sierra hesitated for only a moment before turning back toward the house. I expected her to invite me in, but instead, she stepped outside, her mates following close behind her. I had to stop myself from reacting. Smart girl. She wasn’t going to let me into her home, not even for a conversation. I respected that.Dane and the others flanked her protectively, their stares filled with open suspicion. Dane spoke first. “What do you want, Astrid?”I took a s
ASTRIDThe moment I stepped back into the estate, fury clawed at my insides. My hands curled into fists, my nails digging into my palms as I stormed down the hall. I had to get away from Ariel before I did something reckless.How dare she? How dare she bind us together with a spell so dangerous that a single weak link could drag us all down? And then, to stand there and smirk, as if she had all the power in the world?I should have ripped her apart.Instead, I took a deep breath, pushed down my rage, and kept walking. I had to be smarter than that.I didn’t make it far before I heard a sharp voice behind me. “Astrid.”I turned to see Celia standing at the entrance to the main hall, arms crossed tightly over her chest, her usually composed face twisted with anger. The tension in the room was thick, pressing against me like an impending storm. Behind her, the other vampires stood in tense silence, their eyes burning with barely contained fury.“You knew about this, didn’t you?” Celia de
ARIELWhen I stepped into the grand hall of the vampire estate, I noticed something was off. Every single one of them, powerful, bloodthirsty creatures that they were, stood frozen, their faces pale with something close to fear.Fear of me.I smirked, letting the silence stretch, relishing the way their red eyes darted around the room like caged animals searching for an escape. Their fangs, usually displayed in smug confidence, remained tucked away, their bodies tense, stiff as statues.“Oh, don’t all rush to welcome me at once.” My voice rang through the cavernous space, laced with amusement.No one responded.A few of them took an instinctive step back, the movement subtle but not missed. One vampire near the entrance gripped the hilt of a dagger at his waist, though he made no move to draw it. Another swallowed thickly, his throat bobbing as though the very sight of me had dried his mouth.It was almost laughable.These creatures, feared by humans and even some supernaturals, stood
SIERRAThe hot water cascaded over my skin, washing away the remnants of exhaustion and frustration. I tried to hold onto my anger, to focus on the fact that Dane had made a deal with Ariel without even knowing the price. But it was difficult when his hands were on me, sliding down my arms, tracing gentle circles on my hips.“Dane,” I started, intending to scold him, but the words melted into a soft moan when his fingers dug slightly into my waist. I hated how easily he unraveled me, how his touch turned my fury into something else entirely.“I’m not leaving you, Sierra,” he murmured against my ear, his voice deep and resolute. “And I’m not doing anything with Ariel. I just couldn’t watch you suffer.”I sighed, leaning back against him as his lips ghosted over my neck. “I still don’t trust her.”“Neither do I,” he admitted, pressing a kiss just below my ear. “But I had to do something.”His hands moved up my stomach, teasing but never crossing the line. Heat coiled low in my belly, an