SIERRAAs soon as we heard the cry, my mother jumped down from the desk and we ran out of the room."Where was the cry from?" My mother stopped at the beginning of the stairs to ask a passing servant.The servant bowed first before answering. "The cry came from the outer lawn." "Thanks." With that, we raced down the stairs heading to the outside lawn. It was very unusual to hear such a cry in the mansion, the person seemed to be in so much pain and what made it weirder was the fact that it came from a woman.Aside from my mother, the female servants, and I, women barely entered the mansion and if they did, it wasn't to this part of the mansion, but to Thane's meeting room which was located in another part of the compound. "What could have possibly happened?" I muttered hoping that it was nothing serious.We got outside to the lawn to find a woman rolling on the ground. She was dressed in the same uniform as our maids, so she was working for us. The triplets stood at the other end
SIERRAI sat in my room wondering what was going on in the minds of the triplets, they were acting so suspicious and it was obvious they didn't want to talk about it. A knock sounded on the door and I got up to answer it."Good morning Thane," I said with a small smile. His lips curled up in a smile. "Good morning Sierra, how are you doing?" He asked. The smile didn't reach his eyes, he probably had a lot on his plate as the king, and now, rogues began appearing mysteriously in the mansion making it even harder."I'm doing okay," I replied, returning the smile. "How are you feeling?" I asked.He sighed, "I'm fine my dear." His smile widened. "Don't worry about me, You have to get ready for school, the boys will go with you." He said.I nodded, staring behind him."Looking for someone?" He asked with a knowing smile."Yeah, where's my mom?" She was the one who usually came over to my room to tell me to prepare for school. He placed a hand on my shoulder, "She sent me over because
CLAIREAs I heard the sound of the principal's voice through the loudspeakers, I stopped in my tracks as the voices of students filled with insults and spite filled my ears."She's such a bitch, I can't believe she almost killed a person." My heart stopped."She must have thought she was above the law." "Her father is an Alpha after all." "Imagine the disgrace she brought to him.""Who knows if he's like her?" "An apple doesn't fall far from the tree you know."I tried to ignore them and their words but I couldn't.Kane walked past me as though he never knew me and the last bit of courage I had melted.Tears stung my eyes wanting to drop but I held them in, I would rather die than give them the satisfaction of seeing me break down.I headed towards my locker to pack my things, someone bumped into me making my head collide with the metallic door of the locker. I turned back to see who had caused me pain, I was greeted with the laughing faces of the people I thought were my friends.
ERIN"Did you send out the invite personally to the people involved?" I asked for the umpteenth time."Yes Alpha, I did." The servant replied, bowing his head. It was almost time for the meeting, yet there was no sign of them coming. I tapped my knees in anticipation, as I waited. I had selected them very carefully so they had every reason to be here. The location I chose was very hidden, deep into the woods at the outskirts of the pack, where no one would suspect a thing.Soon, the sounds of cars approaching from a distance put me at ease, they were here. I got up from my chair to welcome them by the door."My very dear Elder," I held open my arms for a hug and he smiled before accepting them. "Thank you for honoring my invite." I sent him a grateful smile."You know how loyal I am to you." He replied and I nodded.Another car pulled up and an Alpha got down."Welcome Alpha." I held out my hand for a handshake which he took without hesitation."Erin." He gave me a nod before walkin
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
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