SIERRAFeeling drained, I decided to get up from the bed and walk, hoping it would help calm my racing heart. The window was opened and the evening sun peeked into my room. Feeling exposed, I tugged at the window blinds, pulling them down. They were no longer here but I could still feel their presence in my room making my heart ponder. I stood in front of the mirror staring at myself. My eyes looked sad and almost lifeless, my hair was still packed in a bun but it was rough and resembled a bird nest.My fingers strayed to the spot where I was injured and a panicked voice screamed in my head.Don't look, don't!Ignoring the voice, I stared at the scar left. The wound was gone as well as the bloodstains, but I was left with a permanent reminder of what nearly killed me. Slowly, my fingers trailed along the spot, perhaps hoping to feel the pain that I ought to, but nothing, I was left with a trophy that reminded me of how weak and vulnerable I was.The first tear escaped, and I felt
THANEMy heart went out to Maya and her daughter, thankfully, the antidote had worked perfectly and she was okay now. As I walked out of my room heading downstairs for a meeting, I overheard Sierra speaking to the boys.Despite our constant warnings whenever she mentioned the ritual, she was still hellbent on going ahead with it, and what was more shocking was that she needed it to be done urgently. I hoped we had more time to convince her not to go on with it. The door was opened so I entered. "Sierra," I called out softly to her, she turned back to stare at me."Thane." Her eyes were red and swollen, she must have been crying hard. "Thank goodness you're here." She smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. "I was just telling the boys that I needed the ritual done as soon as possible if you could please-" "Sierra, take it slow," I said trying to be calm, she was quite determined but it was a very bad decision to make. Her shoulders relaxed a bit."I know how eager you might feel ri
THANENot wanting to give Erin the satisfaction of being arrogant, I smirked at him trying to hide my anger.I beckoned to the guard standing closest to me, "Bring in the guest." I ordered.Then to Erin, I said, "I can barely understand your grievances," his eyes held a surprise, he wasn't expecting me to say that. "However, you'll have to wait before leaving, it's bad manners to keep a guest waiting." The tone I used demanded no reply.He kept quiet and then went back to his seat fuming. We all waited in silence till we could hear the approaching footsteps of the guard and the guest.The door opened revealing the principal of our children's school.The Alphas gasped. He was the last person everyone was expecting to see in a gathering of Alphas.He walked through the aisle towards my throne-like chair. Then bent down with his knee on the floor in reverence. "My King." Nodding my head at him in acknowledgment of his reverence, I replied, "Rise." I ordered. He scrambled to his feet
ERINI couldn't believe my eyes, it was Claire, she was holding a black bag ready to hand it over to the man black. A weird feeling of embarrassment curled inside my stomach making me uncomfortable. I defended her and made her the victim while she went behind me to plot an attack on a person. She heard me argue about her innocence and hadn't said a word to me. She was there the whole time while I caused a scene in the Alpha king's home and she was quiet.My fingers shook as I stared at the pictures on the ground, I didn't realize when they fell off my hands."Cat got your tongue now, Erin?" I heard a voice sneer in the room and another person snickered.I willed for the ground to open up and swallow me."How can someone be so shameless and unthoughtful?" Their voices were low but I could hear it loud and clear. "What if our kids were harmed in the process?" "She must have the mind of the devil for her to have such evil thoughts." The old man spat."This wasn't just thoughts, she c
SIERRA"I won!" I exclaimed, raising both hands. "I used to be so good at this when I was younger." My mother groaned sitting on the marble ground pouting."Now, your very young child is beating you hands down." I grinned at her smiling.She had approached me earlier on my way back to my room, I had every intention of sulking but the eager look in her eyes when she asked me to play made me suck up my protests and follow her. This was our third round and she was failing miserably."C'mon now Sierra, don't get all cocky on me." She grumbled. "One more round, I'll be sure to win this time around." She said picking up the cards. After shuffling and sharing them, the game began."Where do I put this?" She muttered to herself as she tried to find a familiar card. "There you are!" She placed her card and raised her hand."I won!" She got up and did a little victory dance. A pile of cards fell off her dress."No, you didn't!" I raised my hand to cover my mouth."I didn't?" She feigned igno
DANEWe watched as Sierra stormed out of the room in anger, a part of me felt as though I could understand how she felt, but a larger part of me couldn't risk exposing her to danger.I turned to Maya who was trying her best to hide her emotions. She was torn and hurt, My dad's hands held hers trying to comfort her.Throwing a glance at my brothers, I signaled them to follow me. I got up first."We're heading inside Dad," I said to him, he nodded in response before I turned to leave with Kane and Zane following closely behind me. On getting to my room I pushed the door open while they walked in. Immediately they were in, I entered making sure to lock the door firmly behind me."Did you get the leaves?" I asked Zane."Yeah." He pushed out a bag from underneath my bed towards me. "Here it is." He said."Alright."Kane and I gathered the leaves in a heap and then lit the sage. We normally practiced this whenever we needed to calm down, think, and make serious decisions. We sat facing eac
SIERRAI lay on my bed buried in the books I had borrowed from the library the other day. Every book I read kept emphasizing the danger involved in the ritual process but I was done being afraid. Everything on earth involves taking risks.I signed, "Life itself is risky? isn't it?" I muttered, closing the book. From the information I'd gathered, the ritual has killed more than it has saved but I was willing to risk it, I had almost died once, and I was willing to do it again.My throat felt patched so I knocked on my bed stand and a maid came in."Could you get me some juice please?" I asked and she bowed deeply."Yes ma'am." Came her reply.It felt awkward, I still haven't gotten used to servants paying obeisance to me."Umm…Thanks." I muttered as she exited the room.I returned to the book, trying to find a way to avoid the consequences that followed the ritual, if there must be a ritual so dangerous, there ought to be a way to avoid the dangers involved, there ought to be a proces
KANEI kept thinking of what Dane had said, he was right, if we all accepted Sierra as our mate, she would get stronger and even more powerful, we could share our Lycan blood with her through our bond and there would be no need for the ritual. Recently, I was beginning to show interest in our bond with Sierra, I had no intention of rejecting her anymore, if all of us being with her could save her then that's it.My mind went back to what Zane had said, he too was right although he has been acting a bit strange lately when it came to issues that are related to Sierra. I needed to speak to Dane, after the argument, when Zane stormed out, Dane too had left to think, but I needed to find him and speak to him.I jumped out of my bed and went out of the room to Dane's room. I kicked the door open but he wasn't in. The sage we had lit was gone too with no traces left."Dane?" I called out just in case he was in the bathroom but there was no reply.He was probably in the garden, he has a th
SIERRAAs soon as the words left my mouth, Alpha Harold's face turned red in anger, his hands trembled angrily by his sides, and he gripped the hand of his chair tightly."Guards!" His voice echoed around the house.The door opened and harmed warriors allowed themselves in, "Yes Alpha.""Arrest those two brats, throw them in the worst cell in the entire pack, we need to teach these rats some manners." He shouted.I frowned.Rats?He sure had guts, after what he had done, he had the effrontery to speak down at us and call us names. Anger began to boil inside me, I had given him the chance to come clean and apologize sincerely but he had chosen a different path, one that I didn't want to trod.The warriors bowed to him, "Yes Alpha." They chorused marching towards us."Step back," I muttered as they drew closer.They exchanged amused glances, properly thinking I was not in my right state of mind. They kept approaching."Don't say I didn't warn you," I said moving backward, I didn't want
SIERRAZane's face changed, "what do you mean by that?" He asked.I took in a deep breath, "There's a traitor, he's deeply connected with the rogues' attack at the palace today.""Are you certain about this?" He asked looking confused."Yes, I am," I replied wanting to move forward but was stopped once again by Zane."If there's a traitor as you said, is Dad aware?" He asked.I nodded, "he was the first person I told when I found out." I answered."You told him who the person is?" He asked.I shook my head, "No."Zane closed his eyes for a second, "Why haven't you told Dad about it?" He asked.I was getting tired of his questions already but I had no choice, I needed to speak to him so I could be on my way as fast as possible before anyone back home would notice I was gone."There are some things I need to check first, I need to speak to him before telling Thane," I replied."What has that got to do with meeting Gerald?" He asked, as soon as he asked, His eyes widened, and he grabbed
SIERRAThe front door opened, and the sound of heavy footsteps filled my ears as they climbed up the stairs."That sounds like Thane." Mom said getting up from the bed."We still need to be careful, who knows, the rogues might still be out there," I said standing before her to stop her from leaving. We needed to be extra careful.She smiled, "I can tell it's Thane from a mile away." She insisted."Who knows, maybe rogues now steal appearances, I'm going to keep you safe till I'm sure it's him," I replied.She shook her head but remained seated.A knock sounded on the door, "Maya?" Thane called, "Dear, are you in there?" He asked. We had moved into her room since she was finding the blood disgusting and the smell of the rogue made her nauseous.Mom stared at me with eyes that screamed, 'I told you so.'"Yes, she is," I answered opening the door halfway.It indeed was Thane, he was standing outside with clean clothes, I was expecting him to be bloody since he was coming from the battlef
SIERRA"Hear ye, good people of this great land, our dearly beloved King is holding a banquet this evening to bring his people together, there will be lots of food and drinks for everyone!"I could hear the voice of the messenger from the third floor, he was delivering Thane's message to the people. There was excitement in the air as we began to prepare for the banquet, it was a means of bringing the people of different clans together and helping improve our relationship.The entire house was bustling with activity, the maids were in the kitchen preparing food while the male servants were busy with the decorations of the royal mansion."Sierra!" My mother called from downstairs, "The designer is here with your dress.""I'm coming!" I replied running downstairs, I wasn't left out of the excitement, it was one of the very first parties hosted by Thane that I would be attending, not just as a guest but as the family of the host."Hello, Miss Sierra." The maid greeted me with a smile on h
THANE"How is my wife doing?" I asked the doctor immediately he came out of the patient's room with some samples to run tests on her."I believe you're her guardian." He said adjusting his glasses."Yes, Yes I am," I replied nodding my head, I was so shaken when Maya had fainted back there in the woods, I didn't wait for Alpha Harold to get a car ready, I picked her up on my back and then raced for the hospital. I was able to locate one thanks to the servant Harold had sent after me."You can go in now, the samples will be sent to a lab to determine what is wrong with her." The doctor replied."Will she be alright?" I asked, I needed his response to ease the growing panic in my chest."Yes, I don't think it's anything serious though." He explained."I see," I replied."You can go in now, she's awake." He said pushing the curtains away."Thank you, doctor," I said hurrying inside.Maya was lying on the bed and a drip connected to her hand, her eyes were closed but I could tell that she
SIERRAIt was approaching fast.This was it, we were going to die in an unknown land.Particles of sand entered my eyes making me blink rapidly. Gerald closed his eyes, the sand was way up to his mouth level, I glanced at the other side, the triplets too were almost covered. Was this the end?I closed my eyes waiting for the storm to swallow us whole. The sound of the whirlwind howled in my ears like the sounds of thousands of restless spirits.I could hear the boys take in huge breaths, they were preparing for the end. Hot tears stung at the back of my eyes, I would never get to see my mom again. Their pants filled my ears, this would be the last I'd hear it, the sound of my mate's breathing.My eyes opened slowly to stare at their faces, their eyes were closed in anticipation. It was then I noticed, the storm had gone, the wind was calm, it was as though there was never a sandstorm coming.Strange.What was happening?I turned trying to free myself from the huge pile of sand holding
SIERRA"Guys!" I called but their voices swallowed mine as they went on with the argument.The sand swallowed my feet, I tried pulling it out but it was impossible, It held me down tightly but the boys were too occupied in their argument to notice that the sand had gotten up to their ankles."Guys stop it please." I pleaded but all to no avail."Woah, I see it's three against one now right?" Gerald was shouting, gone was the calm and peaceful demeanor I was used to seeing."That doesn't matter, One of us can take down a hundred of you." Zane shot back angrily."Will you guys fucking stop it already!" I screamed at the top of my voice.They stopped turning to stare at me in shock, they'd probably never heard me scream before."Screaming at each other should be the last thing on your minds right now," I said panting hard, they kept staring at me."You are so preoccupied with the need to tear each other's throats that you can't realize what's happening," I said staring at my stuck feet.
SIERRAI felt the wind whooshing around my skin, which meant one thing, we were no longer in the confines of the house, my eyes shot open, and I gasped.This wasn't the woods, the sand in the woods could never be this white. I looked around in shock, I was right, I was at the beach, not at the spellbound house where Orion had kept us.How did I get here? I could recall being in the house, I could recall how angry I felt when Orion had tossed the gas-like substance towards us, so how did I get to the beach? Did I magically teleport without knowing?The ocean was wild, the waves kept coming, filling my ears with dangerous sounds. Something was weird about the beach, beaches usually have people walking around wanting to take a swim or resting under an umbrella, but this beach was empty, there was nothing outside for the wind and sand that swallowed my feet whenever I tried moving.I wondered if the boys had remained there or if I arrived there with them."Damn, where are we?" Kane asked
THANE"What on earth happened here?" Alpha Harold asked as we drew closer to the house.The house was destroyed, there was no stone left unturned."Where are the kids?" I asked turning to Elvis who still couldn't believe his eyes."I... I mean, they were right here, this was where I left them." He replied glancing around.I couldn't help but burst into laughter, they all turned to stare at me in shock. "What do you mean you left them here?" I asked Elvis whose eyes were darting around as though searching for something."Let's check around first," Maya suggested walking toward the debris.We checked everywhere, but none of the kids were found, I could perceive a faint smell of gas in the air, and I tried to ignore it telling myself that they were all safe.Harold's men arrived, they began to search through the debris, and they raised stones to check if there were any bodies or survivors.A faint cough reached my ears and I pulled Maya along with me as we headed towards the direction wh