All Chapters of THE ALPHA FEMALE : Chapter 11 - Chapter 16

Sephora's POVI was at home pacing. Where was she? I told her to be home before dark.I was overwhelmed with panic. I was too hard on her. I shouldn't have said those things to her.I heard the sound of footsteps come from upstairs.“Niylah, did you see her?" “No sister. I didn't…" She stopped mid-sentence and I followed her gaze. My heart skipped a beat and in the faint light of the lanterns, I saw a pair of bright orange eyes.“Sequoia?" I dashed out towards her. I was relieved that she was safe. My eyes were moist with tears. What would I have done if something happened to her.“Sequoia, I was so…”She stopped and fell to her knees. In the light of the dimly lit lantern, I could see the tears in her bright orange eyes."Sequoia? What…?" She bowed her face to the ground. Her voice was hoarse and choked my tears that she struggled to hold back.“Forgive me, Sister. I broke my promise to you. I let you down. I accept my failure." My heart was moved. I felt guilty. I was wrong to

Sephora's POV I walked back through the forest with Sequoia silent by my side. I looked at her eyes and saw the dulled color in them: the fire in her had been drained.I could tell the spar against Niylah had made her weary and my words hadn't fully sunken in yet.“Cheer up, Sequoia. I presume that the Goddess loves to see a smile on her face." She looked up at me but soon looked away. I could tell that a thousand questions were burning in her mind and it hurt me to not be able to tell her.My back was still throbbing. The pain that was shooting through me was immense. Artemisia's ointment only did so much to make it better.I sighed. I didn't think that the Goddess was cruel in her judgment. These were just how we lived, these were the things that we did to keep our people alive. The old ways had to be respected, regardless.I slipped into my mind and accessed Sequoia. She was stronger now but not nearly as ready as I needed her to be to take me on, to end my…I needed to soar with

Sephora's POV “Sequoia! No! What are you doing?" I stood, hidden by the cover of the green foliage, and watched her talking to a group of strange creatures that surrounded her.They were tall and muscular, nothing like any of our sisters. They had no breasts, and their hair was short, lacking silkiness, and didn't flow in the wind.They surrounded Sequoia and spoke to her. Her smile grew as she talked back to them. Their hard and chiseled facial features hid the evil they harboured in their hearts.“Sequoia!" I tried to step forward, to free her from their seduction, but I was stopped by an invisible barrier.I banged on it, but it didn't give way. Tears filled my eyes as I watched her being led astray by these strange creatures.“Sequoia! Get away from them! They are evil!" But only I could hear the sound of my voice. She was lost in their talk which was carried by their deep, unearthly voices.I watched in agony as one of the creatures behind her pulled out a knife. My heart sha