Chapter 1

Sierra

We were out in the woods. Me, Asher, Alpha Osiris or as I call him, uncle Osiris and my dad, Beta Riker. Ever since I said I wanted to follow dad in his footstep, we’ve been going on runs together. Dad and uncle Osiris usually shift and we run besides them. It’s good stamina training.

Uncle Osiris shifted back and Asher handed him some shorts.

“Having a Beta that is also a friend is really important. There needs to be trust and your Beta needs to be able to challenge you if necessary. You shouldn’t have someone that will follow you blindly. Your Beta is there to challenge, -“

“Yes dad, I know.” Asher said annoyed. “You’ve said it so often. And me and Sierra are friends. We grew up together. She calls you uncle for crying out loud. We’re like family.”

I smiled, we were like family. Growing up in the packhouse with Alpha Osiris and Luna Lily’s kids, Asher and Kate and my parents, me and my brother Roman, we always had fun. Not to mention the rest of our parents’ friends and their kids. Asher and I were just about to go to high school and I wondered if things would change between us and the younger kids. I was sure we would still be friends.

Dad started to shift back, but there was a loud bang and he suddenly fell down.

No this isn’t real, this is a memory. I am just dreaming, I need to wake up. I don’t want to see this, not today.

“Wake up Sierra, wake up!” I shouted to myself, but the dream continued.

Dad was bleeding badly and he wasn’t healing. I already knew why, so I tried to tell Uncle Osiris. Try to change things.

But this was a dream and I couldn’t change things. All I could do was watch my dad die, again.

Once Uncle Osiris realized dad wasn’t healing, he tried to get the silver bullet out. He tried to stop the bleeding. Using his hands to push down on the wound. But there was no point. I couldn’t even say goodbye. Dad was gone.

I broke down and cried, while uncle Osiris ran away and Asher followed him. Leaving me behind with my dad and his lifeless body. I hugged dad and held his body, stroking his cheek and I closed his eyes. Until my mom and aunt Jara came.

“You need to let go honey.” Mom said.

But I didn’t want to let dad go. I wasn’t ready. If I let go it would mean he was really dead and not just sleeping in my arms.

“Sierra? Sierra?” mom said and I opened my eyes.

“Are you okay honey? You were crying and screaming.” Mom said, wiping the tears from my face.

It had been four years and I was doing okay. But tomorrow would be the anniversary of dad’s death and I guess that’s why the dream came back.

“I’m okay. I dreamed about dad. I’m okay.” I said.

But mom didn’t really believe and gave me a big hug.

“I know we have that dinner with Alpha Osiris and the rest, but maybe we can do something together during the day? Just you, me and Roman. To remember dad?” Mom asked.

I nodded, “okay. That sounds nice.”

I tried to go back to sleep, but it wasn’t easy. Dr. Angela had taught me some exercises to calm my mind, so I decided to try those. I saw her for two years after dad died and she had been a big help. I still used most of the things she taught me.

I really was doing okay. I still missed my dad, but I had friends, I was doing well in school and the Beta training was going great. Dad dying happened just when before I went to high school. Our clique of friends was separated. Kate, Leia, Roman, Rain and the rest were still in primary school back then. Asher was the next Alpha in line, so everyone was nice to him and Asher took care of me.

He had mostly guy friends, the only girls that hung around wanted to get into his pants. And I was in their way. So they really didn’t like me. But I loved our group of friends, they were fun and easy going.

There were a lot of people who thought I would be Asher’s mate, but I wasn’t one of them. I loved Asher and he was hot, even I could tell that. But that whole family is beautiful. Asher is the typical Alpha male. Tall, dark and handsome, very muscular and has the greenest eyes. The curls he had when he was fourteen were cut short now.

Kate has grown up to be a beautiful young woman, with her long brown curls and dark brown eyes. She has her mom’s curves and her dad’s height. She’s just gorgeous and so damn smart. She will turn sixteen soon.

Asher and I grew up together and we were just friends. Well, best friends. Besides, I didn’t train to be Beta for nothing. Whoever my mate was, would have to accept that I was Asher’s Beta. I would follow in my dad’s footstep, just like I promised.

Dad’s death had made me more determent to be the next Beta. And it had changed other people too. Uncle Osiris used to be so happy and easy going, but when my dad died, I saw why people feared him. When I finally let go of my dad’s body that day, uncle Osiris was there, covered in blood. Asher stood next to him, looking pale and sad.

Asher had told me what happened. That uncle Osiris chased the scent of my dad’s killer and killed the guy. Uncle Osiris had worked so hard to set up a legal system, making sure people weren’t just killed or banished, but got a trial. But seeing your oldest friend being killed, threw that all out the window.

Uncle Osiris is back to his old self, well mostly. But he did make some changes, making sure no one with bad intentions could enter our pack. Aunt Jara changed too, she stopped being Gamma and let her niece Talia take over. The loss of my dad was hard on everyone.

“I miss you daddy. Love you. Goodnight.” I said, looking up to the moon, trying to fall asleep.

It took a few hours, but I finally dozed off. Mom let me sleep in and when I woke up it was already passed ten. I stood up and showered and put some clothes on. I had no idea what we were going to do, so I wore shorts and a nice top.

We had stayed in the packhouse the first year after dad died, but mom decided it was better for us to get our own place. Damian had helped uncle Osiris for a year, taking over my dad’s Beta duties and then uncle Osiris and Luna Lily made him the official Beta. So we swapped houses. He and Kane moved into the packhouse and we moved into their house. Roman had Kane’s old office as his bedroom and I had Damian’s library as mine. I kept some of the bookshelves for my own collection.

I walked downstairs, where Roman and my mom were eating breakfast. Roman was getting so tall, he just turned fifteen and he looked so much like dad.

“So what did you want to do today mom?” I asked.

“Beach day. Riker and I loved going there. The waves always calm me down. Let’s go to the beach.” Mom said, smiling at the memory of her and dad together.

She never dated anyone after dad died. She didn’t have a second mate or she didn’t look for one, but she wasn’t miserable. She just focused on her boutique, her kids and her friends. I hoped that once I was eighteen, she might be open to it. Might be able to see Roman and I were doing okay and she was allowed to have a new love in her life. Just six more months to go.