KANEI exchanged looks with my brothers, they too were hesitant to speak, and their eyes moved very fast, I understood immediately what it meant, they too didn't want Dad to know.Turning to him, I sent him a nervous smile, praying under my breath that he wouldn't see past the facade."You must have misheard us Dad, we weren't talking about you." I said but his face didn't change, he kept staring at us, "You boys better not hide anything from me."Zane smiled as he scratched his hair nervously, "No, no, no Dad, we wouldn't do that." He said."We are sorry if that's what it seemed like but we aren't hiding anything from you," Dane said apologetically.It was a good idea, it was better we apologize and brush it off than allow him to hear something likely to break his heart."Yeah, we are sorry Dad, we really didn't mean to make it sound like that, we were just fooling around as usual," I said."There's nothing we haven't told you," Zane said turning to face us and we nodded in agreement
KANE"No, that's not true." Dad said shaking his head in denial, "There's no way that is possible.""Dad, I know you're finding it so hard to believe right now, but you need to trust us this once, everything we just told you is true," I said drawing closer to him."I mean, how is it even possible? Maya had never done anything to hurt any of us so why now?" He asked.Dad loved Maya, but he never ceased to show it, he has always been in love with her."It's hard, we understand but you have to do this Dad, we have to let them go," Dane said calmly."I can't believe this." He said bending down to the ground, it broke my heart to see him like this, but it was a stage we had to pass through."Dad, you have to, you have to believe us," Zane said."This is just too much." He groaned running his fingers through his hair."We understand, believe me, Dad, we understand," I said hoping it would calm her down but he shook his head."No, I don't think you do." He said getting up from where he was s
MAYAI followed closely behind the guys as they searched through the woods."Let's check over there," Kane said pointing to a small trail that had been created by constant steps of people. "You guys wait here, we'll be back," Dane said as he hurried after him, I watched as they disappeared into the bushy trail."Maya, are you alright?" Zane asked walking closer to me. I sniffled trying to wipe off my tears, "I will be fine once I see her." I replied trying to hold back a sob. "I know this is hard for you, but you need to calm down a bit, you'll end up getting a headache," Thane said from behind me, I didn't notice him coming. "I will be fine, I just need to see my daughter," I answered.Soon Dane and Kane returned from the trail, from the look on their faces, I could tell that they hadn't found anything. "There was not even a single clue, it's as though she vanished into thin air," Kane said wiping off the sweat on his forehead."The trail was as neat as hell, not even the prints
THANE"These woods have no suitable hiding place, I doubt she's here," Dane said as he searched through the bushes. He was right, the forest was home mostly to shrubs and little pests, yet that was what made it even more suspicious, men like Elvis tend to act in a manner that would surprise people, he knew how people thought and what they expected so he works oppositely. "I wonder if Elvis has her," Zane muttered as though he was talking to himself. "If he does have her, how and when did he sneak on us?" He asked frowning. "We could have caught his smell miles before he got close," Dane added."That's if he doesn't hide his scent." Kane countered. "Keep searching, Sierra has to be somewhere," I said and they moved to work immediately. We got to a crossroad, the trail we had been walking through was split into two. "I guess this is where we go our separate ways," Zane said causally shrugging his shoulders. I knew he was worried, they all were, she was their mate as much as I found
SIERRAMy eyes opened slowly trying to get accustomed to the light from the sun. When the mist was fully cleared, I struggled up to my feet glancing around.The surroundings were unfamiliar, although I was in the middle of the woods, yet, the surroundings seemed very strange. A faint smell hit my nose, it reeked of metal and something foul.I stared down at my body, it was soaked with blood. My dress clung desperately to my skin, the blood was dried making the red of the blood appear black and smelling."What's this?" I mumbled to myself trying to wipe off the blood with my palm. When it didn't come off, I gave up."How did I get here?" The words were out of my lips as I glanced around the woods. I tried to recall how I had gotten there but I kept drawing a blank, nothing came to my memory.I could feel a faint ache at the back of my head, it kept hammering heavily on my head as though my brain was swelling increasingly. The more I tried to recall what happened, the more the ache was.
SIERRAI was lying on a soft surface when I regained consciousness. It was so soft that I felt myself sinking into it, I wanted to remain there for a long time. Were prison floors usually this soft? As the thought hit me, I sat up immediately earning a heavy bang on my head making me groan in pain.Had they thrown me into the cell? My eyes darted around the room in panic, but the cells weren't this beautiful except they wanted me to enjoy my last days before they executed me. I couldn't help but feel terrified.My fingers began to shake, I hadn't done anything wrong, I was just passing by and unfortunately for me, I had stumbled at the wrong place at the wrongest of times.The look in the Alpha's eyes was planted in my head, I could see the accusations in his eyes as he asked me if I was a spy. Were they going to kill me for wandering in their land?I drew my legs up to my chest in a bid to comfort myself, "Calm down Sierra, they wouldn't go through the stress of giving you a room as
SIERRAGerald's expression changed on hearing me, "Are you sure about what you just said?" He asked, his deep blue eyes locking with mine.I gasped as I released a breath I didn't realize I was holding. "Yes, you have to do something immediately," I said I could feel my blood pressure rising with every breath I took."How do you know?" He asked as he got up to his feet.I hesitated for a minute but the look in his eyes made me stop, he believed me and he was ready to act. "I just have a feeling, it comes and goes but you've got to believe me."He nodded stretching out his hand, "I need to inform the Alpha, please, come with me." I took his hand as he pulled me out of the bed. He walked ahead with me following closely behind him, my eyes were fixed on his long legs as he took very huge strides towards the Alpha's council room, I could barely keep up so I tripped on my own feet. He was fast, he caught me just before I landed on my knees."Are you alright?" He asked with concern swimming
SIERRA“Gerald!” I screamed the moment I got over my initial shock.I knelt beside him, panicking. “No no no.. don't die on me” I whispered as I tried to collect myself and see how I could help him, he lay unconscious on the ground, the arrow was laced with deep poison as that was the only way a guy as big as Gerald would lose consciousness immediately.I took a deep breath and grabbed the arrow, ready to pull it out so I could treat the wound when I heard loud noises surrounding us, I turned to see that it was the warriors running towards us, “Good thing you're here, please come help me. Some of you can chase after the culprits, I'm not sure they've gone far.” I yelled after them and faced Gerald back, helping him was my priority.“Step back” The leader halted me the moment they got close.I was yanked away from Gerald and the next thing I saw was initial darkness, the continuous ringing in my ear told me that I was still alive.“What have you done to my son!?” It was Alpha Harold's
SIERRA"Then it’s settled," I said firmly, standing up straighter, lifting my chin with determination. "I’ll learn. I’ll transfer the bond to an animal. Something harmless. A rabbit or a bird, anything."For a moment, the warlock just stared at me. Then he let out a loud laugh, an honest, surprised, borderline mocking kind of laugh that made my stomach twist."Your lack of magical understanding is quite admirable," he said, still chuckling, wiping the corner of his eye with a bony finger. "You truly are brave, I'll give you that. But no, Sierra. You can’t just toss a blood bond onto a bird like it’s a coat. That’s not how this works."My eyebrows furrowed as the bubble of hope that had been fluttering in my chest deflated completely. "But… why not? Why can’t I? I don’t understand."He shook his head and folded his hands over his lap. His voice turned softer now, more like a teacher speaking to a stubborn student. "Because blood bonds require something animals don’t have. A soul capabl
SIERRAI stormed into the warlock's study, my chest tight with frustration and my fists clenched at my sides. The room smelled like old paper and burnt herbs, the air thick with the scent of magic and mystery. He looked up from the book he was reading, his brows already furrowed as if he knew why I was there."Tell me everything you know about blood bonds," I said without wasting a second. My voice was sharp, determined. I didn’t care how it came out. I needed answers.The warlock paused, his long fingers lingering on the weathered pages of the book he had just been flipping through. Slowly, almost dramatically, he closed the book and leaned back in his wooden chair. The silence between us stretched a little too long.“Why do you ask?” he said at last, his voice calm, but I caught the tension under it."Ariel mentioned it," I replied, trying to stay calm. "She said what she has with my sister is a blood bond."The moment the words left my mouth, I saw his expression shift. The color d
SIERRAI stood frozen, my eyes wide and my stomach turning. The rabbits weren’t moving anymore. The white one had stopped twitching first, then the brown one slumped beside it. My hands were still outstretched, fingers trembling as the energy from the failed spell faded into the air like smoke.The silence that followed was unbearable. It was as if the whole world had paused to judge me, to make me feel the weight of what I had just done. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t even blink. All I could do was stare at what my magic had done.The warlock didn’t say anything at first. He just walked up to the small wooden pen, stood over the lifeless bodies, and looked down with a heavy sigh. His face gave nothing away, no anger, no sadness, just quiet acceptance of the outcome. Then he slowly turned to face me."This," he said, his voice low and sharp like a blade slicing through still air, "is what would have happened to your sister and Ariel if you had jumped into this blindly."The words hit
SIERRAI had just finished spending time with my mates. My body still felt warm, and for once, my mind was quiet. I was finally beginning to feel like myself again.But then I heard shouting from outside.My heart jumped. I threw on a robe and rushed out.I barely made it past the hallway before I saw everyone gathered in the courtyard. And in the middle of it all… Ariel. Screaming. Crying. Holding a knife.“What the hell?” I whispered under my breath, my eyes widening.“I said let me in!” she yelled, her voice cracking. “You’re not the only one who loves them! I deserve to be in there too!”She was pointing the knife at her own chest, trembling like she was seconds away from doing something stupid.I didn’t even think twice.I raised my hand and whispered the first protection spell that came to mind. A shield burst around her in a dome of blue light. The moment it closed around her, the knife fell from her hand and clattered to the floor.She looked around in confusion, then rage.“W
ARIELI paced the hallway, scowling, my arms folded tightly across my chest. For the fifth time, I tried to step forward, right into the damn hallway, and for the fifth time, it felt like I’d slammed into a wall. But there was no wall. Just… air. Heavy, invisible, and impossible to pass through."What the hell is going on?" I growled, pushing again, harder this time. Nothing. It was like the space itself refused to let me through. My breath hitched as anger flared in my chest. I wasn’t someone who got denied things. Not rooms. Not people. Not Dane.I turned on my heels and stormed down the hallway, heading straight for Maya’s quarters. If anyone knew what kind of stupid magic trick was being pulled, it had to be Sierra. I knew her mother was always around the others. Always listening. Watching, and I needed to see her, and I asked what the hell was going on.When I got to her door, I didn’t knock, I kicked it. Hard.“Ariel?” Maya’s voice called out, soft and hesitant. She opened the d
SIERRAThe warmth of their arms around me made it easier to breathe. The tension that had wrapped around my chest like a tight rope was starting to loosen, bit by bit. Zane’s steady heartbeat under my cheek, Dane’s arms around my waist, and the calmness in Kane’s eyes, everything felt safe here. I felt like I was finally home.But it wasn’t just the comfort. It was the way they looked at me. The way they held me was like I was the most precious thing in the world. Like they’d fight the stars if it meant keeping me safe. I hadn’t realized how much I needed them until this moment. I needed to feel wanted, needed to be touched, loved, needed to feel alive again.“I’ve missed this,” I whispered, glancing up at Zane, my fingers gently resting on his chest.“We’ve missed you more,” he replied softly, brushing his lips over my forehead.“I don’t like seeing you this stressed,” Dane murmured behind me, nuzzling into the crook of my neck. “Let us help you relax.”Kane was kneeling beside me ag
SIERRAI ran out of the room angrily and frustrated. I didn’t want to talk to anyone. I didn’t want to explain how I felt, not even to Alpha Thane. I just needed to get away, to let the frustration and fear out in a way that made sense. And that’s why I shifted.The air felt cold on my fur as I ran, my paws pounding the earth beneath me, my mind barely able to process anything except the need to escape. My heart was racing, and the adrenaline pumping through my body only made the anger and fear swirl together like a violent storm.I ran deeper into the woods, ignoring the world around me, just focused on the rhythmic pounding of my paws. The trees blurred by in a mixture of green and brown, the earth beneath me firm and solid. But even in my wolf form, the worry gnawed at my insides, and all I wanted was for the weight to lift, even if just for a moment.Eventually, the tension in my body started to ease just a little, but I wasn’t running anymore. I slowed down and then stopped, my b
SIERRAI walked into the room, my mind racing with questions. The man, the warlock, was standing by a table covered in books and strange artifacts. His eyes flickered up when I entered, and I could feel the weight of his gaze. He knew why I was here."You are here," he said, his voice calm but heavy with something I couldn't place.I didn't waste time with pleasantries. "I need your help," I said bluntly. "I need to learn how to use my powers. And I need to do it fast."The warlock raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. "Binding spells," he said slowly, almost to himself, "are tricky. Especially one like the one you're asking for."I didn’t have the patience for his caution. "I don’t care about how tricky it is," I snapped. "I need to stop her. Ariel is... she’s going to ruin everything. I can’t let that happen. I just need to know how to make it work."He looked at me, the seriousness in his eyes growing. "Binding spells are not something to take lightly. They tie you to someo
SIERRAI could feel my whole body burning with anger as Ariel’s voice cut through the garden like a sharp knife. She just stood there, smirking at us like she hadn’t just interrupted something important, something real.I turned to her, fists clenching at my sides. "Don’t you have anything better to do than irritate me?" I snapped, my voice louder than I intended. Dane shifted uncomfortably behind me, but I didn’t care. I was tired of her games.Ariel just giggled like I had told her a joke. "Nope," she said with a sweet shrug. "Turns out, irritating you is way more fun than I ever thought it would be."I wanted to slap that smug smile off her face. I really did. But I held myself back because that's exactly what she wanted, to push me until I broke.Then she turned her full attention to Dane, her smile softening in a way that made my stomach twist in disgust. "I miss Dane," she said in a whiny voice. "I want him to stay with me for a while."I stepped protectively in front of Dane w