KANEMy voice was rough, and demanding, as I pulled against the chains that bound me.โWhat are you doing with Harold, Gerald?โ My eyes narrowed with frustration. Geraldโs laugh echoed through the room, dark and chilling. It made my blood run cold.โIsnโt it obvious, Kane?โ he said, almost mocking him. โIโve been the one pulling the strings from the very beginning. Everything youโve seen, all of this, itโs been my plan.โI couldnโt believe what I was hearing. Gerald, of all people, was behind all of this. The betrayal hit me like a punch to the gut. He had been working with Harold this whole time. I was already furious, and it only got worse as Gerald laughed at us, a smug, almost gleeful look on his face.โIf itโs not clear by now, Iโm the one who organized everything from the start,โ Gerald said, his voice dripping with satisfaction. โI wanted Sierra all to myself. Sheโs special, you know. I knew from the moment she came into our pack that she had something... something unique.โMy
DANEThe sound of the heavy wooden door creaking open made my heart lurch, but I kept my face stoic. It was Gerald. Of course, it was Gerald.โAh, Dane,โ he drawled, stepping into the room with his trademark smirk. โHowโs our brave warrior holding up?โโWhat do you want, Gerald?โ I snapped, glaring at him with all the venom I could muster. โHavenโt you had your fun yet?โHe chuckled, his eyes glinting with malice. โOh, not even close. You see, thereโs still something I need from you. From all of you, actually. But letโs start with you.โI narrowed my eyes, my chest heaving. โSpit it out already.โGeraldโs grin widened. โI need you to reject Sierra. One by one, all of you must sever your ties with her. Do that, and maybe Iโll consider letting you all go."The words hit me like a punch to the gut, but I didnโt let it show. I leaned forward as much as the chains allowed and sneered. โYouโre delusional if you think Iโll ever do that. Go to hell, Gerald.โThe smirk never left his face. He
SIERRAThe sound of Daneโs voice echoed through the room, raw and filled with pain. I could barely see through my tears as I watched the screen. Haroldโs laughter cut through my heart like a knife, and every scream from Dane felt like a stab in my chest.โPlease, stop this!โ I begged, my voice cracking. โLet him go! He hasnโt done anything to you!โHarold smirked, his eyes glinting with cruel amusement. โOh, Sierra,โ he said, his tone mockingly sweet. โThis is entirely up to you. Give up your powers, reject your mates, and agree to marry Gerald, and Iโll let your precious Dane go.โMy body trembled, not with fear but with fury. โYouโre a monster,โ I spat, tears streaming down my face. โYouโll never win.โHarold shrugged, unbothered. โIโve heard that before,โ he said. Then he gestured to the screen, where Geraldโs smug face appeared, holding a silver dagger.โNo!โ I screamed, my voice piercing. โPlease, donโt hurt him! Iโll do anything!โGerald chuckled, his eyes cold. โAnything? Then
ZANEThe moment Sierraโs body slumped, I caught her instinctively, my arms curling around her trembling form. Her weight was light, too light, and it terrified me.โKane, grab Dane! We need to get out of here,โ I barked, my voice cracking under the pressure. Sierraโs shallow breathing filled my ears, and her baby sister, bundled in a cloth, let out a weak cry. I adjusted the child in my grip, cradling her carefully while holding onto Sierra.Kane didnโt hesitate. He hoisted Dane over his shoulder, though he struggled under the weight. โLetโs move,โ Kane growled, his tone sharp with urgency.The halls felt endless as we ran, each step echoing like a drumbeat in my chest. Sierra was still out cold, her head resting against my shoulder. The babyโs cries grew louder, a desperate, heart-wrenching sound.โHold on, Sierra,โ I whispered, my throat tightening. โWeโre almost there.โWe burst out into the open air, the cool breeze stinging our sweat-drenched skin. Luna Maya and Alpha Thane were
SIERRAI couldnโt believe what I was hearing. Kaneโs words stung, deep in my chest, like a dagger twisted to make sure it hurt.โWhat do you mean by that?โ I asked, trying to stay calm, but my voice wavered. I could feel the anger bubbling inside me, but I didnโt want to lose control. Not yet.Kaneโs eyes were dark, his face twisted in frustration. โYou know exactly what I mean, Sierra,โ he spat, his voice rising. โStop your bullshit right now. Weโre all dealing with enough, and youโre still acting like everythingโs about you!โI opened my mouth to respond, but Zane cut in before I could.โHey, Kane, chill out,โ Zane said, his voice firm but trying to be soothing. He stepped in front of me, putting a hand on Kaneโs chest to push him back. โYouโre going too far.โBut Kane wasnโt having it. โNo, Zane, Iโm done holding back!โ he yelled. โShe went against our wishes and went there alone. Look at the mess she made!โI flinched at his words, but I couldnโt stop myself from defending what I
SIERRAKaneโs words rang in my ears, sharp and unrelenting. The room was suffocating, their stares cutting into me. My chest tightened, and before I could stop them, tears welled in my eyes. I tried to blink them away, but it was too lateโKane had already seen.โYouโre right,โ I whispered, my voice cracking. โI do ruin everything.โZane turned to me, his expression twisting in confusion and anger. โSierra, stop. You donโt need to take this from him!โI shook my head, stepping back. โZane, apologize to him.โโWhat?โ Zane blinked at me, completely taken aback. โWhy would I do that? He was disrespecting you!โI let out a small, pitiful laugh that didnโt sound like me at all. โBecause I deserve it,โ I said bitterly. โHeโs right. Everythingโs a mess because of me.โZane seemed to want to argue, but I didnโt wait to hear it. I turned away, my hands trembling as I wiped my tears. I couldnโt stay here any longer. The tension was unbearable, the air too heavy to breathe.โIโll leave you both t
KANEI leaned against the wall, running my fingers through my hair as I watched Zane pace. The air between us was thick with tension after everything that had happened with Sierra.โKane,โ Zane said, stopping abruptly. His voice was softer now, almost hesitant. โIโm sorry. I didnโt mean to hurt you.โI looked at him for a moment, his sincerity written all over his face. I exhaled sharply, shaking my head. โItโs fine. Iโm used to it by now,โ I muttered. โWhen it comes to Sierra, youโre always thinking with your dick anyway.โZaneโs jaw tightened, and he took a step closer, but before he could shoot back, a piercing scream cut through the air.Before he could get another word out, a sharp scream pierced the air.My heart skipped a beat. โSierra!โ Zane shouted, already sprinting towards the sound.โShit,โ I cursed under my breath, following him as fast as I could.We rushed through the hall and skidded to a halt outside Daneโs room. The door was barely hanging on its hinges, smoke pourin
SIERRAThe bushes tore at my skin, sharp branches scratching my arms and legs as I stumbled deeper into the forest. I didnโt care about the pain. It didnโt matter. Nothing mattered anymore. Tears streamed down my cheeks, blurring my vision, but I kept running. My heart pounded loudly in my ears, drowning out the sounds of the forest.โMoon Goddess,โ I whispered, my voice trembling with desperation. โTake it back. Take it all back.โMy foot caught on a root, and I fell hard to my knees. The sharp sting of impact spread through my legs, but I barely felt it. The ache in my chest was so much worse. It felt like my heart was splintering, and no amount of sobbing could put it back together.I slammed my fists into the ground, ignoring the way the dirt clung to my hands. โI donโt want this cursed power anymore!โ My voice cracked, but I didnโt stop. โItโs not a giftโitโs a nightmare.โDaneโs pale, lifeless face flashed in my mind. My chest tightened as guilt clawed its way through me. โI alm
SIERRAI stood frozen, my eyes wide and my stomach turning. The rabbits werenโt 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 couldnโt breathe. I couldnโt even blink. All I could do was stare at what my magic had done.The warlock didnโt 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 allโฆ Ariel. Screaming. Crying. Holding a knife.โWhat the hell?โ I whispered under my breath, my eyes widening.โI said let me in!โ she yelled, her voice cracking. โYouโre not the only one who loves them! I deserve to be in there too!โShe was pointing the knife at her own chest, trembling like she was seconds away from doing something stupid.I didnโt 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.โW
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 Iโd slammed into a wall. But there was no wall. Justโฆ 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 wasnโt someone who got denied things. Not rooms. Not people. Not Dane.I turned on my heels and stormed down the hallway, heading straight for Mayaโs 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 didnโt knock, I kicked it. Hard.โAriel?โ Mayaโs 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. Zaneโs steady heartbeat under my cheek, Daneโs arms around my waist, and the calmness in Kaneโs eyes, everything felt safe here. I felt like I was finally home.But it wasnโt 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 theyโd fight the stars if it meant keeping me safe. I hadnโt realized how much I needed them until this moment. I needed to feel wanted, needed to be touched, loved, needed to feel alive again.โIโve missed this,โ I whispered, glancing up at Zane, my fingers gently resting on his chest.โWeโve missed you more,โ he replied softly, brushing his lips over my forehead.โI donโt like seeing you this stressed,โ Dane murmured behind me, nuzzling into the crook of my neck. โLet us help you relax.โKane was kneeling beside me ag
SIERRAI ran out of the room angrily and frustrated. I didnโt want to talk to anyone. I didnโt 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 thatโs 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 wasnโt 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 didnโt have the patience for his caution. "I donโt care about how tricky it is," I snapped. "I need to stop her. Ariel is... sheโs going to ruin everything. I canโt 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 Arielโs voice cut through the garden like a sharp knife. She just stood there, smirking at us like she hadnโt just interrupted something important, something real.I turned to her, fists clenching at my sides. "Donโt you have anything better to do than irritate me?" I snapped, my voice louder than I intended. Dane shifted uncomfortably behind me, but I didnโt 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
DANEI woke up to the sound of soft giggles.My head felt heavy, like Iโd slept for days, and for a second, I didnโt even know where I was. But then I blinked and saw her, Ariel, sitting at the edge of the bed, grinning at me like I was some kind of adorable pet.โYou look so cute when youโre sleeping,โ she said in a sing-song voice.My whole body tensed up instantly. Memories rushed backโฆ.the food, the plan, everything. I shot up, heart pounding.โWhat happened?โ I croaked, throat dry.Ariel gave a playful shrug, almost like she was proud of herself. โYou tried to drug me, silly. But Iโm smarter than that.โ She leaned in closer, lowering her voice like she was sharing a secret. โI swapped the plates. You ate the laced one instead.โI cursed under my breath and swung my legs off the bed. I couldnโt even look at her as I stood up."Aw, don't be mad," Ariel called after me as I stormed toward the door. "You needed the rest anyway!"I didnโt answer. I just left.When I finally made it do
SIERRAI didnโt move. None of us did. We just stood there and took it as Ariel laughed like we were the biggest fools she had ever seen. Her voice echoed off the walls, high and sharp, like a knife digging into my already shredded nerves.โOh, my sweet, sweet Sierra,โ she said between giggles, wiping a fake tear from the corner of her eye. โYou actually think a few little weeds are going to save your precious sister from me?โI kept my face blank, even though my heart was hammering against my ribs. If I gave her any more reason to doubt me, she would tear us all apart.Ariel circled slowly around me, hands clasped behind her back, her boots clicking softly against the floor. I could feel the others tense up, ready to move if she tried anything.She leaned in close, so close I could smell the sickly sweet scent of her perfume. โYou have no idea what youโre dealing with,โ she whispered. โNo idea how deep this bond goes.โI clenched my teeth to keep from flinching. I would not give her t