SIERRAThree months laterThe morning sun streamed through the window, its golden rays spilling over the room like a warm farewell. I folded the last shirt and placed it carefully into my worn suitcase, the lid groaning softly as I closed it. The house felt different this morning—quieter than usual, almost as if it too was holding its breath for the inevitable goodbye. Three months of peace, and now we were leaving.I stood there for a moment, staring at the dresser. My fingers traced the edge, feeling the smooth wood beneath them. This house had been more than just a shelter. It had been a place to heal, to find myself again after everything. But deep down, I knew it was time to move on. My mother deserved her space, and her life back, and honestly, we needed ours too.A soft knock at the door pulled me out of my thoughts. “Sierra? You ready?” Dane’s voice came through, gentle but with a familiar urgency that tugged at my chest.I walked over and opened the door. Dane stood there, hi
SIERRAThe laughter started with Zane. It was low at first, a chuckle that grew into a full-on laugh, and soon I couldn’t help but join in. “You’re kidding, right?” I managed to say between breaths, clutching my stomach.Dane’s deep laughter echoed mine, and even Kane cracked a rare smile, though he didn’t laugh outright. “Nightwalkers?” Dane asked, his voice laced with disbelief. “What is this, a campfire ghost story?”The boys standing in front of us didn’t flinch. Their expressions were as serious as a heart attack, their rigid postures only adding to the awkward tension. One of them, a tall guy with sharp green eyes and a scar running down his cheek, stepped forward. “We’re not joking,” he said, his tone firm. “This is serious. You’re putting everyone here in danger.”The laughter died in my throat as I studied him. His voice carried conviction, and for a moment, doubt crept into my mind. But Zane wasn’t having it.“Yeah, okay,” Zane said, folding his arms across his chest. “Dange
SIERRAThe rush of adrenaline still hasn't left my veins. My heart beats wildly in my chest as the boys crowd around me, their eyes wide with desperation."What did you see, Sierra?" Kane demands, his voice low, full of concern. His hand grips my shoulder tightly, as if he's afraid I might disappear if he lets go. But no matter how hard I try, I can’t form the words to explain it. All I can think of is those pitch-black eyes, the sinister rasping voice. I shiver, feeling like something is crawling under my skin."I... I don't know," I stutter, my voice barely above a whisper. "It... it was dark, like pure darkness, and then those eyes. They were empty and cold. And... the voice. It was raspy, like... like something not human."Kane shakes his head, trying to piece together the fragments of my story, but nothing makes sense. Dylan, who’s been quiet up until now, takes a step closer, his brow furrowed in confusion."Who was it, Sierra? You must’ve heard something. Who’s voice was it?""
SIERRAThe first rays of dawn peeked through the curtains, but the chill in the air lingered—a strange, unnatural cold. My body trembled uncontrollably, my skin damp with sweat despite the warmth of Kane’s arm draped over me. I couldn’t shake the image of those pitch-black eyes and the raspy voice echoing in my mind.“Sierra?” Dane’s voice was soft as he brushed the hair from my face. “You’re shaking like a leaf. What happened?”“I don’t know,” I whispered, my voice cracking. “I… I think something was here.”Zane sat up on my other side, rubbing his eyes. His expression darkened when he saw me. “What do you mean, something? Sierra, you’re pale as a ghost.”Before I could respond, the wolves who had warned us last night burst into the room. Their leader, a tall, muscular man with a scar running down his cheek, scanned the room with sharp eyes.“It was here,” he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.Kane’s grip on me tightened. “What do you mean? What was here?”The scarred wolf’s
ZANEI could feel the tension in the room before I even saw her. Sierra. She had been distant for a while now, but this time… this time it was different. Something about the way she was sitting there, staring off into nothingness, had a strange weight in the air. My gut twisted. I knew something was wrong."Guys, look," I said, my voice barely above a whisper as I stepped closer to her. The others, already busy getting dressed, froze. I could see it in their eyes—the same realization dawning on them. Sierra wasn’t just zoning out. She wasn’t reacting to anything, not even when we touched her. It was as if she was somewhere else entirely."What the hell’s going on with her?" Kane muttered, concern thick in his voice as he reached out, lightly tapping her arm. "Sierra, hey, snap out of it."But she didn’t. She just sat there, her eyes unfocused, her lips moving in a strange rhythm, whispering something under her breath. I leaned in closer, straining to hear."He’s coming… He’s coming…"
SIERRAThe voice came softly at first, a faint whisper threading through the edges of my sleep.“Sierra…”I stirred but kept my eyes shut. It wasn’t real—I was dreaming. That’s what I told myself. But then it came again, louder, more insistent.“Sierra, come…”My eyes shot open. The room was still and dark, the boys sleeping soundly nearby. I tried to shake off the lingering haze of sleep, but the voice came again, so clear it was as though someone was standing right next to me.“Sierra, follow me.”My heart raced, and I sat up, glancing around. There was no one in the room. It didn’t make sense.“Sierra…”It was coming from outside. I stood, barely realizing my legs were moving. I knew I shouldn’t. I knew this was wrong, but I couldn’t help it. The voice pulled me, invisible strings tugging me forward.I stepped out into the cool night air, the forest looming ahead like a wall of shadows.“Sierra… this way.”I followed.The forest was quiet, unnervingly so. No rustling leaves, no chi
KANEThe tension in the air was suffocating, every step we took through the dense woods accompanied by the weight of desperation. My heart was pounding hard, not from the exertion, but from the fear gnawing at me. Sierra was out here somewhere, and every passing second felt like another nail in the coffin of hope.“Spread out!” I called over my shoulder, my voice sharper than intended. “We can’t miss anything. Every corner, every trail—check it.”Zane, his face tight with worry, nodded and headed to the right while Dane took the left. The werewolves behind us, clearly reluctant, hung back like they were already defeated.One of them muttered loudly enough for all to hear. “This is what we get for letting you guys stay. Trouble, just like I said.”I stopped dead in my tracks, my hands clenching into fists. “What did you just say?”The guy, tall and wiry with a sneer that made my blood boil, stepped forward. “You heard me. None of this would’ve happened if you people had just left when
ZANEThe rhythmic clang of pickaxes echoed off the walls of the cursed cave, each strike sending a jolt up my arms. My brothers and I were determined, yet the harder we worked, the more impossible it seemed.“This is insane,” Dane muttered, leaning on his pickaxe, sweat dripping from his brow. “The cave… it’s not shrinking. It’s growing.”“Keep going,” I barked, my voice edged with frustration. “We’re not stopping until this thing comes down.”The werewolves watching from the shadows muttered amongst themselves, their unease palpable. One of them, an older wolf named Garret, stepped forward, his face lined with disapproval.“Zane, this is madness,” he growled. “Caves like these… they’re not natural. They’re protected by something we don’t understand. You’re inviting disaster.”I spun to face him, my chest heaving. “You think I care about some stupid superstitions? If you’re too scared to help, fine. But don’t stand there and tell me what I can or can’t do.”Garret held my gaze, his ja
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
DANEI woke up to the sound of soft giggles.My head felt heavy, like I’d slept for days, and for a second, I didn’t 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.“You look so cute when you’re sleeping,” she said in a sing-song voice.My whole body tensed up instantly. Memories rushed back….the food, the plan, everything. I shot up, heart pounding.“What happened?” I croaked, throat dry.Ariel gave a playful shrug, almost like she was proud of herself. “You tried to drug me, silly. But I’m smarter than that.” She leaned in closer, lowering her voice like she was sharing a secret. “I swapped the plates. You ate the laced one instead.”I cursed under my breath and swung my legs off the bed. I couldn’t 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 didn’t answer. I just left.When I finally made it do
SIERRAI didn’t 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.“Oh, my sweet, sweet Sierra,” she said between giggles, wiping a fake tear from the corner of her eye. “You actually think a few little weeds are going to save your precious sister from me?”I 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. “You have no idea what you’re dealing with,” she whispered. “No idea how deep this bond goes.”I clenched my teeth to keep from flinching. I would not give her t