SIERRAThe dark mist thickened around the cave, pulsing like a living heartbeat. The grandmother’s voice grew louder, her ancient words echoing through the night. Every syllable sent a shiver down my spine.“We have to stop her!” I shouted, gripping Dane’s arm. “Now!”Alpha Thane growled, stepping forward. “We must break the ritual before it’s too late.”I raised my hands, willing my power to surge forward, to do something, anything. But nothing happened. My mind was blank, my body frozen. It was like I had forgotten how to use my own magic.“Damn it!” I hissed, frustration bubbling in my chest.Kane grabbed my shoulders, forcing me to look at him. “Sierra, focus! You can do this. Just remember how!”“I…I don’t know how!” My voice cracked, my breathing ragged.The grandmother laughed, her eyes gleaming with victory. “It’s too late, child. You can’t stop what has already begun.”The villagers suddenly twitched, their bodies jerking as if strings controlled them. Their blank eyes filled
SIERRAThe night air was thick with fear. I could feel it pressing against me, swirling around the town like a ghost. The vampires had grown stronger, and everyone knew it. Their attacks were getting bolder, their hunger more relentless. We were running out of time.“This is madness,” a villager muttered, his voice shaky. “We can’t fight them. We should leave while we still can.”Murmurs of agreement spread through the gathered crowd. People clutched their loved ones, their eyes darting toward the woods as if expecting a vampire to leap out at any moment.“We don’t stand a chance,” another woman whispered. “They’re too strong.”A man stepped forward, his face pale. “My wife and son are already gone. I won’t lose my daughter, too.”I clenched my fists. “Running won’t save you,” I said firmly, scanning the crowd. “The vampires won’t stop at just this town. They’ll follow you. They’ll take everything.”Silence fell over the villagers. Some avoided my gaze, shifting uncomfortably. Others
SIERRAThe forest was silent, almost too silent. Dane moved ahead of me, his sharp eyes scanning every shadow, while Zane walked beside me, his body tense and ready for a fight. The map in my hands felt heavier than it should as if it carried the weight of every failed attempt before us.“We need to move fast,” Dane whispered. “The longer we stay out here, the more likely they’ll sense us.”I nodded. “Stay close. We can’t afford to be separated.”We pressed on, careful with every step. Then, the air around us shifted. A cold gust of wind blew through the trees, carrying a strange scent, something old, something rotten.Zane stiffened. “Do you smell that?”I swallowed hard. “Yeah. Death.”As we stepped forward, the ground beneath us changed. The lush forest floor gave way to something unnatural, a graveyard. But this wasn’t just any graveyard. Broken weapons lay scattered among the graves, burnt stakes sticking out of the earth like forgotten warnings.“This place…” Dane muttered, crou
SIERRADane was the first to break the silence. “Isolde?” he echoed, his voice filled with disbelief. “What the hell is she talking about, Sierra?”I swallowed hard, shaking my head. “I don’t know,” I admitted. “And honestly? I don’t care right now.”Zane’s grip tightened around his blade. “You don’t care? Some stranger just called you by another name, an old name. What if this means something?”“It doesn’t matter,” I insisted. “What matters is stopping these vampires before they tear this town apart. We have a mission.”“What about her warning, Isolde? The past will not stay buried.” Zane said, his eyes narrowing slightly.I clenched my fists. “Whatever that means, I’ll deal with it later. Right now, we need to find the white oak stake. I have to protect everyone in this village, and that can be done with the oak tree.”Zane exhaled sharply. “Are you sure about this?”“Yes,” I said firmly. “I need you both to help me find it.”Dane and Zane exchanged uneasy glances. It was clear they
SIERRAThe moment we stepped deeper into the cursed woods, I knew something was wrong. The air was thick and suffocating, pressing against my skin like an invisible force. Shadows twisted unnaturally, stretching and moving as if they were alive. The whispers started softly at first, just a faint murmur in the wind, but then they grew louder."Isolde..." a voice hissed in my head.I stiffened. Not that name again."Do you hear that?" I asked, glancing at Zane and Dane.Zane frowned, his grip tightening around his weapon. "Hear what?"Dane, however, had gone completely still. His breathing was heavy, and his hands were clenched into fists. "They’re laughing at us," he muttered. "Mocking us. They think we’re weak."I swallowed hard, realizing they were hearing different things. This was the woods’ doing, twisting reality to turn us against each other."Dane, it’s not real," I said quickly, reaching for him. "Whatever you’re hearing, whatever you’re feeling—it’s the curse. We have to figh
SIERRAThe silence was deafening. My breath came in ragged gasps as I stared at the devastation around me. The cursed woods were gone…nothing but smoldering remains stretching as far as I could see. The once towering trees, the suffocating darkness, the whispers that had clawed into my mind…everything had been reduced to ash.My hands trembled at my sides, faint embers still flickering around my fingertips. I clenched them into fists, my heart hammering against my ribs. I could feel the heat still lingering on my skin, but inside, I was cold. Completely numb.A hand touched my shoulder. I flinched, turning sharply to see Zane watching me with wide eyes. “Sierra… what the hell happened?”Dane stood beside him, his gaze flickering between me and the burned landscape, his brows furrowed. “The nightmare… it’s gone,” he murmured as if trying to convince himself that what he was seeing was real.I swallowed, my throat dry and tight. “The vampires… and the woods… they got into my head.” My v
ZANESierra still wasn’t waking up.I ran a hand through my hair, pacing the length of the room while Dane and Kane hovered around her unconscious form. It had been hours since she blacked out, and no matter what we did, shaking her, calling her name, even trying to tap into our bond, nothing worked.“She’s never been out this long before,” Dane muttered, his voice laced with frustration and worry. He sat at the edge of the bed, gripping Sierra’s limp hand. “What if…”“Don’t say it,” I snapped, cutting him off before he could voice the worst possible outcome. The thought of losing her, of something worse happening, made my chest tighten. “She’ll wake up. She has to.”Dane exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. His jaw was clenched, his eyes never leaving Sierra’s still form. Her breathing was steady but shallow, her face pale against the pillows. It had been hours, longer than any of the other times she had blacked out. This wasn’t normal.Kane leaned against the wall, arms
SIERRAThe sun's warmth kissed my skin as I walked barefoot along the soft sand. The ocean stretched endlessly before me, its waves rolling gently onto the shore. The sky was clear, a brilliant blue, with the sun shining bright and high. Everything was perfect and peaceful.And yet, deep inside, I knew something was wrong. I shouldn’t be here.Frowning, I stopped walking and turned my gaze to the sky. “Moon Goddess,” I called out. “Why am I here?”Silence. Only the soothing crash of waves answered me. The air was fresh, carrying the faint scent of salt and warmth. My fingers curled at my sides. Something about this place felt… too perfect.I turned in a slow circle, searching for any sign of movement. Nothing. Just endless sand and water, stretching far beyond what seemed real. My heart pounded.“Moon Goddess,” I tried again, louder this time. “Please, show yourself.”A gentle breeze wrapped around me, warm and soft, like a mother’s embrace. Then, she appeared.The Moon Goddess stood
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