ARIELThe room felt cooler after Elise left, and I stood there for a moment, basking in the afterglow of her compliments. It had been a long time since someone admired me so openly. Most of these vampires only followed me out of fear. But Elise? She looked at me like I was a queen. That felt… good.I shook off the feeling, flipping my hair over my shoulder. Enough of that. I wasn’t here to make friends or play nice. I was here to rule. And if what Elise said was true, it was time to remind Astrid exactly who was in charge.With that thought in mind, I made my way through the winding hallways until I reached the west wing. It didn’t take long to find her. Astrid was sprawled on a plush velvet sofa like she owned the place, one leg casually draped over the armrest. Her long silver hair shimmered in the dim light, and her red-painted lips were curled into that same smug smile she always wore. The one that made my blood simmer.She looked up lazily as I stepped inside, her ice-blue eyes n
ASTRIDAriel stood there, grinning like she owned the entire world. I hated that smile. I hated everything about her. But I wasn’t going to back down, not now. Not ever.“You think you scare me?” I said, tilting my chin up, staring her down. “What are you going to do, Ariel? Hurt me? Kill me? You already did worse to Celia.”At the mention of Celia’s name, something dark flickered in her eyes, and I knew I’d hit a nerve. But before I could savor that small victory, a sharp, searing pain exploded inside me.I gasped, doubling over as the heat spread through my veins. It felt like my blood was boiling, like fire was eating me alive from the inside.“What…” I choked out, clutching my chest.Ariel laughed, a cold, cruel sound that echoed around the room. “Even though you’re cold-blooded, Astrid, I can still make you burn.”I howled in pain, falling to my knees as the burning intensified. My vision blurred, and all I could hear was Ariel’s laughter, loud and merciless.“Stop!” I screamed,
SIERRAThe wind hit me like a punch to the chest, stealing the breath from my lungs. One second I was standing firm, ready to fight, and the next, I was spinning through the air like a leaf in a storm. My hair whipped around my face, stinging my skin, and I couldn’t even scream before everything went dark.It felt like I was falling through nothingness, tumbling helplessly with no sense of direction. My heart pounded wildly, and my mind screamed for me to get a grip, but there was nothing to grab, nothing to hold on to. Just air, and chaos, and the roaring sound of the wind in my ears.Then, bam!I hit the ground hard. Flat on my back. The impact knocked the air out of me in a single, painful gasp, and for a second, all I could do was lie there, staring up at the sky, my chest heaving as I tried to breathe. My head spun like I’d been on a roller coaster that flipped too many times.“What the hell…” I gasped, trying to sit up, though my body felt like it weighed a ton.Everything hurt.
SIERRAThe fire roared behind us, turning the sky into a canvas of dark smoke and angry orange flames. I couldn’t stop staring at it, even as we walked away.“That’s it, then,” one of the werewolves said beside me, his voice grim. “The whole city’s gone.”I swallowed hard, feeling the sting of smoke in my throat. “They… set it on fire?”“Yeah,” he nodded, wiping soot from his face. “The vampires didn’t want to risk Ariel coming back. This was the only way to make sure.”My chest tightened, and I forced myself to tear my eyes away from the burning city. “What about the humans?”“Evacuated,” he said. “Their memories wiped clean. They’ll think it was some kind of freak gas explosion or earthquake.”I let out a shaky breath. “And the werewolves?”He smiled a little, a sad kind of smile. “We’re free now. Thanks to you.”I blinked, surprised. “Me?”“You were the reason we kept fighting,” another voice chimed in, and I turned to see a female werewolf, her face dirty and her eyes tired but wa
SIERRA“Shut up, Zane,” I said, rolling my eyes, but I couldn’t help smiling.“You’re welcome,” he said with a wink, sauntering over and flopping down on the ground in front of me like he didn’t have a care in the world.Dane shook his head, smirking. “Zane, you’re impossible.”“Impossible and irresistible,” Zane shot back, stretching his arms behind his head like he was sunbathing instead of sitting in the middle of a forest after barely escaping death.Kane sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Do you ever take anything seriously?”Zane tilted his head, pretending to think about it. “Nope.”I laughed, and it felt so good, like a weight lifting off my chest. Somehow, even after everything we’d been through, these three could still make me laugh. Still make me feel like everything might be okay.Dane reached over and brushed a strand of hair out of my face, his touch gentle. “We’ve got you, Sierra,” he said softly. “No matter what happens next.”I nodded, swallowing hard. “I know.
SIERRAIt felt so damn good to be home.The air smelled fresher, like pine and freedom, and everywhere I turned, familiar faces smiled at me. I wasn’t used to all this attention, but I couldn’t lie, it made me feel warm inside.“Can’t believe you’re really back,” Alpha Thane said as he handed me a drink. His grin stretched wide, and for once, he wasn’t scowling or trying to lecture me.“Surprise,” I teased, clinking my glass against his.“Party’s for you, you know,” he added, nodding toward the bonfire they’d just lit. “Whole pack’s been waiting for this.”I looked around and smiled. Wolves were laughing, drinking, and dancing. It felt alive. For the first time in forever, things felt right. No Ariel. No chaos. Just peace. And it was all ours.“Think they’ll fit in?” I asked, nodding toward the new wolves. They still looked a little awkward, standing in a tight group near the food table.“Give them time,” Alpha Thane said. “They’ll come around.”“Hope so,” I muttered.Just then, someo
SIERRA The first thing I noticed was the cold. Not the kind that gives you a little shiver and makes you pull the blanket up. This was bone-deep, icy, like I’d been dumped in a frozen lake. I blinked, confused. The soft warmth of my bed was gone. “Where am I…?” I whispered, sitting up slowly. Everything looked strange. The sky above me wasn’t blue. It wasn’t night, either. It was…gray, swirling, like thick smoke. The ground beneath me was damp and cold, like wet stone. “Hello?” I called out again, louder this time, my voice echoing back at me like I was yelling into a bottomless pit. Nothing. No answer. Just thick, suffocating silence. I swallowed hard, my heart pounding as I stood up, my legs trembling beneath me. The ground felt damp and cold, like stone soaked in icy water, and a chill raced up my spine. Wherever I was, it wasn’t anywhere normal. I squinted into the grayish haze that hung in the air, swirling around me like smoke, and that’s when I saw her. Ariel.
SIERRAThe fire was out, but my hands wouldn’t stop shaking. My heart pounded so hard it hurt. The smell of smoke still clung to the air, burning my nose, and making my throat tight. I could still hear the screams, the crackling flames, the chaos.I pressed my palms against my face, trying to push it all away. Just breathe. Just calm down. But it wasn’t working. The panic clawed at me, twisting my insides into knots. My whole body felt wrong, like I wasn’t even in control of it anymore.A warm hand landed on my shoulder. Kane. His touch was steady, grounding. “You okay?” His voice was soft, careful. But I could hear it. The worry underneath.“No,” I whispered. My voice barely worked. “I don’t think I am.”I wasn’t okay. Not even close.Dane crouched beside me, searching my face. “You want to tell us what happened?”I let out a shaky breath. Where did I even start? The dream? The fire? The fact that I was losing control over something that should’ve been mine to command? I curled my fi
SIERRAI sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the floor, my thoughts a whirlwind of confusion and reluctance. The idea of transferring the bond to Dane unsettled me. I didn't want any deeper connection with him and Ariel than they already had. Yet, everyone seemed to think it was the best course of action."Sierra," Alpha Thane said gently, "we understand your reservations, but this might be the safest option for everyone involved."I looked up, meeting his concerned gaze. "I just... I don't want to burden Dane with this. It's not fair to him."Dane stepped forward, his expression resolute. "I volunteered, remember? I can handle this. If it means keeping you and your sister safe, it's worth it."His voice was steady, full of calm conviction, and yet it sent a ripple of guilt through me. I stared at him for a moment, wondering how he could be so sure of something I still wasn't entirely ready to accept."You shouldn’t have to do this," I said quietly, barely able to meet his gaze. "Th
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