THANE"Iโm tired of this," I muttered under my breath as we approached the pack house.My fingers gripped the steering wheel tighter than necessary. The meeting had drained every ounce of patience I had left. Again, my leadership was being questioned. Again, the council demanded answers about the vampires. Some even called for war."Theyโre not just rogue vampires, Thane. Theyโre a threat to our entire species," Beta Colin had said, slamming his fist on the table.โThey slaughtered three of our scouts last week,โ another growled. โAnd whatโs your response? Peace?โIt took every bit of control not to explode in that room. I knew they didnโt understand the weight I carried. If I went to war now, weโd lose more than wolves. Weโd lose lives, peace, trustโฆeverything.Beside me in the car, my wife laid a calming hand over mine.โYou need to breathe,โ she whispered gently. โYou canโt help anyone if youโre this worked up.โI glanced at her and gave a small nod. โI knowโฆ I justโฆโI didnโt fini
SIERRAI ran.I didnโt know where I was going. I didnโt care. My paws pounded the earth like drums, pushing me faster and faster. The cold night air stung my face. Leaves crunched beneath me. Branches snapped across my body, scratching my skin through my fur. But I didnโt stop. I couldnโt stop.My heart was thudding so loud I could hear it in my ears. My breath came in short, sharp bursts. My legs moved on their own, driven by panic, pain, and something else I couldnโt explain. It wasnโt me running anymore.It was her.My wolf had taken control of my body, and I was justโฆ watching.I was still there, buried somewhere inside, but it felt like I was floating, helpless, disconnected. I couldnโt speak. I couldnโt stop her. I could only feel the wind rushing against us as she pushed deeper and deeper into the woods as if we were running from everything and nothing at the same time.I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry. But all I could do was watch.Then, suddenly it stopped.Just like that.
ZANEI was pacing.Back and forth. Again and again. The floorboards creaked under my feet, but I didnโt care. I couldnโt sit still. My fingers ran through my hair for the tenth, maybe even the twentieth time. My chest was tight. My heart hadn't stopped pounding since the call.โShe ran?โ I asked, even though I already knew the answer. I needed to hear it again. Maybe this time it would sound different. Maybe I had misunderstood.โYes,โ my fatherโs voice repeated over the phone. His tone was heavy. Tired. โShe shifted and bolted into the woods. I found her seizing earlier. She shifted mid-attack.โI froze. My jaw clenched tight, my hand gripping the edge of the table so hard I thought I might snap the wood in half. โWhy the hell didnโt anyone call me the moment she was awake?โ My voice came out sharp, demanding, on the edge of panic.โShe wasnโt awake,โ he replied, quieter now. โShe was barely breathing, Zane. We didnโt think sheโd make it through the night.โI felt like something cold
SIERRAIt was cold. The kind of cold that sneaks under your skin and makes you feel hollow on the inside. I pulled the rough blanket tighter around me and tried to ignore the dust floating in the air, the creaky wooden floor beneath me, and the silence that hung between the four of us.Every corner of the old building felt frozen, like the cold had settled into the walls and decided to stay forever. The air smelled like old wood, mildew, and something faintly metallic, like rust or blood. I couldnโt tell which. The moonlight came in through the broken windows in pale, slanted beams, casting long, strange shadows that danced every time the wind whispered through the cracks.Zane was sitting near the broken window, staring out like he was expecting something or someone to appear.Kane had his arms folded and his eyes closed, but I knew he wasnโt asleep. His breathing was too controlled, too deliberate, like he was trying to calm something raging inside him.Dane was pacing again. Quiet,
KANEI jolted awake.It wasnโt the sound of wind or a branch snapping outside, it was Sierraโs scream. High-pitched, raw, and full of terror. The kind that crawls under your skin and makes your blood run cold.โSierra!โ I was already halfway out of my blanket, stumbling over my boots as I rushed toward her tent. Zane and Dane were right behind me, their faces pale and eyes wide. The cold night air slapped against my skin as I tore open the tent flap.She was on her knees, shaking, her hands covered in blood. Her hair was wild, her face drenched in sweat and tears, and her mouth was still open from the scream that had just ripped through her.โOh my godโฆโ Zane froze at the entrance.โSierraโฆhey, hey,โ I knelt beside her. โItโs me, Kane. Youโre okay now. Youโre safe.โShe didnโt respond. She was gasping for air like she couldnโt breathe. Her whole body trembled like sheโd been dropped into ice water.Dane gently touched her shoulder. โSierra, look at us. Itโs okay. Youโre safe. No oneโs
SIERRAโI canโt do this anymore,โ I whispered, arms wrapped tight around myself as I sat on the log by the dead campfire.Kane looked up first, his eyes gentle but heavy. โSierraโฆโโNo.โ I shook my head. โI donโt get it. Why havenโt I found her? Why did I wake up while she was still out there? Why am I here?โDane crouched beside me. โYouโre here because we found you. And weโre going to find her too.โโBut we havenโt.โ My voice cracked. โI havenโt even felt her. Not even a trace.โZane sighed from behind me. โWe checked every lead this stupid town has. Itโs like she just vanished.โI let out a shaky breath, blinking back tears. โItโs not just that. Itโs everything. I feel useless. My powers are still all over the place. I canโt help. I canโt protect her. And all I get are nightmares and whispers in my head.โโYouโre not useless,โ Kane said, sitting beside me. โYouโve been through hell. Youโre still healing.โI nodded slowly, then after a long pause, I looked at them. โI need to tell y
DANEIโd been up most of the night, buried in old books and pages that barely made sense. My eyes were dry, my fingers stained with ink, and my head throbbed, but I couldnโt stop. Every lead, every myth, every spell, I needed to understand. If there was a way to help Sierra or find our sister, I had to figure it out.Kane and Zane were asleep across the room. I glanced at them and sighed. They didnโt say it out loud, but I knew they were scared. We all were. We were running out of time, and Sierra wasnโt getting stronger.I flipped another page, squinting at the scribbled writing. Just as I started to highlight something, I heard it.A scream.My heart dropped.โSierra!โ I shot up from my spot, nearly tripping over the scattered books as I ran out.Zane sat up quickly. โWhat was that?!โโSierra!โ I shouted again, already pushing the tent flap open.Kane stumbled after me, pulling on his shirt. โWhere is she?!โโI donโt know! I heard her scream!โWe ran into the trees, our eyes scannin
SIERRAMy heart slammed against my chest as I saw her. Ariel. But now she was something entirely different. Her eyes glowed, no longer filled with the warmth I remembered, but with a kind of cold fury that sent chills through me.โSurprised to see me?โ she asked, her voice dripping with venom. It was like a twisted echo of the person I used to call a friend. But this... this wasnโt her. This was someone else entirely.I tried to move, to speak, but my body felt like it was made of stone, and the silver was still burning through my skin. The pain was unbearable, but nothing compared to the sheer horror of seeing Ariel like this.โThought you killed me, didnโt you?โ Ariel continued, stepping closer, her eyes never leaving me. โYou all did. You really thought that was the end, didnโt you?โ She let out a bitter laugh, one that made my blood freeze. โWell, you were wrong.โMy throat went dry. I wanted to say something, to ask why, but the words wouldnโt come. All I could do was stare at h
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