ZANEI was pacing.Back and forth. Again and again. The floorboards creaked under my feet, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t 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.“She ran?” 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.“Yes,” my father’s voice repeated over the phone. His tone was heavy. Tired. “She shifted and bolted into the woods. I found her seizing earlier. She shifted mid-attack.”I froze. My jaw clenched tight, my hand gripping the edge of the table so hard I thought I might snap the wood in half. “Why the hell didn’t anyone call me the moment she was awake?” My voice came out sharp, demanding, on the edge of panic.“She wasn’t awake,” he replied, quieter now. “She was barely breathing, Zane. We didn’t think she’d make it through the night.”I 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 couldn’t 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 wasn’t 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 wasn’t the sound of wind or a branch snapping outside, it was Sierra’s scream. High-pitched, raw, and full of terror. The kind that crawls under your skin and makes your blood run cold.“Sierra!” 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.“Oh my god…” Zane froze at the entrance.“Sierra…hey, hey,” I knelt beside her. “It’s me, Kane. You’re okay now. You’re safe.”She didn’t respond. She was gasping for air like she couldn’t breathe. Her whole body trembled like she’d been dropped into ice water.Dane gently touched her shoulder. “Sierra, look at us. It’s okay. You’re safe. No one’s
SIERRA“I can’t do this anymore,” 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. “Sierra…”“No.” I shook my head. “I don’t get it. Why haven’t I found her? Why did I wake up while she was still out there? Why am I here?”Dane crouched beside me. “You’re here because we found you. And we’re going to find her too.”“But we haven’t.” My voice cracked. “I haven’t even felt her. Not even a trace.”Zane sighed from behind me. “We checked every lead this stupid town has. It’s like she just vanished.”I let out a shaky breath, blinking back tears. “It’s not just that. It’s everything. I feel useless. My powers are still all over the place. I can’t help. I can’t protect her. And all I get are nightmares and whispers in my head.”“You’re not useless,” Kane said, sitting beside me. “You’ve been through hell. You’re still healing.”I nodded slowly, then after a long pause, I looked at them. “I need to tell y
DANEI’d 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 couldn’t 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 didn’t say it out loud, but I knew they were scared. We all were. We were running out of time, and Sierra wasn’t 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.“Sierra!” I shot up from my spot, nearly tripping over the scattered books as I ran out.Zane sat up quickly. “What was that?!”“Sierra!” I shouted again, already pushing the tent flap open.Kane stumbled after me, pulling on his shirt. “Where is she?!”“I don’t know! I heard her scream!”We 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.“Surprised to see me?” 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 wasn’t 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.“Thought you killed me, didn’t you?” Ariel continued, stepping closer, her eyes never leaving me. “You all did. You really thought that was the end, didn’t you?” She let out a bitter laugh, one that made my blood freeze. “Well, you were wrong.”My throat went dry. I wanted to say something, to ask why, but the words wouldn’t come. All I could do was stare at h
SIERRAMy blood froze. Every part of me went still at the sound of her voice, the way she said it.“My sister?” I whispered, my heart pounding. “What did you say about my sister?”Ariel’s eyes gleamed like cold fire. She smiled, slow and wicked like she had been waiting for this moment.“Oh, Sierra,” she purred. “I’ve got her. Your precious baby sister.”I couldn’t breathe. My chest ached, my legs trembled. I took a step toward her, arms shaking. “Where is she?” I asked, voice breaking. “Ariel, what did you do to her? Where is she?!”“You think I’d tell you?” Ariel laughed, and the sound didn’t feel real, it echoed through the trees like it belonged to something dead and forgotten. It was sharp, cold, and laced with something dark. “You all thought I was gone. You thought you killed me.” She took a slow step forward, her voice thick with mockery. “But I’ve been so busy.”My breath caught in my throat as she smiled. That smile, it wasn’t hers. It didn’t belong to the girl I used to kno
SIERRAI didn’t think. I didn’t hesitate. I lunged, claws out, rage tearing through every inch of me as I tackled Ariel to the ground. My weight landed hard against her, and I felt her body hit the forest floor with a thud. I was breathing heavy, growling from deep in my throat as I pinned her down.“You won’t touch her!” I shouted, my voice thick with fury. “You hear me? You won’t lay a hand on her again!”She didn’t answer.Something was wrong.The body beneath me… it wasn’t fighting back.I blinked, heart racing, and I saw her face shift.Her eyes dulled.Her hair changed color.I staggered back in confusion.It wasn’t Ariel anymore.It was a girl. A young, human girl. Maybe fifteen. Her face was pale, her lips trembling. Blood soaked her shirt and neck, and she was breathing shallowly like she was trying to hold on.“Oh no…” I whispered, horrified. “No, no, no…”I knelt beside her, shifting back to human instantly, my hands hovering helplessly over her wounds.She’d been bitten.B
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