SIERRA“Haven’t you had enough?” I raised my eyebrows at the slightly drunk man standing in front of the bar with a crooked smile on his face. “Serve the man drinks, Sierra, don't control how much he's had!” my boss barked at me. I rolled my eyes as I turned to the man with his leering smile. “What kind of drink do you want now?” I asked him. “Your famous special, love,” he drawled in a raspy breath. I shuddered at his pathetic attempt to sound sexy when he was just an old drunk. The fact that many werewolves including Alphas always come to this bar to be secretly entertained leaving their mates at home made me feel disgusted. I've never been a fan of fated mates mostly due to how I grew up and the way my father, who was my mother’s mate, treated us. But coming to this town and picking up a shift here which was mostly night shifts, I was beside myself with horror. These men had no value for their mates, all they wanted was a strong female wolf who could give them healthy pups
SIERRA“If we lose her, I’ll break your paws!” the familiar dreadful voice sounded behind me. I cursed inwardly as I quickened my pace, the sound of frightful howls sounding close to me. I took a sharp turn out of the woods. If I could just reach the bar, I could ask my boss for help. At this point I don't mind working the floor for free, anything aside going back to Elvis. I ran at breakneck speed and I could feel my wolf getting tired. I shifted into my human form and I realized I wasn't hearing any noise. It seems I've lost them. But just as I was close to the bar, I could almost see it, a huge wolf appeared in my line of vision. I screamed and screeched to a halt. I whirled around to run but stopped when I realized I was surrounded. “Bitch!” the man who I had kicked earlier walked up to me. He had a scar on the right side of his face. I will never forget him because I gave him that scar. The mark ran from his right eye down to his cheeks. It made him look ugly, highlighting h
SIERRA“Mom!” I screamed as I opened the door and rushed in. My mom was in the sitting room, pacing around. She stared at me with wide eyes when she saw me. “Sierra, what’s wrong? Why did you return so late? I've been so worried,” she said all in one breath. Tears of relief rolled down my cheeks as I ran and hugged her, sniffing her scent that made me feel safe. “You’re safe. You're here,” I murmured crying. My mom held me, patting my back softly as she let me bawl my eyes out. After a few minutes of tears, I sniffed and wiped my face. “We have to move, Mom,” I finally announced, recovering from my weak moment. My mom frowned, “Uh, what is going on?” “There’s no time to explain. They may be dead but more may be on their way to us right now,” I muttered. I went to the room and began tossing clothes into our traveling bag. “Mom, dress up, there's no time,” I said. My mom scoffed, “I’m not going anywhere, Sierra. We are finally done with that life, I'm done running.”I gave he
SIERRA“May I come in, Sierra?” I blinked as I stared open-mouthed at the man standing in front of the porch. The Lycan King in the flesh and I have just rudely spoken to him. “Sierra?” he prompted her, gesturing to the door. In a daze, I pulled the door open and watched him enter the house. Just then my mom came and smiled when she saw the Lycan King. “You’re here,” my mom smiled at him, “And I see you've met Sierra.”I glared at my mom finally snapping out of my daze, “The Lycan King is your mate?!” My mom and the man chuckled as he stared at her fondly and I could see the admiration in his eyes. My father had never looked at her that way before. “Calm down, Sierra, I’m just your mother’s mate,” he said to me, chuckling. I shook my head still staring at my mom, “Mom, a little heads-up would have been nice.”My mom rolled her eyes, “Stop being dramatic, and come let’s eat.”I followed them to the dining table where the table had been set with various delicious dishes including
SIERRA“–stress-induced. She’ll be fine.”My eyes fluttered open as I managed to hear the last words of an unfamiliar man. I groaned, massaging my temples and instantly I saw my mom at my side. “Oh, honey, you gave us quite a fright,” my mom said. I was still slightly disoriented as I looked around the room trying to figure out why I was in an unfamiliar room that was decorated with my favorite band wallpapers. “Where are we?” I asked my mom, stifling a yawn. “You don't remember?” my mom asked with a frown. I saw the man discussing with King Thane as they left the room leaving me alone with my mom. The memories of the day flashed into my mind as I also recalled the triplets and the scent that had filled my nostrils before I passed out. “Shit!” I cursed. My mom frowned, “Language, Kiddo.”I sighed, “Sorry, Mom. What happened?”“You fainted after being introduced to the triplets,” my mom answered. I facepalmed mentally, “Oh boy. I think I made a mistake Mom.”My mom frowned, “Wh
SIERRAI stared at the three boys but the one with the most cruel expression was Kane. I could feel the hatred he had for me emanating from him. I had no idea why he hated me so much, especially since I hadn't done anything. Except for the fact that I had called them monsters. “Why?” my voice broke as I asked the question that was on my lips.I still haven't been able to wrap my head around the fact that these three brothers were my mates. I also had to accept the fact that they cloaked their scent so they wouldn't have to reject me. “Why? What have I done?” I asked, tears streaming down my cheeks. I've never really cared about getting a mate especially after I've worked in that bar and seen how things were done. But now that I could feel the intense bond between the three of them, the mere thought of losing them was enough to drive me crazy. Now I understood how my mother felt when she gave her pack to her first mate. The mate bond feeling was more powerful than anything else and
KANE“Are you alright?” I glanced behind me to see Dane walking toward me. He could always move around without being detected. We all had that ability but Dane’s own was more pronounced and sometimes it got on my nerves like right now. “Go away,” I snapped at him. Dane ignored me as always and sat down beside me on the bench as he stared at the stars with me. I always came here whenever I needed to think or to get away from people. This was my favorite spot in the garden because it was hidden and quiet and I could see the stars from there. “You know I never listen,” Dane said to me. I rolled my eyes and ignored him. I wasn't going to talk to him right now, especially not after the stunt he pulled earlier. “I had to do it,” Dane said. I still ignored him and kept staring at the stars hoping he would get the message and leave me alone. But I knew better than to ignore Dane, he would just get more persistent. “You are gonna have to talk to me eventually,” Dane said. I glared a
SIERRA “What did you do?” I frowned when I saw my mom staring at me with judgy eyes. She had joined me in my bedroom after we left the garden. “What do you mean, Mom?” I asked her. She scoffed, “Please, Sierra, be honest.”I was still confused as to why she expected me to know what she was talking about so I gave her a blank look. “I don't know what you mean, Mom,” I stated. “I sent you to apologize to the boys and the next minute they're fighting, what did you do?” my mom asked. I frowned, “Why did you assume I did something?” My mom arched a perfectly carved eyebrow at me, “Because you're my daughter.”I sighed, “I didn't do anything.”For some reason, I knew it wouldn't be a good idea to tell everyone that I was mated to three brothers but then I decided to ask the question that had been bugging me. “Mom, I have a question,” I started, trying to hide the nervousness that washed over me. My mom gave me a serious look and nodded, “Ask away.”“Is there any record of a she-wo
ARIELI screamed again, my voice echoing off the walls as I stared at my hand. The blood was still there, thick and bright, running over my fingers like a curse I couldn’t wash away. My whole palm throbbed. The pain was sharp and real, not fading at all."What the hell is happening?" I gasped, clutching my wrist as the tears blurred my vision.I looked up and saw Dane. His hand…the one he stabbed…was already healing. The blood was drying up, the wound closing right before my eyes like it never happened. But mine? Mine was still raw and bleeding, the skin torn like paper, red and angry and pulsing with pain.I blinked, then blinked again.“No. No, no, no,” I muttered, shaking my head as panic started to build in my chest. “This isn’t how it’s supposed to work. We heal together. We’re bonded.”Dane said nothing. He just stood there, watching me with those unreadable eyes. His face calm, detached. Cold.The pain made me hiss as I pressed a cloth to my palm. “Why aren’t you hurting?” I sn
SIERRAAriel glared at me from the edge of the bed, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, her whole body tense like a coil ready to snap. “You never let anything be, do you?” she hissed, her voice sharp and cutting. “You always have to meddle. Always trying to fix things that aren’t yours to fix. Why can’t you just leave things alone for once in your life?”I stood at the doorway, jaw tight, trying to hold back the fire building in my chest. I was exhausted, mentally, emotionally. But I wasn’t going to let her turn this around like she always did.“If you hadn’t gotten involved,” she went on, rising to her feet now, her voice rising with each word, “none of this would have happened. You think you’re helping your sister, but you’re not! You’re just making everything worse, Sierra. You always do.”I crossed my arms and met her glare. “You can blame me all you want, Ariel. I’m used to it by now. But I don’t care anymore.”Her eyes narrowed. “Of course you don’t.”“No,” I said firmly,
SIERRAThe room smelled of incense and burnt herbs. I stood at the center, exhausted but focused, surrounded by flickering candles. The warlock insisted I keep testing the bond transfer on animals before doing the real one. For once, I agreed. We needed to be sure.“You’re getting there,” he said quietly, watching me closely.I nodded, my hands trembling slightly. I focused on the white rabbit before me, speaking the words slowly and clearly. The magic pulsed through me, delicate but powerful. The bond began to shift, but something didn’t click. I tried again. And again.“Focus on the connection,” the warlock reminded.On the fifth try, something shifted. The energy moved more easily, and I felt the bond transfer fully. It was like pulling a thread from one soul and stitching it into another. With each new animal, it got smoother, easier. I could finally feel the bond flowing naturally through me.When I finished the fifth test, this time with a black cat, I knew I had it. The magic r
SIERRADane led me to a chair nearby, and the silence between us wasn’t awkward, just heavy.After a while, I took a deep breath. "I don’t like it, Dane. I don’t like that you’d be connected to Ariel in any way."He turned his head, meeting my eyes with a small, calm smile. "I know, Sierra. But this is the only way we can keep our little sister safe. You have to stop overthinking it.""How can I not?" I whispered, shaking my head. "What if we’re wrong? What if she snaps again and this time... this time she really hurts you?"Dane chuckled softly, reaching for my hand. His touch was warm, grounding me like it always did. "That’s not going to happen. I heal faster than normal wolves, remember? No matter what she does, I won’t bleed out."I looked up at him, my brows still drawn tightly with worry. "You’re too calm about this," I muttered, gripping his hand tighter than I meant to. "Too calm for someone about to be linked to someone like her.""Because if I start panicking, what good wou
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