Are Shadow And Maria Siblings Novels & Stories

“I told your father the same. I’ll never marry you as long as I’m alive.” Maria shifted uncomfortably, packed her samples quickly. I felt anger rise hot in my chest because he said it in front of her like I was nothing. “You don’t mean that,” I said, voice shaking a little. “Think about the alliance, think about us.” He looked at me directly. “There is no us,” he said. “There never was. You’re a friend, Adriana. Nothing more. How many times must I say it before you'll accept?” Maria cleared her throat softly. “I should go,” she said, bag in hand.

“That… that is my little sister.” Declan revealed. Maria’s eyes changed back, shocked, she turned to Declan, “Little? Little sister?” She asked. Declan nodded. “I didn’t know you had a ..” “That’s because after her mother died, Shayla cut us off from her life, after her brother refused to punish Greta for killing her mum and also punished Shayla for trying to kill Greta knowing she was carrying his child.” Juan revealed, throwing another strawberry into his mouth. “Are you sure you want to marry inot this family we are really fucked up.” He added.

Everything Marcus said sounded like he was looking out for me, but I knew that all this so-called concern and care would only appear when I was about to leave him. 20 years ago, the Shadowhowl and Moonfang pack agreed to a marriage of convenience. Later, the Moonfang pack grew stronger while the Shadowhowl pack dwindled. My father did not want to go back on his promise, but he was also looking out for me. He suggested that I would only marry the next-in-line Alpha of the Shadowhowl pack. That meant that whoever I married would be the next Alpha of the Shadowhowl pack. Marcus had forgotten all about Kenneth after he was exiled. He never considered Kenneth as competition.

THE SHADOW BRIDEThe next few days slip into each other, a blur of routine and unsettling moments. I should have known this marriage wouldn’t be normal. It’s never been normal, not since the moment I stepped into Camille’s shoes. But it’s not just the family or the house that feels wrong—it’s Elias. Every time he’s near me, it’s like a storm brewing in the distance. He doesn’t speak much, but when he does, his words are clipped, laced with something I can’t place. Guilt? Anger? Maybe both.

Six months ago, Roy and Willow had the biggest fight. Roy was not one to avoid confrontation, but he conveniently forgot about the argument, blocking out the details from his mind. As he pieced together the fragments, he could see the distinct divide between him and Willow. Two months into Sierra’s time in Hereshire, she proposed a trip to a little church on the mountaintop to pray for her sister in heaven. While Roy was not particularly religious, he could not refuse a request tied to Melanie.

To keep them alive while I played Elena’s shadow. And now? Gone. No contact. No way to reach them. Elena’s words came back to me like a curse: “If you walk away, it won’t just be you who pays. Your mother. Your sister. Even Laura.” I pressed my fists to my eyes, fighting the sting of tears. How was I supposed to protect them now? How could I send money, or warn them, or even let them know I was alive? A devastation so sharp it stole my breath spread through me. Every exit I thought I had was closing one by one.

“And the lovely new sister. Father sent me to escort you. He wants this meeting to be… intimate.” Darius stopped short. His voice dropped. “Step aside, Ronan.” Ronan didn’t move right away. Instead, he looked straight at me, that smile never fading. “Careful tonight, Princess Elara. Not everything in this family is what it seems. Especially not on wedding nights.” Before I could respond, Darius placed a hand on my lower back, guiding me forward past his half-brother. We kept walking, but the hallway suddenly felt longer, darker, and far more dangerous than before.

I echoed. “A shadow network,” she explained, her voice echoing in the concrete garage. “Twenty years of gathering the women who were collateral damage in their mob wars. The wives they thought they’d killed, the daughters they’d traded, the sisters they’d broken. We protect our own. We built this with the secrets we gathered while we were ‘cleaning’ their houses. Silas knew about it though.” “You’ve been building this for twenty years?” “I was building a place for us to be safe,” Maria said. “And a place for you to lead from. Now, take Mia upstairs. She needs to eat.”

“I’m trapped here… Forced marriage... The mate bond with him and Serena and Lila are already starting the same games.” Mia cursed. “Tell me you’re not letting them break you again, you survived them once... You built a whole life. Don’t let them take that.” A soft knock interrupted. Elara tensed. “Hold on,” she told Mia, then opened the door a crack. Lila stood there, looking sweet and concerned. “Can we talk? Sister to sister?” Elara almost slammed the door but something in Lila’s eyes… a flicker of nervousness made her pause. “Make it quick.”

The same one she'd shown me before. She carried it back carefully, like it weighed more than it should. "The Shadow wasn't always alone," she said, opening it to a marked page. "Before the curse… before everything changed… he had a mate." I held my breath. "And children," she added. My pulse quickened. "Mira was one." Mara nodded. "Yes." The page rustled softly as she turned it. "There was another." The room felt smaller. "Who?" I asked. Mara's fingers trembled slightly against the paper.