Third Person's Point Of View:

Same Day SomeWhere Else :

The heavy pouring of rain had turned The Hollows cemetery soil into thick, dark mud, matching the heavy sky overhead the city A.

A 16 year old Sierra stood near the edge of the open grave of her late mother Sienna, who was her entire world, whom she loved the most. Today she had lost the only family she had. Trying to cope up with the loss, a grief-stricken she was here to say a final goodbye to the woman who taught her everything, who was not only her mother but her best friend, her mentor, her secret keeper, her safe haven, her shield. Drenched in rain, her small frame was trembling under her wet black coat. The weight of the moment was too much to bear, and her weak wobbly knees finally gave out under the crushing silence.

But before her knees could collide with the ground, two strong arms quickly wrapped around her tiny waste and caught her on time, saving her from falling. Those arms helped her stand back on her legs and supported her from her waist so she wouldn't fall. Instinctively, she leaned sideways, pressing her wet, tear-stained face into the shoulder of the owner of those strong arms, Noah, her sweet next-door neighbor, a charming guy who had grown up alongside her, the one person whose gentle presence didn't feel like a pressure cooker. It was Noah who had quickly brought his car without a question when her mother collapsed and took them to hospital. When no one was there for her, it was Noah who stood by her side in the most difficult time of her life like a true brother and provided her the most needed support, taking care of her mother in the hospital during her last breath before she left this world.

Seeing her crying, he immediately wrapped an arm around her shoulder and hugged her filly, resting his cheek against her hair, murmuring soft, quiet words of comfort.

“Don't worry Sierra, you are not alone in this world! You still have me! Don't cry please, aunt Sienna, won't want to see you sad. She is still there watching over you, from the heavens!”

He was consoling her as she broke into loud sobs when the priest and other men started burying the coffin of her deceased mother into the grave, but suddenly their hands froze and everyone halted in their actions as that's when they all heard a, low and unmistakable, deep rumble resonating through the chill air.

It wasn't thunder. It was a low, protective growl, the sound of sheer, unadulterated panic. It made everyone look around to find the source of the animalistic sound and take a sigh of relief when they found none and go back to what they were doing but unlike the humans who were unaware of the existence of supernaturals, Sierra was someone who had lived the life of the daughter of a beta, she had been born and spent 8 years of her life in a pack of werewolves and knew that sound better than anyone.

Hearing the familiar growl, Sierra quickly lifted her head from Noah's shoulder, her watery, striking blue eyes turning toward the sound which made Noah frowned and he followed her gaze only for his frown to deepen.

Standing a few paces away from them, in a rigid wall of dark wool coat fabrics were four imposing figures. One of the figures had gray hair but his muscular, well built body didn't let him look over 40, it was her father Raiden, the Beta of the most powerful pack of the country, The Blue Moon Pack and beside him stood three massive, build guys with eye-catching features.

Even though the three men had different faces, the resemblance in their aura, and body language was screaming that they were triplets with the same height and body, their blue eyes resembling hers. They were none other than her three older brothers who are 11 years older than him. The eldest Siden, the youngest Rian and the second eldest Senan.

To the rest of the world, these four men were absolute monoliths, stoic, untouchable, and emotionally impenetrable, mysterious imposing, dominant figures. But right now, their faces were a chaotic mix of heartbreak, jealousy, and sheer helplessness.

Siden, the eldest by minutes, had his jaw clenched so tight a nerve twitched beneath his skin. Rian’s hands were stuffed deep into his pockets, his broad shoulders rigid as an iron beam as he stared a hole through Noah’s arm which was still wrapped around his little baby sister's shoulder. While an impatient, reckless Senan took an immediate step forward, his dark eyes wide and aching, looking like he wanted to physically pull his baby sister away from Noah and bundle her into his own arms, yet he hesitated, terrified that pushing too hard would make her recoil.

Behind them, their father Raiden, who had just lost his mate, the love of his life, stood silent grief stricken, with his cold lips pressed into a thin, white line, his cold hand resting heavily on Senan’s shoulder, holding his son back while bearing his own crushing sorrow and holding back the urge to run to his little daughter and hide her in his safe, protective embrace.

They were seeing her after 8 years. She hadn't changed much. They could find her in a crowd of thousands at a single glance. They had recognised her, the moment they got down from their car and their eyes landed on her. She was built like fine porcelain in a room full of iron. She had their mother’s soft, heart-shaped face and dark, cascading waves, but it was her eyes that made people freeze, striking, luminous blue eyes that were far too bright for the dark coat she wore.

If she stood between her three giant brothers, she would look so small, like a little rabbit, their light squeeze would be enough to break her, which instantly developed an urge in their heart to protect her with all their might.

They were a group of emotionally constipated men who had never learned how to speak the language of feelings.

When Sierra was little, they didn't know how to express their love to her with words, so they bought her every toy she glanced at, every candy she ate twice and carried her everywhere so her tiny feets wouldn't touch the dirt.

When Sienna was diagnosed with cancer eight years ago and Raiden choose his responsibility as the Beta of the Blue Moon Pack, leaving his mate to live alone in the human world to fed for herself while suffering from cancer, leaving her all alone as she went through the treatment, fighting the disease for her life, an eight year old Sierra chose to be with her mother unlike her three brothers who chooses to stay with their father and get trained as the future Beta, Gamma, and Delta of the Blood Moon Pack.

Disappointed with their choice, she had silently walked away from them 8 years ago, taking a piece of their souls with her. From then on she never talked to them again, never attended their calls, never went to visit them on festivals or stayed with them during summer holidays. She became estranged with them, what hurted her the most was, even though they tried to call her many times, none of them came to visit her ever. They wanted her to stay with them but they hadn't known how to ask her to stay, and they knew she was too small to live with them, leaving their mom who needed treatment which can't be delayed and could only be treated in the human world. So they could do nothing but let her leave who was determined to be with her mother, seeing her leave they had just bawled like broken children behind closed doors after she left.

Now, seeing another man, even a trusted neighbor, offering her the comfort they so desperately wished they knew how to give felt like a blade twisting in their chests.

Noah subtly cleared his throat, sensing the sudden drop in temperature, and gently patted her shoulder before taking a polite step back.

Left standing alone in the rain, Sierra felt the immediate shift. The four giant men moved in a silent, synchronized wave. Siden immediately took a step closer to shield her from the biting wind with his broad frame. Rian reached into his coat, pulling out a clean, pressed handkerchief with stiff, trembling fingers, extending it toward her awkwardly without meeting her eyes. Senan just stared down at her blue eyes, their mother’s eyes, his own glistening with unshed tears he was too proud to let fall.

They wanted so badly to wrap her into a bone crushing hug, to tell her they were sorry, to tell her they missed her every single day. But instead, they just stood there like giant, silent guardians ready to protect her from every danger, protect her happiness from every grief like a shield, completely out of their depth, praying she could feel the love they didn't know how to express, the feeling they didn't know how to put into words.

As soon as their eyes met, Sierra immediately looked away. But her brothers didn’t miss the flash of raw hatred and deep disgust lingering in her icy blue gaze, a look that struck each of them like a silent physical blow, tearing through their stoic composure.

Pain flared behind their eyes, but they forced it down instantly. Years of training and pack leadership made masking their emotions second nature. Within a fraction of a second, their expressions smoothed back into unreadable, stony masks, hiding the sharp sting of her rejection.

Siden, the eldest, stepped forward first.

Tall, broad-shouldered, and dark-browed, he moved with a slow, heavy deliberation. Without uttering a single word, he raised a large black umbrella, stepping into the mud to hold it squarely over Sierra’s head.

The pouring rain hammered against the taut fabric above her, but not a single drop touched her fragile frame. He knew how easily the biting, wet chill could make her frail body fall sick, and the instinct to shield her body from the elements was as natural to him as breathing.

Beside him, Rian stepped up, his towering presence exuding a quiet, suffocating authority. He turned his intense gaze toward Noah, the heavy air around them shifting instantly with the weight of his dominant aura as he spoke in his cold, yet husky deep dominating voice.

"Thank you for your help! We are grateful to you for staying with our little baby sister, in our absence!"

Rian said, his voice a low, gravelly rumble that cut through the sound of the storm. He stretched out the word sister, heavy and deliberate, marking an unshakeable boundary.

"Now that her brothers are here, you aren't needed anymore. We can take care of her from here on."

Noah felt the sheer pressure of Rian's dominating aura pressing down on his mental defence. Recognizing the silent warning and knowing better than to challenge three protective brothers, Noah offered a polite, understanding nod.

"Of course!"

He murmured softly, gently letting go of Sierra's arm before taking a cautious step back into the crowd.

Before, a wide eyed, surprised Sierra could drift away, Rian’s large, warm hand closed around her shoulder, pulling her gently against his side to support her weight.

A wave of panic and uncomfortable feeling rippled through Sierra at the sudden contact, her breath catching in her throat. For a split second, every muscle in her body went rigid. She wanted to pull away, to push his hand off, but she held herself back. She knew it was useless. Her small, exhausted human strength was nothing against his massive, overwhelming werewolf power, trying to fight him here would be like trying to push against a mountain.

Not wanting to cause a scene in front of everyone at her mother's sacred burial moment, Sierra swallowed the bitter words rising in her chest and remained completely silent. She stood frozen beside her giant brothers, her lips pressed into a thin line, staring ahead through a blur of unshed tears as the cold dirt fell over her mother’s resting place.

Sierra closed her eyes slowly, letting the cold air wash over her pale, flushed red, tear stricken face. As the heavy silence of the cemetery weighed down around them, a lone, hot tear broke free from the corner of her eye, tracing a quiet path down her cheek before dropping into the mud below.

Behind her closed eyelids, a memory from her childhood flashed with painful clarity.

She was nine years old again, standing near the edge of the playground, her heart shrinking under the cruel laughter of the other children of her age.

“Where’s your father? You don’t even have a dad!”

They had taunted her again and again, pointing fingers at her and pushing her back into the shadows.

She remembered running home with her chest heaving, tears blurring her vision until her mother, Sienna, had gathered her into her warm arms.

Her mother hadn't let her drown in that sadness. Instead, she had carried a sobbing, young Sierra into the kitchen before setting her on a counter and tying an oversized apron around her small waist, and together they had baked a sweet, warm cake from scratch, replacing her bitter tears with the smell of vanilla and gentle laughter.

Another memory rushed in, unbidden and sharp.

She remembered the aching loneliness of those early years, how the other kids would pull their hands away, refusing to let her even touch them as if she is some kind of disease, a plague, looking at her with disgust as if she is trash or an insect, whenever she wanted to join their games, calling her dirty blood, whispering that she was dirty and strange.

She had sat on the porch, hugging her knees, feeling utterly unwanted until her mother sat down beside her. Sienna had gently cupped her tiny face, brushing the hair from her forehead with an affectionate smile.

“What they say is meaningless, my sweet baby girl!”

Her mother had whispered soft and steady, pulling her into a tight, comforting embrace.

“You are not dirty blood, you are special. Never let their filthy words make you forget who you are. You are the daughter of Beta Raiden. You have a father, and three very loving brothers so what if they are away from you, they still love you and care for you and feel I'll always do so don't take their words to heart. Don't pay attention to them.”

And then came the memory of being ten years old on a bright afternoon, the sun shining warm against her skin.

She had been wobbling uncertainly on a small bicycle, her fingers white-knuckled around the handlebars, terrified of falling. But right behind her, running along the dirt path with a steady hand on the back of the seat, was her mother Sienna laughing, encouraging her with every breath, calling out…

“Keep going, Sierra! You’re doing it! I’ve got you!”

Third Person's Point Of View:

“Keep going, Sierra! You’re doing it! I’ve got you!”

Opening her eyes to the harsh, gray reality of the graveyard, the warmth of those memories vanished, replaced by the crushing truth that the only person who had ever truly made her feel safe was now lying beneath the cold, wet earth.

Everyone slowly began to leave, the crowd thinning until the cemetery grew eerily quiet. The heavy downpour finally tapered off, leaving behind a cold, damp stillness. Yet, Sierra remained right where she was, standing frozen like a statue. Beside her, her brothers and father stood as an unwavering wall, refusing to move an inch from her side.

Gently slipping out from under Rian’s protective arm, Sierra didn't say a word. She took a few wobbly, unsteady steps toward her mother’s fresh grave before her strength completely gave out, and she collapsed onto the wet dirt.

Pressing her cheek against the cold earth covering her mother, the floodgates broke. She wept hysterically, her chest heaving as she sobbed into the ground.

"Why did you leave me?"

She cried out, her raw voice trembling with grief.

"How am I supposed to live without you? Please, Mum..."

As her tears fell into the mud, a painful memory from the hospital room flooded her mind. She remembered her mother’s pale, weak face, still holding that soft, loving smile as she looked up at Sierra.

"Live a good, happy life, my sweet baby girl!"

Her mother had whispered softly, her thumb gently brushing Sierra's knuckles.

"Focus on your dreams..."

Then, her mother’s warm hand had slipped uselessly out of Sierra's grip, and the last breath of life left her body, leaving behind a deafening silence.

As Sierra sobbed on the grave, a heavy, warm hand settled gently onto her shoulder.

"You still have us..."

Her father, Raiden, said, his usually firm voice thick with choked emotion.

"Dada is with you."

The moment his skin made contact, Sierra recoiled violently, shoving his hand away with every bit of strength she had left.

"Don't touch me!"

She spat out, her voice trembling with raw pain and anger. She glaring up at him through tear-blurred eyes.

"Why are you here?"

Siden, her eldest brother, took a step closer, his eyes aching with unspoken heartbreak as he looked down at his crying little sister. His voice was thick, desperate to reach her.

"We are here to take you back home."

Hearing the word leave his mouth, Sierra let out a bitter, lifeless chuckle, fresh tears spilling over her wet cheeks.

"Home?"

She asked, her tone dripping with venom and sorrow.

"Which home are you talking about? My home is where I lived with my mother! I am not going anywhere, leaving my home.”

She declared stubbornly while glaring at them with determination filled eyes. Hearing it, her four brothers frowned with displeasure while her panicked father, Raiden, took a slow, heavy step forward, the wet mud squelching beneath his leather boots. His tall, broad frame bent slightly as he tried to soften his harsh, weathered face, his dark eyes brimming with a desperate, rare vulnerability as he tried to make her understand.

"Sierra, please!"

Her father, Raisen said, his voice thick with a choked, heavy plea that rasped in his throat.

"You can't live alone. It's not safe, and you are far too young to be on your own in a cold house."

He tried to convince her but a stubborn Sierra refused to buy any of it.

"I won't come with you, no matter what!”

Sierra shot back instantly, her voice cutting through the damp chill as she pushed herself up from the damp ground with shaking hands. Her icy blue eyes burned through the gloom of the graveyard, fixing like cold daggers on the three massive men standing in a silent row behind him.

"None of you."

Her brother, the youngest of the triplets, Rian took a sudden step into her personal space. His broad shoulders squared, his jaw twitching violently as a thick muscle clenched beneath his skin. He looked down at her fragile, mud-stained frame, his voice laced with a volatile mixture of wounded heart, deep hurt, and rigid, instinctual anger upon his little sister's rejection at even recognising them as brothers.

"We are your brothers, Sierra!"

He said, his desperate eyes searching her pale face.

"We are your family."

He insisted in a voice laced with yearning while looking at her with a tired look in his eyes, feeling defeated. Hearing it, Sierra let out a cold, sharp laugh, a sound so bitter and hollow it cut straight through the heavy, rain-soaked air.

"Brothers?"

She spat out, the word tumbling from her trembling lips like a venomous curse while glaring at the fiercely with accusation filled eyes.

"Where were you when I was sick in the middle of the night and mom had to rush me to the hospital all alone? Where were you when I was admitted to the hospital and mom had to take care of me while taking care of the medical bills all alone? Where were you when I cried late at night because I was alone? Where were you when I woke up in the middle of the night due to nightmares? Where were you when the kids at school bullied me endlessly? Where were you when I was pushed and hurt by bullies!"

Her voice cracked, rising in pitch as sixteen years of buried agony finally surfaced.

"Where were you when people called me dirty blood? Where were you when my mother and I needed you the most?!"

Siden, Senan and Rian, her three brothers, flinched at her accusation as if struck by a physical whip, their eyes instantly dropping to the muddy ground beneath their feet. The heavy, suffocating silence that followed was deafening. Not a single one of them could offer an answer, the crushing weight of their past negligence hung over their massive shoulders like iron chains.

Sierra turned her burning, tear-streaked gaze back to her father, Raiden, her pale lips trembling with pure, unadulterated disgust as she glared fiercely at her father before saying.

"And you…"

She hissed, pointing a trembling, mud-splattered finger straight at her father's broad chest.

"You chose the fucking responsibility of being a freaking Beta of the Blood Moon pack over your sick wife, your mate whom you claimed to love endlessly! You never once visited us to check how we were doing, whether we were even alive! I can't bring myself to live with a man like you! If I did, my mom's soul would cry, she would never be at peace."

Hearing it, Raiden’s eyes tested up and he quickly snapped his head down, his eyes closing tightly in silent, agonizing pain as her words tore straight through his heart. He had no defense, no counterargument. He had stayed behind for duty and rank, and in doing so, he had completely lost the trust of the only daughter his late wife had left behind.

Saying this, Sierra turned sharply on her heel, her dark wavy hair whipping around her face as she tried to walk away, her pale expression set in hard stone.

Before she could take more than two agonizing steps, a large, calloused hand clamped around her slender wrist like a heavy steel shackle, bringing her to a complete, jarring halt. Her youngest brother Rian held her firmly yet gently in such a way that it won't hurt her, knowing he would never be able to forgive himself if he ever hurt her even by mistake. While his other hand balled into a fist, his knuckles white, his dark brows drawn tight together as he stopped her and stared down at her with a mix of desperation and authority of not the delta of the Blood Moon Pack but a younger brother.

"You are only sixteen, Sierra!"

He stated coldly, his tone leaving absolutely no room for debate or argument which made Sierra frown while he continued.

"Legally, you are still a minor who needs a guardian. You can't live alone, so you have no other choice but to go with us."

He remained her bitterly. Sierra didn't back down for a single second. She lifted her head, staring straight into his dark, storm-filled eyes, her clear blue gaze colder than the winter rain.

"I will go to an orphanage!"

She said, her voice dropping to a deadly, razor-sharp whisper that carried absolute conviction, her words sent a wave of shock among her brothers while remaining blind to it, she added bitterly.

"An orphanage is much better than living with any of you. I am not going with you!"

She declared and with a sudden, violent burst of desperation, she began struggling wildly in his iron grip making him frown with concern, worrying that she would hurt herself like this. Being oblivious to it, she twisted her thin wrist back and forth, shoving her free hand against his stone-hard chest with every ounce of strength her small, exhausted body possessed.

Infuriated by her complete rejection, the bitter truth of her words, and the unbearable ache of her hatred, her youngest brother Rian's last shred of patience finally snapped. His dark eyes flashed with a sudden, dominant heat.

"Let me see how you won't come with us!"

He growled low under his breath, his voice vibrating with pure determination.

In one swift, fluid motion, he reached down and hauled her body off her feet. Before she could even process the sudden shift in gravity, he threw her over his broad shoulder like she weighed nothing at all, locking one thick arm firmly around the back of her legs.

"Put me down! Let me go!"

Sierra screamed, her raw voice echoing fiercely across the silent, empty cemetery.

She kicked her legs wildly against the empty air, her small boots thrashing as she hammered her tiny, furious fists repeatedly against his rock-hard back, yelling at him to stop and let her go.

He didn't flinch, nor did he break his stride for a single second. Holding her in an unshakeable grip, he carried her straight toward the sleek, pitch-black Mercedes-Benz idling at the edge of the cemetery path, while Siden, Senan, and Raiden followed closely behind, ensuring she didn't hurt herself while hitting his stone-like back.

As Rian reached the sleek black Mercedes-Benz with Sierra thrown over his shoulder, one of the pack warriors quickly stepped forward, bowing his head respectfully as he held the rear door open. Rian adjusted his grip, leaning down to place her into the backseat.

"Put me down! If you force me back to that pack, I swear to God I’ll kill myself!"

Sierra screamed, her voice raw, sharp, and laced with frantic desperation.

"I’ll do it! I won't go back!"

Hearing her threat, Rian froze mid-motion. A sudden wave of sheer, paralyzing panic washed over his face, his dark eyes widening in horror as his heart slammed against his ribs. Beside him, Siden and Senan stood utterly bewildered, frozen in shock as the grave weight of her threat echoed through the cold air. Terror gripped all three brothers, the thought of losing her permanently chilled them to the bone.

Raiden commanded. Panicked and completely terrified that she might actually carry out her words, Rian halted in his tracks. On the other hand, a worried Raiden quickly commanded his son in a hurried voice.

“Let go of her, Rian!”

Hearing it, Senan and Siren nodded their heads at Rian, agreeing with their father. Seeing this, carefully, almost frantically, Rian eased his grip on Sierra and slowly set her feet back onto the wet ground.

The moment her boots hit the dirt, Sierra furiously wiped the heavy stream of tears from her face using her arms, her chest heaving with ragged, choking breaths while muttering in a furious voice.

“I hate you guys!”

She cried bitterly which made them frown, while after saying this, she didn't wait for them to recover from the shock. Turning on her heel, she sprinted away into the misty gloom as fast as her small legs could carry her.

"Sierra! Wait!"

Senan yelled, his voice cracking with desperation.

Instantly, Senan bolted forward, his instincts driving him to run behind her, with Siden and Rian right on his heels. But before Senan could take more than a few explosive strides, Raiden moved. With swift authority, their father thrust his heavy, broad arm directly across Senan’s chest, forcefully stopping his son in his tracks.

"Dad, let me go! She's running away!"

Senan growled, struggling against his father's iron barrier, his eyes wild with fear as he watched her small figure vanish into the trees.

"Stop!"

Raiden commanded, his voice strained and heavy with suppressed agony.

"If you push her right now while she's like this, she might hurt herself. Let her breathe and have some alone time so she could process everything and sort her thoughts."

He suggested. Hearing it, Rain nodded his head at his father in understanding while Senan slammed his fist against his side in sheer frustration, breathing heavily as all four men stood helplessly in the cold wind, watching the empty tree line where their baby sister had disappeared.

Sierra spent the remainder of the agonizing day huddled at the top of the nearby hill, the one place she and her mother used to sit together to watch the sunset. Only when night fell and the icy wind became unbearable did she drag her exhausted, shivering body back down toward her now empty deserted home which was nothing more than a block of walls without her mother and her warmth.

Exhausted, she pushed open the front door of the quiet house, expecting the comforting silence of her mother’s memory. Instead, the heavy, suffocating tension in the living room hit her instantly.

Standing beneath the dim light were four towering figures. Siden and Senan were nervously pacing the floor back and forth, their hands stuffed deep into their pockets, their knuckles white with anxiety, while Rian and her father, Raiden, sat stiffly on the edge of the sofa, their faces drawn with tight, exhausted lines.

Sierra froze at the threshold, her hand tightening on the brass doorknob as a fresh wave of anger flared in her chest.

"What are you guys doing inside my house?"

Sierra demanded, her voice trembling with a volatile mixture of exhaustion and fury.

As soon as they heard her voice, their head snapped up, only to find the tired, haggard Sierra with red flushed face, seeing it Raiden frown and stood up immediately, his tall frame looming in the small room as he took a cautious, desperate step toward her. His dark eyes were bloodshot, his voice thick with uncharacteristic relief.

"Sierra... you're back!"

To be continued….

Third Person's Point Of View:

"Sierra... you're back!"

Raiden breathed out, his hand instinctively reaching toward her before he checked himself and pulled it back, terrified of setting her off.

"We were out of our minds with worry. We didn't know where you went…."

He was rambling on but was cut off by a cold voice of an Angry Sierra…

"I asked you what you are doing in my house!"

Sierra snapped, her icy blue eyes cutting through him like razor-sharp blades. She glared past him at her other two brothers and father, who stood in stiff, guilty silence.

"Get out. All of you. Get the hell out of my house and get the hell out of my life!"

She roared but none of them moved. Siden opened his mouth as if to plead with her, but the words caught in his dry throat. Rian looked down at the floorboards, unable to meet her furious gaze, while Senan remained rooted to the spot, his jaw clenched tight with painful helplessness. They stood like silent, unyielding statues, unwilling to leave her alone in her grief, yet completely paralyzed by the burning hatred in her eyes.

Letting out a harsh breath of pure frustration, Sierra realized arguing with these immovable walls was useless. She shoved past her father's shoulder, stomped up the wooden staircase, and slammed her bedroom door shut behind her, twisting the lock with a loud click to shut the world and her so-called family out.

…..

Night settled heavily over the house, wrapping every corner in suffocating silence.

Downstairs, the scent of an untouched dinner lingered in the air. Raiden had gone up to Sierra’s room hours ago, knocking softly on the wooden door, his voice strained as he called out to her to eat. But no sound came from inside. Sierra remained seated on the hard floor, resting her back firmly against the door frame. She knew her presence was pinned right there, her brothers, with their sharp werewolf senses, could hear her steady breathing through the wood, keeping them from trying to force the lock open without hurting her.

Defeated and heavy-hearted, no one had the appetite to eat. One by one, her father and brothers retreated into the downstairs guest rooms, the quiet hum of the house settling into an uneasy sleep.

At midnight, Sierra finally moved.

Silently, she packed her essential belongings into a small duffel bag. Taking painstaking care with every step, her bare feet glided over the wooden floorboards, making not a single sound as she slipped out of her bedroom and went downstairs before creeping into her mother’s bedroom down the hall.

The moment she stepped across the threshold, the faint, lingering scent of lavender hit her, making tears instantly gather in her eyes. She stood still, taking a long, painful last look at the room where her mother had smiled, comforted her, and lived. Moving toward the bed, Sierra reached out and picked up a framed photograph from the bedside table. A picture of her and Sienna, laughing together on a sunlit afternoon.

With trembling fingers, she caressed her mother’s face in the photo, a single tear slipping down her cheek. Wiping her eyes determinedly with the back of her hand, she tucked the picture safely inside her duffel bag and zipped it shut.

Slinging the strap over her shoulder, Sierra tiptoed to the window. Because she knew those four unruly, huge ass werewolves must have locked the front door and her mother's bedroom was on the ground floor, it was her only way out. She unlocked the frame with slow, deliberate precision, eased the glass open, and climbed out into the cool night air.

Her feet landed softly on the grass. She took a deep breath, turning toward the perimeter gate.

At that exact moment, the front door of the house creaked open.

Senan had come downstairs after his sharp werewolf hearing picked up faint, unusual noises echoing through the quiet house. Suspicious, he had rushed to her bedroom first, only to find it completely empty. Panic surging through his veins, he had frantically searched every room in the house, his heart hammering in his chest. When he couldn't find her inside, he bolted out the front door, catching her sweet, familiar scent lingering heavily in the yard.

His eyes locked onto her small figure moving through the shadows.

The second Sierra caught sight of him standing at the doorway, her eyes widened in terror. She didn't hesitate, she dashed toward the front gate as fast as her legs could carry her.

"Sierra!"

Senan didn't just run. Pushing off the porch steps with explosive power, he leaped into the air, his body shifting mid-flight into a massive, muscular grey wolf. He landed on the grass with a heavy thud, his powerful paws tearing up the lawn as he charged directly after her.

Panicking, Sierra reached the front gate, her hands trembling violently as she fumbled with the stubborn metal latch.

"Come on, open! Please, open!"

She sobbed out, struggling against the cold iron.

Before her small fingers could slide the lock free, a shadow towered over her.

With a low, booming huff, Senan’s massive wolf form leaped, gently pinning her to the soft grass under his massive paws. Before she could scream, the giant wolf leaned down and swept a huge, warm tongue straight across her face, slobbering all over her cheek in a burst of affectionate triumph.

"Eww! Stop it! Get off me, you giant wolfie!"

Sierra shrieked, squirming furiously beneath his weight and trying to push his gigantic snout away.

Her loud, indignant shrieks echoed across the quiet yard, instantly rousing the rest of the house. Footsteps thundered inside, and within seconds, Raiden, Siden, and Rian came rushing into the living room, throwing the front door wide open to see what had happened.

The scene that greeted them made the heavy tension in the room instantly snap.

Walking back through the front doorway was Senan’s gigantic wolf, carrying a thoroughly drenched, grumbling Sierra back into the house. He held her delicately by the back collar of her jacket in his massive jaws, dangling her off the floor like a stubborn, unruly pup.

Sierra’s arms were crossed tightly over her chest, her face scowling in absolute outrage, her small boots swinging uselessly in the air as she glared daggers at everything in sight.

Seeing their fierce, sharp-tongued little sister looking so utterly defeated and grumpy in their brother's mouth, a soft, involuntary chuckle broke out from Sidan and Rian, while even Raiden's stern lips twitched with a rare, quiet warmth.

"Put me down, you silly, oversized wolf!"

Sierra snapped, her brow furrowed into a deep, furious frown as Senan carefully lowered her onto the living room rug, looking immensely proud of himself.

...

The heavy, suffocating silence in the room was broken only by the sound of Sierra’s ragged breaths.

"Close your eyes, baby!"

Siden called out gently, his voice dropping into a low, soothing murmur that carried the tender weight of an elder brother trying desperately to protect his sister.

Sierra didn't hesitate. Recognizing the protective shift in his tone, she quickly slapped both of her small hands over her face, pressing her palms against her eyes to block out the view completely.

Behind her, Senan released his grip and shifted back into his human form in a fluid blur of dark gray fur, straining muscle, and snapping bone. Stepping into the shadowy entryway where a pair of dark jeans had been left, he pulled them up over his lean legs and zipped them into place. Sierra, unable to fight off the surge of sheer curiosity, parted her slender fingers just a tiny fraction, peeking through the narrow gap.

The sight of her sharp, icy-blue eyes peeking cautiously through her fingers did not go unnoticed. A quiet, collective chuckle broke out from her three brothers and her father, a soft, fleeting moment of genuine warmth that briefly cut through the thick, agonizing tension lingering in the air.

Realizing she had been caught and that he was fully clothed, Sierra dropped her hands instantly, her cheeks flushing as she fixed a harsh, defensive glare onto the wooden floorboards beneath her boots.

Senan stepped into the center of the living room, crossing his massive, tattooed arms tightly across his broad chest as he looked down at her fragile frame. His face was a stoic, unyielding mask, his dark eyes fixed on her as he demanded in a single, heavy word…

"Explain.”

Sierra immediately snapped her head to the side, her jaw clenching tightly as she tilted her chin up in stubborn defiance.

"There's nothing to explain."

Siden took a slow step forward, breaking his rigid stance and positioning himself directly in her line of sight. The stoic, impenetrable leader mask he usually wore completely cracked, exposing a look of raw, deeply wounded agony. His throat worked as he swallowed down a thick knot of sorrow, his dark eyes gleaming with an unspoken heartbreak that cut straight through the cold air between them.

"Are you really this desperate to get away from us, Baby?"

He asked, his voice laced with a fragile, bitter hurt that resonated through the quiet room.

Before Sierra could summon another sharp, venomous reply, Raiden let out a heavy, bone-deep sigh, a sound carrying the unbearable weight of nine long years of buried grief. The deep, weathered lines carved into his face seemed to sink even deeper beneath the dim overhead lighting of the living room.

"I have something for you, my Angel!"

Her father said quietly, his low, gravelly voice thick with suppressed emotion.

Turning on his heel, Raiden walked slowly toward the guest room down the hall. The living room fell into an agonizing, motionless silence, the heavy ticking of the clock echoing loudly until he returned. In his calloused hand, he held a carefully folded piece of paper, preserved with painstaking care. He stepped toward Sierra, stopping just a few inches away, and gently held it out to her.

"It's from your mother!"

He murmured softly.

Sierra’s breath hitched sharply in her throat, the air freezing in her lungs. With trembling, hesitant hands, she reached out and took the letter. Her small fingers brushed the edges of the paper, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs like a trapped bird.

Unfolding the page, a sharp, suffocating knot formed in her chest as her eyes landed on the familiar, elegant handwriting. It was undeniably Sienna’s. Her mother had written these exact words to Raiden before slipping away from this world forever.

‘My Dearest Raiden,

I am so sorry. Please forgive me for being unable to fulfill my promise of returning back to you after recovering. I am sorry that I couldn't fight this disease for you anymore. I didn't want you to see me in this condition as I go through the treatment knowing every moment of it will kill you. I didn't want you to see me coughing blood. I didn't want you to see me going bald. I didn't want you to see my sick body getting weaker and weaker knowing every moment of this will kill you a thousand times. That's why I had left you and I don't regret it. What I regret is taking your angel away from you. I thought our daughter was too young to live without a mother so I took her with me to the human world but I think I made a mistake.

Even though she doesn't say it, I know she misses you and her brothers. She misses her home so now when I am gone, please take her back to her home, where she belongs. I know you love her a lot and will take care of her but I want to ask you to love yourself a little too. Please, do not wait for me anymore, and move on in your life with your second-chance mate. Don't live alone. One's life doesn't end with someone's passing. Time doesn't stop for anyone…’

Hot, heavy tears welled in Sierra's eyes, spilling rapidly over her long lashes and tracing scorching wet paths down her pale cheeks as she stared at her mother's dark ink. A suffocating, crushing wave of sheer guilt crashed over her soul as the painful truth unravelled in front of her, she had wrongly accused her father of abandoning them, cursing him, hating him, and spitting venom in his face, when all along he had been silently honoring her mother's desperate, agonizing sacrifice to shield his heart from watching her wither away.

She lifted her tear-blurred eyes, looking up briefly at her father standing before her. The towering man she had spent years despising stood with his head slightly bowed, his dark eyes brimming with unshed tears, red-rimmed with an agonizing sorrow he had kept buried deep inside his chest for nine painful years just to fulfill his wife's final wish.

Swallowing the thick, suffocating lump in her throat, Sierra forced her trembling gaze back down to read the remainder of the page, her hands shaking violently against the thin paper.

‘Now that I am not around, our little Sierra is completely alone in this world. She is a very sensible child. She might look strong but she is very emotional. I am worried she won't be able to take this blow. I know she must be broken and crying after my passing. I don't want her to cry anymore. I don't want her to hurt. You have to pull her out of this grief. She needs you, Raiden. She needs her brothers to give her the strength to face this bitter truth of life. She needs your love to move on in life, I know you all love her a lot and would protect her with your life. Please take good care of our baby girl. Tell her, her momma loves her and will be watching over her from the heavens…’

A sharp sob broke from Sierra's chest, her heart shattering into a thousand pieces. Even at her very last breath, when pain was consuming her, her mother had still been worrying about her, terrified of leaving her baby girl alone without anyone by her side to protect her.

Sierra’s blurred vision reached the final lines of the letter.

If life ever gives me a second chance, I want to be with you again, as your mate.

Unable to hold it in any longer, Sierra pressed the letter tightly against her chest, collapsing into a violent fit of weeping. The sheer weight of her mother’s love, sacrifice, and lingering worry crushed every bit of fight left in her body.

Raiden immediately dropped to his knees in front of her. Gently, his large, warm hand patted her back before he pulled her small, shivering frame into his arms. He held her close, letting her tears soak into his shirt, before pulling back just enough to look into her tear-filled, ocean-blue eyes.

"This was Sienna’s last wish, Sierra!"

Raiden whispered, his voice thick with emotion.

"She wanted us to be together."

Beside them, Rian dropped to his knees as well. His usual cold, formidable guard was completely shattered, his dark eyes filled with a desperate, pleading tenderness as he looked at his little sister.

"Will you come back with us to our home?"

Rian asked softly, his voice trembling slightly.

"The home we want to give you... the home that has been waiting for you for the past eight years?"

Sierra looked at her mother's letter pressed against her heart, then at the four giant, tear-eyed men kneeling around her, the family her mother had trusted to shield her when she no longer could.

Slowly, through her heavy sobbing, Sierra nodded her head.

The tension in the room snapped instantly. Relief washed over Rian’s face as he reached out and scooped her up into his arms, wrapping his strong, iron-like grip around her tiny form. He pulled her tightly against his chest, enveloping her in a fierce, protective embrace, hiding his baby sister from the cold world, just as they had promised their mother they always would.

To be continued….