Episode 001
Tap. Tap. Tap.
I pressed the tip of my old wooden cane against the ice-cold concrete floor, taking one small step at a time. The air in the sub-basement smelled like wet dust, old cardboard, and rusting iron pipes. It was dark down here, but for me, everywhere was dark. I had been blind for as long as I could remember, living in a world made entirely of sounds, smells, and cold surfaces.
High above my head, through layers of thick stone and steel, I could hear the faint thumping of loud bass music. The grand ballroom on the top floor of Hayes Global Tower was coming alive. Up there, hundreds of rich pack members were pouring glass after glass of expensive champagne. They wore soft silk dresses and tailored suits, laughing and celebrating the big night. Down here, the cold seeped right through the thin soles of my cheap shoes, making my toes go numb.
I blew warm air into my cupped hands, trying to rub some life back into my stiff fingers.
Sierra, just hang on a little longer, I told myself in a quiet whisper. Today is your eighteenth birthday. Tonight is the night everything changes.
In our world, turning eighteen meant everything. It was the night the Moon Goddess unlocked your soul and pointed you toward your fated mate. I did not have a wolf inside me like the rest of my family. Everyone called me a useless burden, a defect, a weak girl who brought shame to the Vance family name. But I kept praying that my mate would be different. I prayed he would look past my clouded eyes, take my hand, and lead me away from this terrible place forever.
Heavy leather boots suddenly clacked against the concrete behind me. The harsh sound echoed down the narrow hallway, getting closer and closer.
My heart did a painful flip in my chest. I knew those footsteps.
Sierra! A sharp, angry voice barked out from the dark.
I froze, pulling my cane close to my chest like a shield. Father, I said softly.
Do not call me that, Elder Garrett snapped, his heavy breath smelling like bitter coffee and stale tobacco as he stepped right into my personal space. You do not get to use that word down here.
I bowed my head, staring blindly down at his shiny boots. Yes, Elder Garrett.
He threw something heavy at my feet. It hit the wet floor with a dull slap, splashing dirty water onto my shins.
Put that on, he ordered, his voice cold enough to freeze water. It is your uniform for the night. You are going to go up to the main floor and mop the back hallways near the kitchen. Make sure every single smudge is gone before the guests arrive.
I reached down with a shaking hand and touched the rough fabric. It was a thin, scratchy maid uniform, smelling faintly of harsh bleach.
Elder Garrett, I said, my voice barely above a whisper as I looked up toward his chin. Today is my eighteenth birthday. I was hoping... I thought maybe I could stand near the back of the ballroom. Just for a little bit. In case my mate is up there.
Garrett let out a loud, cruel laugh that made my ears ring.
Your mate? He sneered, stepping closer until I could feel the heat radiating from his chest. Look at yourself, Sierra. You are a blind, wolfless freak. You cannot see the sun, you cannot run with the pack, and you do not even have a wolf spirit to offer anyone. No Alpha would ever want a broken toy like you. Savannah is up there right now wearing diamonds and holding court like a real princess, while you belong down here in the dirt.
A hot tear slipped out of my left eye, burning my icy skin, but I forced myself not to sob out loud. Showing pain only made him harder.
My mother used to tell me I was special, I murmured, the words slipping out before I could stop them.
Garrett gasped sharply, and I heard the air cut through the space between us as he raised his wooden walking stick.
Do not you dare bring up your mother! He roared. She died because she was weak, just like you! You are a disgrace to the Vance bloodline, and if you ruin tonight for your twin sister, I will personally lock you in the iron cages beneath the river!
Before I could pull back, he swung his cane down with all his force.
The heavy polished wood slammed directly into my right shoulder. A sharp, sickening crack echoed through the hallway.
Aah! I shrieked out loud.
The force of the blow knocked me completely off balance. My knees hit the hard concrete floor with a brutal crash, skinning through my thin stockings. Pain flared up my neck, hot and sharp, making my entire upper body throb with a dull ache. I dropped my wooden cane, hearing it roll away into the dark shadows near the wall.
Get up and get to work, Garrett growled, turning on his heel without a single drop of pity. If the ballroom floor is not spotless in twenty minutes, you will not get any dinner for a week.
His heavy boots marched away, the sound slowly fading until the heavy iron door at the end of the hall slammed shut.
I stayed on my hands and knees in the dark, shivering violently on the cold floor. My right shoulder felt like it was on fire, pulsing with every fast beat of my heart. I squeezed my eyes shut, pressing my forehead against the damp concrete as fresh tears washed down my cheeks.
I am not weak, I whispered into the empty air, my fingers scraping against the rough floor as I searched for my lost cane. I am not a disgrace.
My right hand brushed against the polished wood of my cane, and I squeezed it tightly, trying to pull myself back up. But as I pushed against the floor, something strange began to happen deep inside my chest.
It did not feel like the painful ache from Garrett's stick. It felt like something deep within my ribs was swelling up, getting hotter and hotter by the second.
A sharp, electric shock shot straight up my spine. My lungs locked up, refusing to take in any air.
What is happening? I gasped, clutching my throat with my left hand.
The pain from my bruised shoulder suddenly vanished, replaced by a strange, roaring sensation deep in my veins. My blood felt like it was turning into boiling water. It rushed up into my neck, pulsing behind my ears like a heavy drumbeat.
Deep inside my mind, where everything had been quiet and dark for eighteen years, a strange noise echoed out.
It was not a human sound. It was not even a normal wolf sound. It was a deep, ancient, vibrating growl that made my teeth rattle inside my head.
Then, behind my clouded, useless eyes, a flash of bright amber light burst through the darkness.
It lasted for only a tiny split second, but it was so hot and so bright that I gasped out loud, dropping back onto my knees. The pitch-black world I had lived in my entire life suddenly twitched, and for a tiny moment, I did not just feel the dark concrete floor under my hands—I saw the faint, glowing outline of the stone beneath my palms.
The light disappeared as fast as a lightning bolt, leaving me back in total darkness, breathing heavily while sweat dripped down my nose.
My heart was hammer-pounding against my ribs. My skin felt hot to the touch, buzzing with a strange power I had never felt before in my entire life.
What was that? I whispered into the dark room, my whole body shaking violently as I pulled my cane back to my chest. What is waking up inside my blood!
