Sierra pov.
My heart beats so fast whenever I couldn't find the beast; I felt as if I was about to break down. Where could he have gone? What was happening? I searched frantically, scanning the surroundings with my eyes for any sign of movement. The wind howled in my ears as the leaves rustled and swirled, making it difficult to hear anything else.
I placed my hands on my face and wiped away the little tears that were falling out of it. The frustration and worry were getting the best of me, and the tears were a natural reaction. The scent of wet earth and grass filled my nostrils, reminding me of the forest's dampness and the beast's presence.
Is this what it feels like when your mate isn't with you? I felt so broken, as if something had been taken out from me. I longed for the beast's touch, his warmth, his scent, his comforting presence.
Just then, I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I looked up and saw that it was Nora. She was a kind and empathetic person who always seemed to understand my emotions.
"What's with the tears, Sierra?" She asked, concern etched on her face as I wiped them away immediately.
"It's nothing. Something got stuck in my eyes," I lied, not wanting to burden her with my troubles.
Just as I was about to stand up and continue my search for the beast, Nora held my hands and looked at me with an intense gaze.
"Do you have feelings for that beast?" She asked bluntly, her eyes probing for the truth.
With her question, I felt kind of shocked. Did I really have feelings for the beast? I looked at her as she waited for my reply, but all I did was laugh, trying to cover up the overwhelming emotions I was feeling.
"Come on, Nora. I'm not that stupid. I don't love him," I said, trying to sound convincing.
After saying that, I thought I would feel relaxed and calm, but no, I still felt regretful for denying my true feelings. The sound of the wind and the rustling leaves echoed in my ears, making me feel even more alone and lost without the beast. It was as if a part of me was missing, and I knew deep down that I needed to find him soon.
I look up at Nora, who has been staring at me for a good minute now. "So you don't like him?" she asks again, and I feel a bit bothered by her question.
"Let's not go into that now, Nora. Please, let's go look for him, okay?" I say, trying to change the subject. She nods, and we both start walking around, searching for the beast.
The first thing I notice is the scent of freshly-cut grass mixed with the salty sea air. The sun is shining bright and the sky is a clear blue. I can hear the distant sound of waves crashing against the shore, and the occasional seagull cry. It's a beautiful day, but my heart is heavy with worry.
We search for almost five hours, but there's no sign of the beast. I feel a pang of pain in my heart, and I start to blame myself for not being nicer to him. I close my eyes and put my hands over my head, trying to think of where he could have gone and why.
"Did he tell you anything?" Alex asks, breaking the silence. I look at her and nod. "He never told me anything. Do you think he's been taken by the villagers?"
Alex moves a bit closer to me and wipes the tears falling from my eyes that I didn't even notice. "Maybe he felt that you're not the one for him and left," she suggests gently.
I listen to Alex's voice, feeling a bit lost and unsure of what to say. Did he finally leave me? Or does he think I'm not good enough for him? It's like a storm raging inside of me, and I can't make sense of anything.
I stood up and looked at Alex, who kept staring at me as if I had lost something. "It's okay, Alex, and thank you so much for helping me out. Without you, I couldn't have searched half of the castle."
Just as I was about to walk away, the sound of a cracking sole caught my attention, and I stood still and looked at it. "What happened?" Alex said as she walked over to me. I stood there, looking at the door, feeling as if something was calling out to me.
"Are you okay?" Nora walked over to us and looked at me. "I don't know, guys. I feel as if there is something in there."
Just as I was about to walk towards the door, Alex pulled me back. "Are you crazy? What if it's a trap?"
I stared at her as I pulled my hands away and turned to face the door. "I want to go check what's in there." Slowly, I walked over to the door as Alex and Nora stood where they were, looking at me.
"Guys, are you coming?" I asked the both of them. They stared at each other and nodded. "No, we're just going to stay here and wait for you."
Seeing the fear in their faces, I nodded and turned towards the door. I wouldn't blame them - who isn't scared of the beast?
I turn to look back at Alex and Nora, who both have worried expressions on their faces. I know they care and I was the one who called them in the first place to come, but for some reason, I have a feeling that the beast is in there.
As I stare intently at the door, Alex's voice interrupts my thoughts. "Please, Sierra, you don't have to do this. Get out of here. Your mom is so worried about you."
Hearing her, I smile and look at them. "It's okay, girls. You won't understand the way I am feeling right now. Maybe when you have a mate, you will know what I am feeling and why I just can't let it go. The beast is in here, and I know it. I just have to go meet him."
Without saying anything, both of them run towards me and hug me. "We are not going to let you go there, you hear me?" Nora says, as if she is about to cry.
"Don't worry, Sierra. We are your friends, and we are here to help you out. Just don't ever do anything stupid on your own again. You will just give us a heart attack one day," Alex adds.
I smile, just listening to them, and I feel so calm knowing that my friends are the best people I have ever seen.
"Sierra," Nora calls out as I turn and look at her.
"Promise me, when we go in there and we don't see the beast, you will come back home with us, right?"
I look at her, not knowing the decision to give her. Should I come back with them if I don't see the beast? I turn and look at the door, then at her. "I don't know, Nora, but I promise I will never leave you guys."
And with that, we three hug and turn to face the door. We look at each other and nod before entering it.