TristanToday started out on a pretty good note. I had graded my last midterms, which was always a relief. As stressful as exams were for students, they weren’t exactly enjoyable for teachers either. Having my grading finished before the weekend meant that I wouldn’t have to bring any work home with me. That meant that I would be able to focus my time on Astrid. She had been under an incredible amount of stress since the conversation with Eddie and needed all of the support she could get. If I could offer her a distraction, then I would. She seemed reluctant to talk any further about the situation—mostly because we had no new information. It didn’t do any good to go in circles about it. It only stressed her out more. The last thing I wanted was to add to her unhappiness. As the day wore on, an unsettling feeling of anticipation settled over me. Something was wrong. I didn’t know why, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of impending disaster. The sensation left me feeling cold and
Astrid Everything after Tristan saved me from Charles and Astrid was a blur. I remembered my dad showing up and there being a lot of yelling. He was in a complete rage and he let everyone know it. I would have been embarrassed if I hadn’t been so disoriented. I thought at first that I was fine, but that was probably the adrenaline. Then, I was ushered into a car with Tristan and Solomon drove us to the packhouse, while Charles was driven in another car under heavy observation. Solomon was eerily silent the entire time. I couldn’t tell if he was upset with me or stressed out about the state dad was in. When we arrived there, the healer was waiting. I kept insisting that I was alright, but she was under strict orders to give me a thorough examination. She examined my eyes and the wounds to my face and head. Finally, she concluded that I likely had a minor concussion, but nothing else seemed serious. Tristan stayed by my side the entire time. I don’t know what I might have don
Astrid Charles’ fate was in my hands. I never asked for this to be my decision—but now, it was. By the Alpha’s command.I stared at Charles as I thought about what I should do. He looked terrified but that hadn't stopped him in the past. I wasn't sure if the threats from dad, Solomon, and Tristan were going to be enough to keep him away. He might leave me alone while I was in Bridgewater, but there was no telling what he would do when I got home. He was still at White Mountain, and we would still have to work together. Despite all of that, I didn't want him hurt. I turned to dad. “He's not worth the attention that could come to us if he disappears,” I explained. “We don't know what kind of text messages he's exchanged with Lilian or what other trail there might be leading to us. It's better if we let him go.” Dad looked thoughtful and I could see that he didn’t like what I was saying. He was angry and he wanted to take it out on Charles. Solomon looked mildly impressed, thou
Astrid The question hung heavily in the air. Solomon met my eyes without hesitation. The way his shoulders tensed betrayed the stress that the question caused him. “Absolutely not,” he emphasized. “I don't believe you,” I replied coolly. “You're going to have to start being honest with me if everyone is going to survive this. I think you’re right about the danger we’re in and I won't have blood on my hands.” Solomon averted his eyes. I saw his jaw working as he ground his teeth. It seemed to me that he was communicating with his wolf. He was in a difficult position. He was the Beta, his job was to back up dad no matter what ridiculous ill-advised thing he wanted done. In this case, that included maintaining the security of the territory. “The way I see it,” I began. “Is that either the security was extremely lax, or she had help from someone. So, which one is it?” “Our security is top-notch,” Solomon repeated insistently. “So then, who helped her?” I demanded. Solom
AstridMy mind reeled at Solomon's words. Someone inside of the packhouse had helped Lillian attack me? That couldn't be true. I didn't believe it. That would mean that someone in this house wanted me dead. The only person that could be was Solomon. I couldn’t imagine anyone else wanting to hurt me or my mom. But after this conversation and what Eddie told me, I wasn’t so sure of that anymore. If not Solomon, then…“Who?” I asked.Solomon shook his head solemnly. “I don't know. I don’t even know if it's someone who lives here in the packhouse. I don’t have proof to back me up, but someone with more access than the average member of the pack must be involved. It’s the only thing that makes sense. One of the elders, perhaps. Someone who would be able to move around the packhouse without raising suspicion must be helping this faction conspire against the Alpha and his family.”He was right. No other explanation fit. “Solomon,” I said, my voice wavering with emotion. “Do you thin
Astrid I don't know how long I stood in the music room crying on Solomon's shoulder. By the time I managed to calm myself, all I wanted to do was sleep, but I had promised Tristan that I would let him know what was going on, and I wasn't about to start breaking my promises. Rather than calling or texting him though, I thought it would be easier to try to explain everything in person. When I mentioned my plan to go to Tristan’s, Solomon offered to drive me to his apartment. I accepted the ride gratefully. As independent as I wanted to be, I wasn't stupid enough to go off on my own while Lilian was still on the run. Who could say what she was capable of, especially if Solomon was right about her being a part of some rogue faction? Solomon dropped me off outside of the apartment and waited until Tristan had buzzed me inside to leave. I went up to the second floor and knocked. Tristan opened the door after a second and let me in. “I didn't know you were coming,” he said. He sou
Astrid I woke up early the next morning. As soon as I tried to move, I realized how much pain I was in. I managed to sneak my way into the bathroom without waking Tristan up. I looked into the mirror and grimaced at my reflection. There was a large purple bruise on my nose where Lilian had hit me. It was tender to the touch, and so was my scalp. I was afraid to look closely, but it seemed like my hair looked thinner. I wasn’t sure how seeing a bald spot would impact me. It was better not to check. I heard Tristan moving around shortly after that. I washed my face and put my hair up in a messy bun in an attempt to make myself look a little more presentable. When I stepped back into the bedroom, the light was on and Tristan was buttoning his shirt. He looked at me and I saw his eyes go wide as he took in the bruising on my face. He averted his gaze and took a deep breath. “I have classes today,” he said. “Would you like me to drive you to school?” “I think I’d rather go b
AstridIt was my first day of school and I was scared. Mom walked me into my classroom. We'd already met my teacher and dad felt like I shouldn’t be nervous. But growing up in the packhouse, the only other kid I ever really got to see was Eddie, and we didn't often play together. I wasn't really good at socializing with people my own age. Mom bringing me in might have been embarrassing for some people, but not for me. I was comforted knowing that she was there. Mom encouraged me to go play with some of the other kids who had arrived early while she talked to the teacher. I sat down beside a pile of blocks but didn't touch any. I was too busy staring at mom. She was smiling brightly and chatting with my teacher, but despite the bright fluorescent lights of the classroom, there was a dark shadow on the wall behind her. It looked too dark, like if I got too close, I’d get sucked inside. Then, I was holding my mom's hand and walking through the garden. It was a bright, warm summer