Trista’s POV“Look out!” I hollered to the man in the suit. The man in the suit had no idea he was being followed! I had to warn him. My voice echoed through the parkade.The man in the suit turned around, his eyes quizzical.The man with the gun quickly fired a few shots at the man in the suit. But the man in the suit was already alert and he dodged the attack.The man with the gun turned to me. He narrowed his eyes with anger in it. Then he pointed his gun and shot me.My visual impairment didn't allow me to move as swiftly as I would have liked. Even though I had my glasses on, all I could do was watch the bullet fly towards me.Pain ripped through my arm.“Oh my god!” the man in the suit yelled, running towards me. I crumpled to the ground, holding my arm. The man with the gun took off.“Just, just stay calm,” the man in the suit said, taking out his cell phone. “I’m going to get you help.”There was so much kindness in his eyes.Yes, it was Johnson.Before I knew it, he was liftin
Trista’s POV My heart lurched. Billy was thrown from the back of the horse. The trainer lunged under Billy and broke his fall. The horse reared up, kicking its front legs in the air. It neighed loudly. I ran to them. Johnson got there first. He dismounted and then lifted Belle from the horse. Belle wailed. She was terrified. Johnson wrapped his arms around her. Billy was on top of the trainer on the ground. I lifted him off the trainer. “Momma?” Billy asked, his face pale and his eyes wide. “I’m….I’m so sorry,” the trainer stuttered, getting up to his feet. He cradled his left arm. “I don’t know what happened. Something spooked her.” “Is Billy okay?” Johnson asked. The horse continued to kick, its nostrils flaring. “Yes,” I said. I checked him over. He wasn’t hurt, just shocked. The trainer, however, didn’t escape the ordeal so easily. His arm was bent in an unnatural way. “Your arm,” I said to him
Trista’s POV A Lycan?If my face was shocked before, well….“Well, I suppose I better fill you in,” she said, smiling sweetly. “Would you like more tea? It’s a bit of a long story.”I shook my head. My thoughts were reeling. She was…she was a lycan? But..but how?“I come from an old Lycan family,” she started. “We were based in the United States, on the West Coast. It was a very, very powerful family, too powerful, actually. We had a lot of enemies, other werewolves that wanted to kill us to stop our power. So, my parents, Johnson’s grandparents, came to Europe to go into hiding. They figured it was the safest thing to do.”I nodded. I had heard about lycans going into hiding. Lycan always had a lot of enemies; werewolves are jealous of their power so they hunt them down. Dagny continued.They first settled in Paris, but it was too big and busy. They longed for the peace and quiet they’d had for so long. So they moved out this way, to the South of France. I lived a ver
Trista’s POV Suddenly, my mind flashed back to the day I met Johnson. The parking garage.The man, with the gun.“You said people were hunting Johnson’s father,” I said. “I think…maybe someone was hunting Johnson, too.” I told her about the day in the garage. Her face turned serious, and a darkness washed over her features. “Do you think…maybe…There might be the connection between these people?”She pressed her lips together. “Because it probably is,” I continued. “Who are these people? What did they want with Steward?” She looked down at her hands. “Were they…were they trying to kill him?” I asked.Then she looked up at me, with a fake smile on her face. “Thank you for the information, Trista,” she said. “I will speak to Steward about it. I’m sure it was nothing. He’ll sort it out.”I snapped my mouth shut. She clearly didn’t want to talk about it. I was offending her -prying into her personal life. Her normal expression returned. “No need for apologies,” she said. We
Trista’s POV Go home? How could I possibly do that? Did she mean back to my pack? Back to Summerset? I was rejected. Exiled. I didn’t have a home there anymore. I carried Billy back to my bedroom, Dagny’s words swarming through my mind. The herbs had made Billy sleepy, and he was dead weight. He was heavy in my arms and I realized that he wasn’t my tiny little baby anymore. He was a young boy now. I laid him down on my bed. He stirred, then curled up into a ball. He looked so much like Liam. The same eyes, the same hair, the same build. Looking at him there, on the bed, he didn’t look like an average five-year-old boy. He looked older. Stronger. More robust. “It must be the Alpha blood in him,” I sighed to myself. My mind turned to Johnson. He had been so calm and collected during the accident. He knew just what to do but the concern on his face – well – that had been the concerned look of a parent. “Johnson
Trista’s POV Liam? Ugh. He was the last person I wanted to talk about. “He made us, well you, a pretty good offer, Trista.” I didn’t want a damned thing from Liam, let alone some sort of business offer. But I trusted Johnson so I listened. “Liam’s been in touch with Stevia Sinclair.” My eyes lit up. Stevia Sinclair? She was the hottest movie star right now. She was a massive influencer with a multi-million social media following. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, knew who she was. Johnson chuckled at my expression. “Looks like Liam managed to secure a deal with Miss Sinclair. She’s agreed to endorse your latest jewelry line. With a few conditions, of course.” I couldn’t respond. How? What? Was this really happening? “It gets better,” Johnson said. “Liam has offered to fund the creation of an independent brand, in YOUR name.” It was a dream come true! My own brand? Endorsed by the most famous movie star on the p
Trista’s POV His question hung in the air. I thought about it. It was an attractive offer. My own line? Endorsed by Stevia Sinclair? It was everything I’d ever dreamed of! But I hesitated. Because there were strings attached. Giant strings, ready to strangle me. Liam. I didn’t want to see him again. Ever. Dagny’s words rang through my head. ‘Billy’s wolf might be unstable. He’s been raised without his pack. Maybe you should go home, Trista.’ Now, if Liam had made me this offer yesterday, I would have flat out refused. Yeah right! Work for that jerk? But this wasn’t yesterday. And a lot had changed since then. Billy had spooked a horse and taken a bad fall. Dagny had voiced her concerns. Was Billy at risk? Of having an unstable wolf? I didn’t know. I had to admit there was some truth in Dagny’s words. When I’d first left, I hadn’t thought about the ramifications of raising my children away from their pack. I’d
Trista’s POVI chose Summerset. I knew the town well and it was close to the forest town where the Blue Moon Crescent Pack was.Many young wolves came to Summerset. Young people from the pack, to start their own businesses. It helped strengthen our pack. Starting their own business gave them better, richer lives. I had encouraged our young wolves to do this when I’d been Luna.Many of them had. My children would be surrounded by wolves in Summerset. It was the closest I could come to being ‘near’ a pack, without actually being part of one. Blue Moon Crescent was doing really well. That’s what I’d heard. Of course, I had made Blue Moon Crescent its first buckets of wealth. But Liam had turned that money into more. He’d done really well financially. His reputation spread far and wide. Even in Europe I’d heard whispers about the ‘mysterious billionaire who lived in a small, forest town.’ He’d integrated his business into the human world very successfully. Our pack was doing very well.
Trista’s POVJules looked very concerned by the fact that there was no road. But I chuckled.“This is the right place,” I assured him.“How can that be?” Jules asked. I understood his confusion. He was used to living in the human world and humans took roads while travelling. But the Blue Moon Crescent Pack was protected by natural barriers, which is why werewolves have been able to hide from humans. The barriers are strong and only allow supernatural creatures to pass through them.I explained this all to Jules.“So I’m just supposed to keep driving? Through the forest without a road?”Billy and Belle giggled in the back seat. Jules slamming on the breaks had woken them up.“We’re going to drive through the forest?” Belle asked, wide-eyed.“Yup,” I replied. I unrolled the window to let the thick scent of the forest breeze through the car. The scent brought back so many memories and I couldn’t help but feel a little nostalgic. I’d been away from the pack for so long. I hadn’t expected
Trista’s POVHe drove along the coast line, the salty scent of the sea thick in the air. I was a worried wreck, though. I tried several times to get in contact with both Liam and Johnson, but I wasn’t having any luck. Serena tried too, but she wasn’t able to connect with them.I was worried about Johnson. Was he okay? Where was he now? Was he in immediate danger? Were we? What if they’d followed him and found us? At one point, I thought a car was following us. It was a red car and it was behind us for quite a while. I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want Jules to worry. I glanced back at the car through the rearview mirror, momentarily convinced that it was one of Jake’s people and that they’d tracked us down.But the car eventually turned off the highway.‘You’re just being paranoid,’ I told myself. ‘No one’s following you.’I was impressed to see that Jules was a good driver. He didn’t speed and he kept his eyes locked on the road. He was calm and collected, and that helped
Trista’s POVI tried to sleep, but I tossed and turned all night. Thoughts of Johnson flooded my mind. I kept thinking about him and trying to come up with ways to help him. The look on his face in the forest – he had seemed so…tortured. There had to be something I could do. But what?He was going through something, something profound. And no matter how much I wanted to understand, no matter how sympathetic I was, I couldn’t truly feel what he felt. He had twin wolves warring within him. His family was in danger. He was worried about me and the children. All of these things were things that only HE could experience.I sighed, turning over and drawing the blanket up to my chin. The house was dead quiet, with only the gentle sound of Jules snoring softly in the next room. I’d known Johnson so well at one point in my life. Better than anyone, I’d believed. But now, he was somewhat of a stranger to me. We’d been apart for so long and he’d gone through all these events…without me. The dist
Trista’s POVThe pain in Johnson’s eyes was palpable. It broke my heart, seeing him hurt like that. I leaned to kiss him, in an effort to comfort him. But he turned his cheek and shook his head.“We need to have a serious conversation,” he told me, his brows furrowed.“Whatever it is, you can tell me,” I told him, taking his hands in mine. He inhaled a sharp breath. He was clearly grappling with something, searching for the right words.“I can’t involve you or the children, Trista, in anything that’s happening with my family. I’ve already involved you way too much. It needs to stop. It’s just too…dangerous.”“I’m well aware of the dangers,” I told him. “The children will be safe at Blue Moon Crescent Pack with Liam. I’m here for you. I want to help.”Whether or not he liked it, I was already involved. I couldn’t just turn my back on him, not now, not when he needed me the most.“That’s the problem,” he said with sadness in his eyes. “I know you want to help. You’re so brave and strong
Trista’s POV“I know,” I told Johnson. “Jules is Liam’s assistant, but I think you already know that too.”“He’s with you, isn’t he? I just want to make sure it’s the same person.”I nodded. “It is. Liam and I already had suspicions that they were looking for Jules.”I filled Johnson in on what I knew about Jules, drawing on what Dagny had told me about his parents, Storm and Mercury. I made it very clear that Jules had been surprised when we told him, and told Johnson the story about how Jules had always thought he was different but didn’t know why.“He doesn’t know anything though,” I told Johnson. “We questioned him. Quite extensively. He thinks his parents are warehouse managers.”Johnson raised an eyebrow. “Warehouse managers?” he scoffed.“Yes. Jules didn’t even know he was a werewolf for most of his life. I think, deep down, he knew and that was one of the reasons he took the job at Liam’s company. Other werewolves work there too and he was curious about them.”Johnson nodded.
Trista’s POVI wrapped my arms around him, giving him a comforting hug.“I don’t know,” I told him. “I don't know what any of this means.”It was the best I could do because it was the truth. He trembled in my arms, overcome with worry. I could feel his heart pounding against my chest. He withdrew from my hug and began pacing. I watched him with worried eyes.“My family,” he started, running his hands through his hair. “They don’t just run the company and family business, Trista. They’re involved in…underground industries.”He went on to tell me that his uncle, Felix (Steward’s twin brother) had lost the battle with father for the family’s business. He’d been voted out by the company’s board of directors. When that happened, his father gave up all the underground business they’d been involved in. He wanted no part of it, not anymore.But Felix took it over, all of it. All of the shady, criminal businesses. Felix had been furious that he’d been voted out of the family business, and tak
Trista’s POV“What wolves?” I asked, stunned.“They’re in my head, Trista. Two of them.” He had a desperate look on his face. I approached him, trying to comfort him. I inhaled sharply.“Johnson,” I said. “You’re not quite the same as a werewolf. You’re a…Lycan.”“What?” he said. “How do you know?”“Your mother told me. She’s a lycan too.”“That can’t be,” he said, shaking his head. I knew what he was thinking. We’d both heard rumors of the ancient Lycan race. The rumors were harsh. Lycans were often described as cruel and tyrannical. My mind flashed back to Dagny when we’d been in the hidden cottage in the forest. She’d had a regal demeanor, a sense of superiority that had made me uneasy when she’d talked about Lycans.“I’m afraid it’s true,” I told him. I was suddenly angry at Dagny for withholding his true nature from him all his life. I could tell he was grappling with this information. I know she had only been doing what she thought was best, but it seemed cruel to me in this mom
Trista’s POVMy breath hitched in my throat as I stepped out into the courtyard. Was this really happening? Was I finally going to see Johnson with my own two eyes, after all this time?It was a dark night, with only a sliver of the moon in the sky. But even in the darkness, I could see his form, standing there, facing me, his shoulders slumped forward.It was him. It was really him!My heart swelled with an intense feeling and I couldn’t hold back by emotions.“Johnson,” I said, rushing into his arms. He held me so tightly, one arm wrapped around my back, the other hand cradling my head. I took in his scent, the familiar, comforting scent as I pressed into him. Tears streamed down my face, and I let him hold me for a long while. We both trembled at the relief of seeing each other again.Eventually, he broke the embrace, holding me back and studying my face.“Look at you,” he sighed. “As beautiful as ever.” He wiped a tear from my cheek with his thumb. The touch of his thumb on my ch
Trista’s POVAs soon as the children and Jules got back, I sat them all down. I tried to keep the fear out of my voice as I told them we were going on a ‘special trip’. I wanted them to be excited, not frightened.“Another trip, Mamma?” Billy asked, his eyes wide. “On a big boat again?”“No,” I shook my head. “This time, we’re going to a very special place. It’s deep in the primeval forest.”“Primeval forest? That sounds scary,” Belle said, recoiling on the couch.I rushed to her. “Oh sweetheart,” I said. “It’s not scary at all. I promise. There are lots of people there. And they will all be excited to see you. I would never take you anywhere scary, I promise.”“I don’t know,” Jules said, biting his fingernails. “I agree with Belle. A primeval forest sounds…frightening.”Seriously? I whipped my head and shot a glance at Jules. It was bad enough that I had to convince my children to pick up and trek through the forest. But Jules was an adult! Couldn’t he see that the children were scar