Trista’s POV The next morning at my office, Hazel and I were hashing out the details of the seating plan for her reception dinner.“And…” Hazel said with a flourish, “you and Johnson will sit here.” She put a sticky note on a table at the front.She paused, staring at the seating plan. “You know, I’m a bit surprised you’re taking Johnson,” she said. “Has he ever been to a pack? I mean, like a real werewolf pack?”I shook my head. “No. But there’s a first time for everything,” I said with a smile.“Hm.”I sensed that she had more to say, so I prompted her.“You think it’s a bad idea? Taking Johnson with me?”“Not at all,” she smiled. “Please don’t get me wrong. I support you no matter what. It’s just that, well, I guess I hoped that maybe you and Liam…”I cut her off. “Me and Liam? Are you serious, Hazel? You know what he put me through! You were there!” I couldn’t believe it. Was Hazel secretly holding onto hope that Liam and I would get back together.”“I know,” she sighed. “But pe
Trista’s POV“Can we PLEASE take the Ferrari?” I begged Johnson.We were standing in the driveway, dressed up and ready for the big wedding. The morning had not gone well. I tried to make breakfast for the kids, but I burnt the pancakes. Then Billy tripped on his way to the bathroom and scraped his knee. Gladice was late because she’d had some sort of personal problem to deal with. So I’d barely had enough time to get ready!And now, Johnson and I were arguing over which car to take. He wanted to drive to the wedding in my crappy old beater. I wanted to arrive in style, in my Ferrari. It was my best friend’s wedding, after all!He was firm though, so my shitty car it was!I was agitated at first, but the day was beautiful with clear blue skies and sunshine. It was a bit of a drive to Red Moon, up the coast to the south side of New Jersey. Red Moon Crescent pack was near the ocean, and I rolled down the windows to let the salty ocean air fill the car. Because the journey was quite lon
Johnson glared back at Liam.“He was invited,” I told Liam. “By Hazel as my guest.”Liam shook his head and scoffed. “He’s an outsider,” Liam said. “These are OUR people. Are you sure you really want to bring an outsider into our community?”“No, he’s also…” I started to say. But then I stopped. I didn’t want to tell Liam that Johnson was a Lycan.“He’s what?” Liam asked, raising his eyebrows. But something about his expression told me he knew something about Johnson. Did he already know the truth?“He’s also…excited to be here,” I finished vaguely. Good one, Trista, I chastised myself. I’d never really been a good liar.“I bet he is!” Liam snapped. Then he fixed his eyes on Johnson. “I know ALL about you,” he said, his voice low. “You’re a liar. Pretending to be all clean and innocent. Fooling Trista with your dirty tricks.”“Liam,” I gasped. This was hardly the place or time! This was a wedding and I wasn’t about to let Liam make a scene. “Stop it.”Liam glared at Johnson. He cli
Trista’s POVThe party at the grassy area was only one part of the afternoon party.Apparently,half the guests were down at the beach.The Red Moon pack was a little famous on the east coast in the werewolf world for having their very own beachfront.Most of the packs on the east coast were in the forest or the mountains.Red Moon Pack was unique because the pack was right beside the ocean.I pulled on Johnson’s hand.“Can we go down the beach?”I asked him,excited.“Of course,”he smiled.He followed me down the trail that led to the waterfront.I gasped as we crested a small hill.The sight was breathtaking.The beach stretched on in both directions for miles.The azure water lapped gently at the white,sandy shores.There was a big bonfire,with flames blazing,surrounded by tables and tables of food.Everyone was barefoot,happily taking in the sun and the peaceful seaside vibes.As we approached,a couple puppies ran in front of us.They squealed with laughter as they chased one another across th
Trista’s POVThe elder glared at us.The elders sitting on their perched chairs glared at us.The front row turned around and glared at us.I blushed….deeply.Hazel didn’t make eye contact with me.She pressed her lips together and stared at the ground.Was she upset?I couldn’t tell.But everyone else she the hell was.“Do you have something you’d like to say?”the elder holding the dagger asked.Johnson’s face was also beet red.He stammered and wrung his hands.“I…um…well…no…Sorry.”“Shsh,”I snapped at him.“I apologize,”I said,addressing the elder.“My friend,here,has never bore witness to a wedding ceremony before.He was just…a little…surprised by some of our customs.It WON’T happen again.”The elder stared at me for a moment.I didn’t think it was possible to get any redder in the cheeks,but then he said:“Perhaps you and your FRIEND should leave.”I was mortified!Was I being kicked out of a wedding?My best friend’s wedding?In front of all these people?There were few things so shameful.T
I couldn’t accept our pack being a laughing stock.I wanted our pack to be respected.So I used all my savings to start a business for our pack.I was smart and I rallied.I was determined to make our pack rich,so that all our little pups could have a better life.Liam also had an affinity for business affairs.He had a talent for it,so I handed over the business I had built to him.That way,I could focus on being a good wife and Luna for him and the pack.And he thrived.He really did.He excelled.But he became very,very busy.And the busier he got with the business,the worst things got between us.Everything just sort of…changed.He withdrew from me.In fact,come to think of it,I don’t know if I ever heard him say‘I love you’.I craved his love.I wanted him to love me.But I don’t know if he ever did.And then…He broke our mate bond and divorced me...“Is it over?”Johnson asked,as people clapped happily, which made me suddenly wake up from my memories.“No,”I said,his voice snapping me back
Trista’s POVThe bonfire blazed, the flames licking the sky. People dumped more wood onto it, even though it was almost out of control. The moon was high in the sky. A lot of people had let their wolves out, and they were running and rolling around. Some were even fighting – a playful sort of fight that males wolves tend to do.The serious part of the day was over. The vows had been said and the new Luna and Alpha had been crowned. It was time now for the werewolves to let loose.And letting loose they were.If you’ve never seen a werewolf bonfire, it can be a bit hard to explain. It’s sort of chaotic. We have a primal urge in us and when we let loose, well, it’s a bit of a raucous, rampant, wild mess.It’s all in good fun, though. And no one really gets hurt.Not usually.“This is madness!” Johnson said, his eyes wide as he took it all in.“This is a typical pack wedding,” I replied.It felt good. It felt good to be back with a pack. I felt…at home. Even though it wasn’t my pack. The
Trista’s POVCrap! Liam was right. It was a treasured wedding tradition, but I hadn’t even thought about it since I hadn’t been Luna in so long.“Come with me,” Liam said, motioning for me to follow. Johnson glanced at us from over his shoulder. I knew he didn’t want me talking alone to Liam. But werewolves really value their traditions, and this was important. So…I followed Liam over to a secluded corner of the lawn.The party was in full swing now. It was noisy and chaotic as wolves danced and rolled around on the sand. The bonfire was blazing high and the scent of cooked meat and burnt logs wafted through the air.Despite the massive fire, the night was cool. I wrapped my arms across my chest to keep myself warm.“Are you cold?” Liam asked. “Here, take my coat.”Before I could respond, he took it off and wrapped it around my shoulders. “Thank you,” I said. “But as for Hazel’s gift, I’m not sure what we can give her,” I told Liam. “When I left the pack, I didn’t really bring anyth
“Who are you?” I asked the second voice in my head. Silver’s voice was gone. I didn’t understand. Where was this second voice coming from? It was so different than Silver’s. It was soft and gentle. Silver’s voice tore through my head like a whip. This voice rippled and floated. I was instantly drawn to it.“Quill,” the second voice said. “I’m your other wolf.”Other wolf? But how could that be? Did he mean that…Silver was my wolf? My heart dropped. If Silver was my wolf, then that meant – my wolf was a blood-thirsty, evil beast bent on killing everyone and anything in his path?Oh God.But wait. He’d just said ‘other wolf’. So that meant…“I have two wolves?” I asked, confused.“Yes. We’re twins,” the gentle voice confirmed.Twin…..wolves?“We’re nothing alike, Johnson,” the second voice, Quill, continued. “In fact, we’re polar opposites. We argue all the time.”“Why haven’t I heard your voice before?” I asked.“Silver often overpowers me,” Quill explained. “But I’ve found a way to br
Johnson’s POV“Impressive,” Jake smirked, looking at the shattered window. I hoped he bought it. If he knew that I was trying to protect both Liam and Trista, and that I let them go on purpose, it would only pique his interest in both of them, especially Trista. He’d want to find her and have a ‘good time with the bitch.’ I couldn’t let them happen. I had to persuade him that I hated both Liam and Trista. “Yeah well, he deserved it,” I snapped back, lacing my voice with as much venom as I could. “He was a pompous ass.”Jake nodded appreciatively. “And the bitch?” he asked, meaning Trista.“She’s nothing,” I snipped, waving my hand in the air dismissively. “I was nice to her at one point. I mean, come on, she’s a hot piece of ass, after all. I wanted a taste of her. But she chose that scumbag ex of hers over me. So I naturally got pissed and snapped. I wanted some revenge on the woman who hurt me. But she got away before I could.” I chose my words carefully, hoping I could fool Jake.
Johnson’s POVJake began to chuckle, a low, guttural laugh. I thought for sure he’d raise his strange gun again and shoot Liam right in the head. But he didn’t. Instead, he turned the gun over in his hands. I could tell by Liam’s reaction that it wasn’t an ordinary gun. Clearly, Jake and his men had come to the auction prepared. They must have known they might encounter a werewolf. I could only assume, but something told me that the strange gun had some sort of power over werewolves.Jake proudly showed his men his weapon. They nodded appreciatively. I stared at the gun, my eyes falling to a peculiar emblem. It looked like some sort of S. I had no idea where that gun came from, but there was something about it that I really didn’t like.“Looks like it finally came in handy,” Jake chuckled. “I knew it was.” Then he turned to Liam. “That was for my father, you mother fucker.” Jake motioned at Liam and his gun wound. “He always hated you fucking wolves.”The wolf was gone from Liam’s f
Johnson’s POVI glanced around the room. Any minute now, these men would fire off another shot with their strange weapons. They’d already shot Liam in the stomach, but they wanted to kill him. Their next shot would be through his head.An uncontrollable fury ripped through me. I tried to push it down. I had to save Liam. But Silver smelled blood. He gnashed his teeth! I was so mad at Liam. What was he thinking? Why had he come in here? Didn’t he know these men were dangerous? Why had he just barged into the VIP room unannounced?He was an alpha but he was no match for these men. Not when they were armed with guns.Liam looked at me, confused. He was holding his stomach, blood oozing out through his gunshot wound. Then his confusion gave way to anger. He narrowed his eyes. He thought I was one of them, one of these men. And I had to keep acting like I was. But I couldn’t let them kill Liam! Jake lifted his strange gun again, his lips curled into an evil smile.NO!I reached out and gra
Trista’s POVDagny eyed me with a quizzical look. “Are you certain?”I completely understood her trepidation. It was like a miracle. I was shocked myself. But I was sure. Jules was the person we needed. “Yes,” I said emphatically. “There’s only one personal assistant named Jules at HS. It has to be him.” I grinned from ear to ear. I felt like finally, we’d caught a break. The irony wasn’t lost on me. Jules was supposed to be working for Johnson, but he was Liam’s personal assistant. So he was basically working for Johnson’s rival. It was all so surreal. “You think he knows where the key is?” I asked.“If he doesn’t know firsthand, then he’ll know how to find out,” Dagny said.I nodded. “Then I should go back to the United States immediately,” I told her. Of course, I had some ulterior selfish reasons for wanting to go back.I missed Billy and Belle terribly, as well as Hazel. Relief flooded through me. Finding Jules would be easy. I knew exactly where to look! Plus, I could hold my
Trista’s POV“I know what you’re thinking,” Dagny said. “I have no idea what’s in the vault, I don’t know where the key is and I can’t tell you where Storm and Mercury are so how are you possibly supposed to find them, right?”Yup. She pretty much nailed it right on the head. That’s exactly what I was thinking. But then she flashed me a mischievous smile.“Well, I might not know where Mercury and Storm are, but I know where their son is.” I balked. Their son? I’d assumed that Mercury and Storm were both men. But apparently my assumptions were way off base.“Mercury and Storm fell in love. They got married and had a child, a boy. He’s just a little younger than Jonathan. Maybe four years or so? Anyway, Storm and Mercury wanted their son to return to the land of their ancestors. So they left Europe and brought him to the United States. He was raised there from a young age and they integrated him into human society. He went to school, graduated, and got a good job at a good company.”
Trista’s POVI appreciated Dagny’s support. I wasn’t sure yet what I was going to do. The Erasthai bond came with a lot of inherent risks and I needed time to carefully sort through it all. But in the meantime, we needed to come up with a game plan for our current situation.“What should we do now?” I asked Dagny. “Do you know where Stewart it?”“Yes. He must be hiding somewhere,” Dagny told me. “He changed the color of the curtains in the window in the attic to warn me. So I think he’s around here somewhere. I can stay here, hidden in the cottage and look for him.”I nodded. That made sense. If Steward had been in the estate to change the curtains, then he was probably nearby.“What about Johnson?” I asked. I was really worried about him, even more so now with all the things Dagny had told me.“Well, based on the information you gave me about Milan, I think he’s safe for the time being. It sounds like Felix’s younger son is running the show now. He’s likely taken control of all the m
Trista’s POVI turned the words over in my head.The Lycan Erasthai?“No, I don’t think I have,” I told Dagny. The words were unfamiliar to me.She nodded. “Well, the Erasthai is a special bond that Lycans experience. Werewolves have matebonds appointed by the Moon Goddess. But Erasthai is an emotional bond that comes from the heart.”“It’s like a matebond for Lycans? This Erasthai?” I asked.“Yes, sort of. But it’s much stronger. Much more serious,” she told me.I found it hard to believe that anything could be stronger than a werewolf’s matebond, but I had no point of reference since I wasn’t a Lycan. So I had to take Dagny’s word on that.“I’ve sensed Johnson’s feelings for you. I sensed them when he came to visit us at our estate. I think you might be Johnson’s Erasthai.”I also knew Johnson had feelings for me, but I thought they were just human feelings, since I thought Johnson was human. But now Dagny was telling me that his feelings might be something much deeper. If Erasthai
Trista’s POVI was speechless.Me? Had I just heard her right?She looked at me intensely.“Like I said, Trista, I can’t be entirely sure. It’s only a guess. But something has changed. Something has instigated his wolves and I know how he feels about you. I think you might be his mate. And his wolves are reacting to that.”She stated it so matter-of-factly. But her words sent my thoughts whirling. I was relieved we were downstairs in this secret room. I was grateful for the privacy as I grappled through the enormity of the things Dagny was telling me.I was the reason his wolves had awakened? Me? I didn’t like that thought. It was bad enough that Liam was upstairs right now, injured by a mystical Silvery because of me. If what Dagny was saying were true, then I’d activated Johnson’s dormant wolves? But how? And why? I considered Johnson to be family, but up until a little while ago, I’d thought he was human. I’d known him for five years and there hadn’t been a single day I thought he