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
Trista’s POVI was speechless. I held the ruby ring in my hands and stared at it.It was my wedding ring. The ring I’d sold. “How?” was all I managed to say.I NEVER thought I’d ever see my precious wedding ring again. I didn’t understand. The other ring had been passed down in Liam’s family. But this ring? Where had Liam found it?“It was a coincidence,” Liam shrugged. “I was at a jewelry auction one day, and there it was! I recognized it immediately. You know, I was a little hurt when I saw it. You sold your wedding ring? That stung, Trista.”“I had no choice, Liam. I was broke. You and Lucy had just got me fired. I had no money.”“I assumed that was the case,” Liam said sympathetically. “I’m really sorry, Trista. I can’t even imagine how hard that must have been for you.”I closed the lid to the ring. He’d apologized enough. It didn’t matter. ‘Sorry’ didn’t change anything. I didn’t want to have this discussion again. “You’re right. You can’t imagine,” I said dryly.Just then, a w
Trista’s POV“Monsieur Alpha Liam,” the man said, reaching for Liam’s hand. He took Liam’s hands in his and shook them. Then he leaned in and air kissed Liam on either cheek. “Tres wonderful! I am Alpha Lemone, of the Dove Song Pack in France. We are so honored to be here.”“Ahem,” the girl beside him said, batting her eyelashes at Liam.“Of course,” Alpha Lemone said. “Allow me to introduce Claudette. My daughter. Claudette, this is Alpha Liam of the Blue Moon Crescent Pack. And this is…” his voice trailed off as he turned to me. “I apologize, madame. I do not know your name.”“Eden,” I told him, feeling uncomfortable. I suddenly remembered the pen name I used for my jewelry design drafts, so I blurted out the name. These were clearly VERY high status people. The way they socialized with people was like wearing a gentleman's mask, which made them seem polite but hypocritical. So it didn't seem like there's anything wrong with me wearing my ‘mask’.Liam raised one eyebrow a
The party atmosphere here was even crazier than at the city nightclub after 1 a.m.There was no way Johnson would be there.“Hello gorgeous, can I tempt you with a hit?” I turned to see a young wolf with two she-wolves on his arm. He held out a light blue pill. It was a drug of some sort. He was already very high, as were the two girls on his arm.“No thank you,” I smiled politely. He simply shrugged and wandered away.I was getting a little worried now.A lot of wolves were high or drunk. I had to find Johnson to make sure he was okay. It was very dark by now, and since I was away from the bonfire, I was struggling to see. Plus, I’d had my contact lens in all day, so my eyes were very dry.The pack house was lit up from the inside. Through the windows, I could see tons of werewolves inside, milling about, talking and laughing. But I knew Johnson wouldn’t be there. It was one thing to bring an outsider to this wedding. They’d never let an outsider into the pack house, though. That wa
Trista’s POVI panicked. Blood rushed to my head as I ran into the tent.I had to stop them! This was crazy! It was Hazel’s wedding day and her new husband was screwing his sister? It was so disgusting I didn’t even have words to describe it.She saw me first. She tapped Carlos on the shoulder. He stopped banging her and looked back, over his shoulder at me. “How could you do this, Carlos?” I demanded, my voice shrill and high. “The wedding isn’t even over yet! The guests haven’t left! Have you thought about Hazel? What this might do to her?”They were both covered in sweat, their bodies glistening. The room was thick with the scent of their sex. They both stared at me, but neither one said a thing. I don’t think they were very happy that I’d interrupted their lovemaking.“Not to mention…this is your sister!” I said, aghast. “So not only have you humiliated your new wife, but you’ve committed incest!”I thought they would be embarrassed, or sheepish. That they would mutter feeble ap
Trista’s POVI was pinned to the ground.She was on top of me. I could feel the heat from her naked body. I struggled, but it was no use. They had hauled me into the tent. I tried to resist, to fight back, but they were strong and I had no combat training. I tried to kick Carlos but I missed and lost my footing.Thud. I fell to the hard ground.Then she leapt on top of me. Carlos pinned my arms over my head. Then the woman straddled me. I could feel the wetness between her legs drip onto my thighs.I didn’t understand what they were doing!“Why are you doing this?” I asked, my eyes wide.“I won’t let you ruin everything, you stupid whore!” She wrapped her hands around my throat.I couldn’t breathe!“My parents want me to marry Liam,” she seethed. “They’re already planning it. It will cement the allegiance between our two packs. It will give me power.” She tightened her grip around my throat. “You’re already divorced from him,” she spat into my face. “This is none of your business. I
I was so shocked that I couldn't speak, let alone know how to comfort him.“That’s… awful,” I told him. I didn't know what other words to use. Poor Darren. It was one thing to be threatened by the Alpha, but it was another thing to be stabbed in the back by your mate. Mate is our closest family member. Because of the bond of the mate bond, we instinctively trust and support our mate and would never betray them for the sake of simple gain. From what I know, this is also why wolf families usually have a stronger bond than humans.Betrayal from our mate is enough to shatter a wolf's faith. I've felt it once. Darren's experience was even worse than mine. “What happened after the accusations?”“Everyone believed her, including Alpha Jeremy. So I was permanently exiled from the pack.”“I know how that feels,” I said sympathetically.“It gets worse though,” Darren said. “Alpha Jeremy issued a wolf hunting order against me. I was a good doctor, but no pack dared to accept me. Not with an or
Trista’s POVIt was awhile before we could all breathe again. I kept looking in the rear view mirror, convinced I’d see a slew of black cars tailing us. I couldn’t believe it. We’d somehow narrowly escaped a really dangerous situation.But we weren’t out of the woods yet. At least, I didn’t think so. We drove on, fast, down the Italian roads, leaving Milan behind us. Eventually, I realized that no one was following us.“I think we’re safe,” I said. “Liam, you can sit up again.”Liam emerged from under the blanket.“What the hell was all that?” he asked, his eyes flooded with worry.“I have no idea,” I told him.“I don’t know either,” Darren said. “That man was definitely Jake, but I have no idea why he was there.”Was that other man Johnson? I wasn’t sure, although I had a sinking feeling it was. I couldn’t think about it right now though. I had to focus on the task at hand – getting Liam safely to Dagny in France. I really hoped that once we were there, she’d have some answers for m
Trista’s POVI could tell by the looks on their faces that they weren’t going to let us go without searching us themselves. It reminded me of scenes I’d seen in movies, where underground organizations usurped government officials and conducted searches of their own.Is that what these men? Were they part of some underground mafia? They looked an awful lot like the men from the VIP room. Their clothing was similar. My eyes flashed to their waists. It looked like they had guns underneath their coats, even though they were standing right behind the police.The police were frozen in place. They seemed to fear these men. Or at the very least, it didn’t look like the police were going to do anything to stop them.They approached our car. My mind raced. They men looked menacing and dangerous. We had a disabled wolf, an injured wolf, and an elderly medical wolf. How would we get out of this situation? Our odds weren’t looking so good.“Get out of the car,” one of them ordered. My heart sank.
Trista’s POV“Get in the car,” Darren urged me.“Hurry,” Serena said. Her fur was bristled and she was standing on all fours in her defensive position.“What is it?” I asked Serena. She sniffed the air.“I’m not sure,” she said. “I don’t smell anything. But I can sense danger in the air.”“Go,” I said to Hazel. She nodded curtly and took Billy and Belle. They climbed into the cab. Jules was already in the front seat.“Wait,” I called to them. I ran to the cab.“I love you very much,” I said to the kids.“We love you too, Mama,” they both said. “Don’t worry. Aunty Hazel is a good babysitter.”I chuckled. Then I blew them each a kiss and shut the door.Darren was getting into the driver’s seat when I got back to the car. I checked Liam one more time. He had put on a brave face but I could tell he was in pain. Werewolves heal faster than humans, but we feel pain pretty much the same way. The wound in Liam’s stomach was deep and even though it was stitched, I could tell it was bothering h
Trista’s POVJules had parked Liam’s car out front. It was a luxury business car. I was grateful it wasn’t a flashy sports car like the one Johnson had. Fortunately, Liam wasn’t as childish as Johnson when it came to things like that; Liam had nothing to prove. Liam’s car was spacious and it would be far more comfortable for all of us during this long trip to France.We helped Liam into the back seat and set him up with some pillows and a blanket. Darren handed him a thermos.“It’s my wife’s special herbal remedy. It might help you heal, but at the very least, it will make you drowsy so you can get some rest.’“Thank you,” Liam smiled at Darren.I glanced at my phone. I hoped that maybe Johnson had sent me a text, but I knew deep down that he hadn’t.I missed him. Where was he, I wondered. Was he okay? Was he hurt? Was he with all those dangerous men?I tried texting him but I knew he wouldn’t receive it. I’d tried calling him a couple time but his phone number had been disconnected.
Trista’s POVI wished I could watch Liam and Billy talk more. It warmed my heart to see Liam being so gentle and fatherly with Billy. But time was of the essence.We had to hustle.“Billy, love,” I said, coming into the living room. “I have an important job for you.” I knew it was going to be hard to pry Billy away from Liam. The way Billy looked at Liam told me he was enamored with this brave, injured man on the couch who had save his precious mama.“But I’m talking man talk,” Billy said.“Listen to you Mama,” Liam intervened. “If she says she has an important job for you, then you must accept it.”I flashed Liam a ‘thank you’ smile.“Okay, Mama,” Billy said, standing up.“I need you to go all the way upstairs and get Belle. Can you do that? Do you remember the way?” I asked.Billy’s eyes grew wide. The thought of being entrusted to fetch his sister was very appealing to him.“Yes, Mama,” he said, his voice serious. “I will get Belle. I won’t let nothing happen to her.”“Anything,” I
Trista’s POVI decided to let Belle keep sleeping. I needed to go back to my apartment and pack some things. I brought Billy with me.“Where are you going, Mama?” Billy asked on the elevator ride down.“I have to help my friend,” I smiled sweetly at him. “But don’t worry, love. I’ll come back to our home in Summerset soon.”My mind turned to thoughts of Johnson. What was wrong with him? What was causing him to act so strangely? Johnson was not an aggressive man by nature. Could he be helped? Cured even of this odd affliction?“Trista?” Hazel asked worriedly as we opened the door to my apartment. Liam was awake and sitting up on the couch. He had another fresh, white bandage wrapped around his stomach. My eyes darted to the sink where there was a blood-soaked bandage.His wound was still bleeding. He really needed help.“Billy!” Hazel said, extending her arms to him. Billy rushed towards her and Hazel hugged him tightly. Billy side-eyed Liam on the couch.“Billy, this is Liam,” I said.
Trista’s POVI held Billy tight and inhaled the sweet scent of his hair. I’d been so distracted with everything: preparing my entry for the auction, the auction itself, Liam’s injury – I hadn’t been able to spend much time with Billy and Belle.I didn’t realize how much I missed them.After everything I’d been through, holding my son in my arms was heavenly.“Did we wake you up?” I asked him as he pulled away.“Shhh,” he said, putting his finger to his lips. “You’ll wake up Belle. She’s very tired. We have to whisper.”“Oh, okay,” I said, and we all nodded.“Are you hungry, sweetheart?” Darla asked. “I think I still have some coconut cookies left?”“Yes, please,” Billy said, but his voice wasn’t as enthusiastic as it usually was at the mention of cookies.He sat silently on my lap for a bit, picking at the fluff of his cotton pajama pants. I could tell something was wrong.“Billy?” I asked. “Is everything okay?”He shook his head sadly from side to side. Then he looked up at me.“I kn
“I’m from the Red Moon Pack.”“What?”This surprised me. The Red Moon Pack had a terrible Alpha, Jeremy. My mind flashed back to Hazel’s wedding, when I’d found the alpha’s son in a tent having sex with his sister. There was incest in that pack.I frowned.“I know what you’re thinking,” Darren said. “I’ve heard the rumors. But I haven’t been a member of the Red Moon Pack for a long time. And back when I was, the pack was different.”I nodded.“Then how did you know my parents?” I asked.“The Blue Moon Crescent Pack and the Red Moon Pack were friendly back then. I was young, and I was the doctor of the Red Moon Pack. But I often helped with medical concerns in Blue Moon Crescent Pack, too, since I was very skilled and knowledgeable. In fact, I gave your mother all of her pregnancy examinations.” “You did?” I asked, shocked. Then he really HAD known my parents. He’d been their doctor!“Yes,” he confirmed. “Both your parents were in excellent health. All through her pregnanc