Trista’s POVMate? What? Johnson. Needless to say, this took me by surprise.“Serena, are you sure?” I asked her.She shook her head. “No, not at all. I mean, I can feel something. It’s similar to a mate’s feelings. Sort of. But it’s also different in a way. It’s there, but it’s not quite the same. I can’t explain it.”I thought about this for a moment. What had changed? I’d known Johnson for five years. I’d spent a ton of time with him. Serena hadn’t noticed anything mate-like about him. Neither had I.So why now?Was it…was it because his true wolf nature was finally coming out? He had shifted, after all. Into a full blown Lycan. Could that be why she was sensing a change in his smell.“It could be,” she responded pensively.That would mean…Johnson is my second chance mate? But a second chance mate is extremely rare. It’s a blessing bestowed by the Moon Goddess on only the most deserving of wolves. It can be very unstable, though, the matebond in a second chance mating. Maybe that’
Trista’s POVI tried to sleep, but sleep eluded me. I tossed and turned all night. Serena’s words kept replaying in my mind, like a recording on loop. My mate? A Lycan? The man I’d known (and thought was human) for five years?Eventually, the sun rose. I checked my phone. Nothing from Johnson. Well, at least I could tell the kids about the vacation.In fact, I had a BUSY day ahead, I realized as I threw back the covers. We were going on vacation TOMORROW! I had a hundred things to do to get ready….starting with the kids!“What if I told you there was a giant boat,” I teased them as I scrambled their eggs. “And on the boat were more sweets than you could ever eat. Soda pop, too.”They raised their eyebrows. “That sounds like a fairy tale boat,” Billy said skeptically.“It does,” I agreed. “But there’s more. It has waterslides. And playgrounds. And swimming pools. Would you like to go? On a boat like that?”They both nodded emphatically.“Good! Because Aunty Hazel bought us all
Trista’s POVThe ship Oceanic Dreams loomed above us.“Holy shit,” Hazel said, her mouth gaping wide open.“Language,” I elbowed her. “The children.” But I knew how she felt. I couldn’t believe this was our cruise ship! I’d seen pictures, drooled over them actually. But seeing it here, in real life! No pictures could do this cruise ship justice. We were greeted immediately by a woman in a suit.“Welcome aboard Oceanic Dreams,” she smiled at us. “I’m Krista, and I’ll be your personal hostess during your time aboard. We have some wonderful port trips planned for you, as well as some pre-purchased tickets.”She motioned for us to follow her onto the ship. “Your luggage will be taken care of. I assume you’d like us to unpack it for you?”Unpack it? Holy crap. This was the lap of luxury. I’d never, in my whole life, had someone else unpack for me.“Yes, of course,” Hazel said, as though this treatment was perfectly normal for her. Then she winked at me when our hostess wasn’t looking.“Gr
Trista’s POV “The High Seine is an annual event,” Lucian explained. “It attracts the richest, most elite people in high society from all over the world. It’s invite only, which might be why you’ve never heard of it. It’s not publicized. Not for ordinary people, anyway.”“Sounds intriguing,” Hazel said.I raised my eyebrow. Ordinary people? That was a snobby thing to say. But he didn’t seem to notice. It was normal for him. The world was separated into two factions: high society and ‘normal people’ – aka: the rich and the rest.“Intriguing,” he repeated. He clucked his tongue. “Yes. I guess that’s one word for it,” Lucian smiled. He had an easy way about him. His eyes were a frosty blue, almost translucent and then sparkled when he talked. He told us all about the auction, about some of the jewelry pieces that had been sold there. Apparently, people dished out big money to buy one of a kind pieces. There was no other auction in the world like it.I listened intently. It sounded fabul
Trista’s POVDinner was resplendent. Lucian told us more about the High Seine auction. But whenever I tried to bring up the competition, he was either vague, or he changed the subject. I realized I would have to figure this out on my own. Other than that, he was warm, friendly, and very charismatic. After dinner, we made our way over to the theater for the Broadway Review. Kirsta had snagged us some pretty amazing seats – we were in a box. We had an unobstructed view of the entire stage.“The rich really have it made,” I said to Hazel as the curtains went up.“Agreed,” she replied. We even had our own private butler for the box. He made sure our champagne glasses were always full and brought us caviar and fancy cheeses (although I couldn't possibly eat another bite after the dinner we’d just had.)During the show, I couldn’t help but side-eye Hazel and Lucian. He was decked out in an Italian silk suit, dark and elegant. Hazel was wearing a sleek cocktail dress, her hair pulled back in
Trista’s POVI felt a little sad when I heard Hazel say that. I still remember when we were teenagers, she mentioned that we might both have a mate, and her eyes were like stars. “Hazel, you can do both. You can have a relationship AND be a great Beta for Blue Moon Crescent.”She nodded pensively. Then she turned to me with a half smile. “I know you believe that. But it’s different for me, Tris. You’ve already had such an exciting life! I mean, come on! You got a degree and lived in New York City! Then you moved to Milan. You have an amazing career. You’ve traveled. You’ve seen things. You’ve experiences I could only dream about.” Her voiced was tinged with sadness. “And what have I done? Nothing. My parents both spent their whole lives in the pack. And so far, I have too. But I don’t want to be like them. I envy you, Trista. I want to be like you. You understand the human world. You’re a part of it. You integrated so well.”“I integrated because my wolf is disabled,” I interrupted.
Trista’s POVThe next few days passed by in a blur. We tried everything on the ship: rock wall climbing, ziplines, go karts, mini golf, and of course, plenty of time at the water park. We spent our mornings and afternoons with Billy and Belle. Their own private nanny followed us everywhere, and the children didn’t want for anything.At night, we took them to the kids’ camp and gorged on exquisite 5-star dining. Italian, French, East Indian, Japanese – there was a restaurant specializing in every cuisine under the sun! After dinner, we took in shows, or went dancing.We were having the time of our lives, soaking up every single minute.Lucian reached out to us a few times, inviting us to dinner, or drinks, or another show. We politely declined. It wasn’t that we didn’t want to see him. It’s just that we wanted to focus on ourselves. Hazel was reluctant to be with Lucian, knowing he was her human mate. She wanted this trip to be about US – about girltime. Not about relationships.“MAMA!
Trista’s POVLucian passed us.He swam so beautifully, almost like a fish, that I would have applauded him if my child hadn't been waiting for rescue in the water.He was at Bella's side in a flash, then pushed her with one hand and quickly brought her back to us. Belle, my sweetheart. Her wet hair clung to her face, but she smiled as she clamored into the boat. I hugged her fiercely.“Thank you,” I said to Lucian. He was holding the side of the boat with one hand, and paddling the water with his other. He smiled up at us, his tan face showing off his gleaming white teeth.“No worries,” he said. “I love a good exercise swim.” Then he hefted himself up and over the side of the boat.I caught Hazel watching him as he climbed into the boat. I didn’t blame her. His muscles strained and flexed as he pulled himself up. He was only wearing swimming trunks, and his wet, tan chest glistened in the sunlight.I saw her blush and look away.“I knew you couldn’t swim,” he told us, as he sat hims
“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