Trista’s POVClick.It was the hotel door. I glanced over at my clock. It was 6am. Hazel was sneaking back into her room. She’d been out all night!I closed my eyes and fell back asleep for a bit, but Billy and Belle woke me up a couple of hours later.I had Aisha order breakfast room service for us, with an extra cup of coffee for Hazel. I knew she’d need it. A little while later, she emerged from her bedroom with dark circles under her eyes.“Well if it isn’t sleeping beauty,” I teased her. “What did you get up to last night?”“Me?” she asked. “Nothing,” she said, reaching for the coffee. “I went to bed early. I think I had a touch of heat stroke. I’m not used to this desert heat.”“You went to bed early?” I asked, raising my eyebrows.No she didn’t! The little vixen was out all night. She even had a faint red mark on her neck.“I had a headache,” she lied to me. “The air conditioning wasn’t working well in my room. I hardly slept last night. I tossed and turned.”“Oh, I’m sorry to
Trista’s POVWe had a blast in Dubai, but after a few days we were happy to leave the desert heat and explore more of Europe. We went to Turkey and lounged around in the Turkish baths. Then went to Greece and marveled at the Ancient Greek ruins. We went to Germany and gorged ourselves on beer and sausages. Billy and Belle behaved so well everywhere we went. Hazel and I were in our glory exploring all the cities we’d dreamed about visiting when we were just children. We got around easily, since Johnson had arranged for a private interpreter and tour guide in each city. I tried calling him to thank him, but his phone always went to voicemail. I had shimmers of doubt about his secrecy, but he’d arranged to have flowers in every hotel room we stayed at. Gorgeous, decadent bouquets. So I decided not to dwell on it. I mean, we were in Europe! I wanted to take advantage of every minute. Besides, I was confident that Johnson was just busy with work, like he said. I finally got a hold of
Trista’s POV Our first stop in Italy was Rome.Hazel and I had argued a bit about this. She was eager to see Milan. But I wanted to see Rome. And I wanted the kids to see the Sistine Chapel. Hazel didn’t understand. “How many times have you been to Rome?” she asked. “I mean, come on, Trista, you used to live here.”“No, I lived in Milan,” I told her. “I actually never went to Rome.”I’d been so busy when I lived in Milan that I hadn’t had time to explore all the other cities in Italy, Rome included. And since this was a vacation, I insisted we go to Rome. We were, however, at the end of our trip and there wasn’t much time left.“Fine,” she relented. “But only for the day.”I secretly wondered if her urgency to get to Milan had anything to do with Lucian. But of course, I didn’t say anything. We were booked to take a train that night to Milan. So we did a whirlwind visit of the Vatican, The Sistine Chapel, and the Colosseum before hopping on the train. “And no, there is no tim
Trista’s POV The next morning, I whipped up some Italian crepes for everyone, including Hazel. The twins ran eagerly to the table to devour the sweet treat, but when I texted Hazel to let her know I’d made breakfast, she didn’t reply.I wasn’t concerned though; I imagined that her and Lucian were lounging around in bed casually sipping coffee. I was happy for her.However, when she burst through the door an hour later, she had a scowl on her face. Her hair was disheveled and she had dark rings under her eyes from lack of sleep. She took a seat at the table and hunched over, her hand resting under her chin, and sighed deeply.This did not look like a woman who had spent the night in the throes of passion.Quite the contrary. She looked like a woman who’d be up all night pacing and fretting about something.“Rough night?” I asked, deciding to broach the subject directly.Hazel sighed again, then looked pensively at her plate. I knew she had something to tell me and she was debating whe
Trista’s POVI called a neighbor and asked if she could look after the children while Hazel and I went out. We were determined to confront Lucian together – a united front. The neighbor was happy to oblige. She remembered Billy and Belle.She rushed over, her arms full of boardgames.“Thank you so much,” I told her as she plunked the games down on the table.“Oh my, look at you two,” she gushed. “You’ve grown so much!”Hazel and I collected our coats, but Belle stopped us at the door. She thrust out a small fish toy.“Give this back to Lucian,” she puffed. “I don’t want it anymore.”Billy and Belle had Lucian. He’d saved their lives, after all! But they knew that Aunty Hazel was upset. And that Lucian was the cause. So they were Team Hazel all the way.I took the fish toy from Belle and kissed her on the forehead. Then we left the building and clamored into a cab.We pulled up to Lucian’s building. It wasn’t too tall, but it was ornate. It had a vintage look and feel, opulenc
Trista’s POVAwkward wasn’t a strong enough word to describe the feeling in Lucian’s flat as the four of us sat, two on each couch, facing each other. Lucain pressed an ice pack to his jaw, right where Hazel had punched him.Liam had broken up the fight outside and Lucian has asked us all to follow him to his apartment. We’d all taken our seats on these couches, and now we sat, awkwardly trying to avoid eye contact. Every so often, I caught Hazel’s eyes and tried to ask her with my expression what Liam was doing here?She just raised her eyebrows and shrugged.I’d been shocked to see Liam, of all people, emerge from the building. It was too much of a coincidence, I realized. Liam just happened to be in the same building that Lucian lived in? In Italy?No, there was something else going on here.Truth be told, though, Liam looked just as shocked to see us as we were to see him, though. He looked at us quizzically. After a few more minutes, I couldn’t take the silence anymore.“I assume
He chucked then. “Of course,” he said, shaking his head. “Well isn’t that convenient,” he said mockingly. “You go and get a position at an acclaimed company like HS without any prior accolades, a company that just HAPPENS to be owned by your ex-husband. Imagine that?” His voice was dripping with sarcasm now. He was clearly implying that the only reason I was given my own brand was because Liam was my ex-husband.“That had nothing to do with it,” Hazel snapped.“Right,” he said flatly. “I’m sure it didn’t. But then again, what would you know of it? A lucky woman like you? You know, Hazel, not everyone is as fortunate as you. Not everyone has everything handed to them on a silver platter. And just because you happen to know a very wealthy, powerful man, well, that doesn’t mean you should get everything so easily. Especially honor and fame.”“What are you saying?” Hazel gasped.I gasped too, completely taken aback by Lucian’s audacity.“If you have something to say, just come out and sa
Trista’s POVI inadvertently glanced at Liam. I was surprised! Really? Where did that come from? That slew of compliments? He actually thought I was talented? Who knew? Not me. At least, I’d never thought he believed I was.And as for my shares and position in the company? Deep down, I’d honestly believed that Liam had given those things to me because he wanted me back. But now? Had he really given me shares and my position based solely on my talent?It appeared so. Why else would he come all this way to see Lucian?He flashed me a smile and I couldn’t help but smile back. He was defending me. He had come here, to Italy, to find Lucian himself. So he could persuade Lucian to let me to enter the competition. Of course, he didn’t know that Hazel and I had already met Lucian on the cruise ship. We’d have to tell him, but now didn’t seem like the right time. Liam kept his gaze fixed on me.“Trista WILL be famous one day. I have no doubts about it.”I felt a flutter in my heart. It was re
Trista’s POV Belle let out a horrified scream. It reverberated through the forest.“Pele, no!” I cried out again.But Pele was in full wolf form by now. His wolf was magnificent, with broad, muscular shoulders and deep, brown fur with matching eyes. He bent down onto his hind legs and put his head onto his front paws. It was a playful position, and was welcoming the kids to come and touch his fur.Of course, the kids didn’t know that though.Neither Billy nor Belle had actually seen a werewolf before, and Pele’s wolf was massive. The wolf shook his head playfully, his brown fur rippling in the world. “What in the world?” Jules asked, aghast at the sight before him. I realized that Jules had never seen a wolf before either. And I had to admit, watching a man transform into a wolf could be a bit jarring, to say the least. I knew what Pele was trying to do.In the wolf pack, it’s normal for someone to shift when children are upset. In fact, one of the
Trista’s POV I felt a flush of relief wash over me. Jules and I couldn’t get through, but knowing that the children would be safe was a huge weight of my shoulders. Plus, I knew that as soon as Liam saw Billy and Belle, he’d know that we were close by and would come for us. He’d find a way to get us into the pack. He was the Alpha, after all. He could take down the pack border to let us through. It wasn’t ideal, separating from Billy and Belle. But we were out of other options. “Thank you,” I told Pele sincerely. I’d have to find a place for Jules and I to stay in the meantime, but I’d crossed that bridge once I came to it. Jules and I could find somewhere nearby, in the forest, and just wait for Liam. First thing was first – we had to get the children across the border and safely into the pack. “Come,” Pele said, holding out his hand to the children. But Belle clutched at my legs and began to cry. “No, Mam
Trista’s POV I needed Pele to understand that this wasn’t a normal situation. It was urgent that he let us into the pack. Plus, we’d come a long way and we were all feeling really tired. I decided to just be honest with Pele and tell him the truth. “This is Jules,” I told Pele, motioning at Jules. “He’s Liam’s assistant and he’s very important to Liam. But he’s currently being hunted by some members in the human world. They’re very dangerous men. They belong to an underground mafia and they’ll stop at nothing to find Jules. It’s very important that you let us through. Liam promised us all the protection of the Blue Moon Crescent Pack.” Pele narrowed his eyes, his lips pressed together. He appeared to be thinking about what I was saying. Honestly, though, I wasn’t sure if he’d care either way. Pele didn’t live in the human world. He probably didn’t care about dangerous mafia men. He turned his head to Billy and Belle. “And who ar
Trista’s POV I hadn’t expected to be stopped at the Blue Moon Crescent border. Pele was not much older than me, but he possessed the composure and maturity of someone much older than himself. I understood that he wasn’t exactly thrilled to see me, since I’d been exiled from the pack. But I was sure that if I explained the situation, he’d let us pass through.“Leave, Trista,” he said coldly, He fixed his eyes on me, his face stern. “We’re here to see Alpha Liam,” I told him, a little taken aback by his unwelcoming and abrupt manner. “I don’t know what business you would have with Alpha Liam,” he stated, his tone dry. “Since you are no longer a member of our pack.”“If you would please just mindlink Alpha Liam, he’ll explain that…” “I’ll do no such thing. You cannot just show up here, Trista, with strangers in tow and demand to cross our border.” “I’m Jules,” Jules suddenly said, extending his hand. Pele did not accept his hand, leaving Jules
Trista’s POV The children felt the tension in the air. I bent down and scooped up Belle, hoisting her onto my hip. She buried her head in my neck. “Who is it, Trista?” Jules asked, his voice barely above a whisper. I shook my head, telling him that I didn’t know. Serena stayed in high alert, her fur standing on end as the man approached us.He had his eyes locked on me as he sauntered towards us. He was tall, with a powerful presence. We all stayed frozen to the spot. I squinted, trying to make out his face with my poor eye sight. But it wasn’t until he was only a few feet away that I recognized him.It was Pele.I was stunned at first. Pele was the man who had succeeded my father as Gamma after my father’s death. I hadn’t known Pele very well during my time at the pack, but his face was unmistakable. He also had the air of a gamma, which only solidified the fact that it was him.I remembered when Pele had been chosen as Gamma. I’d resented him on prin
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