× Trix ×
I reach out, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “It was pride because I couldn’t admit it. And fear because I knew once I did, everything would change.”
She swallows, and I see the flicker again. This time, it’s different. Softer. Vulnerable. “Trix…”
“Yeah?”
She looks away, biting her lip. “Why now?”
I know what she’s asking. Why now, after everything? After the hostility, the coldness, the years of keeping her at arm’s length. I don’t have an easy answer. I take a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts.
“Because I’m tired of fighting it. Tired of pretending. I , ” I stop my
× Trix ×The papers in front of me become blur as my mind drifts back to last night. My fingers hover over the documents, the pen so close to them, but I can’t focus. I can't even remember what I was supposed to sign. The weight of everything just presses down, but there’s something else ,something that keeps pulling my attention away from these endless forms, these demands.I exhale loudly, setting the pen down with a soft clink against the surface of my desk. My gaze drifts toward the window, but all I can see is the image of her ,Dixie. Her face, her voice, the way she looked at me, how she felt against me. The kiss. That damn kiss that won’t leave my mind. It haunts me. It’s like a memory I can’t shake, and no matter how many times I try to refocus, it lingers, just out of rea
× Trix ×I hear it before I see it , an undercurrent of noise coming through the thick walls of the pack house. First, it's a murmur, like a distant rustling. Then it grows louder, sharper, like the subtle pressure of a storm gathering in the distance.I glance up from the stack of papers I’ve been half-heartedly flicking through for the past hour. It's not the type of noise that fits with the usual rhythm of the house, the soft shuffle of pack members and staff, the hum of distant conversations or the muted clink of dishes being cleaned. No, this sound is different. It's out of place.My instincts flare, a low hum of warning in my chest. I lean back in my chair, pushing the papers aside. I don’t need to look at them to know the pack&rsquo
× Trix ×The pack stands there, unsure of how to respond. Some of them look away, embarrassed. Some are still seething with anger. But there’s a shift in the air, something I can’t quite place. It’s like they’re starting to realize that maybe they’ve pushed too far. They’ve pushed me too far.I turn back to them, my eyes hard. “This conversation is over. And if anyone else has something to say, we’ll handle it. But I’m not tolerating this disrespect.”The silence stretches for a moment, but it’s not as thick now. It’s quieter, uncertain.“You're self sabotaging!” I hear them roar. All at once.
× Dixie ×I want to scream at them to shut up. To tell them to mind their own business. But my throat is dry, the words stuck somewhere between my chest and my mouth. Every time I try to speak, another voice comes at me, sharper than the last.“Who does she think she is, standing there like that?” one of them says, sneering. “Not even from this pack. And now look at her, parading around like she belongs here.”I clench my fists, feeling my nails bite into my palms. It’s like their words are cutting through me, slashing at every part of me they can get to.They don’t know me. They don’t know anything about me. They don’t k
× Dixie ×It’s like a weight has settled on his shoulders, a burden too heavy for him to bear. I see his jaw clench, his fists tighten at his sides, and his eyes? They’re dark, clouded with frustration and helplessness.But beneath all of that is something I don’t want to see , something that makes my chest tighten and my breath catch in my throat.It’s the way he’s standing there like a kid, like the grown-ups have cornered him and are shoving their beliefs and their threats down his throat. He’s the Alpha, but right now, he looks like a kid who’s lost control. And it tears me apart to watch him struggle in silence.Why isn&rs
× Dixie דYou’re not even one of us, ” one of them says, her voice bitter. “ You don’t belong here. You’ll never fit in. You’re not good enough for him. ”And I want to scream. I want to tell her that I am good enough. That I belong .That I’m not some charity case or mistake. But the words don’t come. They just get swallowed by the ache in my chest.I feel the weight of their gaze, the heat of their judgment. I feel like I’m suffocating.And Trix? He doesn’t move. He doesn’t speak. He doesn’t defend me.
× Dixie דI never loved her,” he says again, his voice hard. Final. Like a door slamming shut.I flinch. I can’t help it. Each repetition is a reminder, a confirmation of every fear I’ve ever had.Why does it hurt so much? I knew this. Deep down, I knew. The whispers, the rushed marriage, the way he always kept me at arm’s length. It was never about love. It was strategy. A means to an end.But hearing it. God, hearing it is something else.The crowd is eating it up. I can feel their relief, their satisfaction. They wanted this. They wanted him to put me in my p
× Trix ×What? Salcom?The name alone sends a chill down my spine, like ice-cold claws raking through my veins. I freeze for a split second, but in that moment, everything around me seems to slow. The noise of the pack, the murmurs, the anger ,it all fades to a low hum, like I’m underwater.All I can focus on is the figure standing there. Salcom.He’s the last person I expect to see here, and the look in his eyes, that predatory glint, is more than enough to send alarms blaring in my head.Why is he here?
× Trix ×The air is frigid as we make our way to the safe house. It’s like walking through a storm, even though the sky is clear. It’s not the weather. It’s her. Dixie. She’s wrapped in a coldness I can’t penetrate, and it hits me harder than the biting chill in the air.Falling into the pond has got me so wet and a bit cold but her attitude is way colder.We don’t speak. Not that I expect her to. She hasn’t said a word since we landed asides ‘I'm fine’. And I get it. I get why she’s upset, angry ,hell, I probably deserve all of it. But it doesn’t make it any easier to deal with. There’s this thick wall between us, and I can feel it with every step I take beside her.I try to offer her comfort, but I can’t even do that without her shutting me down. She doesn’
× Dixie ×I can't breathe. The jet is shaking so violently, it's like it's alive, thrashing against its own destruction. The walls are vibrating under the pressure, the floor beneath me feels like it's going to give way any second.Every breath I take feels like a struggle, like the air’s been sucked out of this goddamn plane. I want to scream, to let it out, but I can't. All that comes out is a choked sob that I barely even hear over the noise of the plane.My whole body is shaking.I can’t do this.I can’t jump.The thought hits me like a ton of bricks. I can’t even wrap my mind around it. The air is so thin up here, and the thought of throwing myself out of this tiny jet ,no, it’s not even a thought, it’s a nightmare.Heigh
× Trix ×One of the guards, his face pale as death, looks at me with wide eyes. "The pilot... he’s been sniped."My stomach drops like a stone. What the hell?I move before I can think. “Check the systems,” I bark, my voice a razor-sharp command. But even as I speak, I know it’s pointless. The damage is done. Our pilot’s gone. The jet’s flying itself, and we’re at the mercy of whoever did this.I hear the low hum of frantic voices in the background. The guards are trying to figure out what happened, but it doesn’t take long for the panic to spread through the cabin. The guards and a few helps start whispering. Some start standing, trying to move toward the exits, but I don’t have time for any of that. I need to keep them together. I need to control the chaos."Q
× Trix דI hate you!” she screams, her fists pounding against my chest again. It’s weak. Pathetic. But I know the meaning behind every hit, every word. “I hate you for doing this to me.”The words are like daggers in my chest. I can’t help it. They hurt. But I force myself to stay calm, to keep my hands steady.“I don’t give a damn if you hate me,” I say, my voice shaking with an emotion I won’t let her see. “But you’re coming with me. Whether you want to or not.”She tries again to break free, her body tense with anger, but I tighten my grip on her, pulling her away from the door.“Let me go!” she cries out, struggling in my arms, kicking at me, clawing at me. But nothing works.“I’m not letting you
× Trix × A few minutes pass before Alvera returns, and I already know what she’s about to say before she opens her mouth. “She’s refusing to leave,” Alvera says, her voice low but clear. Her eyes flicker with concern, but there’s no hesitation. “She doesn’t want to go with you.”I grit my teeth. "I figured as much," I mutter. A storm brews in my chest, but I force myself to stay composed, to keep my cool. "I’m going to get her myself." Alvera nods, stepping aside as I move past her. I can feel the anger burning behind my eyes, but I suppress it. This isn’t the time for rage. Not now. But damn it, I need her to understand. I march down the hall, my mind racing with the thought of what might happen if I can’t get her to understand. If I can’t make her see reason. I know how stubborn she is, how her heart’s set in its ways. But right now, I need her to see that this isn’t about trust anymore. It’s about survival. I reach her door, my knuckles rapping against it sharply. "Dixie," I
× Trix ×Stunned. I stare at Salcom, my blood boiling beneath the surface, every muscle in my body coiled tight. He’s playing his games again, twisting the moment to fit his narrative, and I’m already tired of it. Exhausted by the dance, the posturing, the damn theatrics he always loved. I don't ask him anything else. No more questions. I won’t give him the satisfaction. I know his tricks, his manipulations ,the way he thrives on pulling strings and watching people squirm. I won’t be his puppet. But then, with that oily smirk plastered across his face, he opens his mouth, and the words that come out hit like a sucker punch.“I’m here to issue an ultimatum,” he says, his tone shifting, a faux casualness that screams deception. An ultimatum? My instincts are already screaming that it’s a lie. Every syllable drips with calculated intent, a setup waiting to ensnare. My eyes narrow, heart pounding in my chest. “What ultimatum?” I ask, my voice low, dangerous. His eyes gleam, feeding o
× Salcom ×The energy is electric , dangerous, inviting, almost intoxicating. This baby girl , standing there with fire in her eyes and betrayal written across her face, has no idea what she’s radiating. Just by looking at her, I can tell. The connection is undeniable. Her bond with Trix pulses in the air, something primal, something sacred ,and that’s what makes it delicious. Fragile things always shatter so beautifully.I take a step closer, and the chaos around them fades. Pack members are still scattered, watching, whispering, but I barely hear them. All I see is her. The way she holds herself, defiant yet trembling, like a candle flickering in a storm. Who would’ve thought this was the one who could unravel him? Trix, the almighty Alpha, brought to his knees by a human. I almost laugh. Fate really does have a twisted sense of humor.And Trix? Oh, he’s trying so hard to play it cool. Standing there, fists clenched, that classic scowl plastered on his face. But I see it ,the flic
× Trix ×What? Salcom?The name alone sends a chill down my spine, like ice-cold claws raking through my veins. I freeze for a split second, but in that moment, everything around me seems to slow. The noise of the pack, the murmurs, the anger ,it all fades to a low hum, like I’m underwater.All I can focus on is the figure standing there. Salcom.He’s the last person I expect to see here, and the look in his eyes, that predatory glint, is more than enough to send alarms blaring in my head.Why is he here?
× Dixie דI never loved her,” he says again, his voice hard. Final. Like a door slamming shut.I flinch. I can’t help it. Each repetition is a reminder, a confirmation of every fear I’ve ever had.Why does it hurt so much? I knew this. Deep down, I knew. The whispers, the rushed marriage, the way he always kept me at arm’s length. It was never about love. It was strategy. A means to an end.But hearing it. God, hearing it is something else.The crowd is eating it up. I can feel their relief, their satisfaction. They wanted this. They wanted him to put me in my p