× Dixie ×Alvera leaves us, giving Trix a nod. I follow her with my eyes as she disappears into the shadows of the hallway.“Relax, Piggy,” Trix says, his voice annoyingly calm. “I’m not here to drag you anywhere unless I have to.”I cross my arms, narrowing my eyes at him. I wish he had actually forgot the useless 'nickname' he gave me. It appears he hasn't.“You are so full of yourself, ain't it? You think I'm going to follow you just because you say it nicely? You're mistaken!” Making my frustration evident.His eyes flash with irritation. “You’re coming to the session, Dixie. End of discussion.”“Oh, so now you’re the dictator of my life?” I shoot back, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “Guess what, Trix? I’m not one of your loyal lapdogs.”“Could’ve fooled me with all the running and hiding,” he says, a smirk playing on his lips.I roll my eyes, feeling my blood boil. “Why do you even care? You’ve made it clear you think I’m worthless.”His smirk fades, replaced by a hard, cold sta
× Dixie ×Denise, the massive girl from earlier, steps forward, cracking her knuckles. She looks like she’s been waiting for this moment. My heart pounds, but I keep my expression neutral. No way I’m letting them see me sweat.The werewolves form a loose circle around us, creating a makeshift ring. Ryder gives a nod, and Denise comes at me. I barely dodge her first swing, rolling to the side. The crowd jeers, but I tune them out, focusing on my opponent.Denise is strong, no doubt about it, but she’s also slow. I find that quite confusing that a werewolf is slow. She is fat though; her fatigue could be the reason for her slowness. I thank whatever god may exist in this world for this opportunity to not be eaten alive without making an attempt.I use her slowness to my advantage, sliding and weaving, trying to stay out of her reach. She growls in frustration, her swings becoming wilder. “Come on, human!” she taunts. “Stand still and fight!”I don’t respond. I’m too busy planning my
× Trix ×I can't believe the insolent girl could challenge my authority. I’ve had enough of her impudence, but this? This is fucking unacceptable.My eyes darken as I signal to the guards to handled her. The rest is history.I head back to my office; anyone around could have felt the energy of anger radiating from me and I bet wouldn't dare to come close.I slam the door shut behind me, the sound breaking through the room. I lean against the heavy wooden desk, my hands gripping the edges so hard my knuckles turn white.The audacity of that girl is astounding. Who the hell does she think she is to challenge me like that?
× Trix ×I wake up to a painful hear-deafeaning noise, my senses immediately alert.The smell of blood and the sound of chaos fill the compound. I throw on my clothes and rush out of my room, my heart pounding with rage and urgency.The sight that greets me is a nightmare. Nardoo warriors are everywhere, slaughtering my pack members with brutal efficiency.The pack house, usually a place of quietness and strength, is now a battlefield. A massacre!Bodies lie scattered, and the air is thick with the smell of blood and fear.In the dim light, I spot a group of Nardoos chanting somet
× Trix ×Alvera sits on the edge of the bed, her expression softening. “Do you want to talk about it?”I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself. “It was about Ryder. And Dixie. The Nardoos were here, slaughtering our pack members, and they captured Dixie. They were doing something to the rune in her palm, draining her energy. Ryder was fighting them, but... his head was cut off. I saw it roll on the ground.”Alvera’s eyes widen, but she remains silent, letting me continue.“I tried to help Dixie, but she wouldn’t accept it. She thought I was responsible for her predicament. And then Ryder... his death felt so real. I can’t shake it off.&rdq
× Yesterday ×× Dixie דHey, Dixie,” he says, sounding distracted.“Jackson, you will not believe what’s been happening to me,” I start, my words coming out in a rush. “I’m living with freaking werewolves, and tomorrow is a full moon, and they’re planning something big.”“Dixie, where have you been?” he interrupts, his voice rising. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere! I even went to your gran's house. She kept saying you weren’t around and wouldn’t be for a while. What’s going on?”I pause, taken aback by his concern. “Wait, you went to Gran’s?”“Yes, I did!” he snaps. “And every time I tried to get more information, she would always stop me by the door. It’s like she was hiding something.”I sigh, feeling relief that Gran Gran is alright but feeling sorry too, for what Jackson must have gone through.“Jackson, I’m sorry. It’s all so messed up. The guy you saw the other day, Trix, he’s involved in this. They’ve got me wrapped up in some werewolf pack politics.”“Werewolves?” he re
× Dixie ×The room fell silent. The kind of silent that leaves the walls screaming its name. Even the ceiling is scared of breaking the it.Sooner, the silence in the room is almost frustrating, yet, my mind is still that of confusion and fear. Jennie is about to leave when I stop her, my curiosity and anxiety getting the better of me. I know she would know something.“Jennie, wait,” I call out. “Can you tell me more about this full moon stuff? How does it work with the werewolf traditions? I need to know what I’m up against.”"Up against? You make it sound like you're in some battle. Well technically." She said, smiling.
× Trix ×I walk into the room and see Ryder and Alvera talking. It's unusual to see them together, not on the field fighting but talking. They barely speak to each other, not out of dislike but more out of indifference. Story for another day, I suppose. But today, their conversation seems intense.I join them, and the look on both their faces tells me the news isn't good.“What's going on?” I ask, bracing myself for whatever bad news is coming.Ryder's jaw tightens. “Another attack. One of our pack members was found injured in the woods. He's in the hospital now.”My heart sinks. “Is he going to be okay?”Alvera nods, but her expression is unreadable. “He'll live, but he's in bad shape.”Ryder's eyes flash with anger. “This is all Dixie's fault. Ever since she showed up, we've had nothing but trouble.”I feel a sudden surge of frustration. Ryder us right, but the guy should have also known his boundaries. “It's not entirely her fault, Ryder. If that guy hadn’t been wandering around
× Trix ×After what feels like an eternity of trying really hard not to gawk at Dix, I finally spot the Nardoos Alpha across the room. And I mean, really, it’s a feat of self-control because Dix has been driving me to the brink of madness.Every time I glance down at her, the way she bites her lip when she’s trying not to laugh, or how her eyes light up when she’s teasing me about my lack of dance skills, it’s almost too much. Almost. But this isn’t the time to be a lovesick idiot. Nope. We’re here for a reason, and that reason just stepped into view. The Nardoos Alpha is hard to miss.He’s got that commanding presence that makes everyone around him take a step back. His shoulders are broad, his posture rigid, and there’s this air of arrogance around him that I can sense even from a distance. The way the crowd seems to part for him, it’s like he’s a king i
× Dixie ×I have to admit, it's actually super duper nice to know that Trix is all over me like a little lost puppy.And not just any puppy, I’m talking a full-on, tail-wagging, “I’d follow you anywhere” kind of puppy. Like... Bambi level cute. Who would’ve thought that the big, bad Alpha with that intimidating vibe would be this all in on me? It’s wild, honestly.If someone had told me a few months ago that Trix would be this way with me, I would’ve called them crazy and laughed in their face. But here we are, and I can’t even pretend like I’m not enjoying every second of it.And that kiss? Oh god, that kiss. It felt like the world paused for a moment. Like all of time stopped so I could just... feel . I still can’t get over it.My heart’s still doing flip-flops, and yeah, I know, I’m trying to be cool about it, but damn , I’m
× Trix×We pull away from each other, breathless, but the air between us still crackling with that electric pull. My heart’s hammering in my chest, and for a second, I can’t think straight.It feels like the whole damn room is spinning around us, like nothing else matters except the two of us standing here, tangled in this moment.I glance at her, and she looks back at me, those eyes wide and intense, like she’s feeling it too. There’s this... connection . Something deeper than words, something more than just the heat between us. It’s us. And in this split second, I know. I know what I want. What I’ve always wanted.I take a deep breath, and I’m suddenly aware of the way my hand fits against hers. Her palm, her fingers, they hold me like she knows exactly what I need without me having to say it. The bond between us is solid, unshakeable.
× Trix ×I can’t believe I’m even in this room. This ballroom. This den of wolves who have caused my pack nothing but pain, humiliation, and loss.All this time, all this effort to keep my pack together, and now I’m dancing in the middle of it, in the middle of them, with my mate by my side, pretending like this is some fairy tale. Like none of it matters.But it matters.Dixie must sense the shift in my mood because she’s quiet now. She stops swaying, her hand still in mine, but she’s not pulling away. She’s waiting for me. I can feel the weight of her eyes on me, but I can’t focus on her. Not now. Not with the Nardoos Alpha still missing from this room.“What’s wrong?” she asks, her voice low, almost too calm. She’s used to me being distant, to my silence, but this is different. I don’t want her to know the truth, do
× Trix ×The room is alive with chatter and laughter, the kind of buzzing energy that comes with a hundred people trying to look effortlessly fabulous at the same time.But then, the music changes to a soft, slow melody begins to spill out from the speakers, the kind that makes everything feel like it’s in slow motion.Couples begin to fill the dance floor, and I can’t help but feel a tug in my chest. It’s like a pull that’s drawing me in, and I know exactly who I want to be with.I glance over at Dixie, who’s standing beside me, her gaze scanning the crowd, her lips curled in a half-smirk as if she’s silently judging everyone on the floor.I can’t wait anymore.“Dance with me,” I say, the words tumbling out before I can stop them. My voice isn’t demanding, but there’s a soft co
× Trix ×We’re in the car, cruising down the long, rough road that leads to the Nardoos Ball. I'm starting to get nervous and no matter how much I try to shake it off it's not going.Outside, shadows of trees blur by, and the silence in the car is interrupted only by the soft hum of the engine and the occasional crunch of gravel beneath the tires.I force myself to focus on the road ahead, trying to keep my breathing steady. It’s not like I’m really nervous, I’m an Alpha, after all, but something about tonight feels monumental, and it’s hard not to feel the pressure.I can’t afford to mess this up, not for the pack, not for Ryder, not for Dixie... especially not for Dixie.A light touch on my arm snaps me out of my scattered thoughts.Dixie is staring at me, her
× Trix ×I can’t help it. The laugh that bursts out of me is loud and I know it's echoing around the room. I laugh so hard I have to press a hand to my chest, trying to catch my breath.Dixie watches me with mock offense, but there’s a hint of something softer in her eyes, like she enjoys making me laugh this much.“Okay, okay,” I manage, wiping a tear from the corner of my eye. “As... as unforgettable as that look is, you won’t be needing it.” I stand and walk over to the small intercom system on my table, pressing the button that connects to the main hall.A few moments later, there’s a polite knock at the door, and a maid walks in.Her name is Laramie, and she’s young but experienced, always carrying herself with the quiet confidence that comes from working in a house full of chaos.
× Trix ×The light in my room catches on the glint of silver buckles as Dixie carefully secures the straps on my pack.Her movements are almost precise, fast. She’s exuding nervous energy but as always she wouldn't say so. She would rather disguise as an expert packer, and she’s trying very hard to act like her hands aren’t trembling, under my watch obviously.I lean back in my bed, using my hand as a shield for my head, watching her in a way that I hope comes off as casual.Spoiler: It’s not. Not even close. Because nothing about Dixie has ever made me feel casual. And right now, with only hours left before the Nardoos Ball, all I want is to make sure she’s... ready. Safe. But mostly, I just want to be around her.“We need to sort out your cover, and it has to happen fast,” I say, cutting into the silence. My
× Dixie ×I’m helping Trix fold the last of his shirts when he suddenly says, “Come to the ball with me.”I freeze, the shirt slipping from my hands as I stare at him like he just spoke in another language.Did he seriously just invite me to that ball? The one thrown by people who’d probably love nothing more than to see me six feet under? But there’s this glimmer in his eyes, like he’s actually waiting for me to say yes.And suddenly my mind is a chaotic mess of thoughts.“Hold up. You want me to go with you?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady, but my heart’s pounding.He shrugs like it’s no big deal. “Yeah. Might be better if we’re together, you know, strength in numbers and all that,” he says, but there’s something else in his tone, liike maybe it’s not just about safety.