× Dixie דYou think this is a game, little Delreau?” His voice drops to a dangerous low, and hearing my last name come out of his mouth makes my blood freeze. “You think I’ve come this far, done all of this, just to let you mock me?” “Oh, I’m not mocking you,” I snap back, my voice a bit sharper now. “I just can’t stand the sound of your voice.” Salcom doesn’t move for a long moment. Then, slowly, he turns back to his men, his shoulders rising and falling with every furious breath he takes. “Get me answers,” he spits out. “Now.” One of them dares to speak, his voice barely audible. “We…we may need to liquidate it, my lord. It’s the only way to—” Salcom’s eyes snap toward him, wild and unhinged. “Liquidate it? You think I didn’t consider that? That I didn’t plan for this exact outcome? Don’t you dare tell me how to fix this. You’ve already failed me once.” His voice echoes through the compound, and I swear I can feel the vibration of it in my chest. The men shuffle nervousl
× Alvera ×My mind is moving at a million miles per hour. I’m cataloging every angle, every possible way out of this living nightmare. I know there has to be something, some flaw in Salcom’s grand design. Maybe a blind spot in his guards’ formation. Maybe a weak point in the walls or ceiling. Maybe, damn it , anything. But nothing. Nothing screams at me, nothing gives me a way to move, a plan to execute. All I see are too many guards with too many weapons, their obsidian guns glinting in the low, eerie torchlight. And Salcom, standing like some self-anointed king in his dark robes, his black eyes reflecting nothing but cruelty and madness. The air feels too thick, almost electric, like the compound itself is holding its breath. Trix is fuming silently, his chest rising and falling in sharp, controlled bursts. Dixie’s eyes flicker between black and her usual warm brown, and I can see her struggling with whatever hold Salcom’s power has on her. She’s trying to fight, to resist, and
× Trix ×I feel the word reverberate in my chest, exploding outward like a grenade. “What?” Dixie chokes, her voice is small and disbelieving, but her body’s already tensing like she knows what he’s about to say is real. “Your life, Dixie,” Salcom repeats, dragging out the syllables like he’s savoring them. “The Moon’s Tear is very particular about who it accepts. It requires purity. Unyielding will. And you, my dear... you are perfect.” “No,” I say, but it’s more of a growl, guttural and low. Dixie steps back, instinctively shaking her head. “You’re out of your damn mind if you think I’m sacrificing anything,” she snaps. Salcom only smirks, as if this is all going according to some demented plan in his head. “Oh, you don’t have to want to die. You only have to yield.” “You’re not touching her.” I snap.Salcom lifts his hands mockingly, a smirk dancing on his lips. “Easy, Alpha. This isn’t up to you. It’s up to the artifact. You can fight it all you want, but she has be
× Alvera ×Trix thrashing against the chains like a wild animal, veins bulging, teeth bared as he snarls curses at Salcom. I’ve never seen him like this before. I mean, Trix is a lot of things, ruthless, cold, terrifying when provoked, but this? This is something else entirely. This is a man angry, snapping thread by thread as the woman he loves bleeds out in front of him. And I.. I’m the one trying to hold him together.“Trix!” I yell, lunging forward just enough to put some weight against his shoulder. My chains scrape against the ground, biting into my skin, but I don’t care. He’s going to tear himself apart, and that’s not even the worst part of it. The real problem is that Salcom is just watching him, smiling like this entire moment of horror is a private joke. A sick, twisted joke that only he understands. “Trix, you’re not helping her! You are…”“I’M NOT LETTING HER DIE!” he roars, cutting me off as he jerks against the chains again. The sheer force of his body sends me stum
× Dixie ×Everything feels like it’s spinning. The world feels like it's spinning. And I wish this pain would just end.My wrist aches, blood still pooling and dripping in a slow, steady rhythm that sounds louder than it should. My stomach churns, a mix of nausea and pain that makes my head swim, but I bite down on the feeling, forcing myself to stay present. Focus, Dixie. Ican’t afford to give in. Not now, not when everyone’s looking at me like I’m seconds away from disappearing completely. Salcom stands in front of me, smug and sickeningly pleased with himself. He’s so sure he’s won, his arrogance practically radiating off him in waves. Every movement he makes is deliberate, like he’s performing for an audience, which I would say it pathetic but all he enjoys is feeding off our fear. He thinks he has everything under control, the strings perfectly pulled, the pieces right where he wants them. But he doesn’t know me. He doesn’t know that every ounce of pain I’ve endured in
× Dixie דTrix,” I whisper, my voice barely audible. It’s so soft it doesn’t even sound like me. I don’t know what else to say. I’m on my knees in front of him, the bottle still clutched tight against my chest, its hum vibrating against my ribs like a second heartbeat. My hands are stained crimson, the cut on my wrist still open, still dripping. But none of that matters, not the pain, not the fatigue because I’m here, and I see him, and for one terrifying second, I just need to breathe properly. He stares at me, frozen. His jaw is tight, his shoulders tense like he’s holding back an entire storm inside him. I reach out. My hands are shaky, weak, but I still do it anyway. I wrap my arms around him, pulling myself closer to his chest. The cold metal of the chains presses against my skin, biting into my bruised arms, but I don’t care. I don’t let go. For the first time in what feels like an eternity, I let my body rest against him. His familiar scent hits me. And I almost believ
× Dixie ×I don’t need to be told twice. My lungs burn as I keep running, pushing past the limits of what my body wants to do. I hear Ryder panting just ahead of me, his lighter brown wolf weaving through the underbrush like a blur. Alvera’s silver form stays close, she's focus even as we dart deeper into the darkness. “Keep moving, Dixie!” Trix growls.I push harder, dodging branches and leaping over roots. My mind races as I try to understand what’s happening. Never in my wildest dreams had I thought this day would come. “Trix, what do we do?” I pant through the link, my voice trembling. “We regroup and figure it out later. Right now, we survive.” Survive. Right. But surviving feels impossible when the air behind us grows heavier by the second. I don’t dare look back. We keep running, weaving through trees and open fields like shadows. I lose track of time, my breaths ragged and my paws numb from the impact. All I know is forward, forward, faster, faster, escape. The
× Ryder ×Everything feels heavy. My limbs, my chest, even my eyelids. I can hear the muffled sounds around me. Trix growling orders, Dixie’s breathless pleas but it all feels so distant, like I’m underwater. The world is spinning, and the only thing anchoring me to this reality is the sharp, relentless pain tearing through my body. I know it’s bad. I don’t need a healer to tell me. The way the blood is pooling beneath me, the way my breaths are shallow and I keep wheezing, I know. I try to move, just to prove to myself that I’m not done yet, but the fire in my chest flares, and I choke on the air I’m trying to pull in. My vision blurs, and I think for a second that I might black out. Not yet. Not yet. “Ryder, stay with us!” Dixie’s voice breaks through the haze, high-pitched and frantic. She’s staying next to me, paws pressing against my side, trying to stop the bleeding. I want to tell her it’s useless, that it doesn’t matter anymore, but I can’t bring myself to say it.
× Trix דDixie, what’s with that pouty face?” Gran Gran’s voice comes from the hallway, teasing but warm. She steps into the room with that no-nonsense energy she always has. The kind that says she’s got a hundred things going on, but none of them are more important than getting to the heart of whatever’s happening here.“Grandma, it's lovely to see you.” I say, greeting her. “Trix, good to see you sweetheart. I see you're getting handsome by the day.” She says and she winks. Oh my, sometimes I forget how goofy this lady is. I turn to look at Dixie, my heart pounding a little harder now. Dixie’s pouting? She’s always got a way of hiding her feelings, but I can see it now, the tightness around her mouth, the uncertainty in her eyes. But before I can even process it, Gran Gran just waves it off.“Never mind. That’s not why I came down here.” She pauses, her eyes shifting between the two of us, a knowing glint in them. Dixie glances at me, she's curious. The air between us feels he
× Dixie ×Finally, the smell of home. There's this warmth that wraos itself around me as I step into the familiar wals of my Gran Gran’s house. I practically green up here. It’s small but cozy, with little sunlight streaming through the windows and that earthy scent I’ve missed for months. For the first time in what feels like forever, I can breathe easy. No more battles, no more scheming, no more bloodshed. Just the quiet comfort of being back where I belong.I slip my shoes off at the door and head straight to the kitchen, the warmth of the house seeping into my bones. There’s a kettle of tea waiting on the stove, just the way it usually is.I fill a cup and sit at the small wooden table by the window, staring out at the small garden where Gran Gran used to tend to the flowers. The petals are still in bloom, a bright splash of color in the morning light. I take a sip from the cup, the warm liquid soothing my nerves, but no matter how many deep breaths I take, there’s this tension
× Alvera ×It’s a new day, and for once, it actually feels like one. I lean against the wooden post of the meeting hall, watching Trix speak with one of the elders. The elder nods at something Trix says, his stern face breaking into what looks like approval. Approval from him is a miracle in itself, and I can’t help the small smile tugging at my lips. I’ve known Trix for a long time, and seeing this moment of quiet acceptance fills me with a sense of peace I didn’t know I needed. Things are finally falling into place. That doesn’t mean the wounds have healed but the scars are starting to feel like something we can bear. I’m still struggling with my own demons, the battles we fought left marks that don’t just disappear overnight. But today? Today feels lighter. I glance over at Dixie, who’s standing a few feet away, watching Trix with a soft expression. She looks tired, but there’s a warmth in her stare that wasn’t there before. The pack’s whispers about her have quieted, and th
× Trix ×The entire pack compound is filled with killings, and shootings a d fights. I can smell blood and sweat all around me. But I can also see dead bodies on the floor. It's painful but we're not done yet. I can even feel my own exhaustion scratching at the edges of my resolve, but there’s no room for weakness here. Not now. Not when everything depends on this moment. I look around quickly, taking in the scene. Dixie is taking the pack members to safety. Alvera ks fighting both Salcom and Hermes, she looks mad. And her injuries are supposed to slow her down but she isn't giving up.Just then, Blade Alpha fires at me again, his claws aiming for my throat. I barely sidestep in time, the whoosh of his attack grazing my ear. My wolf howls within me, urging me to finish this, to end him. But how? He’s too strong, his skin is thick to everything we’ve thrown at him so far. Every cut we’ve made heals almost instantly, as if mocking us. “Silver,” a voice whispers in the back of my m
× Dixie ×Alvera steps out of the healer’s hut, and for a moment, time seems to pause. “Alvera, no!” I shout, running to her. She waves me off. “I’m fine. Focus on the fight.” I want to argue, but there’s no time. She looks drained, her steps slower than usual. She’s in her battle suit, the dark leather clinging to her like a second skin, and her weapons gleam under the faint light breaking through the smoke-filled air. She looks like someone who crawled straight out of the flames, and trust me, that’s not just a metaphor. Trix notices her too, his head snapping toward her like he’d been holding his breath this whole time. He frowns, his lips moving slightly as if he’s about to tell her to sit back down, but then he stops himself. It’s not his call, and he knows better than to underestimate Alvera’s resolve. "Let’s finish this," she says, her voice a little hoarse but steady. Trix nods, his gaze hardening as he shifts his focus back to Salcom, who’s standing in the middle
× Dixie ×A gunman spots us, his eyes narrowing as he raises his rifle. Trix moves faster than I can blink, grabbing the guy’s arm and twisting it until I hear a sickening crack.Satisfying.The gun falls to the ground, and Trix kicks it away before slamming the guy into the dirt. I don’t have time to be impressed, because another gunman is already running toward us. “Behind you!” I shout. Trix turns just in time to dodge a swing from the guy’s rifle. He grabs the weapon, yanking it out of the man’s hands before delivering a swift punch to his jaw. The guy goes down, and Trix turns to me, his expression grim. “Are you okay?” he asks. I nod, even though my legs feel like they’re about to give out. The sound of a wolf’s howl pierces the air, and I glance over to see one of the Nardoos locked in a vicious fight with a pack guard. It’s a horrifying sight, but I can’t look away. I see Salcom retreating, and his stupid laughter fades as he steps away from the whole drama.
× Dixie ×Why does these things keep happening? It's been one chaotic event to another. One battle to the next and it's tiring.Trix steps closer to me, his hand instinctively reaching out, but I can’t take my eyes off the Bamboo Alpha. His chest rises. It’s slight, barely noticeable, but it’s enough to send a jolt through me. I grab Trix’s arm, my fingers digging into his sleeve as we watch in stunned silence. The Bamboo Alpha’s eyes snap open. I gasp, scrambling back instinctively, as my heart begins to race. His eyes are glowing, a piercing silver light that seems to cut through the darkness around us. His chest heaves again, this time more pronounced, as if he’s taking his first breath in centuries. “Trix…” I whisper, my voice trembling. “I see it,” he mutters, his tone laced with awe and unease. The Alpha’s gaze shifts slowly, locking onto me. It’s like being pinned under a spotlight, every nerve in my body screaming to look away, but I can’t. His expression is unr
× Trix ×The bamboo forest feels colder than usual, even under the faint glow of the moon. Shadows stretch long and thin across the ground, their dark parts weaving between the trees like whispers of things better left unsaid. I shouldn’t feel this uneasy here, not in the heart of my own territory, not in the presence of Dixie, but tonight, nothing feels right. Dixie walks ahead of me, her grip on the bottle of Moon’s Tears is so tight that her knuckles turn white, her other hand trembling at her side. She hasn’t said much since we left Alvera in the healer’s care, and I haven’t pushed her. This moment, this plan, feels too fragile to poke at. One wrong word might shatter whatever thread of hope she’s holding onto. “Are you sure about this?” I finally ask, my voice low as the bamboo alpha’s tomb comes into view. The ancient structure is now overgrown with moss and vines, with its stones worn smooth by centuries of wind, sun and rain. It doesn’t look like much… it's just like a fo
× Trix × My heart feels like it’s been torn straight out of my chest, and I’m running on pure adrenaline. And I'm fueled by a grief so massive I can barely keep it from swallowing me whole. Ryder’s face keeps flashing before my eyes, the bloody mess of him, the way his voice cracked when he told me to leave, and that final, broken smile he wore like some kind of shield. I can still hear him saying, “I’ll be fine,” but we both knew he was lying. My lungs burn, and every step feels like I'm trying to outrun a storm that’s already caught up with me. The forest blurs around us, dark and unfamiliar, shadows twisting like they want to pull us back. Ican hear Dixie’s ragged breaths beside me, and Alvera’s limping footsteps not far behind. Every instinct I have tells me to stop. To turn back for Ryder, to fight until there’s nothing left, but I can’t. We’re alive. For now. And as much as it kills me to admit it, that’s what Ryder wanted. Leaving him wasn’t part of the plan. None o