× 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 ×When I reach the hospital, I find the boy’s younger sister sitting in a corner, sobbing quietly. She looks so small and terrified that it breaks my heart a little. I approach her slowly, trying not to startle her.“Hey,” I say gently, crouching down to her level. “I’m Trix. I’m here to help.”She looks up at me with wide, tear-filled eyes but doesn’t say anything. Her body is shaking with fear. I sit down next to her, keeping my voice soft and calm. I reach out and gently pull her into a hug, trying to give her some comfort. She stiffens at first but then leans into me, her sobs growing louder.“It’s okay,” I whisper. “You’re safe now. No one’s going to hurt you. Can you tell me what happened?”She shakes her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. I sigh, knowing this is going to take time. “Take your time,” I say. “I’ll be here when you’re ready.”Reluctantly, I release her from the hug and leave her with the medics. Her fear is evident, and it only fuels my anger and cur
× Trix ×As the time for my speech approaches, I feel the weight of the pack’s expectations pressing down on me. I can almost taste their fear, their unease. They need reassurance, a sign that we’re going to get through these difficult times. We always have.But this seems fucking harder.I step onto the platform, my eyes scanning the crowd. My pack. My responsibility. I take a deep breath, ready to address them.“Everyone,” I begin, my voice carrying over the gathered werewolves. “I know these are difficult times. I can sense your fear, your uncertainty. We’ve faced attacks, betrayals, and hardships. And I want to apologize. I’m sorry for the dangers we’ve faced, for the losses we’ve endured. We’re working tirelessly to ensure our pack’s safety.”As I speak, I notice their gazes shifting toward Dixie, who’s standing off to the side. I can feel her almost melt under their scrutiny. It's uncomfortable, but I can't let it distract me. Clearing my throat, I continue, “We’re taking eve
× Dixie ×No one told me that shifting is going to feel like all of my insides are burning.First, it is the singing. The chanting is unbearable. The sound seeping into my bones, fueling the pain, making it worse. I want to scream, to tell them to shut up, but I couldn’t find my voice.I move my gaze to Trix, Alvera, Ryder. They are standing there, watching, their faces mirroring that of anticipation and indifference.At this moment, I hated them all. Every single one of them. They are the reason I am here, suffering, feeling like my body is being torn apart from the inside.The pain is relentless, undyi
× Dixie דGive her time.”Alvera’s words echo in my mind again, a lifeline, something to hold onto in this sea of agony.Maybe she’s right. Maybe I just need more time. But how much more can I endure? How much longer before this pain finally breaks me?I think of Trix again, his words cutting deeper than any physical pain.She’s a weakling.Fuck him. Fuck all of this.I hate Trix. I hate this pack. I hate this curse.
× 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