× 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.
× Dixie ×Panic…I try to focus, to think about how to unshift back to my human self. I concentrate, willing my body to change, but nothing happens. Panic begins to set in even worse.I’m stuck. I can’t control this new form, can’t find my way back.Then, I hear something, like a rustling in the bushes.My ears perk up, heart pounding. Fear grips me, making me freeze in place.What if it’s the same predator that killed the deer? What if it’s something worse?The rustling grows louder, closer. I brace myself, ready to fi
× Dixie ×Jennie squeezes my shoulder. “You’re doing great. Just a little more.”“A little more, she says,” I mutter, taking another breath. This time, I focus on the feeling of being human, the way my skin feels, the way I move.The pain is excruciating, but I force myself to stay with it. My bones crack and shift, and for a moment, I think I’ve done it. But then the pain overwhelms me, and I’m back to my wolf form. “Shit, shit, shit!”“You’re almost there. One more try,” Jennie says, her voice steady.I’m shaking now, I want to give up but I&r
× Trix ×× 3 Hours Ago ×I had made up my mind to rule with an iron fist. My father, despite his physical strength, ruled with kindness, always hoping to win loyalty through respect and understanding.But what did that get him? Disdain and disrespect. People took advantage of his sacrifices, and our pack suffered for it. I couldn’t let that happen under my rule. I wanted my people to fear me. Because fear meant control. And control meant security.But how could they fear someone who couldn’t protect them? How could they respect an Alpha who allowed chaos to reign?It’s not enough to just be strong, you hav
× Dixie ×(Present)I'm standing in front of the mirror, staring at myself, but instead of my reflection, I see a wolf form. For a moment, panic flares up inside me. Whoa, okay, that’s new. I try moving to the left, and it followed me. I moved to the right, it still followed me.I move closer to the mirror and I see this creature staring at me, like it's daring me to choose between screaming or running. The green eyes, silver fur. Bro, this is dope.That fierce creature is mine. My wolf. Still strange to me.My senses are sharper than ever. And I can see so clearly, and my sense of smell? Next level. I catch an aroma of something delicious— roasted chicken, probably from the kitchen, which is pretty far from my room. My stomach growls in response. Great, now I’m hungry.But these new abilities are still very strange to me.I think about going to get some food, but the idea of running into Trix or Ryder makes me pause. Running into them again this morning?No thanks. I’d rather
× Dixie דWho does your Alpha think he is to command my movements?” I yelled at the guard in front of me.My voice echoed off the walls, propelling me to stand up. I was tired of being confined, treated like a prisoner.The guard, standing rigid and straight-faced, only nodded out of respect but didn’t budge an inch.His face remained expressionless, like a mask of obedience. I hate this.“I’m sorry, Luna, but I have strict orders. You are not allowed to leave the house or visit the pack’s hospital.”I clenched my fists,
× Dixie ×The sting of the slap is immediate and unexpected. I reel back, my hand flying to my cheek. "What the hell, Alvera?!"She tries to explain, her voice urgent. "Erm…Dixie, I’m sorry, but you were out of line. I just wanted to make you stop before you said something you’d regret."But I’m too angry to listen. "You think slapping me is going to solve anything? This is just proving my point about how messed up this place is!"Ryder steps in, his eyes cold. "You deserved it. You have no idea what you’re talking about, and you’re insulting everyone who’s worked hard to keep this pack safe."
× Trix × Hermes is completely distracted by his women. Scratch that, he is distracted by the flock of giggling, preening admirers that cling to his every word. It’s borderline pathetic, but he’s basking in the attention like a king on his throne. His weaknesses are so blatantly obvious, and it’s almost laughable. If this is what keeps him complacent and entertained, I’m tempted to encourage it. Still, watching their conversation feels like some kind of medieval torture. Each giggle, each flirtatious touch to his arm, drags this interaction out longer than it has any right to be.I try to ignore it, keeping my posture composed and my expression schooled into something that isn’t pure irritation. But let’s be real: these women have nothing on Dixie. Their attempts at flirtation are so shallow, so painfully transparent, it makes me want to roll my eyes all the way into the next century. It’s like watching a bad play, one that I’m forced to endure even though I didn’t buy a ticket.He
× Dixie × Trix is over there, standing face-to-face with the man who’s made his life, and by extension, my life miserable. The tension between them is so thick you could cut it with a knife. It’s honestly not the most pleasant sight to behold, and I have to admit, I’m feeling all kinds of things watching it unfold. Not that I care about Trix’s pack or anything. Because I don’t . Or, well, maybe I do. Okay, fine, I care about Trix now, and that’s new and weird and ugh , kind of sweet. There, I said it.The way he carries himself, all confident and commanding, even in front of the enemy, sends shivers down my spine. And not just because of the impending drama. The man has a presence that demands attention, and even though I’d never admit it to his face (his ego is big enough, thank you very much), it’s kind of… well, it’s kind of hot . The way his jaw clenches, the way his shoulders stay square and steady, it’s enough to make anyone a little weak in the knees. Not me, obviously. I’m
× 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.