× Trix ×
“I kinda understand why you'd hide that, but I can't believe there's a girl who didn't fall for the great o' Trix,” Eva teases me.
“Come on, that's a good thing. I don't want to make another woman obsessed over me like you already are,” I throw back at her. “Hey, are you sure what you did is working?” I ask, noticing how the hand with the rune is swelling. “Check that arm, Eva. I think it's swelling up.”
We stand beside the bed where Dixie lies while we talk. Eva goes over to the other side of the bed, where Dixie's palm bears the rune.
“Ouch!” As soon as Eva touches Dixie's arm, she pulls back, yelping in pain.
“What's wrong, Eva?”
“She’s burning up, like literally burning up. Oh goddess, help us. Her condition is beyond drinking from the blessed waters,&
× Dixie ×When I fall unconscious, I don’t just fall into the dark abyss of sleep; I fall into a different world as well. At first, I see myself in a world filled with darkness. Nothing but color black.Slowly, the darkness fades, starting from the sky. The dark empty horizon then forms into tangible things like trees, mountains, and a large bright sky filled with clouds and birds flying from a distance. Right before me is a gentle water stream falling from a height a little above mine.I look down to see that my legs are deep in a stream, with continuously flowing water reaching my knees. Though the water is cool, every part of my body feels warm. In fact, I’m sweating.How strange.Walking out of the river, I notice how the world is far different from modern times. It’s like I’ve fallen into a forest. The scent of wet ground after a downpour
× Dixie דThey fight many battles together to protect the pack. The Nardoos shiver in fear when they hear their names, and the rogues avoid them at all costs. They hide in caves to stay alive and avoid ending up dead at either Wilshire or Delreau's hands,” the man continues the story.“Together, they usher in an era of peace,” his voice is deep and smooth as velvet. “But that peace is short-lived when Delreau breaks a sacred law.”“What does he do?” I ask, hoping to hear something cruel like killing a fellow werewolf of the pack or destroying the temple of the moon goddess, but that’s not it. The so-called crime is something harmless.“He mates with a human,” the man says.“What? Is that it? Is that the crime that’s so vile?” I ask incredulously.“At that ti
× Trix ×I sit in my seat, relaxed as I watch other council members agree with Mr. Clyde Rahl, the troublemaker. Seeing his supporters agree with what he says, he continues.“We understand that the rune is necessary in waking up the sleeping Bamboo alpha, the only one who can remove every trace of rogues in the world. If that is the human's only use, that is not a guarantee that she can be a strong Luna. I mean, she literally just fainted not too long ago, Your Majesty.” With all audacity, Mr. Rahl says, and the hall immediately fills with chatter, everyone voicing their opinions all at once."Silence.” I only have to say it once, and the hall goes quiet. “You can sit, Rahl. You are, after all, a concerned councilman, speaking on behalf of my people,” I say, nodding my head in agreement with a blood-curdling smile that says otherwise. I stand up from my seat.
× Dixie ×The place we enter is filled with nothing but grey. The sky is dark and heavy like a storm is coming. From where I stand to the horizon, all I see are dead bodies, burning huts, and weapons sticking firmly into people's bodies. It looks like a battleground.“This is a pack territory that turns into a battleground,” the storyteller confirms my thoughts. “It’s more of a slaughter. At one point, everyone here is alive, going about their day, and then the rogues come. They come in numbers, killing anyone in sight. This is a pack after a rogue attack.”Looking around, my gaze falls on a little boy who is shredded to pieces. My hands shake as I struggle with the reality of how a child can be so brutally killed. I look away, shaking. Seeing dead bodies reminds me of my parents. “Take me out of here,” I look up at the warrior with tears gathering in my eyes, threate
× Dixie ×When I'm pushed back to reality, the first thing that hits me is the aroma of bacon. The warm air also carries the scent of chips and that of a man I know. Blinking repeatedly, I try to adjust my vision as it’s blurry. The last place I had been in had a bright sky with dead people on the ground, but upon waking up, I find myself on a soft bed in a dark room. That's the first thing, aside from the aroma, that I notice.While I'm still taking in my environment, someone suddenly hugs me. “Thank the goddess, you are alright.” I can feel the relief he feels. I know for a fact that it’s genuine. His voice comes out deep and calming. His scent is familiar. I didn't know I missed it until I had it again. It takes me a while for my senses to register that it’s Trix hugging me.“What the fuck? Since when did we start hugging?” I push him away, glaring at him even though he looks back at me with a smile.“I'm glad you are alright.” Again, I feel it in my chest that what he says is true
× Trix ×If only Dixie knows what she does to me every time she looks at me like that. That’s the frustrating part! I feel the attraction from the bond more than she ever will. I have to mask it all every single time so she won’t see me as a freak. I’d rather be called a 'bully' than a 'freak' any day.“Seriously, I don’t get you. What’s the catch? If I remember correctly, you’re so against me having some freedom,” Dixie says, switching on her bitchy attitude.“You act like I choose to be around you,” I blurt out. “You have what my pack needs, and I know you have a knack for attracting trouble. That’s why I have to make sure you’re protected all the time. If I let you go to your grandma’s place by yourself, I give you five minutes before you land in some big shit.”“I’m an adult,” she says so boldly that I laugh. “Please, tell me, what part of grown?”“Asshole!” she spits out before getting out of the bed. She gets a little dizzy when she tries to walk abruptly. At that moment, every
× Dixie ×As always, Trix finds a way to escape answering my question. I throw a glare at him before getting out of the car and slamming it shut.“Be careful, silly. Don’t take out your bitchy attitude on my car,” he yells from the car. Ignoring him, I head straight to the front porch and knock on the door. Grandma should still be awake; she never sleeps early.I can still see the lights are on inside. She’s probably watching TV. I knock again. This time, I hear her yell from a distance, “Who’s disturbing my peace at this time of day?” Her words are followed by a string of curses and threats if the knocking is a prank.“Gran gran, it’s me,” I almost yell, but it seems like she doesn’t hear me. It isn’t until she opens the door and sees me.“Gran gran! It’s so good to see you.” I hug her immediately. “I missed you.” Though I have my arms wrapped around her, she just stands there, stiff, without saying a word or hugging back. When she finally speaks, it’s with a hint of worry in her voi
× Dixie דNo, Gran gran. I don't mean to put myself in danger,” I try to explain to my grandma, but she's not having it.“What do you think you're going to achieve by going out on your own?” Gran gran asks before continuing, “When you were young and hidden from this dangerous world of ours, I was able to protect you from human problems, but now I can't. The only one who can is your mate, Trix.” I feel like she’s not listening to me, so I explain again.“I’m on my own, Gran gran. I’m just getting out of the hospital—” She cuts me off before I can explain.“Hospital?” she exclaims. “How...”“Gran gran, please listen. I end up in the hospital because of this rune in my hand, but that’s not the point now.” I take a deep breath before explaining. “I simply want to take a walk out of the room. I’m on my own. I don’t do anything. Then this crazy werewolf comes at me, pursuing me like I’m some criminal. It says I’m the one responsible for something I didn't do. Trix did it! Not me!”“You’re
× 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.