× Trix ×I'm sorry but I can't do that. I can’t stop. My mind’s spiraling, every worst-case scenario playing out like a horror movie in my head.“Or what if... what if Ryder’s already dead, and they’re just pretending he’s alive to mess with us? They could be using his identity, sending fake messages to lure us in. We could be walking right into a trap—”“Trix!” Alvera cuts me off, her voice sharp. “He’s not dead. And no, they’re not sending fake messages. We’ve confirmed his capture through multiple sources. Now can you please calm down?”It is not my fault to think of this. And trust me, I do not wish that he is.“You’re sure? Like, completely sure?” I just had to ask.“Yes, Trix. Completely sure,” she says through gritted teeth. “You’re acting like this is some grand conspiracy when it’s rea
× Trix דWell, at least you’re all finally talking sense. Took long enough.” Alvera says.“Let’s just make sure that whatever we do, it’s fast,” I say, my voice steady but firm. “I don’t want to lose anyone else.”There’s a murmur of agreement around the table, and for once, it feels like we’re on the same page.Alvera shoots me a glance, raising an eyebrow. “Well, that went better than expected.”I nod. Not knowing what elsw to say.One of the elders now stands up slowly, adjusting his robes like he’s about to drop some ancient wisdom on us all. I can already feel it in my bones, this is about to be some wild suggestion.“Everything we’ve discussed sounds reasonable,” he starts. “But I believe this will only bring more grievances. More conflict. Why not have Alpha Trix attend the Nardoos’ ball nex
× Trix ×I get it, I really do. They’re all scared. Scared of the Nardoos. Scared of what comes next. But this? Sending me off to some fancy masked ball like I’m auditioning for the next season of “Werewolves of Wall Street” isn’t the answer.“Okay, let’s pretend for a second that I do this,” I say, my voice cutting through the chaos and sarcasm in the room. “Let’s say I attend this ball, masked, guised, whatever. What happens when they find out who I am? What happens when they recognize me?”The elder doesn’t miss a beat. “That’s why it has to be foolproof. Your disguise, your cover story, wverything needs to be airtight.”“And who’s going to help with that?” Drenna asks, her tone is too sharp. “Because last time I checked, none of us here are professional spies.”“Or tailors,” someone adds in from the back.Ap
× Dixie ×The smell of antiseptic still lingers in my nose, and I swear it’s going to haunt me for the rest of my life.Hospitals and I? We’ve never vibed. Even when I was a kid, the sterile walls and cold lights gave me the creeps. So the second they finished patching me up, I put my foot down, Luna privileges or not, I was not staying another minute in that place.And now, here I am, back in my room. Thank the stars.I flop onto my bed, wincing just a bit because, yeah, my body is still screaming from the snake bite.But honestly, it’s not the pain that’s occupying my thoughts. No, it’s him .Trix. That moment before everything went sideways… when he was so close, tending to my wound, his touch more gentle than I ever imagined. It was… intimate.And I hate to admit it, but I didn’t hate
× Dixie × He laughs, that sarcastic edge back in his voice. “Me? Dramatic? Never.”I glance at his lips, then back up to his eyes, wondering if he notices how close we are. How easy it would be for me to just close the gap.Instead, I lean into him again, my head resting on his shoulder, and the world quiets down for a second. Trix shifts in a way that's comfortable for me to lean on his shoulder, his shoulder brushing against mine in the process, and I can tell by the way he’s looking at me that he’s about to say something stupid.“So... have you eaten?” he asks, a playful glint in his eyes.I groan, rolling my head back a little. “I just got back from that boring hospital, remember? And the last thing I had was that weird meal they gave me. Haven’t touched anything since.”He smirks, leaning in slightly like he’s about to share some big secret. “Well, in that case, I suggest we call for food.”“Yeah, sure,” I say, “just as long as whatever we get isn’t horrible. I don’t think I ca
× Trix × As I’m walking down the hallway toward my room, I feel lighter than I’ve felt in a long time. I don’t know what it is, but something about today... no, something about being with Dixie, it’s just lifted something like tension off my shoulders. I’m barely paying attention when I round the corner and BAM I practically crash into Alvera. She seems to be in hurry right now. “Oh great,” I mutter, rubbing my arm from the impact. “Just the person I was hoping not to see.”She rolls her eyes at me, folding her arms across her chest. “Wow, charming as always, Trix.”*I’m serious though. I’m starting to think you live in these hallways, just waiting for me to pass by. It’s getting creepy.”Alvera raises a brow, her lips forming into a smirk. “Or maybe you’re just obsessed with running into me, ever think about that?”“Please,” I scoff, shaking my head. “If I never saw your face again, it’d be too soon.”She gasps, hand over her heart like I just mortally wounded her. “Wow. That’s co
× Trix × “Sure, sure,” she says, clearly enjoying this way too much. “Anyway, back to business. This P.O. Box thing... we should be careful. If it’s a trap, we don’t want to walk into it blindly.”I nod, my mind shifting gears like an automated car. “Yeah, I figured as much. That’s why I’m coming with you.”Alvera gives me a side-eye. “Oh, so now you’re Mr. Cautious? Where was this energy when you let Dixie wander into the woods and get bitten by a snake?”“Okay, first of all,” I say, narrowing my eyes at her, “I didn’t let her do anything. She’s her own person. And second, I warned her about it, remember?”“Yeah, and look how well that turned out.”I roll my eyes. “Can we focus, please?”She shrugs. “Fine, fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you if this whole thing turns into a mess.”Again, Alvera breaks the silence with a sigh. “You know, you really should learn to trust me more.”I raise an eyebrow. “Trust you? I do trust you.”“Do you though?” she asks, her tone serious now. “Beca
× Dixie × I stay lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling, feeling that familiar weight of boredom settle over me. Another day stuck in this house, in this territory where everyone looks at me like I don’t belong. Which, like, okay, maybe I don’t. But they don’t have to make it so obvious. It’s like they all think I’m some fragile outsider who can’t handle the fact that I’m human and not a werewolf like them. Honestly, I couldn’t care less about what they think.But still… it doesn’t exactly make me want to, you know, mingle.I roll onto my side, grabbing my phone, but the signal here is trash, so I can’t even doomscroll through my socials like a normal person. Ugh. This place sucks. It’s like being in the middle of nowhere with wolves judging you and no Wi-Fi. Fantastic. If I had known it was gonna be like this, I might’ve thought twice about agreeing to stay. And yet, it’s not all bad. Somehow,bsomehow this place has become bearable. Or, okay, maybe just a little less miserable
× 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.