× 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 ×The air is frigid as we make our way to the safe house. It’s like walking through a storm, even though the sky is clear. It’s not the weather. It’s her. Dixie. She’s wrapped in a coldness I can’t penetrate, and it hits me harder than the biting chill in the air.Falling into the pond has got me so wet and a bit cold but her attitude is way colder.We don’t speak. Not that I expect her to. She hasn’t said a word since we landed asides ‘I'm fine’. And I get it. I get why she’s upset, angry ,hell, I probably deserve all of it. But it doesn’t make it any easier to deal with. There’s this thick wall between us, and I can feel it with every step I take beside her.I try to offer her comfort, but I can’t even do that without her shutting me down. She doesn’
× Dixie ×I can't breathe. The jet is shaking so violently, it's like it's alive, thrashing against its own destruction. The walls are vibrating under the pressure, the floor beneath me feels like it's going to give way any second.Every breath I take feels like a struggle, like the air’s been sucked out of this goddamn plane. I want to scream, to let it out, but I can't. All that comes out is a choked sob that I barely even hear over the noise of the plane.My whole body is shaking.I can’t do this.I can’t jump.The thought hits me like a ton of bricks. I can’t even wrap my mind around it. The air is so thin up here, and the thought of throwing myself out of this tiny jet ,no, it’s not even a thought, it’s a nightmare.Heigh
× Trix ×One of the guards, his face pale as death, looks at me with wide eyes. "The pilot... he’s been sniped."My stomach drops like a stone. What the hell?I move before I can think. “Check the systems,” I bark, my voice a razor-sharp command. But even as I speak, I know it’s pointless. The damage is done. Our pilot’s gone. The jet’s flying itself, and we’re at the mercy of whoever did this.I hear the low hum of frantic voices in the background. The guards are trying to figure out what happened, but it doesn’t take long for the panic to spread through the cabin. The guards and a few helps start whispering. Some start standing, trying to move toward the exits, but I don’t have time for any of that. I need to keep them together. I need to control the chaos."Q
× Trix דI hate you!” she screams, her fists pounding against my chest again. It’s weak. Pathetic. But I know the meaning behind every hit, every word. “I hate you for doing this to me.”The words are like daggers in my chest. I can’t help it. They hurt. But I force myself to stay calm, to keep my hands steady.“I don’t give a damn if you hate me,” I say, my voice shaking with an emotion I won’t let her see. “But you’re coming with me. Whether you want to or not.”She tries again to break free, her body tense with anger, but I tighten my grip on her, pulling her away from the door.“Let me go!” she cries out, struggling in my arms, kicking at me, clawing at me. But nothing works.“I’m not letting you
× Trix × A few minutes pass before Alvera returns, and I already know what she’s about to say before she opens her mouth. “She’s refusing to leave,” Alvera says, her voice low but clear. Her eyes flicker with concern, but there’s no hesitation. “She doesn’t want to go with you.”I grit my teeth. "I figured as much," I mutter. A storm brews in my chest, but I force myself to stay composed, to keep my cool. "I’m going to get her myself." Alvera nods, stepping aside as I move past her. I can feel the anger burning behind my eyes, but I suppress it. This isn’t the time for rage. Not now. But damn it, I need her to understand. I march down the hall, my mind racing with the thought of what might happen if I can’t get her to understand. If I can’t make her see reason. I know how stubborn she is, how her heart’s set in its ways. But right now, I need her to see that this isn’t about trust anymore. It’s about survival. I reach her door, my knuckles rapping against it sharply. "Dixie," I
× Trix ×Stunned. I stare at Salcom, my blood boiling beneath the surface, every muscle in my body coiled tight. He’s playing his games again, twisting the moment to fit his narrative, and I’m already tired of it. Exhausted by the dance, the posturing, the damn theatrics he always loved. I don't ask him anything else. No more questions. I won’t give him the satisfaction. I know his tricks, his manipulations ,the way he thrives on pulling strings and watching people squirm. I won’t be his puppet. But then, with that oily smirk plastered across his face, he opens his mouth, and the words that come out hit like a sucker punch.“I’m here to issue an ultimatum,” he says, his tone shifting, a faux casualness that screams deception. An ultimatum? My instincts are already screaming that it’s a lie. Every syllable drips with calculated intent, a setup waiting to ensnare. My eyes narrow, heart pounding in my chest. “What ultimatum?” I ask, my voice low, dangerous. His eyes gleam, feeding o
× Salcom ×The energy is electric , dangerous, inviting, almost intoxicating. This baby girl , standing there with fire in her eyes and betrayal written across her face, has no idea what she’s radiating. Just by looking at her, I can tell. The connection is undeniable. Her bond with Trix pulses in the air, something primal, something sacred ,and that’s what makes it delicious. Fragile things always shatter so beautifully.I take a step closer, and the chaos around them fades. Pack members are still scattered, watching, whispering, but I barely hear them. All I see is her. The way she holds herself, defiant yet trembling, like a candle flickering in a storm. Who would’ve thought this was the one who could unravel him? Trix, the almighty Alpha, brought to his knees by a human. I almost laugh. Fate really does have a twisted sense of humor.And Trix? Oh, he’s trying so hard to play it cool. Standing there, fists clenched, that classic scowl plastered on his face. But I see it ,the flic
× Trix ×What? Salcom?The name alone sends a chill down my spine, like ice-cold claws raking through my veins. I freeze for a split second, but in that moment, everything around me seems to slow. The noise of the pack, the murmurs, the anger ,it all fades to a low hum, like I’m underwater.All I can focus on is the figure standing there. Salcom.He’s the last person I expect to see here, and the look in his eyes, that predatory glint, is more than enough to send alarms blaring in my head.Why is he here?
× Dixie דI never loved her,” he says again, his voice hard. Final. Like a door slamming shut.I flinch. I can’t help it. Each repetition is a reminder, a confirmation of every fear I’ve ever had.Why does it hurt so much? I knew this. Deep down, I knew. The whispers, the rushed marriage, the way he always kept me at arm’s length. It was never about love. It was strategy. A means to an end.But hearing it. God, hearing it is something else.The crowd is eating it up. I can feel their relief, their satisfaction. They wanted this. They wanted him to put me in my p