Chapter 7 The recollection of the past

Triana felt a tightening in her chest. It was as if a massive boulder was pressing her down. She felt like she couldn’t breathe properly. Some unpleasant scenes from the past crossed her mind.

Flashback…

Triana turned left and right, staring at herself in the vanity mirror. She ran her slender fingers across the round neckline of her white gown, her eyes moving down to her sternum. It was a well-fitting gown that elegantly emphasized her breasts. Her arms were only covered to just below her shoulders, displaying her smooth skin.

The dress’s waist was a snug fit. Below the waist, it widened and had a box pleated style. The hem of her dress fell just below her knees.

She put her hands on her flat belly and checked the dress.

"Perfect," she muttered, a smile slipping across her lips.

It was a significant day for Triana. She was going to attend a crucial pack meeting. All the pack's elders and important members were coming. She decided to announce her relationship with her warrior boyfriend, Bruno. She intended to inform the elders that she would be marrying Bruno soon.

Knock-Knock…

"Come in," she called out.

A maid entered and bowed, "Alpha. This is for you." She handed her a letter.

Triana took the letter and frowned a little. "What is it?" She asked her eyes on the letter.

"Warrior Bruno sends this to you," the maid replied.

Triana’s lips curled into a smile when she heard it was from Bruno.

"You can leave." She waved her hand, signaling her to leave.

Triana hurriedly opened the letter as soon as the maid left and began to read.

‘Come to the backyard. I have something to tell you.’

Triana closed the letter with a sheepish grin on her face. She hurried out of her room without wasting a second. She ran into the old beta on her way down the hallway.

"Where are you going, alpha? The meeting is about to start?"

"I’ll be back soon," Triana said without stopping her steps.

She raced to the backyard, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. Her smile never left her face. She came to a halt by the rose garden and took a look around. This was the usual meeting place for her and Bruno. She wondered where he was.

‘He hasn't come yet?’

In the meantime, she heard something slithering on the other side of the backyard. She turned to look at the source of the noise, her eyebrows furrowing. Her ears perked up as she suspected some rogues had infiltrated the territory. She took a few cautious steps forward. As she moved further, she spotted Bruno kissing Helena, her best friend.

The letter slid from her grasp and landed on the floor. Triana froze on the track, watching them in a trance. Her eyes glistened with tears. She adored this man, but he was having an affair with her best friend.

"Bruno…" she shouted.

They broke free in an instant and looked at her.

"You two…" Triana wanted to chastise them but couldn't find the words.

"Triana… look, I’m sorry," Helena said as she rushed up to her.

Triana turned around and fled.

End of flashback…

The image of Bruno and Helena kissing lingered in Triana's mind. This painful remembrance brought tears to her eyes.

That day, she experienced heartbreak. It was the same day the old beta and the elders accused her of being a weak alpha incapable of protecting the pack from enemy attacks. Those people conspired against her to take her down from her position and declare Bruno as their alpha. When she opposed it, they cast her out of the pack.

Triana pursed her lips into a thin line as she fought the urge to cry. Yet she couldn’t stop the tears from falling.

Blaze felt a stabbing pain in his heart when he watched her cry. He wished he could kiss her tears away. He had just learned that Triana was the former alpha of the silver pack. But he had no idea why she had abandoned her pack and gone wild. He wanted to know everything. Yet, he refrained from asking her any further questions.

This was not the right time. He'd figure it all out afterward. At this point, all he wanted to do was hug her and console her. He wished he could take all her pain away. At the same time, he didn’t want to scare her. He realized she was his second mate. But Triana couldn’t feel the pull as her mate bond with her ex-boyfriend hadn't been completely severed.

"Triana…" Blaze murmured, reaching out to wipe her tears.

Triana blocked his hand and snatched the letter from him. In a flash, she tore the letter into many pieces without even looking at what was written on it. The anguish in her eyes turned into rage within a matter of a few seconds. She dumped the pieces of paper into the trash.

Her sudden change in demeanor took Blaze by surprise. He took a quick look at the trash can, then looked back at her. "Why did you tear it up?" he asked with astonishment. "You didn’t even check it. Don't you want to know what that letter was about?"

"No, I don’t," Triana retorted fiercely. She walked past him towards the French window. She wiped the tears ruthlessly with the back of her hand and stood there with her arms crossed over her chest, looking outside.

The enormous training ground was visible from here. The warriors were deep into combat practice. This reminded her of her training sessions with Bruno.

All the bittersweet memories of the past rushed through her mind. Triana grew increasingly restless. During these days, she put on a brave face, pretending that nothing had happened. She kept telling herself that she was okay and that she would fight back. But she had been gradually breaking down from the inside. Recollection of the past made her realize how vulnerable and lonely she was.

"Have some water." Blaze held a glass of water in front of her face.

Triana eyed the glass and then stole a glance at him. She took the glass and drank a few mouthfuls of water. She blinked her tears off and turned to him with a scowl on her face. She slammed the glass down on the side table. A few drops of water were sprinkled around.

"What are you trying to do?" She asked in a cold tone. "Why are you showing care for me all of a sudden? What is on your mind?"

"Look, Triana…" Blaze stood firmly in front of her. "I know you are not a rogue. I want to help you. But you need to tell me everything about you."

Triana stared straight into his eyes with a squint. "Why do you want to know about me? Are you planning to send me back?"

"Listen…"

"You, listen to me," Triana snapped, holding up her index finger. She shook her head and affirmed, "I’m not going back to the Black Moon pack. I prefer staying as a lone wolf. I'd rather be torn apart by the rogues instead of going back." She kept her sharp gaze on him, her chest undulating rapidly.

"This is not what I mean," Blaze grunted, turning aside. "I won’t let the rogues hurt you." He glanced back at her over his shoulder. He let out a profound sigh as he said, "But the rule is the rule. I have no reason to confine or keep you here," he said as he turned back to face her, "unless you publicly express your interest in joining my pack."

"Join your pack!" Triana repeated those words with utter bewilderment. Her pupils dilated as she gaped at him. She wondered what had prompted him to change his mind about her so abruptly.

"Do you have bipolar disorder?" She asked after some time, still perplexed. "You accused me of being a rogue and threw me into the dungeon. What happened overnight that caused you to change your mind?"

"Because I…" ‘have realized that you are my second mate.’ Blaze wanted to say this. But the rest of the words remained stuck in his throat. "Because I understood you are not a rogue," he murmured, holding her gaze. "You are courageous, Triana. Rogues don’t have this quality. I brought you here to get to know you better. I possibly couldn’t think about hurting the person who saved me."

He averted his gaze and peered out the French window. "You are powerful, astute, and bold. I'd be delighted if you joined my pack."

Triana looked at him, trying to make sense of what he was saying. She didn't want to believe him. Yet she found his proposition appealing. Right now, she had no place to go. She had no intention of going back to the Black Moon pack. She would end up among the rogues who would tear her apart if she left the Blood pack. This thought brought her right back to the time when the three rogues tried to sexually assault her.

Triana felt a chill on her back. She swallowed the lump in her throat and murmured under her breath, ‘I don’t want to get raped by those mutts.’

She thought staying here was the best option. She nodded and said, "I’ll stay here."