Chapter 1 - Wedding Night

Trinity POV

Music fills the air, along with the cheers of the room full of guests.  The aroma of delicious food swirls around us, while the gold and black decorations sparkle under the lights, celebrating my wedding and symbolizing our names. 

I sit at the head table with my family and some of the wedding party as I scan the area.  I can’t hold back the wide smile and my laughter as I watch my silly but dashing husband dance.  His black tuxedo gives him that little extra flair to make him look like a model, and his shiny black hair shimmers under the strobe lights. 

Warmth fills my chest.  I’m the luckiest woman alive. 

But it doesn’t stop the nagging feeling I’ve had all day long.  I can’t put my finger on it.  Something just feels off. 

I’m probably just being paranoid after all the recent rogue attacks and scuffles we’ve had with other packs and the Lycans. 

I push the annoying feeling to the back of my mind. 

A young, cheery server walks up to the table in front of me.  With a bright smile, she hands me a drink.  “A glass of champagne for the bride.”

My smile falters a bit as I tilt my head and stare at the glass in her hand.  “Doesn’t the entire wedding party and family get a glass too?  I’m assuming this is for the upcoming toasts we are doing.”

Still smiling, she shakes her head.  “No.  I was instructed to only provide one glass to the bride and the other one to the groom.”

Only two glasses.  That is weird. 

She places the glass on the table in front of me and adds, “There will be another glass of a different champagne for the toasts.”

What?  That doesn’t make any sense. 

I tilt my head back in the other direction and look up at her.  “Why will you give me another glass?  One should be good enough.”

Her smile widens, and she shakes her head.  Her blonde ponytail sways from side to side.  “No.  I’ve been told the bride and groom must drink this glass first, before the champagne for the toast.”  She leans in and whispers, “I’ve been told this is for good luck.”

Good luck. 

Who in their right mind would put their judgement and future on some luck and, likely, a superstition?

I go to protest, but she turns and dashes away before I can say anything. 

The uneasy feeling I had earlier comes back.  My gaze goes back to the bubbly drink in front of me. 

My eyebrows furrow together as I contemplate whether to drink it. 

“Trinity!” 

My head whips up, and my gaze meets my husband’s dark eyes, which sparkle as he lifts his champagne glass in the air and motions for me to do the same.  The corner of his mouth curves upward, almost in a smirk.

Again, I push the uneasy feeling away.  This is my wedding.  What could possibly happen? 

A smile slides across my face, and I pick up the glass, leaning my head towards him.  His friend nudges his arm, and he spins around towards him.  He downs his glass in one go while continuing to dance and party. 

My hand slowly lowers back down to the table. 

My brother, beside me, nudges my arm.  “Aren’t you going to drink it?  The lady said it is to bring you good luck with your marriage.”

I glance to my side at him and pause for a moment.  Don’t tell me he believes in this, too.

“My dear sister, you better drink it if you want this position?  You have already agreed with father’s order to marry a man you don’t know and who isn’t your fated mate.  All for gaining the Alpha title.  Now see who is the greedy one.” 

He slowly looks me up and down.  A look of disgust fills his gaze.  “You are even using your body to please Drake, and in turn, you are using him to secure your title.”

What the heck?  I’m not using Drake to secure my position, nor am I using my body.  Even without the marriage, I would get the alpha title.  He knows that. 

I shake my head.  “Trent, father is doing what he thinks is the best for the pack and following our traditions.  He has ruled our pack for over thirty years, and he is still our Alpha.  I can’t help it if I was born first.”

I spin in my seat to face him.  His victorious look fuels my growing frustrations.  “If this marriage strengthens our alliance with Dark Moon pack, I will do whatever I can to improve our pack, as an Alpha heir.”  I pour all my growing irritation into my last two words, drilling home that I’m the heir.

I hate to be this petty, but he is pushing me to it.  Plus, he wouldn’t go to these extremes to make sure the pack grows and prospers.

His eyes narrow, and our eyes lock.  “You really believe that this farce of a marriage will improve our pack?  Ha.  Neither Drake nor his stupid pack would help us defend our land and people against the Lycan.  Lycans are beasts.  If they want to be in power, they can do it any time they want.  We need to gather our warriors and attack them immediately.  This is a waste of time playing around with some stupid wedding drama.”  

He will never learn.  You can’t go charging in on someone else’s land and attack them because you don’t like how they handle things, or you think they are a threat.  Now, if they do something to warrant a preemptive strike, that is a different story, but the Lycans haven’t done anything to us. 

He is basing his whole dislike for them on rumors.  As alphas, we can’t do anything because of a rumor.  We must have solid evidence first.

He knows this.

His eyes darken as he leans in towards me and hisses, “You know what Drake will do after marrying you, the alpha heir?” 

I meet his glare and return one of my own.  “I’m sure you will tell me.”

His upper lip twitches as he growls, “Sacrifice our pack for his!”

He grabs his short tumbler glass half full of a dark liquid and downs it in one gulp.  The smell of whiskey drifts in between us.  He tightens his grip around the tumbler and almost slams it back down on the table while we continue our silent staring war.   

With a grunt, he bolts up and storms out of the hall. 

I watch him disappear through the far doors, hoping it will ease my frustrations, but it doesn’t. 

Why does he have to be like this? 

I know he was hoping father would ignore our tradition of the firstborn being the heir and select him instead, but father didn’t.  He upheld our customs and announce me as the alpha heir. 

This is also the first time in our pack’s history an alpha has had a girl as his firstborn.  For generations, the alphas have only had boy pups.  The pack was so surprised when my father announced I was a girl.  The elders immediately began combing through the ancient texts and journals, looking for another incident of this happening before, but they couldn’t find one.    

Throughout my childhood, an uncertainty has hung over me.  Will I actually become the next alpha?

I know my existence deprives Trent of his alpha future.  But as a leader, Trent is too young and warlike.  Father knows my brother would lead our warriors to challenge the Lycans once he was in power, but our pack doesn’t have enough soldiers to win a battle on that magnitude.  The Lycans would outnumber us 10 to 1.  Plus, they are stronger and better fighters than us.

We would lose everything.   

I scoot my chair back and glance around the table at the others.  “I think I need some air.  If anyone needs me, I’ll be outside on the patio.”

My eyes drop to the champagne glass.  Should I take it? 

Well, Drake has already drank his. 

The young lady’s words dance in my head.  It is for good luck. 

I sigh. 

There is nothing to lose. 

Without thinking about it again, I take the glass and walk away. 

Maybe someday, Trent will mature enough to understand you must think about the pack first, instead of yourself and your own needs, even on your wedding day. 

As soon as I step out the door and onto the patio, I take a deep breath, letting the cool night air fill my lungs.  A soft breeze whips around me, making the satin white fabric of my wedding dress flutter, while the cool air tickles my bare arms and shoulders. 

I empty my mind and enjoy the calmness as I walk across the small patio to the metal railing.  With the champagne glass still in my grasp, I stop and look up at the clear night sky.  A quarter of the moon shines bright, almost twinkling. 

Am I doing the right thing? 

I hope the moon goddess agrees with my decision. 

I glance back over my shoulder and look into the ballroom through the glass panes in the door.  Everyone is still having fun and enjoying themselves.  No one even knows I’m outside. 

The door suddenly opens, and my best friend Bethany walks outside in her beautiful flowing royal blue maid of honor dress with a large bag slung over her shoulder.  “I thought I would find out here.  I’ve brought the bag you asked for.  Why do you need a change of clothes at your wedding?  It doesn’t make any sense.”

I snort and shake my head.  “Just to be on the safe side.  Thanks.  I greatly appreciate it.  Plus, this big wedding dress is starting to get uncomfortable.  A pair of jeans sounds so much better right now.”

She shakes her head.  “Can you not be in alpha mode for once?  This is your wedding, and you should be enjoying it.”

I shrug my shoulders and take the bag from her.  “I can’t help it.  It won’t be long, and I’ll be the Alpha.”

She spins around and leans up against the railing.  “It feels so weird having a female alpha.  I keep wanting to call you luna instead of alpha.  I’m sure I’m not alone either.”

I nod.  “I’m sure you aren’t, but I’m the firstborn and it is tradition.  The moon goddess has a reason for this, but we won’t know right now.  In time, it will become clear.”

A faint, distant howl rings out. 

I stiffen and stand tall, perking my ears and straining to hear it again. 

A few seconds later, another faint howl rings out. 

My heart slams hard against my chest.  I whip my head around and stare at Bethany’s wide eyes. 

Nothing is coming through the pack link, but I know what I’m hearing.  That is our call when there is an intruder or someone has been attacked. 

I guzzle down the champagne and set the glass on the railing before I dart to the side of the building behind some tall shrubs.  Within seconds, I’m out of the dress and have shifted into my wolf.  I stop for only a moment and give Bethany a look before I bolt off into the forest with the bag slung around my neck.   

I dart around the trees and over boulders as fast as I can.  Every few minutes, the faint howl rings out again. 

The hotel and the city disappear behind me. 

I knew this was going to happen.  Why didn’t I pay attention to that annoying uneasy feeling I’ve had all day? 

Keeping my focus on the forest in front of me, I dodge around a low-lying branch and jump over a fallen tree.

The distinct howl rings out again, but this time it is behind me. 

My paws dig into the soil, and I come to an abrupt halt. 

Wait.  I know I haven’t run past it yet.  I’m fast, but not that fast.  I haven’t been running for that long. 

I spin around and catapult forward, but I only take a few steps before a group of werewolves jump out of the brush and block my path. 

What the heck? 

They are my own pack members. 

Before I have time to figure out what is happening, they lunge forward and attack me.