Trinity POVThe pain in Lance’s voice stabs me right through the heart. He is hurting and so am I. My wolf catapults forward. “Let him in. I’ve told you Lycans aren’t to be feared, no matter what you’ve been told or believe. They aren’t your enemy. Many other things are, but they aren’t. If there is a term for them which you would understand, it would be a peacekeeper. They are like the big brother protectively watching over their younger siblings, and if anyone causes trouble, they are right there to handle it and keep the peace. They aren’t out to harm you. Lance is your mate. He only loves you. You have to believe in your heart and in me. You know I’m telling you the truth.”My heart wants nothing more than to open this door and jump into his comforting embrace, but my mind keeps going back to what I’ve been told all my life. Granted, it wasn’t my father who told me these things, but others within the pack. The pack wouldn’t have any reason to lie to me. Right?The p
Trinity POVI fidget with my fingers as I sit on the bed and nervously look beside me at Lance and then next to him at the King. Lance had said he would tell me everything, but I’ve had to wait a full day for it. I’ve been a mess, stewing and worrying about what my mate is going to tell me. To pass the time, I’ve also been trying to put the puzzle pieces together to figure it out on my own, but it has been a failed attempt.Lance has promised me the truth isn’t anything bad, but I need to not react too much to it. What does he mean by that? It only pushes my uncertainties and concern higher. I swallow the lump in my throat and hesitantly ask, “What is the truth? I know you are a lycan instead of werewolf and your blood healed me. What else is there for me to know?”Lance glances at the King, who gives him a nod. My mate turns his attention back to me and slides closer to me. He cups my hand in his as he clears his throat. My uneasy feeling grows stronger, while I stare at m
Lance POV“So, it seems her highness has taken the rest of your truth rather easy compared to learning the initial fact of you being a lycan.”My mind flashes back to the other day and our conversation with my father. Luckily, Trinity didn’t run away or become hysterical. I had thanked the moon goddess for keeping my mate calm and willing to listen to everything. I could see her mind churning and questions bubbling up, but she asked nothing. The only things she had talked about were what will happen now within our people. We discussed what will happen after the investigation is done and explained we would personally oversee her pack, so her pack isn’t left without a leader or an alpha. She seemed to be fine with it.As I hold my arm out for the doctor so he can draw some blood, I nod. “Yes. Now, we need to know she is safe, and we can make the announcement.” We need to do more than make an announcement to our people, though, but that will be a discussion with my father and Tri
Alpha Edward POV “What! My daughter hadn’t signed the marriage certificate! How can this be possible? I asked them at the reception and Drake told me it was done!” Rage boils up within me as I snarl at the two council members sitting across the desk from me. They must be wrong. This can’t be true. The older woman shakes her head. “Sorry, Alpha Edward, but we have confirmed it with the officiant of the ceremony. The two were going to sign the documents after the reception, but as you know, your daughter disappeared before that could happen.” This can’t be true. It must be some kind of lie. Someone is lying. The older woman stares at me. I meet her gaze, hoping to find something off, but I see nothing but sincerity in her eyes. The older man nods. “We have verified it through multiple sources. Our problem though is we can’t find the person who pushed for it. Each person involved has pointed their finger to someone else, and we can’t find the true instigator.” My ha
Trinity POVI stare at the end of my bed and the doctor. What did he say? I don’t think I heard him right. He grins and nods. “You heard me correctly, your highness. The test came back positive. You’re pregnant.”His gray hazel eyes sparkle as he eagerly stares at me. I know he is waiting for my response, but I don’t know what to say. The issue with my marriage hasn’t been resolved. The investigation is still ongoing, and there is still one or a group of people out there wanting to end my life. How can I be overly excited about putting another life at risk? My wolf howls in delight while I’m stuck wondering if it is alright not to be happy when the baby’s life is in danger, just like mine. My mouth instantly dries up, and anything I want to say gets stuck. Fear seeps up around me and pushes my joy and excitement to the side. The doctor instantly is beside me. “Your highness, what is wrong? Why are you crying? The look in your eyes doesn’t look like tears of joy.”I don
Alpha Edward POVMy anger bubbles just under the surface as I scan the table. I’ve decided to have a private meal with everyone listed on the council’s reports and include my high-ranking officials, too. A few of the officials’ subordinates were listed. But I can’t show my cards yet. I must keep it hidden until I know for sure who has done this to my daughter and the pack. My gaze stops on Bethany, my daughter’s best friend. Her normal happy-go-lucky expression is there, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. Keeping my emotions under wraps, I calmly ask, “Bethany, I’m sorry your parents couldn’t join us. With everything going on in the pack, I thought it would be a good time to relax and try to unwind like we’ve done in the past, while including my new son-in-law so he knows what to do in the future.”For a moment, she stiffens, but quickly relaxes again. She looks up from her plate with a spoon in her hand. A look of something flickers through her eyes, but I can’t quite place it. “
Bethany POVI gather all my energy together to keep myself from violently shaking as I stare at Alpha Edward. His question roles around in my mind, but how can I answer it? Do I have any other option than to tell the truth? I’m sure the council has provided him with all the information they have gathered, but he has never mistreated me. He has often told me I’m like another daughter to him. I swallow the lump in my throat and slowly shake my head. In a mousy voice, I timidly answer. “Trent wasn’t there. As a group, we decided to have some fun first and to sign the documents later.”I nibble the inside of my lower lip and stare at the alpha, hoping he will leave it at this and not ask any more questions. After what seems like an entirety, he finally nods. “Okay.” He turns back towards Drake. “So, why would you ask or even think of postponing the signatures? Everyone knows things aren’t finalized on a contract until all signatures are present.”The Alpha gives Drake a sharp
Alpha Edward POV“What! The King is coming. Now? No one told me they were coming.” I sit upright in my desk chair as my beta, through our pack link, relays the information the checkpoint has told him. My heart races and then an idea pops up. Is he coming to tell me Trinity is fine will be back here soon? But why would the King come here? He could have called instead.Unsure, my panic evaporates and is replaced with a hint of excitement. My daughter might come home. The pack will be so happy. I push myself away from the desk and, with a spring in my step, I dash out of my office towards the entrance of the pack house. For once, I can’t hide the slight smile dancing around on my face. If I’m right, my daughter will be home soon.A couple of black SUVs pull up in front of the building just as I burst through the front door. My beta and other high-ranking officials are standing at attention outside the building along both sides of the sidewalk.I take a deep breath and force m
Trinity POV *** Two years later *** “You look amazing.” A smile erupts from me as I turn and face my parents and brother while they walk into the bedroom. Bright smiles adorn my parents’ faces and my brother cracks a small grin, which I’m still not used to seeing. Through the years growing up, he usually would carry a look of frustration and irritation when dealing with me. But now, he has slowly won the pack over, and they have accepted him as the pack’s alpha. It wasn’t a small thing, either. A few of the pack members held out for what felt like forever. In the end, his heroic actions in various battles, including saving a group of small children, won them over. They couldn’t deny it any longer. My brother deserves the alpha title. His continued effort to improve his alpha skills and knowledge has also helped show everyone he is the right person for the job. I carefully step forward, making sure not to step on the floor length ornate robe. “You made it. I’m so hap
Lance POVMy heart pounds as fear consumes me. It isn’t time yet. The baby shouldn’t be coming now. Something is wrong. I know it. With Trinity in my arms, I run through the mansion towards the front door. The doctors had been preparing a special delivery room in the mansion, so she wouldn’t have to leave. But it isn’t ready yet. They thought they had more time. “UGH!!!!” Her body tightens in my arms while her hands cradle her stomach. Pain, like I’ve never felt before, shoots through our bond and my body. My knees almost buckle as her scream echoes down the hall. I’ve been in plenty of battles and have been wounded many times, but this almost stops me in my tracks. I’ve already told the medical staff we are coming. My gaze stays focused ahead as a couple of staff walk into the hall. I shout, “Open the door!”Bethany and her parents run beside me. Bethany caresses the top of Trinity’s head. “Everything will be alright. They know what they are doing. You are in the b
Trinity POV “How are you doing? You are smiling. Does it mean things are going well?” I ease down in the dining room chair across the table from Bethany. My hand caresses the side of my large baby bump. I almost thought there were two in there, but the doctor has proved to me there is only one, really large pup. A shiver runs through my body. Hopefully, there won’t be any complications when the time comes. Bethany glances up from her plate of breakfast food and nods. “Luckily, things are going better. I’m still not able to eat with everyone in the dining hall, but the doctor thinks I can ease myself into it soon. One good sign is seeing the male staff doesn’t cause me to flinch anymore. I’m so thankful for the King allowing his friend to come and help me. When the doctor first arrived, I was too afraid of him, and all men. But I’m so much better now.” She has come a long way but has so much farther to go. Her scars are deep. “Good. Regardless of where you are at, I wi
Lance POVThe scent of blood and sweat, along with something rotten, assaults my nose and has me wishing I would have brought something to counteract it. Trinity marches beside me, but the stench doesn’t seem to affect her. Her eyes are fixed on the door a short distance ahead of us. Muffled screams of agony seep out from under the solid metal door, while the determination in her gaze never wavers and stays strong. Our heavy footsteps echo through the corridor, signaling the end is coming soon. In a hushed tone, I huff, “I’ll handle the interrogation. There is no need for you to put yourself in danger. You have…”Her lip twitches as she steps ahead of me and grabs the door handle. With steam rolling off her, she growls, “I’m fine. You don’t need to worry.”She yanks the door open and lets it slam against the wall before she storms inside.If I have thought the stench was bad in the hallway, it is nothing compared to the overwhelming foul smell in the dingy room. Blood
Trinity POVPeople. Everywhere. My feet slowly drag along the cement floor as I make my way through the bunker. Every spot has been converted into a hospital area. The medical staff have packed beds in any place where one will fit. Each patient has the same symptoms as the next. As soon as the white mist got near them, they collapsed.Luckily, all the medical staff had gotten to the bunker in time before any explosions happened or any chemicals were released into the air. I still have heard nothing from my father regarding his pack, but I’m going to assume the same thing has happened there. I silently pray to the moon goddess he got all the medical staff safely in the bunker before the chemical attack started. My stomach churns, and a sense of dread gnaws at me. If the goal was to break Alpha Derrick out of his cell, his brother has gone through all this and has come up short. The lycans had prepared for this and were waiting. Anyone stepping close to the dungeon or the al
Trent POV My father’s voice booms in my head. “The King and Queen are under attack!” My stomach sinks. It can only mean one thing. The wait is over. Seconds later, a howl reverberates through the training grounds, and my head whips around in its direction. Luckily, after healing me with my sister’s blood, I feel like a kid again. My energy is off the charts, and I seem to have a spring to my step, even when I’m angrily stomping around. I turn back to the field full of warriors. “This is it. We have known this is coming. Use your training and don’t let them get to the pack house. They must be stopped at all costs.” My alpha voice confidently roars out with my last sentence. It doesn’t hold the force and authority it will once I officially take my title and go through the ceremony, but it is still a command they must follow. The large group nods before turning towards the warning cries. Through the pack link, my father barks orders and the group scatters in all dir
Trinity POVSeveral weeks have gone by without an incident. The information the King had gotten must be wrong, but I have a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. This isn’t over yet.Everyone in the two packs was getting restless and wanted out of the bunkers, so my father and the King had no choice but to allow it. Neither of them wanted to agree. The two could have stood their ground, but they didn’t have a solid reason to deny the people’s demands. Plus, everyone was lashing out at each other. Being locked up for a few weeks, even though both bunkers are fairly large, was getting on everyone’s nerves. If they had to stay down there much longer, there would have been a fight within packs. Something tells me they will regret their requests. Lance tightens his arm around my bare back and pulls me closer to his broad chest. “Babe, what is wrong? Are you not feeling well? Is there something wrong with the baby?” The corner of my mouth curls downward as I shake my head and s
Trinity POV“Why do you need more blood? Is something wrong with me?” A flicker of fear takes hold of me, and my throat tightens. “Is there something wrong with the baby?”Please don’t let there be anything wrong with my pup. Please. The Queen looks up from her table full of medical supplies and shakes her head. Confusion fills her eyes. “No. Nothing is wrong. I’m wanting to see if I can isolate and reproduce the qualities in your blood which provide the healing powers to my son, your brother, and Bethany. If I can isolate what makes your blood different from others, I can generate enough for whatever may come our way.”My eyebrows knot together as I tilt my head and stare at her. “I don’t understand. Yes, my blood heals people faster, both lycans and werewolves. But what does that have to do with trying to isolate the reason for it?”She gives me a faint smile and a soft chuckle. “Is your pregnancy having this much effect on your thinking?”I scrunch my eyebrows closer
Lance POV“Are you sure?”I glance across the desk at my father as he rests his elbows on his desk and drums his fingers together. The slight smirk and spark in his eyes dare me to answer incorrectly. Taking a deep breath, I reluctantly shake my head. “I don’t know. I’ve been coming home late and leaving early to avoid her as much as possible. She has said nothing.”He raises an eyebrow. “Has she even been awake to say anything?”I shift nervously in the chair as he stares at me. His gaze is like a spotlight I don’t want to be under. After a few seconds, I slowly shake my head. “I think she has been asleep.”He snorts and rests his arms on the desk. “I don’t think ‘think’ will work. If she is anything like your mother, she has been awake and waiting to see what you will do. She has probably called her parents and has gotten all the information she wants about the attack and her brother already. There is nothing to hide or sneak away from. If she was going to go to her fa