Ryan felt a blooming sense of curiosity unfurl in his chest. His parents, and generations before them, had lived within this pack. It sparked a wonder about his extended family. Were they still alive? Even if they weren't, the countless stories he'd been told about the pack's beauty swirled in his mind, creating a light, bubbly feeling. He longed to explore. The chaotic dinner had been left behind, mostly unscathed for him at least.
Taking a deep breath, a small smile touched his lips. They were walking the path his family had trod for ages. Even Greyson held faint memories of pack life, few but pleasant.
Lost in these agreeable thoughts and the intriguing sights around him, Ryan lagged behind his friends.
He observed Trinity and Jess radiating a palpable depression as he trailed them. Ryan wasn't sure how to lift their spirits; his own mind was elsewhere. He watched Trinity's wavy black hair dance around her in the gentle breeze. She looked different today, having begrudgingly donned the red flowy dress her parents had sent – a reluctant attempt at being agreeable. Beta Carter had sent a box of clothing for his daughter, but the two hadn't spoken since Trinity had unleashed her fury in the pack clinic. Beta Carter had left before she awoke, choosing to give her space.
The two women were clearly in a foul mood. Ryan hoped bringing them to the pack's main hub might dispel some of the gloom from last night's disastrous welcome party.
He felt a thrill of excitement at the prospect of exploring. His parents' stories were beginning to take on a tangible form as he walked. He wanted to see every place they had cherished.
Wrapping an arm around each of their shoulders, he ducked down to meet their height. "Where should we go first?" he asked in an upbeat voice that sounded slightly forced even to his own ears, but at least he was trying.
Jess's cheeks flushed at the contact, the warmth of his breath brushing against her skin. Internally, she berated herself. She didn't want him to think she had been waiting for him since he'd left without a word. It was a silly, crazy, stupid kid crush that had been blossoming between them. Back then, it had felt like something serious could develop, but he had just withdrawn.
It was eating her up that he hadn't said anything about the past. After all this time, he was still clinging to Trinity as always. No matter how often they insisted it was just friendship, Jess couldn't fully believe them. She often felt like Ryan's fallback plan if things didn't work out with Trinity. Sometimes, she even suspected Trinity had a similar strategy – if she couldn't land the older Hunt, the younger brother would have to do. Ryan was Trinity's second choice.
As they emerged from the cover of the trees, the quaint shops of the small town just coming into view, a large brown wolf nearly collided with the group of three. Jess screamed at the top of her lungs in terror, while Trinity froze, her dropped sweater a testament to her shock.
Ryan was the only one who didn't react with fear or shock, momentarily forgetting that they had never seen a shifted wolf up close, or even knew what a shifted wolf was.
"You have the whole damn forest," Ryan muttered under his breath in annoyance.
Kael trailed behind the group, his gaze fixed on Trinity. He was irritated by his new assignment. He hadn't become a warrior to babysit a bratty, rude defective. She was lucky Beta Carter was an exceptionally forgiving man. If it had been his choice, he would have left her in the dungeon for a few days to humble her.
Just as his mind began to wander, his chest tightened as he watched the stupid wolf nearly stumble into the beta's child. If she were harmed, the beta would have his pelt as his newest rug.
Kael felt a surge of anger heat his skin. This wasn't good. Stepping out of the shadows, he glared at the pup.
Ryan's shoulders sagged as he realized their relaxed day was over. Now that the cat, or more accurately, the wolf, was out of the bag. He looked at Jess, who was still exercising her lungs, her screams drawing unwanted attention. People were probably wondering why her family hadn't told her about the pack before letting her wander. Trinity looked utterly petrified. In a moment of panic, the wolf began to shift back to his human form.
Simon had forgotten about the defectives' limitations. He shifted back to his human form, thinking it would ease their fear, but it seemed to make things worse. He didn't know what to do.
Ryan couldn't help but give the wolf a look that clearly said, are you really that stupid? If seeing a wolf was terrifying, why would seeing one transform into a human be any less horrifying?
Jess's screams abruptly ceased as the wolf began to shift. Until the sickening sounds of bones cracking and reforming into human skin filled the air. The fur covering his body fell off in clumps, revealing flawless tanned skin stretching unnaturally. The sounds echoed around them, a grotesque chorus to the unfolding horror show. Before Simon could fully shift, Jess's vision went black.
Trinity couldn't comprehend what she was witnessing. Her eyes rolled back in her skull as she fell unconscious.
Ryan instinctively caught Jess by her waist as her body crumpled, unable to handle the sight of a shifting wolf.
"What the fucking is wrong with you!?"
Ryan only had time to grab Trinity's wrist as her body became dead weight, swinging loosely as he glared at the naked guy before him, struggling to support both limp figures.
The sound of vomiting soon reached his ears as Jess jolted awake, only to empty the contents of her stomach. Gently resting Trinity on the ground, he scrunched his nose in distaste as he gathered her hair away from her face.
Simon had never known anyone to be scared by a shifting wolf. It was all very… normal. He was stressed, and a small part of him felt a bit offended.
"Sorry," Simon said, moving to help Jess.
"Can you really be this dumb?" Ryan asked him sharply. He was clearly the problem.
Ryan truly couldn't wrap his head around what his life had become. It seemed he was always sacrificing something to care for the people he loved. He watched as Kael, clad in black gym shorts and bare-chested, rushed over to them. It didn't escape his notice that Kael had been following them since they left the defective house. At first, he'd assumed everyone was being watched, but Kael was the only one he ever spotted. The warrior didn't seem to care if anyone saw him, yet he always remained hidden from Trinity's view.
And the only person in the pack, other than the alpha, who could order pack members around in this manner would be the beta – Trinity's father.
Even though Ryan knew Kael likely meant no harm, his protective instincts for Trinity wouldn't allow him to let the man touch her.
As if his body acted on its own, he swiftly pulled her limp form closer, letting her rest beneath him as he knelt over her, still holding Jess's hair back.
Kael thought the boy was brave. He was a weak defective, yet he clearly cared for his mate. Their bond might not be as strong as those of full-blooded wolves, considering the way he showered affection on both girls, but it demonstrated a connection nonetheless, even if it lacked the inherent strength of a true wolf bond.
The glare the boy sent him was harsh, and under normal circumstances, Kael would have answered the challenge. But he was under strict orders from the beta: protect his daughter. By extension, that somewhat included this boy, considering Trinity's attachment to him.
Deciding against physically taking her from her mate, Kael chose to contact the beta. Shifting his gaze downwards so as not to alarm the unaware group, his eyes glowed brightly – his wolf's eyes on display. Using the mind link that connected all pack members, he spoke into the beta's mind. Beta, there's been a situation. It seems your daughter fainted in the market.
Before he could continue, a loud growl resonated in his mind, causing him to wince. Wolves of higher status could inflict real pain on those beneath them simply by sending their aura into another's mind with too much force. It felt like a sledgehammer blow to the skull, and you were powerless to stop it.
The beta didn't respond verbally, but Kael knew he was on his way.
"Don't touch her," Ryan watched Kael warily as the warrior's glowing eyes cleared. He had obviously sent a message to Trinity's father. But that wasn't the concerning part. Ryan watched as Kael's nostrils flared, as if he was confused by a scent in the air, before his gaze returned to Trinity's still form. His head cocked to the side, as if he couldn't understand something.
Ryan didn't know what it was, but something about Kael's behavior made him uneasy. He protectively rested his hand on Trinity, unsure what was happening. The warrior's intense interest in her felt strangely familiar, though he couldn't quite place why.
"Did you hear that?" Jess asked, astonished, using the hem of her shirt to wipe her mouth.
Unlike them, Ryan had heard the sound of bones breaking and reforming many times. It wasn't something that bothered him anymore. He wasn't even sure if it ever had. He couldn't understand their fear and disgust. It was a reality he had known since he could speak and walk. Ryan wasn't fazed by a shifting wolf. Before he accepted the fact that he would never have a wolf form, he used to envy Greyson. Every time his brother shifted, Ryan felt a pang of what he was missing. Luckily, that feeling had faded with time and exposure.
Even if Ryan had thought it was his place to tell them about wolves, it would never have crossed his mind to explain the sound. After so many years, he didn't hear it in the same way they must have.
"I mean—oh my—," she shivered, at a loss for words, before she started to retch again.
All Jess could hear was the sickening sound of bones cracking and reforming over and over in her mind, and it made her stomach churn. She felt as if this queasy feeling wouldn't pass anytime soon.
"In time, you'll barely notice it," Kael spoke up, and Ryan patted her back affectionately.
The sound of heavy panting and the feeling of the earth beneath them vibrating made the small group turn towards the trees.
Ryan internally sighed. Didn't this guy know what had happened?
Luckily, just as Beta Carter crashed through the trees, he suddenly stopped, over fifty yards away from them. The group could see him clearly. He slowed his approach, opting to remain in his wolf form. Jess cowered behind Ryan.
"What's happening?"
This time, Jess watched as the large black and grey wolf approached them. Its focus was entirely on her, its eyes glued to Trinity's limp form. She didn't understand as Kael walked over to the animal, bowing his head in respect, as if he were a wolf whisperer. Wordlessly, he looked back and forth between the wolf and their stalled group.
"This is Beta Carter. Trinity's father," Kael told the oblivious pair.
"Obviously," Ryan scoffed, disliking Kael after noticing his lingering gazes.
But his sarcasm did not escape the ears of either wolf, both sending him a warning look.
"Trinity must go back to the beta's home," Kael said, interpreting for Beta Carter, who couldn't shift back to his human form at the moment.
Looking back at Kael, Ryan refused to yield. There was no way he would let that creep touch his friend, especially when she was helpless.
Kael's eyes glazed over as he received another message from Beta Carter. The words bring her mate floated into his mind.
Yes, Beta. He mind-linked back.
In a dull voice, Kael addressed Ryan, "You may come too." He spoke exclusively to Ryan, making it quite obvious that Jess was not invited to the beta's home.
Jess's hand shot out, grabbing Ryan's forearm pleadingly. She didn't want to be left behind. It was as if she had just discovered she was surrounded by monsters, and now they wanted to leave her in the dark.
"Please," she begged him.
Ryan didn't bother asking the question. He knew both men had heard her. So he simply looked at them, raising a questioning brow.
She is permitted, Beta Carter said to Kael.
"Follow," Kael instructed.
With that simple word, he lifted Trinity into his arms, prepared to follow after them.
"The walk back is far. I can carry her," Kael offered. Though he was speaking to Ryan, his eyes remained fixed on Trinity.
"I'll manage," Ryan spat through gritted teeth, disliking the way Kael kept looking at her.
The tension between the two men piqued Boris's curiosity. He thought Ryan seemed to feel inferior around Kael, and wondered if his pup might choose a stronger man as her mate. The whole thing made him chuckle inwardly.
As the small party began to move in the direction of his home, Boris noticed the brat Simon attempting to sneak away unnoticed.
The fool had terrified his daughter and caused a disturbance in the pack. He would be punished. Boris would make sure of it personally.
Don't think you can hide from me! Boris projected into Simon's mind. The pup froze the moment he heard the words intrude into his thoughts.
Simon had thought he was home free. No one was paying him any attention. He thought he could slip away easily. When the beta's words pushed forcefully into his mind, he knew he was in deep shit. Sheepishly, he followed behind the group, praying to the goddess that his punishment would be simple and quick.
Jess felt shaky, but she didn't want to be left behind. Her mind was reeling from what she had just witnessed, unsure about everything around her. After the initial fear subsided, she became more curious. At some point, Jess quickened her pace, zeroing in on the large, powerful wolf that walked a few feet ahead of them. Passing Ryan, she didn't look his way. He would make her stay close. With each step, she got closer and closer to Beta Carter's wolf.
Boris wasn't sure when she would gain the courage, but he smiled as he watched her slowly reach out her hand to touch his fur. He didn't acknowledge her actions, not wanting to startle her. He could easily knock her unconscious if she started screaming again. He had heard her earlier screams from his home.
Doing her best not to alert him, Ryan wanted to laugh, though he knew that Beta Carter was completely aware of her actions from the start. In comparison to the wolves, they were like loud, clumsy toddlers waddling into trouble.
Finding success in her mission, Jess turned to face Ryan, giving him a triumphant smile. A bright smile graced her lips. She had pet the Beast. He chuckled but didn't say anything, enjoying her light mood.
The further they walked, the bolder she became. It was as if she didn't care if he knew she was now openly groping his fur, poking at his side, touching his legs. At one point, she even reached up to his head, trying to look into his mouth.
Kael watched in horror as the girl examined the beta as if he were a tiger in a zoo. He felt it was his duty as a warrior to stop her from disrespecting the beta. The only reason he could fathom for the beta allowing such actions was because the girl was connected to his daughter.
"Our beta is not a dog for you to play with," he scolded Jess. For Kael, his beta, in wolf or human form, was the same. She was unabashedly touching a mated wolf's body.
Ryan understood Kael's words. In a way, Jess should feel embarrassed; she was feeling up Trinity's father, the second most powerful person in the pack, and she was even trying to look in his mouth.
As they neared the house, Ryan noticed Kael began to eye Trinity again. He held her tighter, letting her face be buried in his chest so Kael couldn't easily see her. He didn't like the attention Kael was showing her. He knew he wasn't strong or powerful enough to make him stop, but he desperately wanted to know what the hell Kael found so interesting.
When they arrived at the beta's house, the large wolf form of Trinity's father moved ahead of the group. Once he reached the door, he inclined his head towards it, indicating for Ryan, Trinity, and Jess to go inside.
You stay out here with him, Boris spoke into Kael's mind. When he said "him," he shot a glare at Simon, who hadn't even considered coming inside his house.
Once Boris was out of sight, Ryan felt his shoulders relax slightly. He wasn't sure how far into the house they should go, so they simply stood in the front entryway. It was huge and beautifully designed. On the walls hung pictures: pictures of Beta Carter and his wife, and pictures of Trinity as a baby. It felt strange to look at these photos that Trinity had never seen.
Photos that spoke of a childhood spent with her family, a life that existed in its own kind of limbo.
It was made all the more odd by the fact that in the photos, only her parents ever aged. Trinity remained a baby in every picture until she disappeared from them entirely, leaving only her parents. If you didn't know any better, you would have thought she was dead, not that she had been sacrificed for the greater good of the pack.
The hallway made him feel a pang of sadness. He worried how Trinity would react when she saw the entry hall, filled with pictures chronicling a life that had been stopped before it truly began.
They had looked happy. She had looked happy. Deciding to spare her that hurt for an audience, he stepped further into the house, away from the front hallway filled with memories.
The door behind them opened, and Beta Carter trotted in alone, still in wolf form. But as the door closed, Ryan could see Kael's form just past the threshold, standing there quietly, just as he had done when they were in the transitional housing for the defectives. When the door closed, blocking him from view, Ryan glared at the closed door, wishing his stare could turn it to ash.
Beta Carter leaped up the stairs with ease before reappearing dressed in his human form.
"Give her to me," Beta Carter spoke softly, his voice a mere whisper, careful not to rouse Trinity from her unconscious state. The low murmur of his tone barely disturbed the quiet hum of the large house. Sunlight streamed through the nearby window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air.
Knowing that it was the only way he could be near his daughter at present, Ryan reluctantly yielded, gently passing Trinity into the beta's waiting arms.
"Her room is upstairs," Beta Carter told them, his gaze already fixed on his daughter. As Ryan followed him, he couldn't miss the tender way the beta looked at Trinity, cradling her as if she were the most precious thing in the world.
"Her hair is just like mine. But she reminds me of my mom," Beta Carter murmured, not truly addressing anyone, lost in his thoughts of a life they had been robbed of sharing. The scent of lavender faintly emanated from Trinity, mixing with the rich, earthy smell of the beta's wolf.
He hadn't had the chance to truly look at his daughter like this in person, not since she was a child. He was grateful for this moment, to see her when she wasn't glaring at him with hatred in her eyes, when she was like this – calm and relaxed, as if their painful past didn't exist.
Nodding towards a door at the end of the hallway, Beta Carter subtly indicated Trinity's room. Ryan quickly understood his signal and opened it. The room was tastefully decorated in muted greys and blues, with thick, luxurious fabrics. It wasn't a room designed for a child, nor was it a preserved relic of the last time she was with them. Instead, it felt rather plain yet undeniably luxurious, as if patiently awaiting its owner to imprint her personality upon it. The sheer size of the room was comparable to most people's entire apartments, featuring a huge king-sized bed draped with plush blankets, a comfortable couch and sitting area positioned to enjoy the view from the large window, a spacious walk-in closet, and an attached bathroom.
Beta Carter gently placed Trinity on the king-sized bed. Reaching for the thick quilt at the foot of the bed, he softly laid it over her, carefully brushing a stray strand of black hair away from her face. A small, soft sound of contentment rumbled in his chest as his inner wolf reveled in the joy of his pup's presence in their home. The air in the room felt thick with unspoken emotions.
Feeling like an intruder in this intimate moment, Ryan quietly left the room, standing just outside the door to give the father and daughter a moment of peace.
Jess watched from the doorway, a pang of envy twisting in her gut at the sight of Trinity's father's obvious affection. The love radiating between them was almost palpable, a stark contrast to her own experiences. Their stories shared the common thread of separation, but the way their parents reacted was worlds apart.
Ryan had the devoted parents who sacrificed everything to run away and raise their child. Trinity had the regretful father, desperate to make amends for the past. And then there was her. Jess had the family of elitists who couldn't bear the sight of her, writing her off before she could even utter a word. The polished wood of the doorframe felt cold beneath her fingertips.
Beta Carter leaned down and kissed his daughter's forehead, a soft smile gracing his lips. His heart swelled with a bittersweet ache as he looked down at her. His inner wolf settled, the restless energy that had plagued him since her return finally easing.
He felt as if he could spend the rest of his life in this room, simply watching over her now that she was home, in her house, her room. The thought of letting her go again felt unbearable.
"I named you!" he spoke softly, sitting on the edge of the bed, his large hand dwarfing hers. "You are my heart, always." With one final, lingering look at his pup, he slowly got to his feet, consciously lowering the mental barriers he had erected around his emotions.
Closing the door silently behind him, he caught the scent of Kael lingering in his home. Looking at Ryan and Jess, who stood awkwardly near the stairs, he simply pointed downwards before walking down himself. He would have one of the maids prepare two rooms for them. Even knowing that Ryan was Trinity's mate, the possessive protectiveness of a father still held sway. He didn't want his daughter sharing a room with him under his roof. If she desired that kind of intimacy, it would have to be away from his house. He was still grappling with the reality of having sent a baby out into the world and having her return a woman. It would take time to adjust. The faint scent of pine cleaner hung in the air, a testament to the house's meticulous upkeep.
Boris gave Kael a withering look as he saw the uninvited warrior standing in his living room. Something felt off about him, a certain underlying tension that radiated from his posture. The light in the room seemed to catch the subtle shifts in Kael's eyes, flickering between their human brown and a glowing hazel.
Kael looked impatiently at his beta, his jaw tight. He had finally pieced together what felt so unsettling about the girl. If his suspicions were correct, they would soon be facing a significant problem.
"May we speak? Now," he asked, his gaze flicking up the stairs, as if he could pierce through the walls and see Trinity lying in her bed. The scent of damp earth clung faintly to Kael's clothes, a reminder of his time spent patrolling the pack lands.
"Why do you keep looking for her?" Ryan couldn't help himself; the question burst out before he could stop it. The air in the room crackled with unspoken tension.
"That is what we need to speak about. Her scent!" Kael's voice was low and urgent.
Ryan's eyes widened, a knot of unease tightening in his stomach as Beta Carter also looked sharply up the stairs. Then, his gaze dropped, fixing intently on Ryan. The grandfather clock in the hallway ticked loudly, each second amplifying the growing sense of foreboding.