The clearing was a sea of shifting emotions. The warriors were retreating, their duties finished for the day, but the defectives remained, rising slowly from the dirt like ghosts. Many turned toward Boris, their eyes filled with a heavy, undeserved gratitude. They believed the Alpha's lie; they believed it was the Beta's intervention, and not Trinity's sacrifice, that had saved them.
Boris stood at the edge of the grounds, his heart heavy. He wanted to scream the truth—to tell them that his daughter had bound herself to a prisoner and nearly killed her mother to buy this peace. But he remained silent. To speak would be a betrayal of his duty and an invitation for Alpha Adrian to finish what he had started.
Beside him, Trinity watched the scene with a soft, distant smile.
Grayson had finally reached Ryan. Both were in human form now, two brothers clinging to each other. Ryan, his face streaked with sweat and grime, gripped Grayson's shoulders as if he were afraid the boy might vanish. The widest smile anyone had ever seen on Ryan broke through the filth, the corners of his eyes damp with tears he refused to let fall. Grayson, finally free of the silver, buried his face in his brother's neck, his shoulders shaking with silent, exhausted relief.
"I'm sorry, Trinity," Boris's voice echoed in her mind, thick with a father's grief. "I'm sorry he stole this from you. I'm proud of you. He can diminish your name in their eyes, but he cannot take away what you are. You are good, Trinity. You are kind. You saved them."
Internally, Boris felt a pang of worry. He didn't want these horrific experiences with Alpha Adrian to color her view of what it meant to lead. He didn't want her to rule with cruelty simply because it was all she had ever seen. He wanted her to lead with the grace he saw in her now, even if the world was trying to crush it out of her.
Trinity didn't look at him. Her eyes remained fixed on the Hunt brothers.
"It doesn't matter that I stopped it today," Trinity responded, her mental voice sounding hollow. "Everyone was still punished. It's not as if I've done something great. They'll all have scars, Dad. Every single one of them."
"It matters," Boris countered firmly. "Whether you know it now or later, what you did today saved lives. You gave them a tomorrow."
He paused, his eyes shifting from the crowd to the mark on her neck. His gaze was sharp, the instinct of a seasoned warrior cutting through the theater she had performed inside.
"Even if you didn't mate for real," Boris added.
Trinity's heart gave a violent thud against her ribs. Her pulse quickened, a drumbeat of panic she fought to suppress, but she remained perfectly still. She didn't respond, her silence a wall she hoped he couldn't climb.
"You'll have to get better at pretending," Boris warned, his mental tone turning grave. "Soon enough, it could become quite clear that you and Grayson are not mated. The scent will fade, the bond won't hum... and Alpha Adrian is known for his retribution. If he realizes he's been played, there will be no mercy."
Trinity finally turned her head, her blue eyes meeting his. She didn't deny it. The weight of the secret sat between them, a ticking clock in a room full of enemies.
Ryan pulled back from his brother. "You're good, right?" he asked, his voice unusually soft. Grayson nodded, his eyes finally softening as they landed on Ryan.
Ryan's eyes drifted over to Trinity. He wasn't stupid enough to be fooled by the Alpha; he knew she was the one who had protected them. Striding over, Ryan stared at her, his emotions swirling violently beneath his skin.
Following his wolf instincts, Ryan exposed his neck and bowed his head to Trinity—the highest form of respect a wolf could give. Grayson frowned at his brother's subservient action, but he didn't stop him. Inclining his head, he bowed respectfully as well.
"I know it was you," Ryan said. "I will never be able to repay you. Thank you, Trinity."
George watched in confusion. To him, Trinity had always been the one who just walked by the line of them while they were kneeling and waiting to be punished. She had always appeared proud and superior, never sparing them more than a glance as she went to spend time with the Alpha, always returning smelling of meat and wine. But he trusted Ryan. Though his muscles were sore and his body fatigued, he walked behind Ryan and submitted to Trinity, thanking her as well. Diamond followed, and soon, the other defectives followed suit. One by one, they bowed their heads, the collective pack instinct for cohesion taking hold.
Trinity was overwhelmed. A dormant wolf inside her began to purr with a savage delight at the sight, a feeling so strong it made Trinity's own satisfaction feel secondary. Boris smiled, grateful that Trinity had someone like Ryan who would never overlook her.
Trinity stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Ryan. He responded instantly, his large frame shielding her.
"I'm sorry," Trinity whispered, her voice breaking. "I'm sorry it took so long. I'm sorry... Alana—"
Jess stood at the fringes, her back straight and eyes cold. To her, it was like old times: Trinity the Great. And the prince that always chose her. Her body jolted as Noah's large arms wrapped around her waist, holding her tight.
"I just heard! The Beta stopped it," Noah said, his voice full of relief as he began dragging her away from the scene he didn't understand. "Come with me. We need to get out of here before the Alpha changes his mind."
The wolves slowly raised their heads. Timothy, holding Mona close, looked at Boris with uncertainty. "What do we do now?"
"You'll be expected to rejoin your training or classes," Boris told them, his voice firm but not unkind. "But you have an hour before you are expected back."
Trinity pulled away from Ryan, smiling up at him before turning to the others. "Lift your heads," she said, sparing the remaining defectives a simple, regal nod of approval.
Slowly, the crowd began to disperse. Each of them going their own ways until it was only Ryan, Grayson, Timothy, Mona, Mariela, Trinity, and Boris left in the clearing.
"You're welcome to stay in my home," Boris said to Grayson. He turned his attention back to his daughter. "We'll talk at home," he whispered, before taking off toward the packhouse, leaving Kale behind to watch over her.
Author's note:
I'm late but I'm here! Enjoy.