Trinity stood braced against the edge of the dining table, her hip leaning into the heavy wood as she picked up stray pieces of food. Beside her, Raven was a blur of motion, piling more and more onto her plate and scarfing it down with equal speed.
"You eat like barn animals. Sit and eat properly!" Boris said as he looked at the two young pups. He shook his head, though he failed to fully hide the small smile tugging at his lips. He sat at the head of the table, his fingers tracing over a list of trainees as he prepared to participate in this month's Warrior Exam.
"I'm just grabbing a bite. I don't want to load up too much. We're going to go out back and train," Trinity dismissed him, her words slightly muffled as she stuffed more food into her mouth.
Raven was not so bold as to dismiss the Beta's words. Currently surviving on his kindness, she had no wish to offend him in any way. She quickly pulled out a chair and sat, placing her plate firmly in front of her and reaching for her utensils to eat more appropriately.
Rolling her eyes, Trinity finally took her seat. She flashed Raven a mocking smile, noting how the other girl acted like a trained puppy, while Trinity continued grabbing food with her hands, shoving it into her mouth without much care or thought.
"How's the training going?" Boris asked, his gaze shifting between the two. He noticed Raven seemed far more lively now; she didn't seem as cold and empty as when she had first arrived. He was glad to see the change, as he had truly started to become worried. His eyes drifted to Trinity, noting the significant amount of bruises and cuts scattered across her body. Her healing was faster than a human's, but still frustratingly slower than a wolf's.
Trinity shrugged, a carefree smile playing on her lips. "Pretty good for the most part. We are focusing on strengthening her weakness."
"Wolves die in the exams every year." Boris couldn't help it; he had to say it. He needed her to know that the Warrior Exam wasn't a game. It was serious, and it came with extreme consequences. He refused to lose his daughter for an exam that, in his eyes, didn't matter.
"Is this your way of telling me to give up?" Trinity frowned, not having expected Boris to throw cold water over her efforts. Her hand stilled, dropping the food she had just grabbed back onto her plate. She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest, a growing sense of disappointment starting to build inside of her.
Raven's breath stilled. She understood the Beta's warning—the exam was the ultimate test of strength, and death did occur. Raven wasn't against Trinity dropping out; if she felt the girl wasn't ready, she would tell her. She watched as the two exchanged a tense silence. She worried for Trinity; Alphas and Betas were not known for their gentle nature and seldom liked to be questioned. Her own father had always been an unyielding man who didn't appreciate outside opinions at all. Most Alphas were like that.
"I'm never going to be the one to tell you to give up on something you want," Boris told her honestly. He placed down the reports he was reading and reached over, resting his palm firmly on her shoulder. "But... winning is not more important than your safety."
Trinity nodded, feeling a bit overwhelmed. She was always waiting for Boris to disappoint her—to act like Alana or the other prejudiced people in the pack. Yet, he still hadn't. It made her throat feel tight, wondering if she could truly trust that feeling she got every time he said something kind.
"Morning."
The three of them turned in unison to see Grayson coming into the dining room. He took the seat next to Trinity, sensing the charged atmosphere immediately. He didn't understand what had happened, and his eyes drifted between the three of them as he began to fill his plate.
"Bit of a slow start?" Boris said, looking Grayson over. He couldn't help the satisfaction of knowing that Trinity wasn't truly tied to Grayson. He still wondered if Mickey was Trinity's mate. It would be uncomfortable, but it would be worth it to ask Grayson if he had noticed any bite marks on Trinity. He just wanted to ensure that his daughter had choices and that she would be allowed to find someone who would treat her right. Because so far, he wasn't rooting for Grayson to be that guy.
"Just staying up too late," Grayson said, feeling the judgmental weight of Boris's gaze. As welcoming and generous as Trinity's father was being, it wasn't a hidden fact that the Beta definitely didn't like him. Grayson could think of a multitude of reasons why: he had marked his daughter, he was a rogue, his status in the pack was lowered. In Grayson's mind, the list was endless.
"Tomorrow, you will report to Thomas for assessment. From there, he may transfer you straight to the STS upon assessment," Boris told him flatly. He had welcomed Grayson into his home, but he could tell the wolf just wasn't right for Trinity. She didn't seem comfortable or happy around him, and he preferred the boy be out of his home.
Trinity remained focused on her food. She and Grayson still weren't back to normal. He slept in her room and they lay inches apart, but they didn't talk anymore. It was as if everything had already been said. She didn't quite understand it all, but she knew enough: she was bad luck for him. As long as he kept nursing this grudge against her, there was no point in trying. But she worried when Boris said he would be moved. She needed to maintain the illusion of their mating, and she couldn't do it without his presence.
Trinity's blue eyes began to glow, the gold flecks within them radiating with a sharp intensity as she spoke directly into Boris's mind. I need him nearby. The scent! She didn't elaborate further, knowing Boris would get the hint.
Boris's eyes fogged over as he heard her voice in his head. His brows furrowed as he shot a pointed glare toward Grayson for a moment before softening when he looked back at his daughter.
"Mated wolves, their mate stays with them at the warrior house while they train," Boris explained. "Or they live away from the warrior house and travel to the grounds each day."
"I'll travel," Grayson said, not missing a beat. The last thing he wanted was to cart Trinity around with him everywhere. Everything in his life had been so interrupted, and he wanted some semblance of normality. He couldn't do that with Trinity. He needed to be around wolves; he was a pack animal that had been cut off from society for so long that it was hard to remember what he used to be like. It would be good to spend time with just wolves—people he couldn't hurt by mistake, where he didn't have to ensure he didn't use too much force and break their bones. He hated living in the human world; it required so much effort every single second. After his parents died, there was just no one he could feel normal with. He loved his brother, but when he was defective, it was harder. His life was harder.
Trinity stared at Grayson's profile, wondering if this was what he was like in a relationship: self-centered, selfish, and a dictator. He looked so unbothered, as if he hadn't even thought to have a single conversation with her. Their bonding was fake, but they had been friends—of that she was sure. Scoffing, she looked away. She wished she didn't care, that he was just anybody else.
"We don't have much time until the exam. We should go and practice," Raven said, pulling out her chair as she bowed to the Beta respectfully. She looked to Trinity, hoping to avoid the catastrophe of the newly mated couple. It was its own tragedy that Trinity couldn't feel the mate bond properly and couldn't mark Grayson back. Raven could understand the distance; when you mark your mate, they feel connected to you, but until they mark you back, that connection remains one-sided. Their relationship would always be an uphill battle. In normal relationships, once the bond was in place, differences didn't matter as much; you found a way to make it work because the bond massaged the rough edges.
But in her pack, they always rejected their faded mates. Their relationships were completely human to an extent. The bond helped alleviate pressure, but with someone who isn't your faded mate, it was all about choice and effort. In her pack, cheating was rampant. When you are destined to spend eternity with someone you were never meant to be coupled with, the rules of bonding didn't seem important anymore. She remembered watching people on the bonding ceremony day, lined up like students ready to graduate. Partnerships were based on family ties and political agendas—hoarding power and distributing strength. You were assigned a partner and then left to make it work. From what she could see, the early days were always extremely tough.
"Check the fridge," Grayson said as Trinity began to get up from her seat. He placed a piece of bacon in his mouth and went back to his food.
Boris got up as well, collecting his paperwork as he followed after the two young pups. Before he could head toward the front door, he grabbed Trinity's arm, stopping her. Raven saw the movement and knew he wanted a private word, so she kept going, heading out into the backyard to gather everything in preparation for the session.
"I wanted to tell you something." Boris cleared his throat as he looked down at her. He was finally going to do it—tell her that her life would never be easy or simple, and that she was most likely the next Queen.
Trinity smiled as she looked up at Boris, her eyes shining, unsure of what he wanted to say.
"Uh. Just be careful." He grinned, pulling her in for a hug and pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "I love you."
"Okay," Trinity laughed, patting his back with one hand.
Boris let her go. Staring down at her face, he found he couldn't do it. He wanted more time—to give her more time before the world crushed her with its expectations. Not yet.
The sound of a knock at the front door pulled their attention. A head butler walked over with quick strides, swinging the door open. Missy stood on the front stoop. She looked clean; her hair was properly brushed and her clothing well-kept, but the side of her face was badly bruised.
Missy looked past the staff, seeing Boris standing in the middle of the hall next to Trinity. Her lips twitched upward in the smallest of smiles as she waved.
"Ready to go?" Missy asked, looking at Boris. She had started going to the cells to visit Aram while Boris went to visit his mate. It had become its own ritual.
Smiling at her, Boris walked toward the door, giving her a regretful look. "I'm not going today. Alana's punishment is today. I'll meet her there."
"Oh." Missy had forgotten about that. Before she could leave, she heard Trinity's question.
"You go to the cells? Why?" Normally Trinity wasn't so nosy, but she was curious. She had heard about Missy's fight with her father, but she didn't understand why she would be going to the cells.
"My mate. He's locked up there," Missy shrugged like it was the most normal thing in the world. "I visit him."
"You're really visiting him? Aram?" Trinity questioned, unable to make sense of it. He was a horrible person. She knew how he liked to frequent the defective house, and from what she knew, he wasn't the kind sort.
"I marked him. He is my mate now."
Trinity nodded, but she didn't understand. Why would Missy subject herself to such a person? She was so vibrant, and Aram was a black hole, sucking the life out of everything he touched. Yet, Trinity thought of her own situation—her fake mate was awful, and their bond was a mess. Who was she to say anything?
Author's note:
I may shift my update time by an hour or two. For the next couple of weeks.