The Trinity: The Ashland Pack Series (5 page)

All
Council members and Alphas just stared at Adrianna. Disbelief and shock were on their
faces. They all understood now that
Adrianna was the
Trinity
. The most shocked of all was Mace, who never
understood how powerful Adrianna was. The spell was broken, releasing the Protectors and Guards. Mace had never really thought of
Adrianna as a Protector. He just
wanted to remember her as a young child, always laughing and following her big
brother around. He knew now, too
much time had passed; Adrianna had grown up and was now a powerful
Protector.

The
Protectors immediately ran toward the Vampire Council and Alphas, surrounding
their charges. Damen McDonald ran
to Adrianna, asking if she was hurt. Adrianna acted as if she didn’t hear him and started shouting
orders. She told the Protectors the
threat might not be over and put into place the protection plan. Adrianna was a great strategic
planner. She was always thinking
outside the box, coming up with scenarios of what could possibly happen. Finally, she would get to use some of
her problem solving ideas.

Adrianna
gave orders to half the Protectors to start checking perimeters and the air
condition ducts where the wolves had come through. The others would remain to protect their
charge and other Alphas.

Adrianna
went to Afton with concern in her eyes and asked, “Are you hurt, sir?”

“They
never touched me, Adrianna, thanks to you.”

Selena
came rushing into the dining area asking Afton if he was alright.

“Yes,
Adrianna took care of all of us. She was incredible.”

Afton
looked at Adrianna and asked, “Adrianna, can you release the Council members
and Alphas now? They appear to be
getting restless and they’ll want answers. I will need for you to stay and answer any questions.”

Adrianna
looked up, surprised. “I need to
check the area to see if there is anybody else here. This shouldn’t have happened. Black magic was used.”

Selena
gasped, “What did you say, Adrianna?”

“Black
magic was used. I could smell and
feel it, Selena. I couldn’t see
anything at first, but I knew something wasn’t right.”

“Then it
begins. Adrianna, we must talk; you
must know all of what I have seen in my visions. You must be prepared. We don’t have much time left,” said
Selena.

“Okay,
Selena, but I need to check the area first. I think they’re gone but I want to make
sure. I didn’t think this would
happen.”

Afton
looked up at Adrianna with a worried look in his eyes.

“Assign
some people to do that, Adrianna. The Council and Alphas will want to talk to you.”

Adrianna
waved her hand over the protection field, breaking the spell, and allowing the
Council and Alphas to be released.

Edward
Jonas, Leader of the Vampire Council, swiftly walked up to Afton. “What is going on Afton? Are we safe here?”

Edward
Jonas looked rattled, when he usually looked calm and well composed. Adrianna started to jump down Edward
Jonas’s throat when she collected herself and addressed him.

“Mr.
Jonas, I understand you are nervous. However, I shielded you and the Council members. Nobody could have hurt you or penetrated
my shields. This was an unfortunate
act, which will be addressed and taken care of. Until we find out what has happened,
please stay in the dining hall with your Guards. I will protect you and the other
members.”

Edward
Jonas started to relax, his body reacting to the danger.

“I’m
sorry, Alpha, and to you as well, Adrianna. I will expect a full report on what is going
on from you and Afton later.”

Afton
wanted to punch the Leader of the Vampire Council. He was an asshole. He expected a report later, did he? He could just keep on fucking
waiting. Afton kept his tongue
silent and allowed Adrianna to handle Edward Jonas before he put his fist
through his face.

Before
Edward Jonas could say anything else, Mace walked up to Adrianna. He was worried.

“Adrianna,
are you okay? Were you hurt?” he
asked.

“No Mace,
I have been trained to deal with these problems. I am not a child anymore.”

“I’m
sorry, Sissy. I just…well, it was
hard to see my little sister in danger and I couldn’t do anything to protect
you.”

“Mace, I
don’t need your protection. I’m
very capable of taking care of myself.” Adrianna snickered and said, “Plus, you couldn’t get out of the
protection field.”

Mace
looked at Adrianna and shrugged. “Don’t get too big for your britches, little girl. It’s just you are my little sister, I’m
your big brother, and I should be the one protecting you, not the other way
around.”

“Bubba,
listen to me. You are my big
brother but you are also the Alpha of the Ashland Pack and your people need you
more than me. They depend on their
Alpha to be alive to help them. I
have no doubt you can protect me, but I am a Protector and I’m pretty damn good
at it, if I may say so myself. At
least give me that.”

Mace
smiled at Adrianna. “Sissy, you are
more than good, you are the
Trinity
.”

Adrianna
didn’t know how to respond to being called that from her brother.

Mace saw
the concern on her face, the uncertainty of what he said to her.

“I’ve
never seen anyone like you, Adrianna. The way you handled those rogue wolves—I’ve never seen anyone do
that, Sissy…you understand that, right? You do know how good you are?”

Adrianna
didn’t look up at Mace; her eyes were lowered to the floor. Adrianna wasn’t a vain person. She knew she was good at her job, but
she never let herself think she was better than anyone else was. She always believed actions meant more
than what people said about you did.

Then she
smelled the most intoxicating scent—apples and the outdoors. Adrianna looked up into Cade Maxwell’s
blue eyes. Adrianna thought Cade
was the most beautiful man she’d ever seen. Cade stared directly into Adrianna’s
eyes. It was almost as if he could
see into her soul.

The hunger
in those eyes told Adrianna that Cade was feeling the same mating pull. She couldn’t believe it. Cade Maxwell was her mate. How did this happen to her?

“Hello
Adrianna, it’s been a long time. You’ve grown up to be a beautiful woman.”

Adrianna
smiled while pulling her gaze away from Cade’s hungry stare. Her face lit up like a blazing red
light. Adrianna was
shy—especially when it pertained to Cade Maxwell.

Adrianna
remembered when she was a child following her older brother, Mace, around with
his best friend, Cade. Adrianna
loved to look at Cade. He had a
strikingly beautiful face with blue eyes, dark brown hair, and strong
cheekbones. Adrianna could go on
and on about Cade Maxwell. She
lusted after him and he had to have known it. This made Adrianna very
uncomfortable. She was generally a
shy person and had never even had a boyfriend. These emotions were foreign to her. She didn’t like the way she was
responding to Cade.

Adrianna
dreamed and fantasized about Cade and the things she wished he would do to
her. Now here he was, standing in
front of her with lust in his eyes. Adrianna couldn’t let herself believe Cade wanted her or was it to talk
about her being the
Trinity
. Adrianna never looked up again, while
she excused herself from Cade and Mace.

Cade
looked concerned and asked Mace, “Where is she going?”

Mace
looked back at Cade. “I don’t know,
probably checking the perimeter. What’s wrong, you look like you’ve lost your best friend died. And since I am your best friend, what is
it?”

“Mace sit
down, we need to talk.”

“Can’t
this wait, I need to…”

“Now!” Cade stated. “This can’t wait. It’s got to do with Adrianna.”

Cade
watched as Mace sat down worried. “What’s wrong with Adrianna?”

Cade
didn’t know what or how to tell his best friend that his sister was his
mate. “Adrianna is my mate!”

“What?” Mace yelled. “I thought you were just joking. Cade, please tell me you are fuckin’
joking.”

“Damn, I
didn’t know Mace, not until she walked in the room. I felt it Mace.”

“Are you
sure, Cade? If it’s your damn
hormones, I don’t want my sister hurt when you go on to someone else.”

“Give me
some fucking credit, Mace. I’ve
never felt this way before. You are
my best friend. I’ve known Adrianna
since she was a little girl. But
now…”

“Okay,
okay, don’t say another word and especially to Adrianna. She hasn’t been told yet that she is
coming home with me to Ashland. If
you are truly her mate then you will feel the same way later.”

“Look
Mace, I need to be near her, I have to be with her. It’s killing me now knowing she has
walked off from me. I don’t even
know if she is feeling the mating pull. It’s making me sick knowing she is a Protector and won’t even look me in
the eyes. But I need to be near
her. I need to touch her.” Cade sat down feeling the urge to find
his mate.

“Please
don’t say any more about Adrianna being your mate. Don’t tell me how you want to fucking
touch my sister, my little sister at that. This conversation is making
me
sick. Damn it, I really want to
kick your ass right now, so spare me,” Mace said with a sigh. “Look Cade, Adrianna won’t just come to
you. She has never had a boyfriend
and is probably running scared because of the way she’s feeling. My sister has been hurt so much. There is a lot I’ve learned today that
has changed Adrianna’s life, things that are going to happen that neither of us
knew about. I don’t know how she
will take this. You will only be
another stress for her.”

“Look
Mace, this is a shock to me too. I
wasn’t looking for my mate. I’m
sorry, your sister is beautiful and everything, but I love playing the field. Now all I can think of is playing with
Adrianna, so this is a surprise to me too. I don’t know what to do, but I can’t help wanting her. If I can stay away from her, maybe it
would help. I didn’t want a mate,
not yet. I’m too young and have so
much to do as Alpha for my people.”

Mace and
Cade looked up as Samson Ward walked up. “Excuse me. I hate to
interrupt, but my name is Samson Ward and I am to be your brother. Your sister, Adrianna, is my mate.”

Cade
growled and immediately went on the offensive at what Samson said. Cade’s wolf lurked near the surface,
trying to claw its way out. Adrianna was his mate, not this vampire. Well hell, he didn’t want her. Why was he getting mad? Or did he want Adrianna?

A chuckle
came from Mace as he looked back and forth between Cade and Samson. Heat came off Cade’s body as anger and
fear drifted toward Samson’s nostrils.

“Adrianna
is my mate,” Cade gritted his teeth and growled at the same time.

Samson
fought the urge to punch Cade in the face, but Samson was known for his
diplomatic approach. Samson just
smiled at Cade.

“Maybe,
but I know she is to be mine.”

Mace was
stunned that two different people were saying that Adrianna was their
mate. Mace knew Cade, but he had
only heard of Samson. Mace knew
that Samson Ward was to be the new Leader of the Vampire Council. Both men were very dominant Alpha
males. Mace watched as Cade and
Samson continued to stare at each other.

“Geez,
what’s next?” Mace’s expression
changed to a cool and calm focus.

Afton
Mackenzie walked up before Mace could say anything else. Mace looked at Afton and sighed. “What’s wrong, Mace?” Afton asked concerned.

“Can we go
back to your office and talk? We
have a problem that may cause Adrianna some pain,” Mace said and gestured to
the other two men.

“Okay,
let’s go.” Mace, Cade, and Samson
followed Afton to his office.

Adrianna
couldn’t think clearly, her fantasy just walked up to her and actually looked
like he wanted her. Surely, she was
just imagining the look of passion. It must have been the adrenaline. Yea, that was it. Adrianna
sighed as Damen McDonald walked up.

“Are you
okay, Adrianna?” Damen asked.