7
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A V R I L
I took Koen on a leisurely tour around Azure Smoke, allowing him to get acquainted with our beautiful lands. Although they weren’t quite as vast as his home, since a smaller territory was easier to hide and protect, there was a lot to see. Initially, I avoided straying too far from the town square - it would be best to let him explore it once he was fully recovered.
It was amusing to witness his fascination as I revealed more about my pack’s history. I began by telling him about the young Banyan tree my parents planted when they reclaimed these lands. Like the original, whose ashes were recently returned home, it played a vital role in the rebirth of our pack. We called it the Overseer, for it watched over and guided us, warning of unseen dangers and sending us subtle signs.
I also explained the powers of the Ashen Wolves and how we differed from regular wolves, revealing just enough so he wouldn’t be caught off guard. It helped him understand how I managed to avoid detection by his sentinels when I fled his pack, and how Theo and Elijah were so skilled in battle. But that was before we reached our full strength - I knew he would only grasp the extent of our abilities when he saw them in action.
Funnily enough, the more I revealed, the easier it became to share every one of my kind’s secrets with him. I had been hiding them for so long and hesitated so deeply to share them with anyone that I expected it to be harder. But in the end, I found it was more difficult to lie to him than to tell the truth - probably because part of me had been dying to let him see it all along.
By the time we made it back to our starting point, I invited him to sit at one of the empty wooden tables scattered around the town square. As we did, I linked my Beta and Gamma to let them know to join us; I thought a couple familiar faces would help him adjust.
“Azure Smoke is amazing,” Koen stated sincerely, still glancing around with admiration. “I’m glad you found your home here - and as the alpha, at that.” His voice carried a semblance of pride and genuine happiness, though I didn’t miss the hint of sadness in it. As his eyes scoured through my lands, I wondered if he was thinking about the home he had lost.
I had always hated Whispering Hills. More often than not, I dreamt of watching that hellhole burn to the ground, Koen along with it. However, after the time I spent there, its destruction didn’t bring me an ounce of joy. I still didn’t care about it - in fact, I believed they got what they deserved - but it meant the world to him. I knew how deeply he cared about his home, his people, and how much effort he put into making it a better place. I truly rued that it was all taken from him.
“Thank you for bringing me here,” he continued in my long, introspective silence, catching my attention. When I blinked myself back to the moment, I found him looking at me questioningly. “But I don’t know how long I can stay, Avril.”
His statement made me purse my lips. “You can’t leave, Koen,” I reminded him.
“I know,” he sighed. “I can stay until your pack trusts that I won’t tell the outside world about you, but I need to go back at some point. Whispering Hills may not be anymore, but since I survived, there are still issues I need to take care of. Those lands are still mine, as is the pack’s money. Besides, I need to report what happened to the council.”
“They don’t know you survived,” I observed.
“All the more reason I need to return,” he countered. “I have a life outside of here - at least I used to. I’m thankful for your hospitality, but I don’t belong in Azure Smoke.”
To be honest, I hadn’t thought about the duration of Koen’s stay. None of this had been planned - since the destruction of Whispering Hills the previous night, everything I had done was on impulse. Yet, I had to admit he had a point. After the loss of his family, Koen was as good as packless; he was no different than a rogue. Wolves couldn’t survive long without a pack.
Just then, Kea perked her ears up inside my head, reminding me of her presence. At the same time, an idea floated in my mind - her idea .
“We can’t,” I told her immediately. “There has only ever been Ashen Wolves in our pack. Koen isn’t one of us.”
“In time, he could be,” she insisted.
I was ready to argue with her when Elijah’s voice interrupted our discussion.
“Good to see you again, Alpha Koen!” my gamma chanted with a smile.
Surprised, Koen took a moment before replying. “Elijah. Theo.” With a nod, he greeted them and briefly shifted his gaze to me, as if wanting to say something, but quickly turned his attention back to my friends. I knew he wanted to finish our conversation, but honestly, I was relieved it had to wait - it gave me more time to think about what to do.
“Koen, while you’re here, there are a few people I’d like you to meet,” I said, rising from my seat and gesturing toward my friends. “Although you already know Theo and Elijah, they aren’t exactly who you thought. Theo is actually my beta, and Elijah, his mate, is my gamma.”
After everything Koen had heard today, I guess he was beyond shock already. He didn’t even raise his eyebrows at my revelation. “That explains why you accompanied Avril to Whispering Hills,” he pondered. “And why you were so protective over her.”
“I apologize if we were ever a bother. We only had our alpha’s safety in mind.” Elijah grimaced.
Soon after, Theo stepped forward and shook Koen’s hand. “What happened to Whispering Hills was a tragedy. Please accept our heartfelt condolences.”
Elijah nodded in agreement. “We hope you feel welcome in our pack. You can stay as long as you need,” he added, unaware that I had already told Koen he didn’t have much of a choice. “If you need anything while you’re here, don’t hesitate to come to us.”
“Thank you,” Koen replied automatically.
“Well, now that you know who they really are…” I began, inviting him to follow me with a head movement. “Let me introduce you to my hero and mentor.”
“Your hero?” he inquired, raising a brow as he stood up.
“The only living member of my blood family - my uncle,” I clarified. “He’s the one who found me in the wild, then trained me to take over him as the alpha.”
As we walked further from the heart of Azure Smoke’s territory and into the village, where my uncle lived in his cottage, we finally encountered pack members. Though they were focused on their tasks, they bowed their heads in respect as I passed by. From the corner of my eye, I noticed they didn’t extend the same sentiment to Koen. Their attention darted toward him, but not with friendly curiosity. The looks they gave him were filled with uncertainty, and even a hint of disdain.
The atmosphere shifted abruptly. I watched Koen’s reaction closely. He seemed to sense their disapproval, his shoulders stiffening as if bracing against a cold wind. There was something in his demeanor that told me he now seemed to understand what it felt like to be an outsider. It was as if my experiences at Whispering Hills were echoing back to him.
This certainly didn’t help him cope with his grief, which was evident despite his attempts to conceal it. I could see how much he was struggling. Strangely enough, I wanted to be there for him, to offer support. Yet, I found myself hesitating.
Although he had been more polite than he was when I came back searching for him the night before, Koen remained distant. His responses were curt, and his eyes often avoided mine. I could tell that the hurt from my recent betrayal still lingered between us.
As we moved through the village, I knew all I could do was be patient. I would continue to support him in any way I could, even if it meant giving him the space he seemed to need. My hope was that, over time, he would come to understand and forgive me, just as he had managed to convince me of the same.
Still, I couldn’t shake the fear that perhaps our actions had maimed our relationship beyond repair.
Deep inside my head, I barely acknowledged the figure approaching me until he called out to me, “Hey, Alpha! Fancy seeing you here.” When I focused my vision again, I realized that it was Waylon.
And I somehow knew this wouldn’t go well.
Koen immediately arched an eyebrow at me, while I pretended not to see it. “Shouldn’t you be working, Waylon?” I snapped, trying to send him off without saying too much.
“Ouch. Still want nothing to do with me?” he said, feigning offense. “And here I was thinking you had come here only to see me.”
“I have more important things to do,” I barked back.
“Duly noted.” He laughed, and I wondered how I could have possibly seemed funny. “Lucky for you, Alpha, I’m not proud. I’ll be here whenever you want me.”
I started walking away before he even finished his sentence, but just when I thought it was over, I heard Koen hiss, “Who the hell are you?”
Shit.
When I turned around, Koen and Waylon were staring daggers at each other. While the green in my former mate’s eyes sparkled with jealousy, the latter seemed furious that an outsider dared speak to him.
“What’s it to ya, outsider ?” Waylon squinted his eyes in disdain as he took a step toward Koen. “You should stay quiet while you’re here.”
I didn’t realize I was growling until the sound caught the warrior’s attention. There was only confusion when he took his eyes off Koen to look at me.
“Leave him, Waylon,” I ordered, my command powerful enough to make him step back without me having to move. I continued, “As I have declared upon my return earlier today, Koen is to be treated equally.”
“Equally?” Waylon scoffed, though he didn’t dare approach me. “How can you expect that when he’s not one of us? If you want us to respect him, he should at least prove himself worthy through the trials.”
“Trials?” Koen turned to me questioningly, but I barely registered it, entirely focused on keeping Waylon away from him.
“You will because I, your alpha , say so.”
Waylon was silent for a moment before looking me dead in the eye, jealousy coating his words as he asked, “What makes him so special?”
The million-dollar question.
My mind raced as I tried to come up with a believable excuse. It felt like my heart was about to beat out of my chest. I glanced at Koen, holding my breath. He was looking at me expectantly, like he wanted people to know our history. All I could do was look back to Waylon before answering as calmly as possible, “He welcomed me into his pack, unaware that I was undercover. He made sure I was treated well. Now that he has lost his home, I want to extend the same hospitality and gratitude he showed me.”
Waylon studied me for a moment longer before finally stalking away, and I blew out a long breath. As he disappeared from view, a wave of relief washed over me, but it was short-lived. When I turned to Koen, his face was a mask of betrayal. Before I could utter a word, he huffed and turned his back on me.
In that instant, I knew my lie had cut deep.