Shattered and Saved (Ashen Wolves #2)

15

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A V R I L

Disaster unfolded too quickly for human eyes to perceive it. Oliver’s wolf came forth, fangs bared and eyes glowing. Then, he disappeared. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Koen shift into a defensive stance, ready to defend himself from the upcoming attack. But I knew he stood no chance against a volatile Ashen Wolf.

Afraid of what would happen if Oliver managed to get his claws on my former mate, Kea broke free. As alphas, we were faster and far more skilled than him. She had no trouble finding the ravenous wolf as he shrouded himself in smoke, grabbing him by the scruff of his neck and knocking him down. In the blink of an eye, she had him pinned to the ground, only a few feet away from where Koen stood.

I thought he would stop fighting once he heard Kea’s growl, offering him a final chance to stand down. But he didn’t. To my surprise, he didn’t care that she was one snap away from ending his life. Not even the threat of her sharp fangs dangerously close to his jugular could stop him. He flailed violently, paying no mind to how his skin was torn as he struggled against my wolf’s teeth.

Bewilderment struck me. I’d never seen a pack member - or any wolf shifter for that matter - behave like this. He looked rabid.

“I get why he’s upset,” Kea said, struggling to hold the young beast down. “But there’s no way Koen’s presence alone set him off like this.”

She was right. This wasn’t normal. He looked more like a rogue - a mindless, feral creature. I barely knew Oliver, but the crazed wolf snapping beneath Kea was nothing like the shy, grateful boy I’d rescued just yesterday.

In a few seconds, Rhea rushed to my side, along with Theo and Elijah. When the situation started, she must have mindlinked them for reinforcement. My beta pulled out a syringe containing liquid silver, wasting no time to inject Oliver with it. The wolf tossed and turned a while longer, gnarling in agony before he finally went under.

I was panting by the time it was over. My delta approached me and handed me the robe I’d tossed aside moments ago during my transformation, then turned her attention back to the tranquilized wolf. Once I shifted back to my human form, I could feel the weight of everyone’s gazes on me. They were all waiting for answers.

“Rhea, Theo, Elijah,” I called, drawing their attention. “Take him somewhere safe and stay with him until he wakes up. Make sure he doesn’t try to harm anyone else,” I commanded. “Join me in my office once you’re done.”

“Yes, Alpha,” the three of them replied in unison.

As they hurried to do as I said, I turned around, searching for Koen. He was wearing a somber expression I couldn’t quite decipher. I stepped closer to him, inviting him to come with me. In silence, he followed me to my office. He waited until I closed the door before letting me know what was on his mind.

“What happened?” he asked cooly.

“I wish I knew,” I replied, too concerned about the issue at hand to pay attention to his tone. “That was unusual. We’ve never had a new member-”

“No, Avril,” he cut me off, taking a step in my direction, his face serious. I couldn’t say I appreciated it, but I let him talk. “What did Oliver mean?”

Finally comprehending the shift in his demeanor, I clenched my jaw, holding my tongue as I tried to formulate an answer. I didn’t even consider sharing the details of our rescue mission with him. Yet, I could see why it bothered him.

“What happened yesterday, Avril?” he pushed, growing impatient at my long silence.

Sucking in a breath, I revealed shamelessly, “Exactly what he said.” I stared straight into his eyes, explaining, “His friend saw us using our abilities. She became a liability. I took care of it.”

“You took care of it?” He furrowed his brow, disbelief written all over his face as he corrected, “You killed an innocent girl!”

“I eliminated a threat,” I countered, trying to keep my voice low even when he raised his. Turning around, I confessed, “I can’t say I’m proud of it, but I did what I had to do to ensure the safety of my family. I won’t apologize for it.”

A scoff broke through his lips. “Unbelievable.”

“What, Koen?!” I finally snapped, defensive as he put me on the spot. “It’s not like you didn’t know.” I stepped closer, the air bristling as our stares clashed, sharp and unyielding. We both held our heads high, alpha against alpha. “When I brought you here, I told you the truth. All of it. Including what happens to those who might expose us.”

He pursed his lips, crossing his arms in front of his chest. Shaking his head, he said, “You can’t keep killing wolves left and right. It’s not right.”

“Why not?” I squinted my eyes at him, angry at how he would question my actions as a leader. “It’s what I’ve done since I took over Azure Smoke. It’s what my uncle did before me. What my parents used to do until they were slain after having their identities exposed. I won’t let any more of mine be taken by them!”

“Because I’m one of them , Avril!” he roared, hurt in his voice, making me wince. As my shoulders slouched, he took a bold step forward, uncertainty darkening his eyes. “Can’t you see it? Oliver has a point. What’s the difference between me and any other regular werewolf?”

I forced my eyes shut, letting out a defeated breath. Realizing he had every right to be mad, I laid my weapons down. When I looked at him again, I reached for his face, but he pulled back, evading my touch. My heart throbbed painfully at the rejection. I parted my lips, desperate to explain why he mattered more to me than anyone else, but no words came. I had nothing to offer. My silence only fueled his doubts, and he was quick to voice them.

“If you get bored of me, will you dispose of me, too?” he accused, hitting me like a knife to the heart. “Will you kill me if I ever become a liability to you, Avril?”

“Of course not!” I tried to defend, hurt heavy in my eyes. “I could have left you to die, like you told me to. But I didn’t. I sacrificed everything to bring you here, where I knew you’d be safe.”

“And you made it clear that I can’t leave,” he barked back immediately. “What happens if I decide I don’t want to be your prisoner anymore?”

The disappointment in his glare chilled me to the bone. It reminded me of the day I went after him. Back then, he’d pushed me away, refusing to hear what I had to say. My actions had hurt him deeply. I couldn’t find the words then, just as I couldn’t find them now.

Suddenly, the wonderful night we’d shared felt like a distant dream. I thought we were finally starting to see eye to eye, but maybe I was wrong. Maybe I’d kept love at arm’s length for so long that I no longer knew how to let it in.

Maybe Koen and I were fated never to work out, our worlds too different to ever truly connect.

Still, I tried, “Koen, please…”

“Stop, Avril.” He heaved a heavy sigh, massaging his temples, his tiredness showing. “I need some air.”

“Wait-” I went after him, but just as he opened the door, he revealed my beta, gamma and delta standing outside.

As their gazes collided, I was certain they felt the tension hanging in the air. Koen lifted his chin, pretending nothing was amiss as he walked past my friends. My eyes stayed on him until he disappeared down the hall. Kea urged me to follow, to try and fix things between us. But I had responsibilities. I couldn’t abandon my team to chase after him at such a delicate moment.

I forced myself to set aside the conflict with Koen and adopted a neutral expression, masking my emotions. Before Theo and Elijah, who clearly sensed something was off, could ask any questions, I ushered them inside and took my seat. We had an urgent matter to discuss, and I couldn’t afford to let my personal issues distract me from the situation with the fledgling.

We needed to understand what was happening before it spiraled into a larger problem.