Shattered and Saved (Ashen Wolves #2)

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A V R I L

Koen’s determination was nothing short of admirable. He never missed a single training session, often staying late to sharpen his skills as much as possible. When he wasn’t actively training, he was strategizing ways to compensate for the disadvantages he faced against our kind. Not once did his spirit falter - not when he was beaten repeatedly, nor when the disparity in power seemed insurmountable. Day after day, he pushed himself past his limits to achieve his goal.

His motivation was genuinely inspiring, and it filled me with an inexplicable joy to see his hard work pay off. Test after test, he aced them all, revealing his true strength to everyone. When it came time for his final challenge, I had no doubt he would succeed.

Then, Waylon volunteered, and I couldn’t stop the tremor that ran through me.

When I realized what Koen’s illusion in the test of fear was, I nearly leapt from the viewing deck to interrupt the trials. I couldn’t bear the thought of him reliving the pain of losing his pack - especially when he had barely begun to heal from the ordeal. Theo had to hold me back, urging me to trust in Koen’s resilience, and in the end, I was glad I listened.

But letting Waylon fight him in the ring felt far too dangerous. I should have suspected something from how quiet he’d been lately. It was obvious he was up to something, simply waiting for the perfect moment to strike. I hadn’t given much thought to the threat he’d made to Koen the last time we spoke, but as I watched him descend the stairs with malicious intent, it was all I could think about.

“Don’t,” Theo warned me again, stretching his arm out in front of my chest to block me before I could take my first step. “He can do it, Avril.”

As fear gripped me, I warned him with seriousness, “Get out of the way, Theo. I’m calling it off.”

“Didn’t you say you believed in his ability to beat the trials?” Rhea chimed in, always the voice of reason. “He passed your final test. If he beat you, Waylon will be no trouble to him.”

“I wasn’t trying to harm him, Rhea!” I argued, darting my gaze back to the man. “For all I know, Waylon might try to kill him.”

“He’s not that stupid, Avril,” she insisted. “He knows hurting Koen will be his death sentence.”

As I stared thoughtfully at her, Theo placed a hand on my shoulder, stealing my attention. He leaned closer, eyes on mine as he promised, “Waylon won’t be able to harm him. I trained Koen myself, and I know he is up for the challenge.”

At last, I resigned. Although reluctant, I decided to listen to my friends and allowed the trials to continue. The five minutes that followed were the longest of my life. I couldn’t take my eyes off the ring, intensely analyzing every little move, ready to act if Waylon tried to pull something.

The longer I watched, the more impressed I was with Koen’s performance. Despite the disparity in physical and magical power between the two wolves, my former mate barely let his opponent touch him. It was actually amusing to witness Waylon growing more and more irritated by the second. And when the horn blared, announcing the end of the test, I couldn’t be prouder of Koen.

But that was when the fun ended for me.

I couldn’t believe it when Col recklessly went for the adversary again, even after the trials were over. Waylon met him head-on, and they soon became a blur of teeth and claws again. It took me a moment to process it, fury bubbling up to my throat. What the hell were they doing?!

“Idiots!” Kea growled in my head. “We need to stop them, Avril!”

I shot a glance at Theo and said simply, “The trials are over.”

This time, he only nodded and stepped aside. Without a second thought, I climbed onto the railing and leapt into the air. By the time I landed, Kea was out, her paws striking the ground firmly.

Waylon’s beast pinned Col, desperate to sink his jaws into him, when the white wolf delivered a powerful kick, throwing his opponent to the other side of the ring. As the dark-coated warrior prepared to lunge back at the alpha, too blinded by rage to notice my presence, Kea intercepted him. She seized him by the scruff of his neck and hurled him backward once more.

By then, Col was back on his feet. From the look in his eyes, I could tell he fully intended to continue his duel with Waylon, but Kea’s roar held him back. Respectfully, he lowered his head. On the other side, the warrior stood and shook the dirt from his fur, frustration clear on his face, yet he didn’t dare take another step.

Once the situation was under control, Elijah tossed me a robe from the viewing deck. I took a moment to steady my nerves before shifting back into my human form. The tension hung heavy in the air, amplified by the crowd’s dead silence. Though fury burned inside me, I forced myself to mask it for the sake of not escalating the drama further.

When I was dressed, I let out a dry laugh. “Sometimes, the thirst for battle gets the best of us, doesn’t it?” I remarked in an attempt to lighten the heavy atmosphere. “But let us not forget to celebrate.” Stretching my hand toward Col, I announced, “Koen has beaten the trials!”

After a few more seconds of static, the crowd finally exploded in applause and cheers, the tension successfully dissipated.

While they rejoiced, I darted my head at Waylon, my eyes clouding as I reached him through mindlink. “Leave, now. You and I will talk later.”

Without another word, the warrior retreated, exiting the arena still in his animal form. As soon as he was gone, I fetched another robe, handing it to the white wolf. Koen promptly shifted back and put it on.

Blazing with rage, I ordered, “Come.”

Koen followed me without arguing. The lack of expression on his face only heightened my anger. How could he do something so stupid and show no regret at all?

I dragged him all the way to my office, locking the door before letting my disapproval fully show. “Is this how you thank me for allowing you to participate in my kind’s sacred tradition? By turning it into a circus?”

“I’m sorry,” he dropped immediately, though I still couldn’t grasp any traces of real remorse in his voice. “I didn’t mean to ridicule the trials or your faith in me.”

“Really?” I scoffed. “What was that about then? Were you trying to get yourself killed just for fun?”

To my blatant disbelief, he chuckled, a smile curling up his lips. “See? That’s why I did it. You didn’t think I’d stand a chance against Waylon, and neither did he. I just wanted to prove that I can beat him, not just survive against him.”

“Goddess’ sake!” I exclaimed, pinching the bridge of my nose. “You know, back when I was at Whispering Hills, I admired your control. You were always so much better than me at keeping your emotions at bay,” I confessed, sighing before continuing, “Of all the qualities you could have learned from me, please tell me you haven’t chosen to mirror my impulsiveness.”

“I know what you think, but I didn’t act on impulse,” he defended. “It was all calculated.”

“Was it, now?” I mocked.

“Maybe you missed it, but the fight between me and Waylon? It wasn’t about the trials.” His head fell back, his hand running through his hair. “It was about proving that I have what it takes - that I’m stronger and more suitable than he is.”

“For what?” I asked, still struggling to understand his reasons.

Suddenly, his eyes locked onto mine. His tough facade vanished, replaced by a vulnerability that always made my walls crumble. Drawing closer, he whispered, “To be your mate.”

His answer echoed in my ears, resonating through my entire being. At last, my expression softened, my shoulders slumping as I, too, lost my big bad alpha posture. Another sigh escaped me.

“Oh, Koen…” I exhaled softly, my hand brushing his cheek. “That battle is already over.” I closed the distance between us, my face hovering just inches from his. It was impossible to hold back the truth. “You won before you even set foot in Azure Smoke.”

His eyes widened slightly, a surprised breath escaping his lips. After processing my confession, his hands reached for my face, cupping both of my cheeks before gently pressing his mouth to mine. Our lips brushed, sending gentle waves of warmth through me, growing stronger as our tongues met with quiet intensity.

In a rare moment, I felt no rush. I took the time to savor his taste, as if I hadn’t truly appreciated it until now, enjoying every innocent second of our kiss. Soon enough, he was all I could focus on.

Craving to feel more, my hands floated to his chest, rising up his collarbone over his robe before slipping underneath it. I caressed the extension of his broad shoulders before pushing the fabric off of them, letting the robe fall to the ground unceremoniously.

Koen kept kissing me, letting me set the pace, seemingly enjoying my unusual ease. Making the most of the moment, I allowed my fingers to trace every muscle around his bare back, feeling them flex under my skin as I committed his texture to memory.

As we slowly spun around the room, his thumb pressed the underside of my jaw, his other hand brushing down my neck, sending goosebumps all over. He finally pulled away, nipping at my jaw, sucking the sensitive spot between my neck and shoulders. Before I knew it, he had removed my robe, leaving us both naked in the middle of the office.

“If that’s true,” he whispered, briefly pausing his gentle assault. “Let me claim you like he never has.”

He didn’t wait for a response. A silent moan erupted from me as his hand captured one of my breasts, massaging it with the right amount of pressure and carefulness. He did the same to the other before rolling my nipple between his skilled fingers, his tongue plunging into my mouth again as I opened it to release a gasp.

The heat started building up as we both leisurely explored each other’s bodies. My hands were now back to his chest, while one of his traveled down my stomach. His index finger slid between my folds, hovering below my entrance, making me pulse with anticipation. But he barely touched me, just enough to probe my arousal.

A groan of satisfaction rumbled in his chest. “Tell me you’re mine, Avril,” he commanded more than pleaded, and I couldn’t decide which part of him I wanted more - the authoritative alpha or the submissive mate.

Either way, I couldn’t help but comply, “I’m yours.”

With a husky, possessive growl, he flipped me around. His erection pressed against my ass, and I instinctively arched my back to intensify the friction. He responded with a sudden move I wasn’t expecting. Holding my waist with one hand, he pressed the other to my back, forcing me down to bend me over the desk.

Shit, this was new for me - and I think I liked it.

I didn’t complain when he grabbed my wrists, guiding them behind my back to ground me against the cool surface. When I was restrained enough to his liking, he entered me with a slow, tender push.

Every inch of him stretched me with impossible calm, as if he wanted to show me how perfectly he fit me. He moved with a rhythm that matched the beating of my heart - steady, comforting, a gentle reminder that we were more deeply connected than I’d ever wanted to admit.

There was no rush, no frantic need, no fight for power. This was different. The usual blinding lust had been replaced by a passion more intense than I’d ever experienced.

Koen’s breath quickened against my skin, his movements growing more erratic, each one slightly more desperate than the last. At last, he released my wrists, clinging to my waist instead, both to pull me harder against him, and to secure me in place, as if he wanted to make sure I wouldn’t slip away. His lips brushed my shoulder, his groan low and ragged as the pace of his thrusts began to falter, a sign that the end was coming - inevitable, but in no rush.

I shuddered in response, a wave of warmth pooling deep inside me, and I gave into it, letting myself fall into him completely. The tension that had built up over the last few minutes snapped, my body tightening around him in an unspoken surrender. I cried out softly, the sound swallowed by his chest as he pressed me against him, not allowing me to retreat, not even for a second.

He stiffened behind me, a roar of satisfaction vibrating through his chest as his release followed mine, filling me to the brim with his hot cum. When he was done, we stayed there, bodies intertwined, holding onto each other as if time itself had come to a standstill. The world outside the office didn’t exist. There was only us - quiet, spent, breathing together as one.

Koen pulled away just enough to turn me around, drawing me into his arms with a tenderness that felt like home. Resting my head against his chest, I melted into the warmth of his embrace, and then, in a voice that trembled with sincerity, he confessed, “I love you, Avril.”

My eyes shot open, caught off guard by his words, but before I could even process them, he went on, “More than I’ve ever loved anyone or anything. I always have.” When I remained silent, still in shock, he added, “I’m sorry if it’s too soon. You don’t have to say it back if-”

“I love you too,” I interrupted, my voice coming out more quickly than I intended. As he stilled, I waited for my breath to steady, pulling away slightly, enough to look into his eyes and repeat, “I love you, Koen.”

At that moment, with his arms still around me, I knew it was true. He was mine, and I was his. And nothing else mattered.