27
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K O E N
I had never felt more connected with Avril than I did in the moment we shared at her office. Suddenly, it seemed as though we weren’t worlds apart. We were closer than ever, bonded by more than just primal need - finally ready to confront our differences and work through them instead of ignoring them.
After we left the office, clad in our robes, I returned to my cottage to wash away the dust, blood, and sweat. Avril, on the other hand, simply changed into more appropriate clothes, not bothering to shower before hurrying off to talk to Waylon, saying it was more urgent than anything else.
Columbus wasn’t pleased with the idea of her meeting with that bastard so soon after mating with us. I, on the other hand, felt an inexplicable satisfaction in knowing she’d face him while covered in my scent, my seed still fresh inside her. I wished I could see his face when he caught my scent on every inch of her, but even if I couldn’t, the thought alone was entertaining enough.
As I tried to contain my victorious smile, I reminded myself that Avril was never a prize to be won.
But I had won her anyway.
When she was done, she came to see me in my cottage. Although she refused to tell me what went down in detail, she assured me he had been reprimanded accordingly. As much as my wolf and I would rather settle things between us and Waylon on our own, I would never defy Avril’s authority. She was the alpha, and it was up to her to decide how to keep the order within her pack.
Following the eventful morning, Avril and I spent the rest of the day together, unwinding. Normally, she would have work to do, but whenever a challenger succeeded in the trials, everyone took the day off. At night, we ended up together in her bed again.
When morning came, I slowly opened my eyes to admire her. She looked most peaceful in her sleep, and watching her rest had become one of my favorite pastimes. Her beauty was regal, like that of a queen, as her tan skin glowed with golden hues when the first light of day streamed through the half-open curtains, dancing across her face.
My queen.
As we spooned, she shifted in my embrace, gradually coming out of her slumber. Electric blue eyes fluttered open, crystalline pools so deep I wanted to dive into them. A carefree smile spread over her lips as she realized I was already awake, and she turned to look at me.
“You know, that habit of yours is kinda creepy,” she uttered groggily.
I couldn’t hold back a chuckle at her humorous remark. “I’m afraid I can’t help it,” I confessed.
She rolled her eyes, but I noticed her lips curl further. Diving my face into the crook of her neck, I planted a soft kiss on her skin, enjoying the way she tingled with goosebumps before I finally released her. Rolling to the other side of the bed, I sat on the edge and started gathering my clothes from the floor.
As I pulled on my T-shirt, I heard Avril shift on the mattress, rolling onto her side to face my back. “What are you doing?” she asked.
“I should probably get back to my cottage before everyone else wakes up and I’m seen leaving the alpha chambers,” I answered, half-joking.
After a moment of silence, she said tenderly, “Stay.”
Glancing at her over my shoulder, I agreed, “Okay, I can stay a little longer.”
She shook her head. “No.” I arched an eyebrow, watching closely as she crawled toward me, sitting behind me. As her hands snaked around my torso, inviting me to lean against her, she whispered into my ear, “Move into the alpha suite with me.”
Her sudden invitation made me widen my eyes. Turning to look into her eyes, I wanted to confirm, “Avril, are you sure?”
Resting her chin on my shoulder, she brushed her lips against my neck, humming, “Mm-hmm.”
Letting my head fall backwards, I gave in, “Okay.”
A V R I L
Just to spend more time with Koen, I decided to order breakfast in my room. After we had eaten, I proceeded to make room for his things while he returned to his cottage for the last time to organize them.
Asking him to share the alpha chambers with me permanently wasn’t entirely spontaneous. I had been considering it for a few days, but I had to admit I was afraid of the backlash from the pack. It was one thing for them to know Koen and I were involved, but having him move in with me was far more serious. It would show them that my intentions with him went beyond carnal desires - and that it could impact them. Now that he had proved himself, I hoped they would judge him fit to stand by my side rather than rely solely on my status in this pack.
While it was clear the Ashen Wolves had begun to respect him after his success in the trials - almost as if he truly were one of them - I could also sense their confusion. Koen’s position in the pack had become ambiguous. Only pack members had ever participated in the trials, and winning meant they were officially part of Azure Smoke. But Koen was a regular wolf, so where did that leave him? Though I was still unsure myself, I had thought of a simple way to resolve the issue, choosing to listen to my heart for once.
I could claim Koen as my chosen mate, making him king consort of the Ashen Wolves.
Maybe fate was too strong to deny. Perhaps our bond was always meant to be restored after we tried - and failed - to escape destiny. Bond or not, the truth remained: I wanted Koen as my mate, and I couldn’t hide it anymore - not from myself, not from him, or anyone else.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t ready to ask him the question yet. My friends supported me, but my uncle was less than pleased with the idea. I still needed to be sure that my actions wouldn’t divide the pack. Things were stable as they were, and I couldn’t risk disturbing the peace I had fought so hard to create with a hasty decision.
Keeping my thoughts to myself, I invited Koen to spend the rest of the morning outside with me. It was a rare day when I didn’t have a lot on my plate, and I wanted to enjoy it for a change. As soon as we reached a more secluded area, far enough from the village, we let our wolves out.
It was always amusing to watch Columbus and Kea interact. As they played together, rolling and swirling across the green grass, their contrasting coats reminded me of a yin-yang. Good and evil. Dangerous alone but in perfect balance together.
At some point, Col started teasing Kea, nipping at her cheek and neck. She was quick to return the gesture, initiating a play fight. Amidst friendly growls, the two wolves fell to the floor, their teeth constantly grazing at each other’s skins.
A few minutes later, my she-wolf got a little more aggressive. In a quick move, she climbed on top of Col while he lay on his side, and she nipped him a little harder. Then a lot harder, until she was almost biting the spot between his neck and shoulder. Only then did I realize what she was doing.
She was trying to mark him.
I immediately forced her to move away from him, not hesitating to scold her, “What the hell was that, Kea?!”
“What?” She shrugged innocently. “You want to claim him just as much as I do. I can feel it.”
“Not like this - not now!” I barked. “It’s too soon. We can’t. Not yet.”
Frustrated, she was on the verge of arguing when a faint whimper from Col caught our attention. His head tilted in confusion - he didn’t understand why she had suddenly pulled away. Slowly, he crawled back toward her, brushing the underside of her muzzle with his own in a gentle gesture.
It was funny how his personality seemed to change around me. Like this, Col hardly resembled the powerful, intimidating alpha who had stepped in to protect me countless times at Whispering Hills. To my surprise, I realized I loved this softer version of him just as much as I loved the bold, unyielding leader.
In an attempt to reassure him, Kea touched him with her muzzle. However, the unshifting worry in his eyes let me know he wasn’t convinced. My heart beat faster as I realized I wouldn’t have an easy way out of the conversation I’d rather avoid for now.
Or I shouldn’t, had a greater issue not stolen our focus.
Col’s eyes darted to Kea’s front paw, and I noticed that her mark - only visible beneath her fur when active - was glowing.
I barely had time to process it when Theo’s voice echoed in my head. “Avril, we need you at the Banyan,” he said hurriedly. “ There’s been a new awakening.”