31
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A V R I L
My heart tightened as Kea’s gaze fell on the young fledgling, kneeling with silver chains binding him to the concrete wall. Cuts and bruises marred his skin, evidence of the beating he must have endured after the episode I witnessed in the vision. Since his injuries weren’t healing, I assumed they had drugged him to suppress his wolf as well.
Regaining control, I shifted back into my human form to help Ruac. As I turned to grab a robe hanging by the desk near the cell keys, I noticed Koen had shifted back as well. His fists were clenched at his sides, his posture rigid, but it was his eyes that froze me mid-motion. They were fixed on the younger man, darkening with something I couldn’t quite name - until I could.
He had finally understood.
Koen’s disapproval of my methods had been clear when he vehemently reprimanded me for killing an innocent she-wolf. While I hadn’t expected him to react so strongly to the death of a stranger, I couldn’t blame him for struggling to grasp why it had to be done.
But as he witnessed firsthand what they had done to Ruac - a member of their own pack - the reason behind my actions finally became clear to him. They didn’t even know what Ruac truly was, but his abnormal strength alone was enough for them to want him dead.
It was the same fear that had brought my kind to the brink of extinction centuries ago.
They started it , I reminded myself, pushing away the resentment I had felt upon killing Brent earlier. Ashen Wolves were merely existing when they decided they couldn’t bear to share this world with a creature more powerful than themselves. Whether it was fear, pride, or envy, the reason didn’t matter - it didn’t change the fact that they had come after us. Back then, they hadn’t hesitated to slaughter the innocent.
So why should I now?
Handing Koen one of the spare robes, I turned toward the fledgling and hastily unlocked the door to his cell. Before I could step inside, he scrambled back against the wall, his wide eyes filled with terror. Even if he hadn’t been at the battle, I was certain he’d heard the sounds of his pack’s massacre. And I was still covered in their blood.
I knelt down slowly, lowering myself onto one knee with deliberate care, my arm resting lightly on the other. Now at his eye level, I softened my posture, hoping the gesture would reassure him, a silent promise that I meant no harm.
“My name is Avril,” I told him. “I just want to help you.”
This time, he didn’t flinch as I approached, though his voice wavered with uncertainty as he asked, “Why? They said I’m a freak. Why would you want to help me?”
“You’re not a freak,” I reassured him, quickly unlocking his chains. As soon as he was freed, he grabbed his burnt wrists, massaging them. After a pause, I revealed, “You’re an Ashen Wolf.”
His eyes darted up to me, blurred with confusion. “A what?” He shook his head. “H-how would you know?”
“Because I’m just like you,” I said, watching hopeful relief spread across his face. “I’m Avril Fletcher, Alpha of Azure Smoke Pack - the last pack of Ashen Wolves.” I extended my hand to help him up and added, “Come with us, and I’ll tell you everything.”
By the time we left the dungeons with the newest member of our pack, the team of scouts I had sent to confirm there were no survivors had already returned. They had counted the bodies to ensure none had managed to escape. With that, we were ready to head home.
Despite how tired we all were from the journey and the battle, we couldn’t afford to rest. Though weakened, Blood Rose had many allies, and it was only a matter of time before one of them was alerted to the attack. Besides, simply being out of our secret haven in full force was risky enough - we needed to get back as soon as possible. Thankfully, the night should offer us enough camouflage to travel safely.
Thus, we marched, enshrouded in a thick cloud of smoke that followed us as we cut through one forest after another. Since Ruac couldn’t shift until the poison was out of his system, Theo volunteered to give him a ride. The moment he crossed the magical borders hiding our territory, the mark of our kind appeared on his arm, just like it had with Oliver.
This time, though, I wouldn’t let his newly awakened powers consume him. The first thing I did was hand him one of the bracelets we all wore. While everyone else was allowed to rest, I stayed with the fledgling to make sure he felt at home and received the care he needed. Through it all, Koen never left my side.
Once Ruac was settled, I left him to rest at his new cottage before finally going to bed with Koen. Tomorrow would be a long day, but for a while longer, I decided not to think about that. In my former mate’s arms, I drifted off peacefully.
When morning came, I didn’t have the heart to wake him. A short night of rest had been enough for me to recover, but the previous day had taken a greater toll on Koen. Even as the first light of day bathed his face, he didn’t stir. He had impressed me with how well he kept up during the mission, but his body wasn’t as resilient as ours. Before heading out, I closed the curtains, leaving him to recharge.
I started by checking on Ruac. It was a relief to see that his injuries had healed, and he seemed lighter, both physically and emotionally. After offering a bit more insight into our kind, I asked if he was ready to share what exactly had happened at Blood Rose. Though he hesitated, his gratitude was clear, and he eventually told me everything.
He had never been overly mistreated prior to shifting for the first time. Unsure of how he ended up at Blood Rose, too young to have memories of the day, he had been an omega since he could remember. With no adoptive parents, he was raised by the pack as a whole and put to work when he turned fourteen. He had always been a servant, but he was given food, clothes and a roof, so he was content.
It was when Brent took over that the pack members’ behavior toward him and other omegas began to change. Some wolves were around when his counterpart awakened, and they decided to pick on him for how weird his animal form looked. When the beta’s son attacked him, he fought back out of fear, and that’s when the confusion started.
Harming a member of high-ranking blood was considered a crime, so he was brought to the alpha for it. When Brent heard about how an orphaned omega born outside of Blood Rose with an eerie-looking wolf had beaten the beta’s son, he was concerned. After being locked up, Ruac heard two guards talking about how the Elders had been involved.
“From what I gathered, it seemed the Council had a hunch about what was wrong with me,” Ruac revealed. “But I’d never heard the name Ashen Wolves until you mentioned it.”
I pressed my lips together thoughtfully. The situation wasn’t as bad as it could have been, but it wasn’t good, either. I couldn’t be sure the Elders’ assumption about Ruac’s true identity was correct, but it had certainly raised suspicions. More questions would likely arise after the attack on Blood Rose and Ruac’s mysterious disappearance.
And we’d better be prepared to answer them.