Shattered and Saved (Ashen Wolves #2)

37

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A V R I L

Sometimes, it sucked being an alpha.

Theo’s message landed like a stone, and Koen’s expression told me he had already connected the dots. For the first time, I found myself wishing I could turn away from my responsibilities, just for a heartbeat. The thought must have been written on my face. I let my fingers linger over my mate’s mark, relishing the sparks that rushed through my skin as I sensed our completed bond. When I reopened my eyes, paradise shattered, and duty dragged me to my office, where I told my team to gather.

As soon as we met in the hallway, their gazes flew to my neck. They stared at it for a moment, a wave of emotion glistening in their eyes. I was sure they wanted to congratulate me. Elijah would likely want all the details as well.

Unfortunately, the celebration would have to wait.

Breezing past them, I opened the door to my office, speaking to my beta before I even closed the door, “What did the Council say?”

I didn’t bother taking my chair this time; my nerves wouldn’t allow me to stay seated. Instead, I leaned back against the desk, my hands gripping the edge for support. Koen stood steady at my side while my friends arranged themselves around the room. At the center, Theo reached into his back pocket and pulled out two envelopes.

Two letters.

What?

Noticing my confusion, he took a step toward me and explained, “This one is addressed to Koen.” He handed one of the letters to my mate, who looked just as bewildered. Then, he held out the remaining envelope toward me, pinched between his index and middle fingers. “And this is for you.”

A rush of anticipation coursed through me as I took the paper from his hand and pulled it from the torn envelope. Elijah’s somber expression made it clear he knew what was inside, while Koen and Rhea held their breath, waiting for me to reveal its contents. Sucking in a final breath to steady my heartbeat, I unfolded it and began reading.

When I was done, a pinch of worry settled.

“The Council is hosting an emergency alpha meeting in one week,” I started, my voice low before the big revelation. “And they are summoning the Alpha of Azure Smoke Pack.”

I couldn’t say I expected this. While I had considered the possibility of the Elders wanting to arrange a meeting with me to discuss the incident in person, I didn’t think it would happen during a large-scale event.

There had been an alpha meeting shortly prior to me leaving Whispering Hills after retrieving the ashes. If they had resorted to organizing another one this soon, it certainly meant they desired convincing testimony from me, in front of leaders from all across the country.

“Are you actually going?” Koen whispered to me. “They don’t even know who you are.”

“I have to,” I replied matter-of-factly. “If I don’t, they will come looking for us.”

Azure Smoke had stayed under the radar of the Elders for now despite being held in some sort of high regard by most alphas due to standing out among other insurgent packs. No information regarding our location, Elite members, history, or wealth. They usually didn’t pay much mind to smaller groups until they could prove their ability to thrive, which was why new packs weren’t required to provide any data until they reached fifty members.

Until now, I had been able to keep our identity a mystery from the werewolf society, revealing only what could be used to our advantage. I believed hiding in plain sight would keep them off of our backs under the illusion that they knew who we were, while not being important enough for them to want to learn more about us. Was this my plan backfiring?

I shook my head. “But I won’t tell them the truth about who I am,” I continued, pushing myself off the desk to stand straighter. “I will be Avril Fletcher, the omega, representative of Azure Smoke Pack.”

While the limited exposure I allowed about my pack seemed to have put me in a tough spot, it was also the reason we were being politely invited to a political meeting instead of being hunted down for slaughtering an innocent pack.

We’d just have to navigate it properly now.

“Wait, Avril,” Rhea chimed in. “They’re specifically requesting the alpha’s presence. Are you sure they’ll accept this?”

“Almost entirely,” I said, feeling convinced. “When the first-in-command can’t attend the meeting, they’re allowed to send representatives instead.”

“Usually their beta or gamma,” she countered.

“Yes, but no one knows who they are, and we don’t have to tell them,” I observed, referencing the insurgent pack law.

As she nodded, I released a sigh. “Anyway, we’ll have to review the details thoroughly, make sure we leave no room for error,” I mused, knowing I would have to put on the show of my life. Pushing the thought aside for the moment, I turned to my mate. “What does your letter say?”

As if just remembering it, he blinked at the envelope in his hands. It remained sealed, a sign that my beta hadn’t snooped into his business. Without ceremony, Koen opened the letter to quench our curiosity.

A moment later, he disclosed, “Apparently, word’s gotten around that I’m still kicking. They want me at the meeting to discuss the future of Whispering Hills…or whatever’s left of it.”

It made sense. Shortly after I rescued Koen, he expressed his desire to return home and try to salvage whatever he could. Technically, he had won the battle against the Opal Moon Pack - despite there being no survivors on either side, he still had the right to claim the territory and resources of the defeated alpha. Similarly, he retained ownership of everything that belonged to the fallen Whispering Hills.

“Actually, this is perfect,” I announced, stepping toward the center of the room as a plan started to form in my mind. “We’ll go together. Let them know we accepted each other as mates, and that you’re now part of Azure Smoke.”

Contrary to his father’s bad reputation, Koen managed to build a good name for himself among other alphas due to the measures he took as he tried to undo the mess his dad had created. He was seen as honorable and honest. As long as I had him as my alibi, no one would question the veracity of my story.

“What if they find out what I am - what I’ve become?” Koen pointed out hesitantly, instinctively grasping his forearm, where his Ashen Wolf mark was.

Before I could reply, Rhea assured him, “They won’t. We’ll go the extra mile to ensure that.”

I nodded at her, focusing my attention on Koen again to continue, “We can’t let our covers be blown,” I began, my tone sharp as I addressed the room. “Some packs are already more suspicious than others about the return of the Ashen Wolves. If they sense even the smallest crack in our story, they’ll tear it wide open.”

“What packs?” he wanted to know.

“The most dangerous one is Golden Valley, who is part of the original alliance that helped track down and slay the Ashen Wolves centuries ago,” I told him. “They’re allies with Emerald Lake - the pack who killed my parents.”

Koen stayed silent as I shared the story about my parents’ final mission. My friends already knew it, but they stayed and listened anyway. According to my uncle, my parents had gone to rescue a fledgling who had been captured by Emerald Lake Pack. If they were able to figure out what he was, it would reveal that the Ashen Wolves weren’t extinct, jeopardizing the safety of the remaining members of our kind.

At the time, Azure Smoke was significantly smaller, while Emerald Lake was quite influential. There was no way we could’ve fought them head-on, not like we did to save Ruac. So, my parents, as alphas, made the choice to sacrifice their lives to protect the secret of the Ashen Wolves.

The mission ended in tragedy, with all three of them dead. But before that happened, they did everything they could to keep the enemy from discovering the truth. They were careful not to use their powers, not even as they fought. From the moment the battle began, they knew they wouldn’t make it out alive. The best they could do was prevent Emerald Lake from figuring out that they were Ashen Wolves.

Golden Valley was notified and called to investigate the incident, but they couldn’t find any conclusive evidence. When an Ashen Wolf dies, their magic leaves their body, and their mark vanishes. So, even though the enemy suspected something was wrong, they couldn’t figure out what exactly.

“The only reason the Ashen Wolves’ return hasn’t been confirmed yet is because the original alliance is fractured,” I continued. “Back then, Golden Valley and Whispering Hills were the last ones standing, but Rockwell wasn’t trusted due to his ways. If Whispering Hills had been contacted about the event, they might have been able to collaborate and piece the information together.”

Koen was mutely thoughtful for a moment, processing the story. In the end, he eyed me with confusion, his voice quiet as he asked, “If Whispering Hills was that dangerous to the Ashen Wolves, why did your parents leave you there in the first place?”

“Honestly, no one knows,” I shrugged. “Mom and Dad didn’t even tell Uncle Joe. But I…” I paused reluctantly, forcing out a breath before continuing. “I’ve thought about it a lot, and I have a couple of theories.”

Once again, I hesitated. The room fell silent, all eyes on me, waiting for my insight. I had never told anyone this - not even my friends. But I was finally ready to share my conclusions.

“Maybe they were afraid their covers would be blown during the mission, and our enemies might target our secret haven to finish the job. In that case, they could’ve assumed I’d be safer outside of Azure Smoke, with my identity hidden.” I stopped, then contradicted myself. “But that still doesn’t explain why they would leave me at one of the packs from the original alliance.”

I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the story pressing down on me. “Alternatively, and the possibility I find more likely, is that they risked sending me there, hoping I’d eventually find the ashes and bring them back to our lands, triggering our kind’s ascension.”

As I finished, I met Koen’s gaze. Something shifted in his eyes. They weren’t filled with pity - not in the way I feared they might be. Instead, they were full of understanding, a silent acknowledgment of the weight I carried. It was more sympathy than anything, but it was a rare kind of respect that resonated deep within me. He didn’t need to say a word; I could see it in the way he looked at me.

When he reached for my hand, his fingers wrapping around mine with gentle firmness, I felt the burden lighten. His touch wasn’t just an offer of comfort; it was an unspoken promise. He understood what I had to bear - the heavy weight of my parents’ legacy and their faith in me to ensure our pack would thrive - and now, it was ours to carry together.

I wasn’t alone in this anymore, and for the first time in a long while, the road ahead didn’t feel as impossible.

The next week went by in a flurry of careful planning. Each detail had to be meticulously crafted, and we spared no effort in ensuring our covers wouldn’t be blown. Every action, every decision had to be executed with precision, from our movements within the pack to the careful steps we took outside.

Koen’s transformation - his darkened wolf form - wasn’t something we could allow to be discovered, not at the meeting. The most complicated matter was his wolf color change. While there was little chance he would be asked to shift while we were there, we couldn’t risk it. So, I had asked the shaman to brew a potion that would change his appearance, restoring his original coat to a lighter shade.

As for Koen, I had him wear long sleeves to conceal the mark on his arm, just like me. It was an obvious solution, but the best one we had. The last thing we needed was someone catching a glimpse of the Ashen Wolf symbol and piecing it all together.

The day of the meeting arrived faster than I anticipated, and despite our preparations, the weight of what was to come felt heavier than ever. The air around us was tense with unspoken thoughts, but as we neared the meeting, I let go of all my uncertainties. When we climbed out of the car to face the sharks, I put on my little lamb mask.

For the last time in my life, I would make everyone believe I was just a weak omega.