Page 26 of Rejected and Regretted

When werewolves are forced to shift before turning eighteen, or in the rare event they're paired with teenage wolves, it's common for their features to undergo changes as they mature, akin to the growth seen in dogs. Puppies of larger breeds often go through significant transformations before settling into their final adult appearance. Sometimes, even the color and texture of their fur can change drastically.

Still, the look on his face let me know he wasn’t satisfied yet. “That explains the first part, but not how she gained muscle, especially when you said you don’t train.”

“I don’t do combat training, but I do work out regularly,” I countered. “As you know, the changes to a shifter’s physique are apparent in both human and wolf forms. I assumed you would have already noticed them.”

Relaxing against his chair, he observed, “Regrettably, I haven’t had a chance to see much of your body in human form.”

As his words struck me, I was momentarily stunned, my mind struggling to process what he had just said. Shock rippled through me, freezing me in place as my anger simmered beneath the surface, momentarily overshadowed by disbelief. It was good to keep me from slapping him, because an omega would never dare to stand up for herself like that. But, beneath the storm of emotions, the most unsettling feeling was the heat that ignited within me, rising to my cheeks and painting them red.

Did Koen just make me blush? For fuck’s sake, what was wrong with me?

Goddess, compose yourself, Avril!I quickly shifted my gaze to the floor, eager to break away from his penetrating stare. My mind had wandered off, but that must not have been what he meant. He was probably simply pointing out that he hadn’t noticed my muscles because I insisted on wearing trousers and loose, long-sleeved shirts to keep my mark hidden.

Nonetheless, the short chuckle he released at my reaction made me second guess his intentions.

“Thank you for your honesty and patience, Avril,” Koen went on as if nothing had happened. “I apologize for the questioning. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable; I was genuinely curious about Kea. She blossomed beautifully, by the way.” This time, he barely gave me time to process his unexpected compliment before continuing, “Oh, and I finally got to see the strength of the Azure Smoke warriors in action today. It definitely made me even more interested in the alliance you proposed.”

Smooth change of subject, huh? Well, in a way, at least it reminded me of his real interest in me. It also explained his uncalled for flattery.

“I’m glad to hear.” I faked a smile. “But I’m afraid I need a little more time to make up my mind about Whispering Hills, and whether or not you are the right allies to my alpha.”

Koen’s face fell. At first, I assumed it was merely frustration. However, the longer I studied his expression, the more it seemed like his disappointment was not due to me delaying a good deal for him.

“Of course. I understand.” He mirrored my expression, though he couldn’t keep his faint smile for long. Rising from his seat, he flashed me one last look as he headed to the door. “Well, I will not keep you any longer. Thank you for your time, Avril.”

And just like that, he was gone, leaving me utterly confused. What had just happened? Just when I thought I had him figured out, he reminded me that, for the love of the Goddess, I could not decipher the enigma that he was.

Koen was a charade, and the longer I stayed around him, the more I found myself drawn to his mystery.

17

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A V R I L

To balance howturbulent my first few days at Whispering Hills had been, the next week passed by quietly. There were no attacks, neither from rogues nor enemy packs, no conflicts with people I once knew, and, most importantly, no awkward interactions with Koen.

Yes, we were still playing the friendship game, but my former mate seemed to have dialed it down a notch. He continued teaching me self-defense techniques, though striving to behave more professionally during his lessons. Even on days when we didn't spar, he made a point to greet me in the cafeteria. Sometimes, he'd sit beside me for a chat, keeping the innuendos to himself.

I should be grateful for the change; it made being near him almost bearable. However, a sense of uneasiness settled at the pit of my stomach, growing larger with each passing day. It was as if a part of me - a tiny part, but annoyingly present nevertheless - longed to have him…closer. I hated it, and I’d do anything to have it gone.

Fortunately, with any luck, my problems could end today.

It was Wednesday again, which meant Koen and his team would be out of pack territory hunting. This time, they were leaving after dusk. Since they would be tracking wild boars,creatures known for having poor night vision, the darkness would facilitate their job - and mine, too. It would be easier to sneak into the top floor of the packhouse when most lights were off and the entire pack was heading off to bed.

“Are you sure you don’t want our help?” Theo asked me, a hint of concern in his voice.

“I’ll be fine on my own,” I insisted, shifting my gaze to Elijah to offer him a reassuring nod. “There are lower chances of me drawing attention if I go alone. You could get seen if you stick around. Besides, I doubt anyone will be walking into the packhouse at this hour.”

A grimace stained my face as I remembered how I had failed my last attempt at scouring through the beta chambers, but I quickly shook it off to add, “I also checked with Mildred, and there are no cleaners on night shifts. There should be no surprises this time.”

Bobbing his head, my beta at last agreed, “Okay. We will lay low in our room, but if anything happens, we’ll be ready.”

“If the plan doesn’t go accordingly, I’ll link you immediately,” I assured him. That seemed to make them both relax a little.

“Alright.” With a smile, Elijah squeezed my shoulder, whispering, “Good luck, Alpha.”

I exchanged one last look with them before I left their suite. The town square was a ghost town as I silently made my way to the packhouse. Kea crawled closer to the surface, honing our senses to ensure there really was no one around. When she was satisfied, she retreated to keep our alpha aura suppressed, and I marched on.

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