Page 12 of Shattered and Saved

“Leave him, Waylon,” I ordered, my command powerful enough to make him step back without me having to move. I continued, “As I have declared upon my return earlier today, Koen is to be treated equally.”

“Equally?” Waylon scoffed, though he didn’t dare approach me. “How can you expect that when he’s not one of us? If you want us to respect him, he should at least prove himself worthy through the trials.”

“Trials?” Koen turned to me questioningly, but I barely registered it, entirely focused on keeping Waylon away from him.

“You will because I,your alpha, say so.”

Waylon was silent for a moment before looking me dead in the eye, jealousy coating his words as he asked, “What makes him so special?”

The million-dollar question.

My mind raced as I tried to come up with a believable excuse. It felt like my heart was about to beat out of my chest. I glanced at Koen, holding my breath. He was looking at me expectantly, like he wanted people to know our history. All I could do was look back to Waylon before answering as calmly as possible, “He welcomed me into his pack, unaware that I was undercover. He made sure I was treated well. Now that he has lost his home, I want to extend the same hospitality and gratitude he showed me.”

Waylon studied me for a moment longer before finally stalking away, and I blew out a long breath. As he disappeared from view, a wave of relief washed over me, but it was short-lived. When I turned to Koen, his face was a mask of betrayal. Before I could utter a word, he huffed and turned his back on me.

In that instant, I knew my lie had cut deep.

8

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A V R I L

Goddess, what kindof mess had I deliberately walked into? This was only Day One and it was already a disaster. There were a thousand other things I should be focused on - matters that demanded my attention. Yet, everything else seemed unimportant as Koen walked away from me.

“Koen, wait!” I called out to him, to no avail.

I was an alpha, damn it! Probably the strongest alpha in the entire werewolf world. I never thought I’d be chasing after anyone, especially not him. But as my feet began to move, it felt like they had a mind of their own, pounding the ground harder with each step as he picked up his pace, determined not to let me catch up. Eventually, I got tired of the cat and mouse game and used my superior speed to overtake him. I stopped in front of him, forcing him to halt before he collided with me.

Frustration was written all over his face, but I ignored it as I asked, “What happened?”

He scoffed, as if he couldn’t believe I’d dared to ask such an obvious question. “Extending your gratitude, huh?” he mocked, letting his head drop for a moment as he shoved his hands into his front pockets, trying to contain his emotions. A second later, his eyes locked onto mine again, his resentment burning through me. “Is that all I am to you?A score to settle?” he spat with disdain.

I pursed my lips. “Come on, Koen. You know why I said that.”

“Do I?” He tilted his head slightly to the side, squinting his eyes. “Because to me, it sounds like you just took me in out of pity. I’m not a stray dog, Avril! If all you want from me is to settle your debts, then consider us even.”

“Damn it, Koen! Just think!” I heaved out in frustration. Why did he need me to spell everything for him? And why was it so hard to admit? “You’re an alpha, too. Put yourself in my place.” I lowered my voice, weary of unwanted listeners - you could never be too careful around werewolf hearing. “How would your pack react if you told them about your infatuation with me? How did Gregor react?” I reminded him, watching his defenses drop as he finally started listening to me.

“They didn’t want their alpha falling for an omega, but most of all, they weren’t fond of the idea of having an outsider above them,” I continued, taking a deep breath before concluding. “Whether you like it or not, you’re here now, and I will do my best to make you feel welcome. I said what I said back there to protect you.”

“Protect me,” he repeated thoughtfully, no more anger in his voice - just confusion. “When did the tables turn?” he asked, referring to how our roles had been reversed; he wasn’t the alpha anymore and I wasn’t a frail omega.

“Five years ago,” I replied matter-of-factly. “But you’re only now finding out.”

“So, as long as you need to keep me safe, I’ll be your secret,” he half-observed, half-asked.

With a sigh, I offered, “I promise that, in time, I’ll tell them you’re actually my mate.”

The words left my mouth before I realized what I was saying. When I did, it was too late. Koen’s eyes widened, not in shock,but in clear surprise. The resentment they once held was gone, replaced by a flicker of hope.

“Is that what we are?” he whispered, pausing before repeating the word, as if testing it, “Mates?”

“I-I mean…” I stuttered, unsure of what to say. “We used to be. We were, once. I...I don’t know what we are anymore,” I confessed, staring at the floor. My heart pounded in my chest.Goddess, why was this so hard?I breathed in, regaining control of my emotions before admitting, “But I’m finally willing to give us a chance. That’s why I went after you.” I came clean, unable to look at him, as if I were confessing my worst sins to the Moon Goddess. “That is... if you want to. If you can forgive me, too.”

For what felt like an eternity, I waited for him to say something - anything! My anxiety spiked, and I wondered how much longer I could manage to keep it at bay. Then, he heaved a long sigh, breaking the silence.

“Our past is filled with too many mistakes and betrayals.”

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