Page 29 of Shattered and Saved

That was when I realized that he had every intention to draw blood, and if my wolf hadn’t jumped back at the right time, he would have.

“Theo, stop! What are you doing?” Elijah’s worried voice reverberated through the walls, but the smoke was so thick I couldn’t even see him.

My pulse pounded. Whatever was going on, this wasn’t a simple sparring match anymore. Survival instinct kicked in, and I prepared to fight for my life without giving into despair - I knew if I lost my cool, I would become far more vulnerable.

Col perked his ears, attentive to his surroundings, yet refusing to back down. We had fought too many battles to succumb to fear. As Reagan became more vicious, he became even more menacing, but it was also easier to read him. My wolf managed to predict his next attack before he actually started moving, making it possible for us to dodge before he could get us.

But he was too close now. No rationality would help us overcome his unbeatable agility. I braced myself to take the next blow, the ravenous sounds of Reagan’s snarls echoing in my ears.

Yet, before he could reach Col, someone equally fast jumped between us.

“Reagan, it’s me! Your mate! Stop!” Elijah yelled desperately, arms open as he stood in front of my wolf.

The dark gray wolf appeared from the shadow, eyes glowing like a predator’s, fangs bared. The second his attention fell on his mate, he stopped. Seeing Elijah seemed to snap him out of whatever trance he was in.

Gradually, the smoke faded. When I could see clearly again, I realized the beta was back to his human form. Theo was on his knees, hands shaking as he looked at them, eyes wide with horror.

“What…what happened?” he whispered in shock. Then, his gaze shifted to Col, and it seemed to click in. Remorse washed over his face. “Koen, I’m sorry. I don’t know what got into me. I just…Reagan got so angry…”

“Hey, it’s okay,” Elijah told him tenderly, crouching by his side and cradling his face. Theo kept rambling while his mate rubbed his arm soothingly.

Regardless of how calm he tried to appear to his mate, the look he flashed at me, holding a confused and regretful Theo in his arms, told a different story. He knew what had happened, and it soon dawned on me, too.

The beta had just fallen victim to the inexplicable anger outbursts some of the Ashen Wolves were experiencing.

A V R I L

Three days had passed since the episode with Oliver. By now, a total of twelve pack members, out of our twenty-nine, had lost control and lashed out at others, including my beta. Weinstructed them to stay home, accompanied by a close friend or family member carrying a silver injection, just to be safe.

Meanwhile, I was going out of my mind trying to understand what was going on.

With almost half our pack under some form of quarantine, our sanctuary looked like a ghost town. Tension lingered in the air, thickened by the eerie mystery no one could quite figure out. It broke my heart. I had vowed to bring them freedom, yet they were now more confined than ever, prisoners of their fear of losing control.

Rumors spread quickly. I could hear whispers of terror as the shifters speculated that these strange anger outbursts might be some kind of curse unleashed upon the Ashen Wolves. Some even suggested it was punishment for bringing in an outsider, as our sanctuary wasn’t meant for regular wolves.

I was mostly skeptical. I wasn’t one to believe in curses, especially not after the Moon Goddess gave us her blessing and restored our powers. However, in the back of my mind, I caught myself wondering if they could be right - if there really was a chance Koen’s presence could be the problem.

Despite my stress and restlessness, I tried to maintain a calm demeanor. If I gave in to panic, all of Azure Smoke would follow. I did my best to keep the pack together, telling everyone to go about their routines as if nothing was wrong. Koen was training with Elijah while I spent most of my days in the pack’s library, researching the history of the Ashen Wolves. I looked for any signs that a similar event had happened in the past, but all my efforts came up empty, and I remained in the dark.

After finishing the last book I could read, I slammed it shut with more force than necessary, the sharp crack of the spine echoing through the quiet library. Another dead end. The mystery remained as elusive as ever, mocking my desperatesearch for answers. How could I lead my family through this when I had nothing to go on?

I rubbed my temples, trying to push down the headache threatening to bloom behind my eyes. The flickering light of the late afternoon sun streamed through the high windows, casting long shadows across the shelves. It felt suffocating, this silence, this waiting. The hollow in my chest grew with each passing day, each shifter lost to the strange outbursts. I was supposed to protect them.

And I was failing.

As if on cue, I heard the door open. At first, I stiffened. I couldn’t let any pack member find me like this - stressed, desperate, hopeless. But it was only an instant before the familiar scent filled the expansive room, and I realized it wasn’t an Ashen Wolf.

“Avril,” Koen called out, his voice serene. Sadly, it wasn’t enough to calm my nerves down. “Do you need company?”

I took in a few breaths before replying, “No, it’s fine.”

“You’ve been here all day,” he pointed out, a hint of pity in his voice. With my back to him, I heard his footsteps as he approached me.

“I know. I’ll be heading out soon,” I told him, hoping he would go away.

I didn’t want him to worry. I didn’t want him to pity me. It made me feel weak. Incapable.

Yet, he kept walking forward, closing the distance between us. “You don’t have to do this alone, Avril.”

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