Page 3 of Shattered and Saved

Together, we welcomed a new dawn for our kind.

After the run with my pack, I celebrated not only the rebirth of our power but also our reunion. In wolf form, we leaped into the stream, soaking in its revitalized energy, then lounged in the grass, moonbathing. It was past midnight when I returned to the main square, feeling utterly renewed. Though I wasn’t tired - still electrified by the power coursing through my veins - I wanted to rest and allow my body to adjust to our evolution. Just as I was about to enter the packhouse, someone stopped me.

“Heading in so soon?” A male voice I hadn’t heard in a while echoed from behind me, earning my attention. I turned around to find Waylon, one of the strongest warriors of my pack, a grin etched on his face. “The night is young.”

Waylon was almost as tall as my beta and just as muscular. His obsidian eyes contrasted with his rich, dark brown hair, which was twisted into dreadlocks and now styled in a lazy bun. Most of his umber skin, covered in tattoos, was exposed, as he wore only a pair of shorts - not that I didn’t already know what he looked like beneath them as well.

It was the first time that I was seeing him since leaving Whispering Hills, and it brought back memories. We had a friends-with-benefits arrangement, though I never let our relationship turn into anything else. There was no room in my heart for love. Or at least, there used to not be. But looking at Waylon and remembering what we used to do also made me think of the last time I’d had sex.

Just like that, Koen flooded my mind again.

Before I had the chance to organize my thoughts, Waylon stepped closer. “I’ve missed you, Avril,” he cooed, making me stiffen. “Why don’t we go out and catch up?”

While I was still frozen, he reached for my hand, his fingers brushing against mine. That seemed to jolt me out of my stillness. I instinctively drew my hand back, distancing myself from him. My heart skipped a beat as unease sunk in.

I wasn’t Koen’s mate anymore - I hadn’t been for a long time. Our broken bond had never stopped me from being intimate with other men before, not that I did it often. Yet, now, the idea of getting involved with Waylon made my stomach turn. It almost felt like cheating.

Noticing the confusion in Waylon’s expression, I quickly recomposed myself and tried to brush it off. “It’s late, Waylon. I’m heading off to bed,” I asserted, readying myself to continue on my way. “Besides, I don’t do dates.”

“Got it. Will you let me join you then?” he insisted, following after me. Once he managed to rush in front of me, I halted. His face was way too close to mine as he whispered, “I’d love to spend the night with you.”

His proposal made me frown, a pinch of anger surfacing as I told him, “I don’t do that either. You know that,” I half-growled. Whenever we were together before, it was for pleasure only. There was no cuddling afterward.

Ignoring my rising irritation, he suggested, “Well, yeah, but I was hoping you would’ve missed me enough to change your mind.” When he inched closer, I backed away, reestablishing a safe distance between us. With a groan, he pushed, “Come on, Avril. What’s up with you?”

“I think she’s made herself clear,” a third voice joined our conversation. From the shadows came Rhea with arms crossed. “You’re just being an annoying ass right now. Not your best look,” she teased.

It was Waylon’s turn to frown. He glared at the Delta for a few more seconds before sighing, raising his palms in defeat.“Fine.” Directing one last look at me, he whispered, his voice too husky for my liking, “Goodnight, Alpha.”

I watched him disappear through the door in silence. When he was gone, Rhea approached me. “I honestly don’t know what you saw in him. I mean, aside from the hot exterior,” she joked, lightening the mood. “But I’m kinda glad you’re not interested anymore.”

I hesitated at her remark. In a low voice, I mused, “You’re not gonna ask why?”

She shook her head. “Not my business. I’m sure you have your reasons, and it’s not my place to question them,” she promptly replied, taking me by surprise.

I hadn’t told Rhea about what happened between me and Koen. We hadn’t had much time to talk since I came back, but I was also reluctant to share the truth with her. Despite her loyalty, I feared she would think me stupid for letting in the mate who had rejected me. Like me, she was all about duty - finding her mate was not high on her priority list. Luckily for me, it seemed she was too reserved to care about my affairs.

As she walked past me on her way to her room, we shared glances. “Sleep well, Alpha. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Goodnight, Rhea,” I replied, taking a moment before heading off to the alpha suite.

3

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A V R I L

One week had passedsince I returned home with the relic and performed the ritual that restored the power of the Ashen Wolves. It was a time of hard work, training, and adaptation, but also of celebration; everyone was overflowing with joy and excitement. Everyone, except for me.

I wanted so badly to celebrate with everyone, but the harder I tried, the more I felt myself slipping away. For the entire week, all I could think about was Koen. At first, he only poisoned my thoughts when I was alone. Yet, before I realized it, nothing was distracting enough to keep him out of my mind.

Aside from guilt, I felt an unsettling loneliness. I had never felt more whole in my life, yet there was an emptiness inside me, as if something crucial was missing. I constantly wondered how he was doing, whether he could overcome the challenges he faced alone.

But, most of all, I feared these feelings I couldn't comprehend.

There was no divine bond between Koen and me since he rejected me. Yet, something had awakened inside me during my stay at Whispering Hills - somethinghebrought back to life. As if he had pulled the plug on a massive reservoir, the flood of emotions I had kept at bay rushed in all at once. And I hated that I couldn’t just forget him and move on.

“You were slower in training today,” Theo casually pointed out as he read some reports, pulling me from the tornado raging on in my head.

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