Page 33 of Shattered and Saved

Rhea and Koen exchanged a quick glance before my delta explained, “Koen suggested that maybe the pack members were lashing out due to the return of our powers. Considering your reaction, it seems he was right.”

My eyes darted back to Koen, a mix of surprise and confusion washing over me. I still needed to get the story straight, but what struck me most was finally having an answer to the mystery that had haunted me for days. Along with the relief came a pinch of guilt as I acknowledged the truth.

Not only was Koen’s presence unrelated to the problem, but he was also the one who had solved it.

I decided to stay in my room with Rhea and Koen for another hour to ensure I had truly regained control of my emotions. Meanwhile, they explained in detail how they had reached their hypothesis. I was shocked to learn that the answer was much simpler than I had imagined. The outbursts weren’t some kind of divine punishment but the consequence of unleashing our full power while balance remained lost.

As Koen explained his reasoning, it seemed so obvious that I felt stupid. Yet, at the same time, I understood why neither I nor any of my friends had seen it. It was hard to admit - or even consider - that the solution to our problem could be the very powers we had dreamed of restoring for so long. If it hadn’t been for him, the only outsider able to provide an unbiased perspective, we might have succumbed to our own greed.

Once I was confident I wouldn’t lose my grip again, the three of us returned to Vereya, who promptly used all of her materials to make more bracelets. They were primarily made from the bark of Rowan trees and iron - both known to ward off magic. Black tourmaline was also added to absorb negative emotions and help us stay in control of ourselves.

With her stock, our shaman managed to make almost twenty bracelets. I distributed them among my team and pack members who had already faced at least one violent episode, appointing a group to head to the city and get the necessary materials so Vereya could make more amulets for the rest of Azure Smoke. As the sun set on the horizon, I was overjoyed to see the town square bursting with life again.

We all gathered around the Banyan, where I gave a speech about what we had learned. It sure would be tough adjusting to having our powers restrained again, but the pack understood it was a vital sacrifice. If we ever needed to be at full strength, we could simply remove our bracelets, but the shaman advised us not to keep it off for too long.

As the pack members started dispersing after my announcement, I approached my delta. Since I brought Koen into our home, I never told her the truth about why I had done it. Still, she was kind to him. She looked after him when I couldn’t, and she believed in him when everyone else blamed him. The least I could do was thank her.

“I’m glad you didn’t lose yourself a single time during this mess,” I added sincerely. “I don’t know how you managed to stick to your sanity, but if it weren’t for you, we’d all be screwed.”

A faint smile played on her lips. “When the lycans ceased to exist, we lost our purpose.” She made a brief pause. “But our loyalty remained.” Lowering her head in a sign of respect and submission, she continued, “I am loyal to you, Avril. I trust you will bring greatness to our kind again. And if you think Koen is an essential part in this, I will treat him as such.”

Her words touched me deeply. As I was losing my mind, I also feared losing my pack. When the rumors started, I worried they would blame me and turn their backs on me. Perhaps I hadn’t fully healed from years of being treated as unworthy by Whispering Hills, but they were gone now, and I needed to letgo of the scars they had inflicted. It was time to believe Kea and trust that my pack’s loyalty to me ran deeper than blood or status.

“Thank you, Rhea,” I told her sincerely. She bobbed her head at me before excusing herself, and my eyes instinctively searched for someone else in the dissipating crowd.

I still needed to talk to Koen after everything I had said to him.

21

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A V R I L

As soon as Ispotted Koen, I rushed toward him. He was probably heading back to his cottage. The past few days had drained all of us - I wouldn’t be surprised if he was planning on going to bed without supper. I just hoped he wasn’t too tired to hear me out.

When he noticed me running up to him, he halted, a small smile illuminating his face. “Everything’s back to normal, huh?”

“Thanks to you,” I said once I caught up with him. “Honestly, Koen, I…don’t know what would have been of Azure Smoke if it weren’t for you,” I told him truthfully, pure gratitude coating my words.

Shoving his hands into his front pockets, he shrugged me off. “I’m sure you would’ve figured it out.” From the corner of my eye, I watched his smile slowly turn into a smirk, playfulness in his tone as he added, “After all, you were doing just fine before I came along.”

I stiffened at his remark. He obviously meant it as a joke, but I was still guilt-ridden about the accusations I had thrown at him a day ago. It was the reason I wanted to talk to him.

With a sigh, I admitted, “I owe you an apology, Koen.”

“You weren’t yourself then, Avril,” he promptly reassured me, eyes searching for mine as he perceived my seriousness, but I refused to look up. “You were overwhelmed. Stressed.Worried.” He paused briefly before insisting, “I won’t hold it against you.”

“But you should,” I countered, earning a confused glance from him.

Perhaps it was a consequence of my stubbornness, or simply the effort I put into not making mistakes as I tried to be the best leader I could, but I wasn’t quite used to apologizing. It was hard for me to admit I was wrong, especially when it came with acknowledging that I needed someone else’s help. But Koen deserved that much, and for once, I couldn’t let my pride get in the way.

“The rage only caused me to reveal what was already on my mind. Even if I couldn’t control the anger, I still chose to believe that you could really be the problem,” I confessed shamefully. With a snort, I recognized, “Ironically, you’re the one who solved it.” I finally lifted my gaze, staring straight into his eyes as I declared, “You saved us, Koen.”

He watched me in silence for a moment, taking in my vulnerability. Finally, his lips curved softly as he offered, “I'm glad I could help.”

Lost in the moment, I barely noticed Koen reaching for my hand until his fingers laced through mine, a slow heat spreading through me in waves. Such a simple, innocent gesture, yet it set butterflies loose in my stomach. Before him, all I knew was the fiery rush of lust and desire. Now, he was showing me the quiet, steady warmth of romance.

As we walked together with our hands intertwined, an idea sparked. “How about I make it up to you?” I suggested, grinning at him. “Let me take you to the city for a nice, relaxing evening.”

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