Page 48 of Shattered and Saved

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K O E N

Behind Avril’s eyes,I saw so much - fear, apprehension, hesitation, and the fragile weight of uncertainty. Yet, through it all, a fierce, unrelenting fire burned, cutting through the chaos and overshadowing everything else. It was the cold resolve of a leader willing to sacrifice anything to protect her family. I was both frightened by it and envious.

It was a fire I had always wished to possess.

Still seated in her chair, processing the recent phone call where I had announced I was back from the dead, I watched as Avril hurried to the door, rushing to meet with her team and prepare to leave. Just as she reached the doorway, she stopped herself.

Shooting a glance over her shoulder, she instructed, “Find Elijah. He’ll explain your role in today’s mission.”

Her words made me do a double take, a frown etched across my forehead. “You want me to tag along?” I asked, needing confirmation. The last time there had been an awakening, she was adamant that I sit out of the action.

“You earned your place in Azure Smoke after succeeding in the trials. You’ve proven you have what it takes to keep up with us,” she replied matter-of-factly. Then, I noticed a shift in her expression, her features softening as she let me see a more vulnerable side of her. “Besides, I…want you to be there. I wantyou to see that I won’t command an attack on Blood Rose unless there’s absolutely no way around it.”

Her reasoning left me stunned. She didn’t owe me an explanation - she was free to protect her kin however she saw fit, even if I had urged her to consider innocent lives. The last time we discussed this, she became defensive, unwilling to listen or reconsider her ways.

But this time, something was different. I could see it in the way her words carried thoughtfulness, a shift in perspective I hadn’t expected. It wasn’t my place to demand change, and yet, here she was, showing that my feelings really mattered to her.

“You don’t have to prove anything to me,” I acknowledged, rising from my seat to approach her, our gazes intertwined. “But I’d be honored to stand by your side, no matter what happens.”

Through the heaviness, she managed a half-smile that lit me up from the inside. She didn’t say a word, but the gesture spoke volumes. As her quiet gratitude faded, she led me out of the packhouse, and the weight of the situation hit me with full force.

Outside, every member of Azure Smoke was gathered. Divided into teams, they received instructions from the beta and gamma. Avril’s uncle - the former leader before he stepped aside so she could take over - assisted the ranked members, formulating strategies and shouting commands at the warriors. Despite no longer holding the alpha title, or any official rank, his nearly two decades of experience were deeply valued by the Ashen Wolves.

Even at full strength, anyone unfamiliar with their kind’s power would find the sight of Azure Smoke’s army underwhelming. The idea of going to war against another pack with only thirty or so wolves seemed insane. And perhaps, under different circumstances, their chances would indeed be the lowest. Luckily, they had quite a few advantages that turned the odds in their favor.

Luckily, Blood Rose wasn’t as threatening a pack as it had once been. Their former alpha, having no heirs to take his place, continued leading into his old age. He’d grown too weak, standing no chance against a lesser-known, younger leader.

Brent took over Blood Rose about a year ago after defeating the previous alpha, but too many warriors were lost in the battle. Their numbers dwindled to a third of their original force, and their new leader lacked the expertise to rebuild. Naive, reckless, and overly proud, Brent tarnished both his own reputation and that of the pack.

Combine the inexperience of a weakened pack’s new leader with the Ashen Wolves’ natural superiority, and we stood a good chance of defeating them without breaking a sweat.

“I’m gonna go find Rhea,” Avril announced, pulling me from my thoughts.

As she left, I decided to speak with the gamma, just as she had instructed me. After scanning the crowd quickly, I found him discussing a plan with Avril’s uncle, and I hesitated for a moment. Aside from the time his niece introduced us, we’d barely exchanged words, and he’d made it clear he wasn’t fond of my presence here. I had hoped he would warm up to me, as most of the other members had, but that didn’t seem to be the case.

Perhaps it was time for me to step up and show I was on their side, even if I could never be one of them.

Approaching them with bold steps, I greeted, “Elijah. Joe.” I lowered my head slightly in a sign of respect. “How can I help?”

Just as the gamma opened his mouth to reply, Joe stepped forward, his aversion toward me evident in his furrowed brows as he snarled, “You can start by staying out of things you don’t understand, outsider.”

Off to a great start.

The hairs on the back of my neck bristled, and I fought to keep a straight face. Every cell in my alpha blood urged meto command respect, but I knew that was the stupidest thing I could do. At Azure Smoke, I was the lowest of the low. If I ever wanted to be respected, I needed to show respect first.

Inhaling a short breath to calm my nerves, I replied, “The alpha has requested my assistance in today’s mission. I’m loyal to her and will play any role she may assign to me.”

Joe raised his brows in surprise, flexing his jaw. “Is that so?”

As friction brewed between us, static in our stares, I could see Elijah’s gaze shift worriedly from me to the other man before the gamma tried, “Joe-”

All the former Alpha had to do to silence him was raise a hand, his glare as unyielding as ever, fixed on me. “Now you want to talk about loyalty, little alpha?” Joe mocked. “Where was that loyalty when you rejected my niece?”

As he stepped defiantly closer, I kept my head high, refusing to show intimidation, even as his powerful aura pressed against me. “You left her to fend for herself because you thought she was safer alone than by your side. Because you couldn’t protect her.”

His accusation struck like a needle to the heart, and for a moment, I faltered. He was right. Five years ago, I had made the gravest mistake of my life, and I was still paying the price for it.

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