Page 66 of Shattered and Saved

I thought that was it, and they would move on to discuss the details of the transaction. But, once again, they hit us with yet another absurd clause.

“Nonetheless, it has come to our attention that Alpha Koen has moved into Azure Smoke Pack after taking Omega Avril as his chosen mate,” the Elder stated. I couldn’t understand why he felt the need to emphasize our situation until he continued, “Unfortunately, this signifies that Koen is essentially giving up his alpha title to join a different pack.”

Unlike me, my mate wasn’t the least satisfied. “What is that supposed to mean?” he gritted through his teeth, though I imagined he had already been able to connect the dots.

“Both Opal Moon’s and Whispering Hills’ resources are currently frozen,” another Elder explained, his tone impassive. “To access them, you would need to become the alpha of a still-standing pack, thus keeping your title.”

Koen clenched his jaw. “The only way of acquiring the alpha title without a pack is by marrying an alpha-blooded female and claiming hers,” he declared dryly, shocked the Council would even suggest this.

My heart sank at the idea.

Unfazed, the head of the council simply determined, “You have three months to resolve this matter. Otherwise, the council will appoint a new alpha to inherit the assets.”

After he dropped the bomb, the meeting continued with no further explanations or exceptions. Debates and decrees buzzed around the room, but my focus stayed fixed on Koen. The Elders may have thought they could strip him of his legacy, but I wouldn’t let that happen - at least, not without a fight.

40

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A V R I L

Koen stayed upthe entire night, shifting in bed as his mind refused to relax, constantly working on ways to circumvent the Council’s demands. The matter left him deeply distressed. Although he hadn’t spoken to me much about it - probably in an attempt to spare me further worry in an already stressful situation - I could feel his anxiety twisting inside him as if it were my own.

And I understood. Koen was relentless in his efforts to be the best Alpha he could be, tirelessly working to mend the broken pieces his father had left behind and create a better, safer environment for the wolves who trusted him. The weight of failure still lingered, and watching whatever remained of his legacy slip right through his fingers...it must have felt like losing his pack all over again.

Thankfully, the next day arrived quickly, the golden rays of the sun announcing our win. The most dangerous mission we’d had to face thus far had ended, and we had survived. Soon enough, we would be heading back home, bringing the news of our success.

The warmth of the morning should be relieving, but it did little to melt the tension inside our suite. Koen barely met my gaze as he moved around the room, packing the last of our belongings. He carried himself with the kind of focus thatbordered on fragility, as though speaking might cause the tough façade he put on to crumble.

But I couldn’t take it anymore.

“Koen,” I began, my voice soft but firm. He stilled, his hands frozen over his bag. “We’ll find a way to recover your pack’s resources. I promise you that.”

He exhaled sharply, his shoulders slumping as he continued his task. “It’s not that simple, Avril,” he stated, his voice heavy with frustration and something deeper - pain. “The Council isn’t just going to let us have it. They’ve made that clear. And the only way they’re offering is...” His words faltered, but I knew what he meant.

“...a political marriage with another she-wolf,” I finished for him, my chest tightening at the thought. With a sigh, I whispered. “I know.”

His head darted to me, eyes snapping to mine, doubt giving way to unwavering certainty. “I will never leave you,” he said with conviction. “I’d rather lose everything than lose you.”

My heart ached at the raw determination in his voice. I stepped closer, taking his hands in mine. “You don’t have to,” I assured him. “We’ll find another way. We have three months to think about what we can do, and we won’t stop until we find a solution. Together.”

His fingers tightened around mine, and for a moment, some of the tension in his expression eased. “I don’t deserve you,” he murmured, resting his forehead against mine, but I shook my head.

“You deserve everything, Koen,” I corrected, my soft tone hardening under the weight of a threatening promise as I vowed, “And we’ll make sure you keep it.”

Once our bags were packed, we exited our room to check out from the hotel. The lobby was busy with leaders preparing to return to their homes, their excitement to be back withtheir families shining through the emotionless expressions they maintained throughout the whole event. Unfortunately, we couldn’t afford such luxury. We had to keep our masks, concealing our exhaustion, until we were in the privacy of our car.

Fortunately, we wouldn’t have to endure this torture much longer. Our car was right outside, the driver waiting for us. I could almost taste freedom again as we strode toward the limousine, the stress from the meeting fading with each step.

I should have known our escape wouldn’t be this simple.

As we were about to climb into the car, a high-pitched voice startled us. “Daddy!” a little boy cheered, running straight toward us.

Well, not tous- to Koen.

K O E N

I stilled, muscles locking in place as the little boy’s tiny arms wrapped around my legs. The gesture was so sudden, so unprovoked, it left me reeling. Never in my life had I been so confused. I had no idea who this pup was, nor why he had seemingly mistaken me for his father.

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