Page 32 of Framed and Forgotten
And I just stayed there, my heart racing as I tried to comprehend what had gotten into me.
Yes, I was growing fonder of Nerine, especially while my mate and I were in a rocky place. Yes, she made me feel heard, wanted, and cherished. And yes, the idea of returning to my old life and starting a family sounded like a fairytale.
But I would never, in a thousand lifetimes, betray Avril like that.
When I stopped to think about it, I realized my mind had been quite foggy these past weeks. I could hardly think straight. At first, I blamed it on the rough waters I was trying to navigate, but now I wondered if it could be something else. Avril’s voice echoed in my mind, warning me that I hadn’t been acting like myself lately. I might have refused to see it before, but almost cheating was too out of character for me to deny.
With my head spinning, I stumbled out of my son’s room, rushing back to mine as questions continued to hit me like a barrage. Could it be the family bond making me fall for Nerine? No - even if she was the mother of my pup, there should be no direct bond between us, and I definitely shouldn’t have feelings for her. Even if I could see her in a new light now, I could never be romantically attracted to her. Our past was stained with too much wrong for me to overlook, and through it all, there was only ever one woman I wanted.
I loved Avril. I was loyal to Avril. I’d gone through hell and back for Avril.
So why did I suddenly feel attracted to the ex-wife I never wanted in the first place?
What was going on? My head throbbed, urging me to massage my temples in an attempt to ease the discomfort. If I didn’t want Nerine, why was I so ready to kiss her? When I forced myself to think about the moment we’d shared just minutes ago, it didn’t make sense at all. There was no magnetic pull drawing me in, like there used to be with Avril. It was almost as if I simply felt eerily compelled to do it.
Compelled, I repeated inside my head. It was as if I’d been bewitched.
Standing in the middle of my room, in the frail safety of these four walls, I questioned everything. Col, who had been soadamant just a moment ago, pushing through the barrier I had lifted between us, preventing me from making what would have stolen the top spot as the worst mistake of my life, was now silent, as confused as I was. An idea crossed my mind. It was a long shot, but worth a try.
I stretched out my arm, glancing at my wrist. The bracelet I wore, a requirement for every Ashen Wolf, was supposed to dull the effects of magic, including spells. I grasped it, hoping that would heighten its properties. To my surprise, it worked. As long as I clutched it in my hand, any romantic feelings I had for Nerine vanished completely.
And I immediately knew I had fallen right into another one of her traps.
21
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K O E N
My recent discoverykept me up all night. Questions tossed and turned in my mind, leaving me restless. With every passing second, another drop of my sanity slipped away as I struggled to find answers.
Lying in bed, I stared at the ceiling, my body motionless, as if stillness could slow my racing mind. It was undeniable that Nerine was doing something to me, but what, exactly? Considering I was mated and marked, she had to be using some incredibly powerful magic to override the bond I shared with Avril.
Just thinking about it made me sick. What was messing with my mind? Was it inside me, running through my veins? Or was it something external? Perhaps it was something my deceitful ex-wife was wearing? I spent hours guessing, unable to land on the right answer. The truth was, it could be anything, and that only fueled my anxiety.
Not knowing what was poisoning my feelings or how to stop it was unsettling enough. But the shame of letting it go on for so long, without even realizing it, was eating me alive. The signs had always been there - I was simply too blind to see them,too overwhelmed about my secret pup to bother looking for evidence that it could be a trap.
Was Elias even my son? I couldn’t deny the bond between us, but now I wondered if that, too, was just another of Nerine’s tricks. The thought was as devastating as it was infuriating. Could she really fabricate something so real? Even if she could, it wouldn’t explain the positive paternity test. The sheer number of people she’d have to manipulate to alter the results made it seem impossible. And yet, I couldn’t trust anything anymore.
In either case, I couldn’t understand why Nerine had waited so long before allowing Elias and me to meet. If this was all part of some psychotic plan, why hadn’t she told me about her pregnancy right away? The longer I dwelled on it, the louder one question echoed in my mind, rising above all others: what did she stand to gain by making me fall for her? Nothing about this made sense, but maybe that was the key to unraveling the rest of the mystery.
And I was determined to solve it.
On top of my doubts and confusion, Columbus tormented me with thoughts of Avril whenever he had the chance. He forced me to relive our recent arguments and the ways I’d failed the woman I’d sworn never to let down again. I was awful - not only for making her feel unloved but also for ignoring it.
Even if I was under the influence of some wicked spell, it did little to drown out my guilt. All I wanted was to run to my mate, fall to my knees, and beg for her forgiveness. I longed to take back every cruel word, every moment I’d failed her. Regret gnawed at me, a constant reminder of how deeply I’d hurt the one person I promised never to let down again. And what was worse, I knew I couldn’t do it yet.
First, I needed to figure out what Nerine’s plan was.
When the first flashes of light filtered through the curtains, illuminating my room, I reached for my phone on the bedsidetable. Though I knew what I had to do, I found myself staring at the screen, hesitant. My heart was heavy knowing I would have to disappoint her one more time, but it was absolutely necessary. If Nerine’s goal was to break us apart, she wouldn’t stop until she succeeded. For the safety of my mate and her pack -ourpack - I had to put an end to this.
With trembling fingers, I typed a message to Avril. It was short, dry, meant solely to inform her that I’d be staying at Crystal Pond for a few more days. I knew it would break her heart further, and just knowing that shattered mine, but I couldn’t afford to give her more details. If I told her the truth, there was no way she’d agree to me being around Nerine for even a second longer. I needed her to believe this was my heart’s desire. Still, I couldn’t help but send a sign through our bond - a simple warmth, to let her know I loved her deeply. As weakened as our connection was, I trusted she would feel it and prayed she’d find comfort in it.
“I’m sorry, mate,”Columbus whimpered in my mind as I hit send.“I love you,”he whispered, hoping the words would reach Kea.
As he howled in sorrow, my chest ached, and I clutched it in an attempt to ease the pain. It would be tough to concentrate with his amplified emotions taking over me, but I wouldn’t dare push him away again as long as I was here. As pathetic as it was to admit, I couldn’t trust myself around Nerine until I figured out what she’d done to me and how to rid myself of it.
“No prison would keep me from preventing you from hurting mate,”he rasped.“I would’ve freed myself and torn that bitch’s face off before you could kiss her. I don’t care that she’s our pup’s mother,”he threatened, and strangely, it brought me peace.
