Page 56 of Framed and Forgotten
Unless...this very situation was the reason.
The birth of alpha twins was a rare occurrence, dreaded from the moment the pregnancy was discovered. Their dominant genes made coexistence nearly impossible. Most began fighting in the womb, territorial before they even took their first breath, and more often than not, one fetus consumed the other. However, if, against all odds, both survived, they were destined to keep fighting until only one remained. A living, breathing disaster waiting to tear a pack apart.
It was the only explanation I could think of to justify my father’s actions, but it still felt unbearably cruel. Rare as it was, it wasn’t impossible for surviving alpha twins to learn to coexist, as long as one was willing to submit to the other’s rule. Was he truly so afraid of losing both his pups to an endless rivalry that he resorted to such extreme measures? Or was he simply unwilling to risk watching his pack crumble under the reign of warring heirs?
As cold-hearted as it sounded, it would at least explain why my old man had kept his word about protecting Avril until her wolf awakened, despite not being the most honorable man.Maybe raising her had been his way of atoning for abandoning his own son. A poor excuse for redemption.
After the secrets I’d just uncovered, I couldn’t tell if I was more shocked, afraid, or sickened by it all. I had learned the hard way that ignorance is bliss. While I wished I had never found out about my father’s most terrible secret, it was necessary to understand what exactly I had been dragged into.
And, most importantly, what I should do next.
34
____________________
K O E N
After digging upthe skeletons buried deep in my family’s closet, I rushed back to Azure Smoke, knowing I had little time left to prepare for the confrontation with my scheming ex-wife.
The sky had already faded to black by the time I crossed the magical borders. More than anything, I wanted to spend one last, quiet night with Avril before heading to Crystal Pond for the final time, but I had loose ends to tie up first.
As soon as I stopped the car, I mindlinked Theo, asking him to meet me at my old cottage. When he arrived, I started by telling him the dark secrets I had discovered back at my former home. Like me, he was stunned. For Ashen Wolves, family was everything. He couldn’t fathom how my father had been capable of turning his back on his own son - let alone erasing almost every trace that he’d ever existed.
“Now that you’re sure the man you saw talking to Nerine was your brother…” Theo began once the shock had settled. “What do you think they’re up to?”
“I wish I knew,” I admitted, frustrated. “But I have a theory.”
Theo raised a curious brow, clearly waiting for me to elaborate. I shook my head. “I’ll tell you when -if- I’m sureI’m right.” As he nodded, I seized the chance to ask, “Did you manage to find anything…suspicious on Nerine?”
“I didn’t,” he said, and for a moment, I thought he wasn’t nearly as disappointed to admit it as I was to hear it. Until he smiled proudly as he added, “But Elijah did.”
I lifted my gaze, watching closely as he picked up his phone to show me something. Even as I narrowed my eyes, I initially struggled to spot what was so peculiar about the picture. Then I saw it - far in the background, slightly out of focus, stood a familiar figure.
Nerine.
Still, I couldn’t quite make sense of what I was looking at. Why should this blurry picture of Nerine mean anything to me? Where was this even taken? Judging by the massive building in the center and the crowd surrounding it, I assumed it was inside a pack - but which one?
Before I could voice any of my questions, Theo proceeded to answer them, “This is a traditional festival that takes place every five years at Golden Valley,” he explained. “And as you can see, Nerine was there for the last one, two years ago.”
“What was she even doing there?” I couldn’t help but ask as Theo slid his phone back into his front pocket. “Crystal Pond and Golden Valley aren’t allies.”
“Yeah, we thought that was pretty weird too. But it gets even weirder.” He paused, clearly enjoying the buildup. “Her name was on the guest list, but nobody else from her family made the cut. It was just her. She was the sole representative of Crystal Pond.”
“Why?” I whispered, more to myself than to him, averting my gaze as I retreated into my thoughts, searching for answers. After a few minutes of coming up empty, I gave up. I’d just have to add that to the growing list of questions I’d save for when I was face to face with my ex-wife again.
In the end, I shrugged, resigned to the only conclusion I could come to. “Well, if she’s involved with Golden Valley, that certainly explains how she knows about the Ashen Wolves,” I pointed out.
Theo’s counter came with a hint of concern. “And it makes direct confrontation more dangerous.” It wasn’t until I turned to him again that I realized how serious he was. Even if I hadn’t, he made it clear by putting it into words. “You wanna go back and expose her, but without knowing how deeply connected she is with Golden Valley, it could turn into a risky mission.”
I pursed my lips, looking away as I muttered, “I still have to do it, Theo.”
To my surprise, Theo placed both hands on my shoulders, lowering his head to meet my gaze as he pleaded, “Don’t go. If you still care for Avril-”
His words hit a nerve, and I cut him off, defensive. “That’s exactly why I have to do this!” I barked, taking a deep breath before adding, “For Avril. For her safety. For Azure Smoke’s safety.”
Theo’s expression twisted, evidence he didn’t agree. “Koen, if you’re captured there - or worse…” he dreaded, closing his eyes. His voice was low, fearful as he concluded, “Avril…she would lose her mind.”
Like a trigger, his statement tore down the dam I had built to keep my emotions locked up instead of flowing all over the place. I couldn’t bear the idea of causing Avril any more pain than I already had. But if there was anything I could do to protect her, I’d do it in a heartbeat.
