Page 8 of Framed and Forgotten
“You don’t have to call her now,” I reassured him, reaching for his hand in an attempt to offer him some comfort. “You can take a moment to digest everything.”
“No,” he said firmly, though I could feel his hesitation through our bond. Releasing a breath, he clutched my hand tighter, as though he hoped to draw strength from me. “I need to call her,” he decided.
Swallowing my own reservations, I gave in. “Okay.”
Koen remained still for a moment longer, staring at his phone. When he was ready, he pressed the dial button, and my heart beat faster with each beep, growing louder until she finally picked up. Using my werewolf hearing, I listened intently to their conversation as he explained that the results had come back positive.
“Well, I’m not really surprised,” she replied nonchalantly. Kea growled inside my head, furious at how this woman showed no remorse for turning her ex-husband’s life upside down. As if to earn a shred of sympathy, Nerine continued, “I just want you to know that I still have no intention of holding you accountable, Koen. I understand if you don’t wish to be part of this pup’s life.”
Oh, how gracious of her!I scoffed inwardly. Truly a selfless act, not blaming him for getting drugged and taken advantage of because of her inability to accept rejection.
“But I wanted to extend an invitation,” Nerine croaked. I focused on her again, already raising an eyebrow, suspicious of her intentions. “The doors of our packhouse will always be open if you ever want to see Elias.” She paused briefly. “Of course, Avril is welcome to come, too.”
I frowned, trying to make sense of her game. This had to be some sort of manipulation, and I refused to let myself be a pawn in it. What did she hope to gain with her act?
Before I had time to figure it out, Koen replied, “I need to think, Nerine.”
“I understand,” she said, a hint of disheartenment slipping into her tone. “And Koen…” she continued shyly, lowering her voice. “I know it doesn’t change anything, but for what it’s worth, I’m truly sorry.”
Koen gripped his phone tighter, his jaw clenching. Ultimately, he decided he had nothing more to say and ended the call. When he did, he slumped back in his chair, releasing an exasperated half-sigh, half-grunt. Then, his eyes met mine, silently asking for guidance. Was he actually considering visiting Nerine?
“What if it’s a trap?” I offered, not bothering to hide how averse I was to the idea. “It wouldn’t be the first time she’d try to pull something.”
“I know,” he groaned. “I’m not naive, Avril. Especially not around her.” I couldn’t help but feel scolded, though the worst part was sensing that he had already made up his mind. Letting his head fall back to stare at the ceiling, he confessed, “Now that I know, I can’t pretend I don’t. I need to see Elias again. It’s the only way I’ll be able to make peace with the truth.”
As I listened to his explanation, a wave of emotions washed over me. I could understand him, of course, and I felt for him. It was strange enough trying to wrap my mind around the fact that my mate had a secret child; I couldn’t imagine what hemust’ve been going through. But I couldn’t ignore the selfish desire to keep him away from his manipulative ex-wife - and, by extension, his son.
Suddenly, the words my wolf had spoken to me earlier echoed in my mind, and I laid my armor down. How could I prevent my mate from getting to know his son? I had promised to stay by his side, and I would, no matter how uncomfortable it made me.
And so, I’d support his desire to follow his heart.
6
____________________
K O E N
Since I receivedthe results of the paternity test, it felt as though I’d been living in a dream, where reality seemed as fragile as glass. To find out I had a son I didn’t know about was…disconcerting. I felt completely lost, clueless about how I should go about it. All I knew, deep in my heart, was that I had to see Elias again.
Although Avril agreed to accompany me on a visit to Crystal Pond - my ex-wife’s pack - I decided to follow her advice and take a moment to clear my mind first. Exhausted after our trip to Whispering Hills, both physically and emotionally, she suggested going to our room to rest, and I gladly went along. I was in dire need of a moment to reflect.
As I lay beside her in our bed, soaking in the tranquility she brought me, I dove into my thoughts. Firstly, I hoped to figure out how I truly felt about the situation. The emotions I had been suppressing were too overwhelming and chaotic to make sense of. My intense anger was directed at Nerine - both for manipulating me in the past and for hiding such a monumental fact from me.
Fear gripped me as I questioned whether I had what it took to be a good father, especially when I had already started off onthe wrong foot. Confusion spun in my mind as I contemplated how to approach a relationship with a son I never knew existed. Yet, beneath it all, there was a deep, growing need to meet him properly, accompanied by nervousness about how he might feel about me.
Trying to accept that I actually had a pup was wild enough on its own. But I couldn’t deny the bond that had already formed between us - a bond I had been oblivious to until now. By my calculations, Elias should be almost three years old. He was probably too young to understand why I hadn’t been around for him, but the thought hammered in my mind. Despite not being at fault for my absence, I couldn’t shake the guilt I felt. I couldn’t help but wonder what I had missed during that time - all the moments my son might have needed me.
My wolf was equally conflicted, torn between the fierce protectiveness he felt toward our pup and the deep concern for our mate. He could sense how the situation was affecting her, all of her doubts and insecurities. It pained him just as much as it pained me. He wished we wouldn’t cause any more harm to her, but he didn’t want to neglect Elias either.
I just hoped I would find out how to deal with the situation once I saw him again.
A V R I L
I managed to convince Koen to wait an entire day before responding to Nerine. Whether it was because I wanted him to be sure of his decision or because I was extremely apprehensiveabout the idea of him visiting Nerine and what might come of it, I couldn’t say. Perhaps both were true. Or maybe I just didn’t want to admit that the latter was more likely.
Although I suppose any other she-wolf would feel the same way if they were in my place, my uneasiness wasn’t easy to comprehend. It wasn’t jealousy - I wasn’t even remotely afraid that Koen might fall for her again. He’d had the chance to choose her over me, and even when I wasn’t an option, he still chose not to stay with her. The reason for my discomfort was more like a gut feeling. I interpreted it as a sixth sense warning me that something wasn’t right.
Maybe it was because of how Koen had described his ex-wife, but I failed to acknowledge any real innocence behind her intentions. Was I to believe she had just grown up, going from a total psycho to a mature woman who humbly accepted the consequences of her actions? If so, why refuse to reveal the pup’s existence to his father foryears, only laying it out flat the moment he asked about it? I couldn’t shake the feeling that I shouldn’t trust her.
