Page 75 of Fated
The waitress returned with their checks and to-go containers. “Here you go. I can close you out whenever you’re ready.”
Alaric grabbed his wallet and placed his card over both checks. “My treat.”
“Thank you,” Caleb said.
“Alright.” Alaric clapped his hands. “Last order of business. Would you like to register any alliances? I assume you’ll be formalizing your relationship with Night Walker?”
“We’ve signed the paperwork and returned it to Lucien. I expect it will be submitted shortly. There have been talks with Moonshadow as well, and we plan to participate in delegation visits. I should know more after those conclude.”
“If I may make a suggestion?”
“Of course.”
“Hold off on hosting for now. Accept the invitations you receive and visit those packs first. Think about who you’d like to spend more time with before inviting anyone to your lands.” Alaric leaned forward earnestly. “I’d even suggest holding off on making formal agreements until you know what would be asked of you and your pack. You don’t need alliances to be part of the community. And you may find the ‘something for something’ approach some alphas take to be less advantageous for Crescent Fang, given all you have to offer.”
Caleb considered the advice. Based on what he’d observed at the summit, he’d thought Moonshadow and maybe Blackwater might be the only connections his council would endorse. Given his pack’s anxiety about outsiders visiting their territory, Alaric’s recommendation was a relief.
“Sound advice,” Caleb acknowledged. “Garrick said something similar at the closing reception.”
“Ah, smart male!” He pointed at Caleb. “And a good contact for you as a newer pack to the Collective.”
They gathered their belongings and slid out of the booth, grabbing the to-go bags. Outside in the parking lot, the morning air had warmed, carrying the promise of another beautiful early-spring day.
Caleb extended his hand to the elder. “Thank you for your time, insight, and advice, Alaric. This has been...enlightening.”
Alaric gave him a firm handshake. “Reintegration will change things for you, Caleb, and there will be a spotlight on Crescent Fang for some time. But that doesn’t mean you have to change whoyouare. In fact, I hope you don’t.”
Caleb dipped his head in acknowledgment and made his way to his Silverado. As he settled behind the wheel, Fenrir’s presence filled his consciousness with quiet certainty.
“The path becomes clearer,”his wolf observed.“Odin saw darkness. We must be the light to guide them back.”
Starting the engine, Caleb had much to discuss with his council when he returned home, but that could wait for their scheduled meeting later in the week. Right now, he needed a run through the forests of home and the chance to lose himself in Asher’s body. His grandfather’s legacy and the expectations now resting on his shoulders felt manageable when he thought of his beta’s warmth.
As he pulled out of the parking lot, pie box on his passenger seat filling the cab with the scent of apples and cinnamon, Caleb rolled down the windows and let the cool air wash over him. Alaric’s revelations settled in his chest as the diner disappeared in his rearview mirror, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that this breakfast had been more than just an orientation. It felt like the beginning of something much larger—something Odin had seen coming decades ago.
The drive home stretched ahead of him, giving him time to process. By the time he reached Crescent Fang’s borders, he would need to be ready to pick up the torch his grandfather hadsurrendered all those years ago, even if it meant walking into an uncertain future.
But first, he thought with a small smile, he would enjoy every moment of peace he could steal with Asher before the real work began.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
KAI
Kai sat hunched over his laptop at the small conference table. The late morning sunlight streamed through the tall windows of Raelen’s study, casting golden rectangles across the polished wooden floor. The blue glow of the screen reflected in Kai’s concentrated gaze as Cian and Alpha Raelen leaned in beside him. The now familiar scent of leather-bound books mingled with the rich aroma of Raelen’s coffee, creating an atmosphere of comfortable authority.
“See. Right there.” Kai’s finger tapped against the screen where footage showed him and Elias sparring, just as Elias slammed him to the ground. The impact echoed through the laptop speakers. “Now look at this exact same sequence withme and Sven from yesterday.” He clicked to split the screen, pointing to the opposite side where the video played out in mirror fashion—except this time, Kai pinned Sven with decisive efficiency.
“Yeah. Sven is about a half beat behind you,” Cian observed, squinting at the footage. “But couldn’t that be because he’s bigger or slower than Elias?”
“That’s what I thought at first, but check this out.” Kai’s fingers moved across the trackpad, bringing up another clip. The rhythmic sound of blows landing and being deflected filled the quiet study as the same sequence played out—but this time Sven emerged victorious.
“Why does it look like you’re moving slower?” Raelen asked, hands folded as he studied the screen with keen interest.
“Because I am.”
“On purpose?” Cian’s eyebrows shot up.
“Yes and no. Here. Watch this.” Kai restarted the footage of him and Elias, finger hovering over the speed control as he dropped the playback to twenty-five percent. He leaned back in his chair, the leather creaking softly beneath him, and watched their faces as they focused on the slowed footage. Kai chuckled at Cian’s sharp intake of breath.
