Page 17 of Framed and Forgotten
I wanted to believe him, but the fear that gripped me made it impossible.
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As much asKoentried to reassure me after our encounter with Alpha Orsen, I was becoming paranoid about it. I kept replaying our conversation in my mind, trying to understand if his interest in me was based off of a hunch or if he truly had solid evidence driving him to look further into it. Considering how the Council was willing to provide him with information about me, I couldn’t help but assume they had reason to investigate it too.
I thought I had covered my tracks well at the meeting. Of course, I kept them in the dark about major details, but there were no holes in my story. I’d satisfied their curiosity, answered their every question. Azure Smoke wasn’t the first pack to lay low until they reached the point where they could no longer stay in the shadows, even though we were probably the most notorious out of all of them. Was it our surprising strength that piqued their interest, or were they actually starting to have suspicions that we were more than just one more emerging pack? Koen insisted it could only be the first, and my team agreed with him. But their certainty wasn’t enough to silence the wolf scratching at the door.
Under my parents’ rule, our pack’s existence was kept a secret from werewolf society. It was my idea to step into thelight and make ourselves known to the rest of the world. At least partially - I only let them see what I wanted them to see, using their own rules as coverage. It was like hiding in plain sight. As we grew in number and sought to use our relevance to help achieve our goals, my decision proved useful in various situations. But it was never meant to be a permanent situation.
From the moment Azure Smoke became known, I was aware a time would come when they demanded more from us. I didn’t expect them to leave us alone forever, hiding behind lies and vague answers. My strategy was to make them believe we posed no threat - after all, what enemy willingly presents itself? - while buying us time and resources until we were ready to sneak up on them in a devastating surprise attack. I just wondered if my plan would backfire and force us out of hiding too soon. In either case, I had to be ready to act.
Despite the apprehension gnawing at my mind, I gradually learned to ignore it as the days went by. Having Koen by my side definitely helped, with him constantly reminding me we would deal with whatever came our way together. Though I couldn’t say his reassurance put my mind completely at ease, especially with the situation we were still learning to navigate at the moment.
Every time Koen received an update or picture of Elias from his ex-wife, I couldn’t control the uneasiness that brewed within me. They texted often as a means to allow him to be more present in his pup’s life. I never said anything, but I was concerned.
Jealousy wasn’t really the issue, though I couldn’t say it was nonexistent. What truly worried me was slowly realizing how unsustainable the situation was. Was Koen blind to it?
Barely a week had passed since the bomb was dropped - too little time to process it, let alone make out how to address it. Still, I could already see how problematic it would be to continuethis relationship. Azure Smoke had a secret to keep, and a mission to accomplish. The interaction between an Ashen Wolf and a regular shifter was dangerous for both sides. Did Koen not realize this?
Overwhelmed, I did my best not to think about the issue at hand, supporting Koen as much as he’d always supported me.We’ll figure it out together, I kept repeating to myself, the affirmation an anchor to my sanity. Yet, as we were heading to our room after dinner, I noticed his face was glued to the phone, and I couldn’t resist bringing it up.
“Any news from Elias?” I asked casually, fighting to not invade his privacy by trying to glance over his shoulder at the screen.
“Nerine was telling me what they did today,” he replied with a smile that slightly bothered me. Without taking his eyes off his phone, he calmly announced, “I’m arranging a visit with him again for this weekend.”
I stopped walking, unable to believe him. He continued walking, oblivious to my reaction. And he would’ve kept going had I not lost my filter, finally speaking what had been on my mind. “Koen, we shouldn’t leave the territory as often as we have.”
At last, he turned to look at me. When I noticed the lack of preoccupation in his expression, I clarified, “Orsen is on our asses - and who knows who else is too. Every time we go out, we risk exposing our identities!”
He arched an eyebrow. “How else do you expect me to see my son? It’s not like we can bring him here,” he observed as if it were obvious, yet somehow failing to see the truth that lay before him.
“I don’t know,” I answered honestly, hoping he would eventually come to the same conclusion as I did.
With a sigh, he slipped his phone into his pocket and walked back to where I stood, offering me his full attention. “Look, Avril, I know this is complicated,” he said, his troubled expression making it clear how much it weighed on him. “I don’t know what to do about any of this yet. All I know is, I can’t keep pretending I never found out about Elias.”
I was about to argue when he spoke again. “But I also understand where you’re coming from. I know how worried you’ve been since we bumped into Orsen, and for good reason. You have people to protect - people who depend on you.”
Relief settled in, as I thought reality had finally dawned on him. Although I wasn’t sure what he would suggest since he wasn’t willing to let go of meeting with his son, I believed he had seen my side. I never would’ve anticipated what he said next.
“If you prefer, you don’t have to come,” he offered, leaving me dumbfounded. Too shocked to speak, I only listened as he explained his chain of thought, “Orsen wants to find out who you are, but he already knows me. Everyone does. They know where I came from and trust me because of my reputation. They knew me before I turned into an Ashen Wolf, and they have no reason to suspect me.” After a pause, he concluded, “It’ll be less risky if I go alone.”
His words settled over me like a cold tide, pulling me under before I could catch my breath. A part of me was hurt that he was ready to leave me behind. That after everything, of how hard we fought to be together, the moment his past resurfaced to snatch him away from me he didn’t immediately disregard it to protect me. But another part of me - the part that didn’t know what it meant to find a son you never knew existed - whispered that I couldn’t be the one to stand in his way.
Deep down, I knew Koen wasn’t pushing me away. He wasn’t choosing one life over the other - he was only trying to find a way to make both fit. I was the one who had already convinced myselfthat wasn’t possible. And maybe it really wasn’t. But I couldn’t be the reason he didn’t try.
I swallowed against the ache in my throat, forcing my voice to steady. “That makes sense,” I murmured, though it didn’t feel right; it didn't sit right. But I agreed anyway, “Go see Elias.”
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I was holding onwith everything in me to support Koen, but Goddess, nothing had ever tested me like this.
