Page 27 of Framed and Forgotten
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A V R I L
I wished I could sayI went straight to bed after finishing the documents, but even with that pressure off my shoulders, sleep eluded me. In fact, I could hardly rest for the next week, tormented by the fear of failing to convince the Council. My family's future depended on the outcome of this issue.
Anxious, I had sent Theo to Whispering Hills twice, only for him to return empty-handed both times. It wasn’t surprising. Considering the fuss they had made about learning the background of every member of my pack, I was sure they would scrutinize the information. A lack of response from them until now didn’t necessarily mean something was wrong, but my stomach still turned at the possibility.
How long could I wait before assuming they were coming for us?
To make matters worse, the Council wasn’t my only concern. Things between Koen and I had been awkward since the pups conversation. While he remained by my side, I no longer felt his support the way I once had - it was as if his body was there but he wasn’t really present, his mind elsewhere entirely. He felt more distant, and I couldn’t tell if it was just him or if I was the one pulling away.
I constantly found myself wondering what was going on. The situation we faced was by no means easy to traverse, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was taking a much heavier toll on our relationship than it should have.
Koen had left the territory to spend the day with his son three times while we waited to hear back from the Elders, and every time he returned from being around Nerine, he acted stranger than the last time. I couldn’t quite pinpoint why I felt that way, but I was beginning to believe it wasn’t just my own insecurities anymore. Even Kea had changed her perspective - once adamant that we should make a sacrifice and stand by our mate, she now shared the same uneasy feeling in her gut. More often than not, I wanted to insist on the issue, but then I’d remember that all my recent attempts at talking to him had accomplished little.
And when he walked into my office after another day out, with that look on his face - the one I had recently learned to dread - a cold chill ran down my spine.
“Hey,” he whispered with a forced smile.
“You’re back early,” I observed, lacking the energy to mimic his gesture.
“Yeah.” When he averted his gaze, as if he was trying to hide something, my heart tightened. “Do we have any news about the Council?” he asked, a clear attempt to change the subject.
“No. I’ll send Theo to check for a response again tomorrow,” I let him know, and he nodded as he took a seat in front of me across the desk. Silence followed.
I couldn’t take this anymore.
Whether it was sadness, anguish, or anger, something gave me the courage to finally say, “Koen, I…I need to talk to you.”
“Wait, Avril.” He stretched his arm over the desk, reaching for my hand. “There’s something I have to tell you first.”
Koen barely touched me lately, and when he did, it always felt…empty. His gentle fingers now seemed nothing but careful. The sparks that usually ignited with his contact weren't as strong. In fact, our very bond felt strained.
Unable to find my voice as apprehension gripped me, I listened as he spoke, “Every year, Nerine’s family travels from around the country and gathers in her pack for a reunion. Her aunts, sisters, and their mates will be there with their pups - Elias’ cousins.”
I arched an eyebrow, not entirely sure of where he was going with this. For better or worse, he did me the favor of clarifying, “Nerine said Elias always feels like the odd one out because all of his cousins have mothers and fathers, while he…” He paused, looking disappointed. “I was never there.”
“And?” My heart raced as I started to put the pieces together, but I still needed to hear him say it to my face.
“And this year, I want to be there for him.”
As disbelief surged from within, I kept it beneath my throat along with my rising anger, though I couldn’t prevent my jaw from clenching. “You want to spend an entire week sleeping under the same roof as Nerine?”
“It’s not like I’m sharing her bed, Avril,” he countered defensively.
That made me lose my temper.
“Not the point, Koen!” I yelled. “Are you seriously leaving me again? What if the Council replies and we face more problems?” I was pissed I even had to point it out. “Or worse - what if we never hear back from them, and we have to prepare for the possibility that they might have found something they shouldn’t?”
“Then, you let me know, and I’ll come back.” He shrugged as if it were that simple. “It’s not like me being here will make a difference until it’s time to act.”
“It does make a difference!” I argued. “You could stay and be here for me. For our pack!”
He sighed. “Please, Avril, try to understand-”
“I am trying! That’s all I’ve done lately!” I shouted back, offended. I rose from my seat as my irritation grew too large to contain. “I’ve been nothing but understanding, yet all I’ve gotten in return is an absurd change in behavior from you!”
