Page 2 of Fated (The Bonded Legacy #1)

CHAPTER ONE

CALEB

C aleb sat bathed in the fire’s warm glow, its soft crackle and sweet scent of burning wood mingling with the musty aroma of old leather.

His fingers skimmed the edges of a worn, leather-bound book—one of the tomes chronicling his pack’s history piled high on his desk.

His hazel eyes, piercing yet distant, lifted to the window.

As Caleb’s thoughts drifted, his gaze swept across the moonlit landscape, the familiar contours of his pack’s territory stirring something deep within him.

Ancient redwoods and towering pines stretched beneath a star-studded sky.

The forest floor undulated with gentle hills and hidden valleys, cloaked in a misty veil that danced and swirled in the night breeze.

Sighing, he shifted his attention back to his desk, where the summit invitation lay like a challenge. Unexpected after decades of silence.

The packet had consumed Caleb’s thoughts for over three weeks. The invitation should have been an honor, recognition of Crescent Fang’s storied past. As Selene’s first pack, they’d once been the heart of the region, but their influence waned as other packs pursued power and wealth.

The Regional Collective had evolved into something unrecognizable to Selene’s original vision, and the summit became a gathering of posturing pack leaders bargaining their power and influence to regulate everything from territory disputes to mating ceremonies, from resource allocation to modern pack laws.

While other packs submitted to the Collective’s oversight, Crescent Fang’s commitment to Selene’s teachings led to their gradual withdrawal.

What began as refusing to adopt new customs evolved into complete isolation.

Other packs saw this as folly, but Crescent Fang saw it as a testament to their unwavering faith.

Caleb had never questioned the isolation of the pack he inherited.

Until now.

A growing rogue threat loomed, a constant reminder of the danger that had been escalating for months.

The report of the Denali pack’s annihilation haunted him.

Every wolf slaughtered in a single night.

The territory reduced to smoldering ruins.

Only bloodstained paw prints leading into the wilderness remained.

The Collective’s invitation proved the situation had escalated to a critical point.

Caleb’s fingers clenched tighter around the book’s worn cover. His eyes narrowed as the words blurred together, mind wrestling with everything the summit represented. His breath caught in his throat for a moment before he forced himself to exhale, focusing on the task at hand.

A low hum vibrated through Caleb’s mind as Fenrir, his wolf—a rebirth of his ancestor, Caelum’s wolf—rose to attention.

“We should stay. The Collective is a distraction.” Fenrir’s words rumbled through Caleb’s chest, a sensation more felt than heard. “We can’t risk the lives of our people—of the bloodlines.” The wolf’s tone was edged with something deeper that Caleb couldn’t quite decipher.

Caleb exhaled through his nose, his jaw tightening. “ We’ve stayed hidden for decades, Fenrir, and it hasn’t kept us entirely safe. Perhaps it’s time to reconsider our place within the Collective so we can better protect our bloodlines.”

A soft knock at the door broke Caleb’s reverie.

Asher stepped inside, smile making his eyes crinkle at the corners, his calm presence a balm to Caleb’s frazzled nerves.

The beta brought the forest with him—the scent of fresh pine sap and crushed cedar needles still clinging to his skin from when they’d raced through the western ridge that afternoon, Fenrir nipping playfully at Asher’s wolf, Leif’s, heels.

“You’re still here.” Asher leaned against the doorframe, a teasing glint in his eyes. “I thought I’d find you in bed, nose buried in a book by now—or even better, buried inside me.”

Caleb leaned back in his chair, a genuine smirk forming on his lips. Asher’s teasing brought a familiar warmth that momentarily quelled the anxieties shadowing his thoughts.

“I’m trying to make sure everything’s in order before we leave. The council needs to approve my plans for pack management before I start handing out assignments.”

Asher crossed the room, boots creaking on the wooden floor, and perched himself on the edge of Caleb’s desk.

His thigh brushed against Caleb’s arm, sending a spark of electricity through his veins.

Caleb’s pulse quickened, throat going dry as fragments from that morning invaded his thoughts—waking up inside Asher’s mouth, sheets tangled around his ankles, the rasp of stubble against his inner thigh, the way even Fenrir submitted to Asher as their bodies moved together…

Caleb forced himself from the memory. Though difficult to deny, Asher’s lovemaking was a distraction he couldn’t afford at the moment.

“That crease between your eyebrows gets deeper every time you look at those papers.” Asher’s voice softened as he squeezed Caleb’s shoulder. “I know you feel the pressure of the pack’s expectations and the unknown of the Collective’s judgment, but I’m here to share that burden.”

Caleb’s gaze drifted to his beta. Warmth spread through his chest at the steady confidence there, but his stomach still twisted with unease. “I know that.”

“And yet, you look like you’re about to wage war instead of preparing for a summit.”

The corner of Caleb’s mouth quirked up. “Maybe I am.”

Asher raised an eyebrow, expression a mask of incredulity.

With a sigh, Caleb ran a hand through his hair. “It’s not just the summit.” He lowered his voice. “It’s what it represents—the games, the politics our people have avoided for decades. With rogues closing in, one misstep could be disastrous—“

“You won’t.” Asher’s voice left no room for doubt.

Caleb glanced up, meeting his beta’s steady gaze. There was no doubt there, only unshakable confidence.

“And even if you stumble, we’ll figure it out,” Asher continued. “This summit isn’t just about rogues or alliances. We’re Selene’s first pack—Her chosen. It’s time to remind the others what that means.”

Caleb’s gaze drifted to the map of their territory, mind conjuring the faces of his pack members, their livelihoods, and the families dependent on his decisions. The enormity of that responsibility settled heavily on his shoulders.

Can I really do this ?

“I’m an untested alpha who’s barely navigating the oversight of our own pack’s elders.

” Caleb drummed his fingers against the book.

“I couldn’t even convince the council to change our patrol routes.

How am I supposed to stand among alphas who’ve been groomed since birth to maneuver in this political landscape? ”

Fenrir paced the confines of Caleb’s mind, hackles raised, claws scraping against his consciousness. “We don’t have to go. We can be strong alone .”

Caleb pushed Fenrir to the edge of his consciousness, feeling the wolf’s displeasure like a cold spot between his shoulder blades.

He swallowed hard, fears of inadequacy echoing back at him like a challenge.

“What if I bring disruption to our people and danger to our lands?” The questions hung in the air, a tangible presence that pulsed with his own heartbeat.

“You’re ready, Caleb. Trust me.” Asher pressed his forehead against Caleb’s, grounding him in the moment. “And you’re not doing this alone. Whatever happens at that summit, we’ll face it together. Like we always have.”

Asher’s words sank into him like sunlight into cold earth.

The tension that had returned to Caleb’s shoulders during their conversation finally broke.

The vise grip around his chest that tightened with each moment spent studying the summit dossier dissolved, allowing his breath to flow freely again.

Caleb’s doubts echoed a familiar uncertainty he’d faced as a teenager thrust into rapid preparation for his role as the future alpha after his parents’ deaths.

He’d faced the council’s scrutiny as they’d questioned not just his ability to lead but whether the alpha bloodline should pass to Garreth, his father’s beta.

But Asher had stood beside him, unwavering, and faced them all down.

His words had been a shield Caleb hadn’t known he needed: “Then it’s a good thing he’s not standing here alone. ”

That truth remained unchanged, a constant that anchored Caleb with Asher’s consistent confidence, just as it had all those years ago.

“Thank you,” Caleb murmured.

“Always.” A slow, knowing smile that hinted at pleasure ahead spread across Asher’s face. “Now, let’s get to work. The sooner we’re ready, the sooner we can get to my originally planned evening activities.”

As Caleb watched Asher review the schedule and directives, a sensation both familiar and frightening tugged beneath his ribs, waiting to be acknowledged.

Their bond transcended traditional pack hierarchy.

Asher wasn’t just Caleb's second; he was his lover. Their relationship had become a symbol of Crescent Fang’s ethos, power flowing from partnership rather than dominance.

Though not fated mates, they embodied Selene’s intention: strength through unity, wisdom through balance.

Caleb exhaled, a small smile breaking through the tension. With Asher by his side, the summit no longer seemed like a burden. It became an opportunity to remind the world of what the Crescent Fang pack—and Selene—stood for.