Page 20 of Framed and Forgotten (Ashen Wolves #3)
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K O E N
The first couple of days at the reunion were brutal.
It hurt to be away from Avril. Although our bond seemed to grow weaker with each passing minute, I could still feel her pain, and it shattered me.
On my second night at Crystal Pond’s packhouse, I nearly dropped everything to go back to her - to continue fighting for the woman I had fought so hard to win.
But then, Elias entered my room with a hot chocolate he’d prepared with his mom’s help to thank me for making it to this year’s family reunion.
As his eyes sparkled with nothing but genuine love and pure adoration, I couldn’t bring myself to disappoint him by running away and leaving him behind.
That night was a turning point for me. While Avril lingered in the back of my mind, a whisper I couldn’t ignore, I forced myself to do more than just be present, actively participating and stepping into my role as a father.
Soon enough, it felt natural to devote my undivided attention to my little boy.
When Col threatened my focus, pacing and whining about missing our mate, I shut him off.
That was when I started enjoying myself.
Even though I had never really tried to mingle with my ex-wife’s family, they were still familiar faces.
And despite everything that had changed in the last couple of years, they treated me with the utmost respect and admiration.
In fact, Nerine herself went above and beyond to emphasize how grateful she was for everything I’ve done for Elias. She ensured I felt comfortable at all times, not once invading my privacy or overstepping boundaries. Little by little, I was reshaping the image I had of her.
The more time I spent with her, the easier it was to see what a wonderful mother she was - a better person. She had grown significantly since our divorce. Conversations between us started to flow naturally, and more often than not, I felt she understood me better than Avril.
Being around regular wolf shifters of noble lineage again reminded me of my old life as an alpha - a life that had been ripped away from me.
I hadn’t realized how badly I’d missed the peaceful evenings filled with casual conversation.
Back then, I could make plans for the future without the looming fear of facing a massacre the next day. It was all so simple.
So full of hope .
More than once, I caught myself daydreaming.
I never meant to, but my mind kept drifting to how different my future might have been if Nerine had told me about her pregnancy from the start.
Would I have been happier if I’d made different choices?
If Avril hadn’t stormed back into my life like a tornado? The questions lingered in my mind.
By the end of the week, when Nerine’s relatives said their goodbyes, preparing to return to their respective packs, I felt more hesitant than eager to go back to Azure Smoke.
I knew Avril would be angry with me, and though deep down I understood she had every right to be, I was already exhausted by the drama.
My time with my ex-wife’s family had been so peaceful that the thought of returning to the chaos of my other life left me feeling drained and unenthusiastic.
“Phew,” Nerine exclaimed, bringing me back to reality.
We were in Elias’s room, which was right next to his mother’s.
It was late when the last of the visiting family members left, and our pup could barely keep his eyes open.
Still, he insisted on staying up a little longer to spend more time with me, knowing it was my last night here.
Convincing him to lie down was tough, but I did it by promising we’d play before I headed back to Azure Smoke tomorrow.
“I thought he’d never fall asleep.” Nerine sighed, her tone low, careful not to wake Elias. With a smile, she said playfully, “Apparently, Mommy’s bedtime stories aren’t as fun as Daddy’s.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle as I glanced at my son, fast asleep in his bed, before gazing back at his mother. “Well, seems you did a pretty good job,” I offered.
She smiled tenderly as she sat beside me on the small couch in the corner of the room.
It struck me as strange - I’d thought we’d leave as soon as Elias drifted off, every second we stayed here a risk of waking him up.
But I didn’t complain, eager to enjoy every last minute I had with him.
For a moment, we just stayed there in silence, until she decided to break it.
“Are you really leaving tomorrow?” she asked, her voice trembling, reluctant.
I swallowed, my smile fading as I inevitably thought about all the problems I’d have to face when I left Crystal Pond. “Yeah,” I replied hesitantly.
She nodded, pausing for a moment before suggesting, “You could…stay a little longer.” She shrugged, and I gave her a confused look.
Her eyes, wide and innocent, met mine. “Elias has never been happier,” she clarified.
Then, her gaze dropped to the floor as she bit her bottom lip.
Even in the dim light, I could see the faint flush spreading across her cheeks.
“I…” she breathed out the single vowel, her words stuck in her throat until she took a deep breath. I was startled when she placed her hand over mine and, with a soft exhale, finally concluded, “I have never been happier.”
When her gaze captured mine again, I felt...something. I wasn’t sure what it was, but it made my heart thud.
There was a shift in atmosphere. My breath caught, as if I’d suddenly forgotten how to breathe. All I could focus on was Nerine - the warmth of her touch, the softness of her skin, the desire in her eyes. They were impossibly inviting.
Subconsciously, I licked my lips as my gaze settled on hers. She had such plump, red lips. So beautiful, I wondered what they tasted like. Before I knew it, I was leaning in, mimicking her.
Then, came a desperate shout from inside my mind, “Don’t!”
It made me stop.
“What the hell are you doing, dumb human? We have a mate!” Col scolded me. “Avril is our mate!” he reminded me, even angrier. “She’s the one we love! Only her.”
Only her… the words echoed in my mind, bringing me back to my senses.
When Nerine noticed me, wide-eyed in shock and completely frozen, she turned her head abruptly.
“I…I…” she stuttered, though I could barely make sense of her words. “Sorry, I shouldn’t…I should go to my room.” In a rush, she stood up. “Goodnight.” Not sparing another glance at me, she disappeared.
And I just stayed there, my heart racing as I tried to comprehend what had gotten into me.
Yes, I was growing fonder of Nerine, especially while my mate and I were in a rocky place. Yes, she made me feel heard, wanted, and cherished. And yes, the idea of returning to my old life and starting a family sounded like a fairytale.
But I would never, in a thousand lifetimes, betray Avril like that.
When I stopped to think about it, I realized my mind had been quite foggy these past weeks.
I could hardly think straight. At first, I blamed it on the rough waters I was trying to navigate, but now I wondered if it could be something else.
Avril’s voice echoed in my mind, warning me that I hadn’t been acting like myself lately.
I might have refused to see it before, but almost cheating was too out of character for me to deny.
With my head spinning, I stumbled out of my son’s room, rushing back to mine as questions continued to hit me like a barrage.
Could it be the family bond making me fall for Nerine?
No - even if she was the mother of my pup, there should be no direct bond between us, and I definitely shouldn’t have feelings for her.
Even if I could see her in a new light now, I could never be romantically attracted to her.
Our past was stained with too much wrong for me to overlook, and through it all, there was only ever one woman I wanted.
I loved Avril. I was loyal to Avril. I’d gone through hell and back for Avril.
So why did I suddenly feel attracted to the ex-wife I never wanted in the first place?
What was going on? My head throbbed, urging me to massage my temples in an attempt to ease the discomfort.
If I didn’t want Nerine, why was I so ready to kiss her?
When I forced myself to think about the moment we’d shared just minutes ago, it didn’t make sense at all.
There was no magnetic pull drawing me in, like there used to be with Avril.
It was almost as if I simply felt eerily compelled to do it.
Compelled , I repeated inside my head. It was as if I’d been bewitched.
Standing in the middle of my room, in the frail safety of these four walls, I questioned everything.
Col, who had been so adamant just a moment ago, pushing through the barrier I had lifted between us, preventing me from making what would have stolen the top spot as the worst mistake of my life, was now silent, as confused as I was.
An idea crossed my mind. It was a long shot, but worth a try.
I stretched out my arm, glancing at my wrist. The bracelet I wore, a requirement for every Ashen Wolf, was supposed to dull the effects of magic, including spells.
I grasped it, hoping that would heighten its properties.
To my surprise, it worked. As long as I clutched it in my hand, any romantic feelings I had for Nerine vanished completely.
And I immediately knew I had fallen right into another one of her traps.