Page 6 of Framed and Forgotten (Ashen Wolves #3)

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K O E N

Since I received the results of the paternity test, it felt as though I’d been living in a dream, where reality seemed as fragile as glass.

To find out I had a son I didn’t know about was…

disconcerting. I felt completely lost, clueless about how I should go about it.

All I knew, deep in my heart, was that I had to see Elias again.

Although Avril agreed to accompany me on a visit to Crystal Pond - my ex-wife’s pack - I decided to follow her advice and take a moment to clear my mind first. Exhausted after our trip to Whispering Hills, both physically and emotionally, she suggested going to our room to rest, and I gladly went along.

I was in dire need of a moment to reflect.

As I lay beside her in our bed, soaking in the tranquility she brought me, I dove into my thoughts.

Firstly, I hoped to figure out how I truly felt about the situation.

The emotions I had been suppressing were too overwhelming and chaotic to make sense of.

My intense anger was directed at Nerine - both for manipulating me in the past and for hiding such a monumental fact from me.

Fear gripped me as I questioned whether I had what it took to be a good father, especially when I had already started off on the wrong foot.

Confusion spun in my mind as I contemplated how to approach a relationship with a son I never knew existed.

Yet, beneath it all, there was a deep, growing need to meet him properly, accompanied by nervousness about how he might feel about me.

Trying to accept that I actually had a pup was wild enough on its own.

But I couldn’t deny the bond that had already formed between us - a bond I had been oblivious to until now.

By my calculations, Elias should be almost three years old.

He was probably too young to understand why I hadn’t been around for him, but the thought hammered in my mind.

Despite not being at fault for my absence, I couldn’t shake the guilt I felt.

I couldn’t help but wonder what I had missed during that time - all the moments my son might have needed me.

My wolf was equally conflicted, torn between the fierce protectiveness he felt toward our pup and the deep concern for our mate.

He could sense how the situation was affecting her, all of her doubts and insecurities.

It pained him just as much as it pained me.

He wished we wouldn’t cause any more harm to her, but he didn’t want to neglect Elias either.

I just hoped I would find out how to deal with the situation once I saw him again.

A V R I L

I managed to convince Koen to wait an entire day before responding to Nerine.

Whether it was because I wanted him to be sure of his decision or because I was extremely apprehensive about the idea of him visiting Nerine and what might come of it, I couldn’t say.

Perhaps both were true. Or maybe I just didn’t want to admit that the latter was more likely.

Although I suppose any other she-wolf would feel the same way if they were in my place, my uneasiness wasn’t easy to comprehend.

It wasn’t jealousy - I wasn’t even remotely afraid that Koen might fall for her again.

He’d had the chance to choose her over me, and even when I wasn’t an option, he still chose not to stay with her.

The reason for my discomfort was more like a gut feeling.

I interpreted it as a sixth sense warning me that something wasn’t right.

Maybe it was because of how Koen had described his ex-wife, but I failed to acknowledge any real innocence behind her intentions.

Was I to believe she had just grown up, going from a total psycho to a mature woman who humbly accepted the consequences of her actions?

If so, why refuse to reveal the pup’s existence to his father for years , only laying it out flat the moment he asked about it?

I couldn’t shake the feeling that I shouldn’t trust her.

After taking a night to rest from the whole ordeal, and another to sleep on it, we agreed it was time. Koen would contact his ex-wife after warrior training in the morning to arrange a date for our visit. And yet, I was still struggling to come to terms with it.

By the time the bell rang in the arena, announcing the end of today’s session, I wasn’t quite ready to leave.

Even as the warriors all transformed back into their human forms, eager to head to the cafeteria and fill their stomachs after two hours of intense physical effort, I caught myself wanting to put off my meal just a little longer.

After a moment of hesitation, I finally asked Kea to retreat, putting my clothes back on leisurely, trying to delay what would happen next.

Just as I was finishing getting dressed, Koen approached me. “Ready to go?” he asked with a hint of urgency.

Giving into my reluctance, I suggested, “Why don’t you go ahead without me? There’s a new fight strategy I wanted to test before leaving the training grounds,” I blurted out the first excuse I could come up with, biting my bottom lip as soon as I realized how unconvincing it sounded.

Koen was no fool, and he could read me better than anyone else. His face immediately fell with my response, the glisten of realization in his eyes letting me know he didn’t believe a single word I said. Still, he forced a smile, clearly not willing to question me.

“Okay,” he breathed out simply, planting a kiss on my forehead. As he pulled away, he whispered, “I’ll wait for you in our room. Then we can have breakfast together.”

I smiled back at him. “Sounds like a plan.”

I watched as he disappeared into the crowd, blending with the other wolves exiting the training grounds.

As they filtered out, I pretended to be organizing the materials, trying not to draw attention, though I doubted anyone would notice before they had satiated their hunger.

I caught sight of Elijah pestering Rhea, with Theo following closely behind them.

But what I didn’t realize was that my beta was the only one who caught on to me falling behind.

Instead of continuing on with his day, he paused, turned, and slipped up beside me.

“Not hungry?” he asked quietly, careful not to seem like he was sticking his nose where he shouldn’t.

With a sigh, I replied, “Not really.”

Looking away, he nodded twice, slowly, thoughtfully, before asking, “Do you uh…want to talk about it?”

I shook my head. “I’d rather punch something.”

“Well…” He took a couple of steps back, taking a fighting stance before concluding, “I’m right here.”

I widened my eyes, both surprised and moved by his silent support. Still, in the end I dismissed him, not wanting to trouble him with my own insecurities. “You must be tired. Besides, won’t Eli be wondering what’s taking you so long to join him for breakfast?”

“He’ll be fine.” He waved me off. “I doubt he’ll even notice I’m gone until he can convince Rhea to pay attention to whatever gossip he’s feeding her now,” he said playfully. “And we both know that’ll take a while.”

With a chuckle, I gave in - I wouldn’t mind some company anyway. “Fine.”

As I squared off with Theo, the tension in my chest didn’t quite dissipate, but at least it was redirected.

I focused on his every move, blocking, dodging, and countering as the fight unfolded.

My fists were sharp, my movements quick, but my mind was elsewhere, trying to contain the whirlwind of thoughts and emotions swirling inside me.

Theo’s eyes narrowed slightly, no doubt sensing the distraction in my movements, but he didn’t say anything.

With each strike, my frustration flared, and then ebbed away, only to be replaced by more confusion and doubt.

A sharp kick to my side brought me back to the present, the pain grounding me in reality.

I stumbled back, barely catching myself.

“You’re not any more focused now than you were during training,” he pointed out, backing away to give me space to recover.

I scoffed. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

Irritated at myself, I threw another punch, fast and precise.

Matching my speed, Theo deflected it. I tried again, only to meet the same result.

And again, using more force this time, but the outcome didn’t change.

As my movements grew easy to predict, my beta eventually managed to grab my fist instead of simply dodging it, pushing me back.

I couldn’t contain a grunt - nor the words that followed.

“It’s just…too much,” I admitted, finally lowering my guard.

“It’s not just about the pup, you know? It’s everything.

The fact that Nerine kept this secret from Koen for all this time, and now - now she’s fine with inviting him to be part of his son’s life? I don’t know how to feel about that.”

Theo nodded, dropping his stance. He didn’t say a word - he just waited and listened. His silence was comforting, somehow, the kind of quiet that invited reflection.

Before I noticed it, I found myself speaking again. “I guess I’m a little…”

“Scared?” he concluded when I couldn’t. The assumption stung - as an Alpha, I shouldn’t be afraid.

But I sensed no judgement coming from him as he continued, “Not just for Koen, but for yourself too. This situation, it’s not exactly something you planned for.

It’s hard enough with just the two of you, and now there’s this other part of his past to contend with. ”

I was stunned for a moment. Sharing such a personal conversation with Theo was new to me, and I was surprised at how understanding he was. We didn’t normally talk about our feelings. Elijah was usually the one I confided in, mostly because he’d push me until I couldn’t keep it in anymore.

“Yeah. Out of everything we faced, I guess this was the only thing I did not see coming at all,” I confessed. “I thought I was ready for anything, especially with how tough our relationship has been from the start. But I’m not. I’m just… not.”

Theo exhaled deeply, like he understood exactly where I was coming from.

“Uncertainty isn’t a weakness, Avril. It’s human.

You’re allowed to feel this way, even if it’s hard to admit it,” he offered, and just like magic, I felt a great weight lift off my shoulders.

“Being a mate, a partner, a leader - it’s not about always knowing what to do or how to act.

It’s about being there, even when things are unclear.

” After a pause, he added, “Not that you don’t already know that. ”

The words were simple, but they hit me harder than I’d expected. Maybe it wasn’t about having all the answers, or having everything figured out right away. Maybe it was enough to just… be there. For both of us.

“Thanks, Theo,” I muttered sincerely.

“Anytime, Alpha,” he replied with a small smile, his expression warmer than before. “Now, you want to actually spar, or should we call it a day?”

I let out a small laugh, feeling lighter than I had in hours. “Let’s call it a day. I think I’ve had enough fighting for now.”

With that, we made our way toward the exit, and though the path ahead was still unclear, I felt like I had at least one thing figured out: I wasn’t alone in this.