Rejected and Regretted (Ashen Wolves #1)

31

When I made it back to my room, still confused about my former mate’s last-minute invitation - and about whether or not it had been a good idea to agree to it - I called my friends to let them know about the change in plans. They didn’t seem thrilled about it, though not for the reason I expected. Postponing the conclusion of our mission yet again didn’t bother them, but they were concerned about me leaving without them.

“It’s only for a couple of days,” I tried to reassure them.

Judging by the unsure glance Theo and Elijah shared, it was obvious I had failed.

“What if we follow you from a distance?” my beta suggested.

“We could shift and stay hidden. If necessary, we can step in,” his mate added.

“No,” I determined. “I told you already, it’ll be suspicious if no one sees you at Whispering Hills for the next two days. The only reason why I accepted to go with Koen is to preserve whatever progress has been made in our relationship.”

“Sure.” A smug smirk played in Elijah’s lips as he slowly crossed his arms, shooting me a knowing glance. “Of course, you must preserve your relationship .” he emphasized the last word.

I frowned. “I’m serious. Koen’s trust in me is key to the success of our mission.”

“I still don’t like this,” Theo insisted. While his mate seemed a little more relaxed now, he evidently didn’t feel the same way. I guess it was natural, considering that he was my beta - he was always by my side.

“Then deal with it,” I replied sharply. The stress of the whole situation combined to their insistence was getting to me, making me sound ruder than I would have liked. With a sigh, I tried to correct it. “Look, I’ll be fine, I promise. When I’m back, we can continue from where we left, and when we’re back home, you can babysit me all you want. Deal?”

Theo’s discontentment remained written all over his face, but at last, he agreed. “Fine. Can you at least text us from time to time so we know you’re safe?”

I rolled my eyes. “Sure, Dad.”

It didn’t take me long at all to pack. I simply grabbed two changes of clothes and tossed them into an empty backpack - considering how nosey Koen had been lately, I couldn’t risk him finding anything that might compromise my secret identity.

When it was ten before noon, I bid my friends farewell and headed to the town square. On my way there, I started getting cold feet as it dawned on me that I would be spending the next few days alone with Koen. Could I really resist him if he tried something under those conditions?

A frown crossed my face as I realized how pathetic I was being. I had made up my mind - I wanted nothing to do with Koen, regardless of how my body reacted to him. The sole reason why I accepted to go with him was to guarantee the success of my mission. As soon as I was done, I would leave without looking back, and he would never cross my mind again.

Even if it seemed Kea was warming up to him more and more as the days passed.

I halted once I spotted the alpha and his beta standing next to a limousine parked right in front of the packhouse. As if Koen could sense me, his eyes fell upon me, confusion permeating his features. I sucked in a deep breath and marched toward him.

“Avril,” he greeted me, blinking once. “I told you I would pick you up at your room.”

“Well, I felt it was unnecessary.” I shrugged. “I’m totally capable of walking by myself.”

Although initially surprised, a smirk soon played on Koen’s lips. He didn’t even bother hiding his amusement, and once again, I started second-guessing my decision to go on this trip with him. Perhaps I would have shown more reluctance when he held the car door open for me, had I not been disturbed by his beta staring daggers into me. At least if I failed to get a hold of my emotions while we were away, I could count on Gregor to keep me and his alpha apart, as it was evident he was majorly bothered by our interaction.

As soon as we were all inside, Koen gave the driver the green light, and so our journey began. Little by little, Whispering Hills disappeared behind us. The woods slowly turned into a few trees scattered across the road as the interstate stretched out before us.

Every now and then, the Alpha would point out interesting sights along our way, explaining about them. He could probably sense my fascination as I eagerly looked through the window. To preserve my pack and its location, I barely ever left our territory. Growing up as an omega at Whispering Hills, I didn’t have the money to explore the outside world either.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t fully enjoy the car ride. Surprisingly, it wasn’t Koen’s proximity that made me uncomfortable this time. Beside me, the tension was thick enough to cut through; Gregor’s brooding presence was impossible to ignore. He made no secret of his disapproval of my tagging along, his silence more hostile than words.

Four hours into our drive, the limousine slowed down as we exited the road to enter a peaceful forest. It was only a matter or minutes until a small town came into view. At the heart of the village, the streets were lined with quaint shops and cafes, their facades painted in cheerful colors.

We pulled into the hotel parking lot, a modest establishment meant to serve as neutral ground for the meeting. It was modest but comfortable, a neutral ground where packs could gather without the extravagance that often accompanied such events.

"We'll drop off our things, and then we'll have some time to explore before the meeting tonight," Koen told me, and I nodded.

We checked into our rooms with little fuss. I had a separate suite, while Koen and Gregor shared the room next door. By the time I walked back into the hallway, the Alpha was already waiting for me - alone. It seemed his less-than-amiable beta didn’t want to idle around with me. Shocker .

“Gregor wants to rest before the meeting,” he told me, and I pretended to believe him. “Anyway, are you ready to go?”

“Yeah,” I replied casually, trying not to show my hesitation to leave with him. Nothing good ever happened when we were alone.

We left the hotel, walking through the small town that clung to the edges of a vast forest. Since Koen came here every year to meet with the other leaders, he had a lot of stories to share about his past travels, and I listened attentively to them.

Eventually, we reached the edge of the town and entered a peaceful trail through the trees that circled it. The forest closed around us, casting shadows on our path, but it wasn’t long before we arrived at a clearing where light drenched the rich greenery, cut by a serene river. Koen advanced to sit by the crystal-clear waters, and I followed his lead.

“Thank you for coming here,” he whispered, finally breaking the silence as he gazed into the blue sky overhead. “It really means a lot to me.”

After a moment, I replied with uncertainty, “Anything to help.” The quiet returned as I drifted into thought, until I decided to ask, “What exactly do you want me to do?”

“Nothing specific.” He shrugged. “Just…be seen. With me. That should be enough to make me more approachable to potential allies.” At his answer, I once again became thoughtful, but his voice soon pulled me out of my head. “Tonight, when the leaders are all gathered at the hotel, I don’t want you to feel out of place.” He turned to me, his eyes immediately locking onto mine. “There might only be alphas and betas around, but don’t be overwhelmed. To me, Avril…you’re even more valuable than them.”

Why did his comment make my heart race? I knew very well what his words meant, yet I still felt the need to confirm it. Breaking my gaze from his, I stated, “Because I can help get them on your side.”

From the corner of my eyes, I noticed as he stiffened. His lips parted, yet no words came out for long seconds, until he sighed. “Yeah. Yeah, exactly.”

Although I could have sworn I had sensed some hesitation in his answer, I chose to ignore it, preferring to change the subject. “Beta Gregor doesn’t seem to agree with you though. Does he not trust your strategy?”

A grunt escaped him. “Pay no mind to Gregor. He’s just been grumpy lately.”

Since I returned, I thought, but kept it to myself. There was no point in lengthening this conversation, and Koen seemed to agree. In comfortable silence, we enjoyed the fresh air of nature, listening to the sound of the stream.

As the sun began to set, casting a golden hue over the clearing, Koen stood and offered me his hand. “We should head back. I won’t make a good impression on my future allies if I’m late for the meeting.”

Offering him a half smile, I finally accepted his aid and let him pull me up to my feet. As we made our way back to the village, I thought about the part Koen wanted me to play in this. I didn’t know exactly what I had to do, but I sincerely hoped I could help him. Even if he hadn’t been a good mate, he managed to convince me that he was a good alpha. I might not give a damn about Whispering Hills, but if it was important to him, I would try to assist him in acquiring the support of other packs before I vanished from his life for good.

I didn’t know why, but the thought made Kea lower her ears in sadness, and I felt it deep in my heart.