Chapter 339: Reject

Kaden’s POV

​The stack of folders on my desk looked like a small mountain. When I made the announcement to the council that I was forming a special unit, I knew every Alpha in the kingdom would go out of their way to find candidates. I had promised a massive financial reward to every pack that contributed: a huge lump sum for every selected warrior, and double that amount if a pack managed to get two candidates chosen.

​Money always had a funny way of making lazy Alphas move quickly.

​The heavy wooden door to my office opened, and Logan walked in holding another thick stack of papers. "Kaden," he said, stepping up to my desk and dropping the stack on top of the others. "The Alphas and leaders have finished sending in the names of their special ability candidates. We have well over a hundred submissions."

​I leaned back in my leather chair and stared at the ridiculous amount of paperwork in front of me. Over a hundred. Apparently, I had underestimated just how motivating money could be.

​"Have you read through them yet?"

​"No." Logan pulled up a chair and sat across from me. "I wanted us to review them together."

​I glanced toward the clock on the wall. We didn’t have several days to carefully study every candidate. The tiger shifters had already taken six packs, and every hour we wasted gave them more time to strengthen their hold on those territories. "Read them out," I instructed, lacing my fingers together over my lap. "Names, packs, and abilities. I’ll tell you who stays."

​Logan nodded and picked up the first folder. "Derrick Vance, Nightshade Pack. Ability: heightened sensory tracking and speed beyond normal Alpha limits."

​"Pass. We have enough fast trackers."

​Logan placed the file on his left and picked up another. "Aria Vane, Silver Moon Pack. Elemental earth manipulation. She can rupture the ground beneath an enemy and move small sections of earth."

​"Keep her. That could disrupt enemy positions."

​He made a quick note and continued. "Julian Thorne, Blood River Pack. Poison immunity and acid secretion."

​I frowned. "Pass. Too dangerous for the rest of the team."

​"Marcus Cole, Iron Ridge Pack. Thermal vision and heat generation."

​"Keep."

​"Elena Rostova, Winter Dawn Pack. Force field creation. According to her Alpha, she can protect up to eight people at once."

​"Definitely keep."

​Logan moved her file to the selected pile and picked up the next one. "Amelia Hart, Crescent Pack. Enhanced hearing. She can hear conversations from almost a mile away if she concentrates."

​"Keep."

​"Lucas Grey, Shadow Moon Pack. He can hold his breath underwater for forty minutes."

​I stared at Logan, and he stared right back at me.

​"Pass."

​"I assumed so."

​"Unless the tiger shifters are planning to move this war to the bottom of a lake, I don’t see how that’s going to help us."

​The corner of Logan’s mouth twitched as he moved the file aside. "Marcus Dean, Silver Fang Pack. He can create a protective shield around himself and five other people."

​"Keep."

​"Clara Woods, Night Moon Pack. She can communicate with animals."

​I thought about it briefly before shaking my head. "Pass."

​"Ethan Cole, Black River Pack. Electricity. He can release powerful electric shocks through his hands."

​"Keep."

​"Naomi Rivers, Moonlight Pack. She can breathe underwater."

​I slowly looked at him again.

​Logan sighed. "Yes, I know."

​"Why are there so many people preparing for an underwater war nobody told me about?"

​"I don’t choose the candidates, Kaden. I only read the files."

​"Pass."

​He moved on. "Damian Cross, Red Claw Pack. He can perfectly copy another person’s voice after hearing them speak."

​I considered that one for a moment. "Keep. Could be useful for infiltration."

​"Sarah Kent, Blue Moon Pack. She can see clearly in complete darkness."

​"Keep."

​"Alexander Reed, Iron Fang Pack. Fire manipulation."

​"What kind?"

​Logan checked the file. "Regular fire."

​"Pass. We’re trying to get through Dark Fire. I don’t need someone adding more normal fire to the situation."

​"Fair enough." He reached for another file. "Emily Stone, White River Pack. She can sense when someone is lying."

​"Keep."

​"Jason Black, Forest Moon Pack. He can run three times faster than the average werewolf."

​"Keep."

​"Diana Wells, Golden Pack. She can control plants and make them grow quickly."

​Logan glanced up at me as though he was already expecting me to reject her.

​"Keep."

​His eyebrows rose. "Really?"

​"Plants can block paths, trap people, or provide cover. We don’t know what we’re going to face once we get inside those territories."

​"Good point."

​He placed her file in the selected pile and continued. "Victor Hale, Dark Moon Pack. He can make himself invisible for about thirty seconds."

​"Keep."

​"Ryan Moore, Blood Fang Pack. He can see through walls."

​"Keep."

​"Isabella King, Crystal Moon Pack. She can create thick fog over a large area."

​"Keep."

​"Thomas Grant, River Stone Pack." Logan paused, looking strangely at the paper in his hand. "He can change the color of his eyes."

​I waited for him to continue.

​He didn’t.

​"That’s it?"

​"He can change them to seven different colors."

​I stared at Logan. Logan stared back at me. After several seconds, he quietly moved the file to the rejected pile without waiting for me to answer.

​Good. At least one of us didn’t need an explanation.

​"Next."

​"Liam Brooks, Mountain Pack. He can create small earthquakes within a twenty-foot area."

​"Keep."

​"Freya Collins, North Moon Pack. She can freeze water by touching it."

​"Keep."

​"Noah Williams, Green Forest Pack. He can speak every known human language."

​"Pass."

​"Every known language," Logan repeated.

​"Can he speak Tiger?"

​Logan gave me a flat look. "That’s not a language."

​"Exactly. Pass."

​This time, he laughed under his breath before moving on. "Sophia Carter, Silver Lake Pack. Her healing ability is much stronger than an average wolf’s. She can also transfer some of that healing to another person."

​"Keep. Put her high on the list. We’ll need healers in the field."

​"Gabriel Knight, Full Moon Pack. Shadow manipulation. He can control shadows for short periods."

​"Keep."

​"Lena West, Golden Claw Pack. She can sense supernatural magic within half a mile."

​That immediately caught my attention. "Keep. Mark her as a priority."

​Logan nodded and made a mark beside her name.

​We continued like that for almost an hour. Some abilities were exactly what I had hoped to find, while others weren’t particularly powerful on their own but could become useful when combined with someone else’s gift. That was the entire point of the unit. I didn’t need forty gifted wolves competing to prove who was the strongest. I needed people who could follow orders and use their abilities together.

​Then there were the candidates who made me seriously question whether some of these Alphas understood what a special combat unit meant. One man could make flowers change colors. Another could grow his hair several inches in less than a minute. Apparently, the tiger shifters were supposed to surrender when confronted with beautiful flowers and impressive hair.

​I rejected both.

​By the time Logan had gone through about thirty names, he reached for another file and suddenly stopped. I noticed immediately.

​"Why did you pause?"

​His eyes remained on the paper.

​"Logan."

​He cleared his throat before finally looking up at me. "Rebecca Litenia Drake."

​My hand stopped over the report in front of me.

​For a moment, I said nothing. I didn’t need to ask which Rebecca. There was only one woman with that name.

​Logan looked back down at the file. "Stone Pack. Werewolf-Fae hybrid. Abilities listed are long-range teleportation, unusual physical strength, Fae energy manipulation, and powerful force projection."

​Rebecca.

​Three years. Three years of complete silence between us. No calls, no mind-links, no unexpected meetings. Nothing.

​But my heart didn’t suddenly jump out of my chest, and I didn’t fall apart at the sound of her name. I simply sat there, staring at the file in Logan’s hand.

​Yes, I still loved Rebecca. There was no point in lying about that. Three years hadn’t magically erased what I felt for her, but loving her and wanting her back in my life were two completely different things. ℴ

​I had spent those three years rebuilding myself. Rebecca had her life, and I had mine. We had stayed away from each other, and that distance had worked. More importantly, my kingdom was currently being invaded by tiger shifters.

​I was building a war unit, not arranging a fucking reunion.

​Still, I couldn’t deny that Rebecca was an excellent candidate. Actually, excellent was probably an understatement. Teleportation alone could give us an advantage nobody else on the list had. Add her Fae abilities, unusual strength, and force projection, and she was easily one of the strongest candidates Logan had read so far.

​I knew exactly how powerful that force could be.

​My ribs remembered too.

​"Cross her off."

​Logan blinked. "What?"

​"Remove her name."

​He stared at me as though he wasn’t sure he’d heard correctly. "Really?"

​"Yes."

​"Kaden, she can teleport."

​"I heard you."

​"Long-range teleportation," he stressed. "We’re dealing with territories completely blocked by Dark Fire. If her Fae magic reacts differently to the barrier, she could possibly get through it."

​"I know."

​"She’s also a hybrid. You were the one who told the council that hybrids might give us an advantage."

​"I remember what I said."

​"Then why are you rejecting her?"

​I met his eyes calmly. "Because I’m not selecting her."

​Logan frowned. "That’s not really an answer."

​"It is the only one you’re getting."

​He stared at me for another moment, but I stared right back. Eventually, he seemed to realize I wasn’t changing my mind.

​"Fine."

​He drew a line through Rebecca’s name and placed her file with the rejected candidates. Something inside me shifted at the sight of it, but I ignored it.

​"Continue."

​Logan picked up another file. "Caleb Rhodes, Storm Pack. He can control wind within a limited area."

​"Keep."

​"Victoria Lane, Silver Crest Pack. She can create realistic illusions for several minutes."

​"Keep."

​"Samuel Hayes, Moon Valley Pack. He can temporarily paralyze someone through skin contact."

​"Keep."

​"Rachel Ford, Blue River Pack. She can create a sound powerful enough to disorient anyone within thirty feet."

​"Keep."

​"Nathaniel Ross, Black Mountain Pack. He can temporarily absorb another supernatural person’s energy through touch."

​"Keep, but mark him for close supervision."

​Logan nodded. "Maya Torres, Red Forest Pack. She can create several copies of herself. The copies aren’t physically real, but they look and move exactly like her."

​"Keep."

​"Adrian Wolfe, Silver River Pack. He can control metal within twenty feet."

​"Keep."

​"Kiara Moon, Crescent Valley Pack. She can temporarily erase her scent and the scents of anyone she’s touching."

​That one made me lean forward. "Keep. Priority."

​Logan marked it before continuing. "Elias Stone, Moon Crest Pack. He can create a powerful burst of light capable of temporarily blinding anyone looking directly at him."

​"Keep."

​We continued until the selected pile had grown considerably larger. Eventually, Logan stopped and counted the files.

​"Forty."

​I raised my hand. "Stop there."

​He glanced at the remaining submissions. "You don’t want to finish these?"

​"We already have enough. Forty people are difficult enough to train as one unit in the time we have. I originally wanted around twenty, but with six territories already taken, I’d rather have backups. If anyone fails during training, we’ll replace them with someone from the remaining candidates."

​Logan nodded. "Makes sense."

​"Send word to everyone immediately. Both selected and rejected candidates need to know the decision today. Tell the selected candidates they’re required to report to the royal pack by tomorrow night. Training begins the following morning."

​"That soon?"

​I gave him a look. "Do you think the tiger shifters are going to wait because someone hasn’t finished packing?"

​"Fair point."

​"And make it clear that being selected doesn’t guarantee they’ll stay. If they can’t control their abilities, follow orders, or work with the rest of the unit, they’re out. I don’t care how powerful they are."

​"Understood."

​Logan gathered the files into two separate stacks before standing. I reminded him to send the notices immediately, and after assuring me he would, he left the office and closed the door behind him.

​The room became quiet again.

​I leaned back in my chair and rubbed a hand over my face. Six packs had already fallen. Hundreds of people were trapped behind Dark Fire. A full war was coming, and forty gifted fighters would begin arriving here tomorrow. I already had enough to worry about.

​Then Titan decided it was the perfect time to add one more thing.

​Are you sure about what you just did?

​I closed my eyes. Of course he had waited until Logan left.

​Yes.

​Rebecca is powerful.

​I’m aware.

​Her abilities could help us.

​We have forty people.

​Titan remained quiet for a few seconds before answering.

​That wasn’t what I asked.

​I opened my eyes and stared toward the large window overlooking the training grounds. Three years had passed, and my wolf was still annoyingly good at knowing when I was avoiding a question.

​Three years had finally given me something I once thought I would never have again. A life. Not a perfect one. I hadn’t forgotten Rebecca or everything that happened between us, and I hadn’t stopped caring either, but I had learned how to live without her. I could wake up in the morning without wondering where she was. I could sit through meetings, argue with Kane, work with Logan, laugh occasionally, and lead my kingdom without feeling like my entire life had ended.

​Rebecca had wanted freedom from me, and I had given it to her. Eventually, I had learned to give myself that same freedom.

​Maybe she wants to help, Titan said.

​She can help somewhere else.

​You know she would be useful here.

​My jaw tightened. Titan.

​He went quiet for a moment before speaking again.

​You still love her.

​I stared out the window. I know.

​There was no shame in admitting it anymore. I loved Rebecca, and maybe some part of me always would. But loving someone didn’t mean they needed to be part of your life. I wasn’t the same man who once believed loving someone meant holding on to them no matter how badly they wanted to leave.

​Right now, my kingdom needed me focused. Six packs were under enemy control, hundreds of wolves were prisoners, Dark Fire surrounded every captured territory, and we had less than twenty days before the tiger shifters planned to begin a full-scale war.

​I didn’t need distractions.

​And Rebecca walking back into my territory after three years would be one hell of a distraction.

​I reached for the next report on my desk and forced my attention back to the war. Rebecca had her life, and I had mine. Keeping those two lives separate had worked perfectly well for three years, and I saw no reason to change that now.