Almost a year later Kevin learned that he was playing with the enemy the whole time. Inter-species war were one thing. This was worse.
The pack had settled beyond the eastern border.
His friend - the one with ridiculous dreams of peace who dragged him into one stupid idea after the other - was Devon Rickson. The future Alpha of the White Lotus Pack.
The one Kevin had spent the past year sneaking away to meet. He was the oldest son of Alpha Kent Rickson and Late Luna Solana Von Rickson.
Kent Rickson. The name was enough to silence a room of warriors. He was strong and has killed his grandfather.
Kevin had never known Richard Flint. He had died before Kevin was old enough to remember. All he knew was that loss had broken his father. There was an old photograph somewhere in the house of Derrick Flint standing beside Richard's grave holding Kevin as a newborn in his arms. That was the day his father had sworn revenge.
Kevin had grown up hearing the same story over and over. And he had spent the last year laughing by that man's son at the waterfall. His head hurt. And his heart hurt even more. Everything happened so fast. One moment he was standing beside Devon trying to understand how any of this could be real. The next he his father had shifted and lunged across the clearing.
"Dad, wait-"
Derrick Flint didn't wait. His massive black wolf crashed into Kent Rickson before he could reach for Devon. Their jaws snapping as two Alphas collided sending dirt flying.
Kevin stood frozen. This wasn't supposed to happen. Across the clearing. Stefan had already thrown himself at a girl with the same brown hair and eyes as Devon. Could have been no one else but his sister. The two rolled across the ground biting and clawing while Steven rushed in to pull his brother off. Every lesson Kevin had ever been taught screamed at him to fight. To stand beside his father to protect his brothers. To prove himself worthy of becoming the next Alpha. But his feet refused to move
He genuinely hadn't known that Devon belonged to the White Lotus Pack. The pack his father had hated his entire life. Why couldn't it have been the White Carnation Pack instead. They had a treaty with the Nightshade Pack. There where even mated pairs between the two packs wolves who crossed borders without bloodshed.
But fare had never been kind. He watched his father drive Kent Rickson back a step before the White Lotus Alpha answered with a blow of his own. Neither of them was holding back anymore.
His gaze found Devon. He looked lost as he was. Just as horrified. Their eyes met only for a brief second before Kent shoved his son behind him without looking away from Derrick. Kevin drew in a slow breath. He couldn't let this continue. Because he had become friends with an idiot without knowing the names and grudges they inherited. He stepped forward.
"I am not strong enough."
The word stopped both Alphas for a brief moment. He kept his face blank refusing to look at either Devon or his father.
"If we keep fighting we will lose."
It was a lie. Kevin had never fought Devon seriously. He didn't know if he was stronger or weaker. But he didn't want to know about it today.
Derrick Flint looked at him. They were at an advantage. Their territory was nearby. The warriors must have heard and already moving. He couldn't understand his son.
Finally, Kent Rickson stepped back. "This ends here."
Derrick didn't lower his guard but after a long moment he gave a sharp nod
"Retreat."
Relief washed over Kevin that his knees almost gave out. No one had died today. He looked at Devon one last time. Neither of them smiled or spoke. There was nothing left to say. Kevin understood some things were decided long before they where born. And no matter how badly they wanted otherwise. It wasn't enough.
___
His father's anger afterwards was unlike anything Kevin had ever seen. He had shouted at him before. Punished him. Pushed him harder than anyone else because one day he would lead the Nightshade Pack. But he had never looked at Kevin with disappointment. That hurt but what was he supposed to do. Devon hadn't chosen to be born a Rickson. And hadn't chosen to be a Flint. It wasn't their war. It was an old grudge carried from one generation to the next until they forgot to reason why it began. They simply inherited it
They didn't meet after that. But Kevin still found himself looking towards the waterfall half expecting Devon to emerge from the water and grin at him. He never did. Kevin mourned his friendship quietly. And the ache beneath his ribs disappeared under his own ache
His mate's pain was still there. But he couldn't feel it for a while. Because his grief was more
Days passed before it returned again with the familiar ache beneath his breastbone. By then his own pain had begun to dull. He still missed Devon. He always would. But he could let it go now. Kevin closed his eyes. The small ache brought him comfort. His bond. His mate who had never left. Still alive waiting for him.
–
Years passed the war never ended. It became a part of his life. The seasons changed. And children grew into warriors. And the elders where buried
Kevin grew with them. So did his grief. Little by little it became a memory. Somedays it felt like an old wound. Other days it was an icy burn beneath his ribs
And through it all his mate remained. They didn't leave. Some days it was barely there. Other days it was sharp enough to make him grasp for air.
As he grew older Kevin began noticing the patterns. The pain came after exhaustion and fear. Where his mate seemed to push themselves beyond their limit. He never understood what his mate was going through. Only that it couldn't have been easy
He wondered about them often
Were they eating enough. Were they carrying everything alone.
Those thoughts became frequent with each bouts of pain. And he found himself talking to someone who couldn't hear him
Hold on. Just a little longer. I will find you one day.
It was a promise He repeated everyday. He believed his mate understood it. And when they finally meet. He was going to take them somewhere far away from wars from packs and responsibilities
And if they refused. Well.. He might just kidnap them. The thought made him smile every single time. Until then. He waited. Because it was all he could do at the moment.
—
Derrick Flint died of cancer when Kevin was twenty-one. He had outlived many wolves of his generation. Years of battles and old wounds had finally caught up to him. By the end the formidable Alpha could barely leave his bed
Kevin spent every spare moment beside him. Sometimes they would talk. But most days they stayed together in silence. The room smelled of herbs and medicine now. It was a smell that Kevin had grown to hate
One evening Kevin finally spoke
"I am going to ask for a ceasefire."
His father looked at him
"With the Ricksons"
The words hung between them
"I don't know if they will agree," Kevin continued quietly "But.. I will try."
For a long while Derrick said nothing
His hand tightened weakly around Kevin's.
And he looked older than Kevin had ever seen him
Finally, Derrick let out a slow breath
"You always were too soft. Just like your mother." There wasn't any anger in his voice only exhaustion. Kevin smiled faintly
"So everyone keeps telling me"
The corner of Derrick's mouth twitched. It was the closest thing to a smile Kevin had seen in weeks. Neither of them spoke again that evening. Derrick passed away the next morning
—-
The ceasefire never happened. War didn't stop because one Alpha died. If anything, it grew worse. Old wounds were reopened when Kevin's mother followed his father months after.
Smaller skirmishes became battles and battles became massacres. Kent Rickson still led the pack himself. Old but still formidable. Devon fought beside him now. So did his younger sister Celine
More so often, they found themselves facing his beta and Gamma across the battlefield. Kevin hated every moment of it. And there was the wolf no one spoke about. The White Demon. No one knew his name. No one had ever seen him in human form.
Only a massive white wolf with blood-red eyes. He didn't fight like others. There was no anger or pride. No hesitation. Only cold and precise violence
He tore through warriors leaving their broken bodies behind. Anyone foolish enough to challenge him alone never returned.
Kevin had only seen him twice. Both times from a distance. Both times the wolf was running through the battlefield with blood staining his white fur. And his crimson eyes fixed on the next target. Like killing was the only thing that kept him alive
—-
They had all been raised for this. To fight and bleed. To die if the pack demanded it. Kevin never questioned it but dread settled in his chest because of the White wolf. It wasn't fear of dying. Wolves made peace with that the day they became warriors. It was something else that didn't belong in the battlefield
The White Demon. That thing had to die. Kevin didn't know why he felt so strongly about it. The horn would sound. The wolves would charge. And in the middle of the battlefield his eyes would search for Devon. For one glimpse of the idiot who used to challenge him to races he never could win. Kevin always looked. Sometimes he caught sight of a large brown wolf barking orders. Protecting his pack. Other times he only caught a glimpse of familiar blue eyes. Every time he did, relief settled over him
His brothers noticed. "Stop looking at him. Steven snapped once after a battle, blood dripping from a cup above his eye
"He is trying to kill us."
Kevin didn't answer. Because Steven wasn't entirely wrong. Devon had become a formidable warrior. Stronger and faster. More ruthless than the boy Kevin remembered. But whenever Kevin looked across the battlefield.. He still saw his friend. Not the future Alpha of the White Lotus Pack. Just Devon. The same boy who once spoke for hours about ice-cream and its benefits. Kevin wanted to believe that boy was still there.
That one day when Kent Rickson was gone and Devon became the Alpha the fighting would finally end. There where only three wolf packs left in this part of the forest. Nightshade. White Lotus and White Carnation
Beyond them loved the Crimson Desert Coyotes and the Foxglove foxes but they had wisely stayed out of the Flint-Rickson feud
Maybe if Devon became the Alpha the old hatred could finally die with their fathers. His brothers hated him. His pack feared him
Only one obstacle would remain. The White Demon. Kevin had never seen anything like him. Kevin feared him too. Because every time he saw those crimson eyes. The same thought returned. Peace could never exist while that monster was alive.
He only had to hold only a little longer. Long enough for Devon to become Alpha. After that.
He would kill the White Demon himself.