Chapter 8 Aptos

Kaden had been wrestling with how to approach Ava about his proposal. The more he thought about it, the harder it became to find the right words. When he first found her, it was obvious she wasn't from a poor or struggling background. Her clothes, the rich texture of her hair, and the striking green eyes-unlike anything he had ever seen-all pointed to someone of high standing. His suspicions were confirmed when Rose identified her as an alpha wolf. A strong bloodline, just what they needed for this mission.

Now, all Kaden had to do was figure out how to ask for her help without sounding like he intended to kidnap her or pull her away from whatever it was she had been trying to escape before she passed out in that dangerous place.

He needed a deal that was irresistible or, at the very least, a story convincing enough to leave no room for doubt. They had been walking in silence, making slow circles around the small village, and Kaden could sense her curiosity growing. She likely wondered why he hadn't spoken yet, but to his relief, she didn't ask. It would be useful if she could stay quiet when necessary-there would undoubtedly be moments in the future where he wouldn't want to answer her questions.

Normally, Kaden was never at a loss for words, but when it came to her, something shifted. After mustering up the courage, he finally broke the silence. "My apologies for not speaking sooner," he said with a gentle smile.

"No worries. I figured you were gathering your thoughts," Ava replied, coming to a stop. She sat down beneath the shade of a large oak tree, clearly signaling that she didn't intend to keep walking in circles. Kaden smiled back, impressed. For someone who had only just regained consciousness, she had more strength than he expected.

He sat beside her. "I need your help, Claire. We need your help." He paused, glancing at her to gauge her reaction, but her face remained unreadable. "I've been thinking about how to say this, but there's no perfect way to ask, so I'll be straightforward. I'm gathering a team of different creatures. And by 'different,' I mean dragons, wolves, snakes, scorpions-any kind we can find. Have you ever heard of the Aptos group?"

Ava's expression shifted slightly as she thought. "Yes," she said after a moment. "I've heard stories about them from my nanny, Katie, when I was a child."

Kaden nodded, encouraging her to continue.

"They were a powerful group of creatures who united during a time when all realms were one, living in harmony. The dragon lord ruled them all until he made a deal with the devil, selling out the entire kingdom. Chaos ensued-death and destruction everywhere. The Aptos group came together to fight back against the dragon lord and the devil. But as they were about to win the war, the devil, refusing to go down alone, dragged the dragon lord and Alef, the Aptos leader, into the underworld. After that, the surviving creatures split into separate realms, each ruled by their own kind."

She paused, the story still vivid in her mind. "But that happened ages ago."

Kaden smiled, glad he didn't need to explain the entire history. "Exactly. My great-grandfather fought alongside Alef in that war. The creatures who survived kept in touch, even though they retreated to different realms. They made a pact to teach their descendants about the dangers of another uprising and vowed to protect the realms from a similar fate. The knowledge was passed down, and now it's fallen to me."

He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in before continuing. "Recently, word reached us that the youngest heir to the dragon empire has left his kingdom. He's searching for a way to open the portal to the underworld and release his great-grandfather. Apparently, he was denied the throne because it was his elder brother's right, but instead of accepting that, he disappeared. At first, no one took him seriously-everyone thought he was bluffing. But shortly after, the Snake Kingdom was robbed of one of the relics used to open the portal. These relics were hidden by each of the creatures who fought with Alef. We believe they're scattered across different realms. The problem is, no one knows exactly where."

Kaden met Ava's gaze, his expression growing more intense. "We are all descendants of the warriors who fought in that battle, but our ancestors swore never to reveal the locations of the relics. It's a race against time. If the dragon heir gets his hands on those relics, he could bring about another age of chaos. That's why we need to find them first."

Ava stared at him in silence, absorbing the information. Finally, she spoke. "And what does this have to do with me?"

Kaden leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice. "You're an alpha wolf, Claire. You're stronger than most. Your lineage gives you an edge, and I need someone like you on my team. We can't do this alone. Your strength, your instincts-everything about you makes you the perfect ally. With your help, we might stand a chance of stopping him."

Ava's eyes narrowed. She wasn't easily swayed. "So, you want me to leave whatever I'm dealing with and jump headfirst into this mission of yours?"

"Yes," Kaden said, his voice firm. "Because what's coming will affect us all, whether we want it to or not."

Ava looked at him again trying to gaze his expression in order to determine how serious he was and from the look she found on his face. It was clear he meant business and was very passionate about this whole thing, and the cause for which he was passionate about seemed plausible to her, but she wasn't quite sure if she should venture into this adventure with him and a bunch of other creatures she's never met, but it had been long she did something just for the plot.