<h4>Chapter 495: Meeting Alpha Xavier</h4>


    <strong>****************</strong>


    <strong>Chapter 495</strong>


    <strong>~Crystal’s POV~</strong>


    Thete afternoon sun dipped low behind the tall trees surrounding the pack’s central training field, casting long golden shadows across the sparring ring.


    I stood on the porch of the administration building, clipboard in hand, checking off thest few equipment orders and troop assignments.


    My wolf was restless, pacing inside me like she sensed something was about to shift.


    And she wasn’t wrong.


    "Hey."


    I turned at the familiar voice and there he was. Rnd. Dressed down in a dark fitted tee and jeans, his usual crisp demeanor softened by a hint of something more—maybe nerves. Maybe hope.


    "You’re early," I said, smiling.


    He shrugged with that easy confidence of his, though his eyes were watching me closely. "Didn’t want to risk beingte. You might’ve changed your mind."


    "I almost did." I raised a brow yfully, stepping off the porch. "But only because I thought you’d show up in a suit and ruin the mood."


    Heughed, stepping beside me. "I left the suit for serious matters. This... this is something else."


    "Something else?" I echoed, leading the way down the gravel path that led toward the gardens. "So are you saying that we are not serious, you and I?"


    "We are," Richard countered instantly.


    "Okay..." I drawled, enjoying how he fumbled for the right words.


    He nodded after some time as though he had already found the answer he was looking for. "This is a beginning for us, and I wanted to make you feelfortable."


    We walked quietly for a while, our footsteps crunching over fallen leaves, the hush of the woods wrapping around us. The air smelled like pine and early blossoms. It was peaceful, familiar, and strangely electric with him beside me.


    Rnd broke the silence first. "I’ve been thinking about what you said yesterday."


    I didn’t look at him, but I slowed my steps just a little. "And?"


    "I don’t want you to feel like a second choice. You never were. I just wasn’t brave enough to admit where my heart was until I let go of what was weighing me down."


    That got me. I stopped and turned to him, eyes searching. "Do you mean that?"


    He stepped in, closing the space between us, his voice dropping. "With everything in me."


    I blinked, surprised by the emotion in his tone. "So... why now?"


    Rnd smiled gently, brushing a thumb across my cheek like he was afraid I’d vanish. "Because I don’t want another day to pass without you knowing how I feel. And because you’re the one I count on—even when I didn’t deserve it."


    He reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny box. I froze.


    "It’s not a ring," he said quickly, lips twitching at my startled expression. "Not yet."


    I exhaled,ughing. "Good, I was about to panic."


    He opened the box to reveal a delicate silver pendant—shaped like a crescent moon wrapped around a crystal. "It reminded me of you. Quiet strength. Beauty without trying. Light in the dark."


    My breath caught. It was simple, yet... personal. Perfect.


    "I want to take you out, Crystal," Rnd said. "Not just today. For real. A proper rtionship. If you’ll have me."


    I stared at him, my throat suddenly tight. "You sure?"


    "I’ve never been more sure of anything."


    I took the ne with trembling fingers, then met his gaze. "Okay, Rnd. You’re on."


    He grinned and offered his arm. "Shall we?"


    We walked into the evening together—me with a new ne around my neck and him with a quiet smile that hadn’t left his face since I said yes.


    And somewhere deep inside me, my wolf exhaled in contentment.


    Maybe this time, I’d finally found the one who wouldn’t walk away.


    <strong>******************</strong>


    <strong>~Snow’s POV~</strong>


    The morning sky stretched over Alexander’s estate like a canvas of pale blue silk, streaked with wisps of soft cloud. It was early, but not quiet.


    Warriors moved with intent, and the courtyard bustled with preparation as Draven, Zeno, Alexander, and I prepared to depart.


    The final phase of our journey had arrived.


    It was time to get the influence of the five regions while preparing with the Lycans.


    An all out war meant that no side was safe.


    Alpha Alexander stood tall by the open terrace, his blond hair catching the rising sunlight. He looked sharp in a dark leather vest, the mark of his pack etched boldly on his left shoulder.


    But today, there was something different about him—a ripple in the bond that echoed outward, subtle yet undeniable.


    I approached him just as he embraced his mate, Luna Aelira. Her golden hair shimmered like sunlight itself, her wolf energy radiating calm strength.


    "You’re sure about this?" she asked softly, her fingers brushing along his jaw.


    Alexander’s smile was soft. "Completely."


    Then, in one fluid moment, he leaned in and bit her gently along the crook of her neck, right where her mark already rested.


    It wasn’t possessive. It was symbolic. A renewal of bond and power.


    Aelira smiled as a flush spread along her cheeks. Her eyes briefly turned red with her wolf’s presence before fading. "Go, protect what we’re all building."


    Alexander turned to us, his faceposed and focused again. "Let’s not waste daylight."


    We loaded into the convoy—three armoured vehicles arranged for speed and safety.


    Alexander took the front seat in the first vehicle, while Zeno, Draven, and I joined him in the next. Warriors followed behind in silence.


    The journey was long. Hours stretched on as the pine forests gave way to open ins and rising hills.


    At times, we passed roaming wolves in the wilds—scouts or hunters from nearby territories—but none challenged us. News of our alliance must have spread faster than we’d nned.


    Around mid-afternoon, thendscape changed again. Wide fields opened into carefully cultivatednds dotted with farnds, training arenas, and pack housing structures, skyscrapers carefullyid out in organised patterns.


    A tall fence circled thergest structure in sight—an immense fortress with silver-lined gates that shimmered in the daylight.


    This was it.


    Alpha Xavier’s pack. The heart of the Middle Belt and arguably the strongest neutral force still standing.


    As the gates opened, I felt the surge of energy ripple through us. Dozens of warriors stood in formation, their armor glinting in the sun. The discipline, the unity—it was clear.


    Then he emerged.


    Alpha Xavier.


    He strode forward with silver hair cascading over his broad shoulders, bound at the nape in a knot.


    His features were ageless—sharp,manding, yet calm. He wore a tailored charcoal zer over a ck crew-neck shirt, paired with fitted cks and polished boots.


    A sleek silver pin, shaped like a crescent moon—the insignia of his pack—was fastened neatly at his cor. He exuded the strength of a man who didn’t need to raise his voice tomand attention.


    "Snow," he said in a smooth and deep voice that carried warmth and authority in equal measure. "Draven. Alexander. Zeno. Wee."


    We exchanged sped arms. His grip was solid. Unyielding.


    "I wasn’t expecting you to arrive until evening," he continued, his smile tugging at one corner of his mouth. "But you’re early. Just in time."


    "For what?" Ever the blunt one, Zeno asked.


    Xavier gestured toward the inner gates. "A surprise. But first... let’s feast."


    We followed him inside and straight to the pack house.


    Once we were in through the corridors, we headed straight to the vast dining hall.


    Left to me, I had wanted to take my bath and change into fresher clothes but the others look famished from the journey as well.


    The space blended ancient and modern—granite pirs and ss windows, a fusion of old-world craftsmanship and modern architecture.


    The tables were alreadyid with food. Roasted meats, fragrant herbs, steamed vegetables, rare fresh fruits and wine of different kinds—Xavier didn’t do things halfway.


    "I wanted to honour you properly," he said, taking a seat at the head of the table. "This meeting, this alliance, means more than words can say. For too long, we’ve fought in shadows or watched others fall. Today, that changes."


    Zeno raised his ss. "To that, we’ll drink."


    Laughter followed. The kind that only came after long days of silence and worry.


    Draven and Alexander were talking about border reinforcements, while Zeno and I bantered about who had the worst patrol team—his constantly oversleeping scouts or my overly aggressive nighttime guards.


    Xavier kept refilling our drinks and watching us all with that unreadable smile. "It’s been a long time since this table held four alphas united by something greater than territory."


    "It’s been longer since we had something worth uniting for," I replied.


    tes ttered. Stories rolled out—tales of youth, of wars fought, lovers lost, rivals turned friends. For the first time in a long while, we weren’t strategists or soldiers.


    We were just simple men. Brothers-in-arms.


    And yet, even as weughed and filled our bellies, there was a weight in the air. Something waiting to be said.


    Then, it happened.


    <i>Clink.</i>


    A single spoon tapped gently against a wine ss.


    Zeno.


    He stood holding his ss between two fingers as the hall hushed.


    "Forgive me," he said coolly. "I know this is a night of reunion, of ease. But before we end, we must remember why we’re here."


    Every eye turned toward him.


    "We stand on the edge of a new war," he continued. "Not the kind fought fornd or glory—but for survival. The rogues... they aren’t just angry exiles. They are organised, trained, and they are being led."


    He set the ss down.


    "We’ve seen their tactics. Draven’s trackers have followed them through borders, and we all know the name that keeps whispering through the shadows—Wayne."


    Xavier’s face darkened at the name.


    Zeno didn’t stop. "We cannot wait for their next move. We cannot hope this passes. Hope is for the weak. Action is for the prepared."