<h4>Chapter 496: Changing Inside Out</h4>


    <strong>****************</strong>


    <strong>Chapter 496</strong>


    <strong>~Snow’s POV~</strong>


    He paused, letting the silence press against us.


    "And the only way we win," Xavier said, "is if we fight together."


    I met his gaze and nodded. "That’s the reason we came. Not for talk. For unity."


    Alexander’s voice followed. "Our packs are ready. Our warriors will stand."


    Draven inclined his head. "Our enemies thought we were scattered. But they forgot—wolves are strongest in a pack."


    "Without wolves, the forest dies for the deer eats too much. We cannot be eradicated," I added.


    Xavier stood slowly, lifting his ss high. "Then let this be the night the rogue threat was challenged—not by fear, but by a rising storm."


    We all raised our sses.


    "To the alliance," I said. "And to victory."


    The feast resumed, but now with renewed purpose in every smile, every word, every heartbeat.


    There was no doubt that what followed wouldn’t be easy, but for tonight, we were one.


    ****************


    The morning light poured in through the panoramic windows of Xavier’s estate, casting a soft, golden sheen over the sleek marble counters and matte-ck kitchen units.


    The dining area was open, clean, and spacious—minimalist décor with just enough warmth to make it feel lived-in.


    A pot of rich coffee bubbled on the side, the aroma mingling with the scent of buttery croissants, fresh fruit, and sizzling eggs.


    Draven sat at the end of the ss-top dining table, still in a crisp, buttoned-down shirt, sleeves rolled up, scrolling through updates on a slim tablet.


    Alexander stirred cream into his coffee with a spoon that clinked gently against the ceramic, while Zeno was busy arguing with the toaster.


    I leaned back into my seat, sipping orange juice as the murmur of conversation filled the room. It was strange, almost disorienting, how peaceful it felt. Like the storm brewing outside these walls hadn’t yet caught up to us.


    Then came the soft patter of feet on polished floors.


    "Good morning, gentlemen."


    We turned as Luna Crystal Xavier entered the room, radiant and poised, dressed in a soft blush blouse and leggings, a hint of sleep still brushing the edges of her eyes.


    Her dark hair was swept into a low bun, and her presence alone had the subtle gravity of a true Luna.


    My eyes caught on the gentle swell beneath her shirt, unmistakable.


    "You’re pregnant," I said, blinking, then smiled warmly. "That’s wonderful. A lot of lives are being createdtely... the universe must know we’ll need something worth fighting for."


    Crystal arched a perfectly sculpted brow at me. "Oh? Only now noticing, Alpha Snow?"


    Alexander burst intoughter beside me. "Don’t feel bad. He missed the glow until now."


    I looked around the table, and something suddenly clicked. "Wait... don’t tell me—Zeno?"


    Zeno gave a small, smug nod. "Yes. My wife is expecting as well."


    Before I could even respond to that revtion, Zeno sat up straighter, his eyes narrowing slightly.


    "Wow!" he said sharply, like something had snapped.


    The entire table went quiet. We all turned to him, slightly confused, maybe concerned, thinking he was shocked that he hadn’t been told or was somehow feeling left out.


    But then Zeno tilted his head back and let out a full, heartyugh that echoed off the clean walls and high ceilings.


    He shook his head, hands gripping the edges of his chair for support.


    "This is too good," he managed betweenughs. "I wasn’t going to say anything until next week, but screw it—my wife and I... we’re expecting too."


    That did it.


    Draven let out a low whistle. Alexander chuckled, pping Zeno on the shoulder. Xavier grinned broadly and raised his coffee mug in a mock toast.


    "Seriously?" I said, stunned.


    Zeno nodded, stillughing. "Yeah. Found out two days ago. She made me swear not to tell anyone until the first scan, but I figure if we’re having a baby boom among the alphas, I might as well join the club."


    Iughed, the warmth settling deep in my chest. We all did. Five grown men, dangerous and deadly in our own rights,ughing like idiots over the same surprise.


    Fathers. All of us, well, all of them.


    The mood shifted subtly—less mirth, more meaning. A strange calm settled over the table. Pride. Hope. Something quietly sacred.


    Then, all their eyes turned to me.


    "What?" I asked, brows raised.


    Alexander smirked first. "You’re not going to drop a bomb on us too, are you?"


    Draven leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "Zara’s glowing every time I see her on the news. You sure there’s nothing she’s hiding?"


    Zeno leaned in dramatically. "If you tell us there’s a fifth Alpha baby on the way, I swear I’ll scream."


    I held up both hands,ughing. "No news. Not yet."


    Xavier leaned back, arms folded over his chest, a knowing glint in his silver eyes. "Not yet, huh?"


    "I said what I said," I muttered, hiding my smile behind my coffee mug. "Who knows, maybe she too would be filled up soon."


    They all erupted again, shaking heads,ughing, tossing napkins and jokes across the table.


    But under it all, we knew the truth.


    We weren’t just building an alliance.


    We were building a future.


    And that made everything worth it.


    ***************


    The afternoon moved quickly, filled with strategy and structure.


    After breakfast, we all gathered in Xavier’s west wing—his private conference lounge that looked more like a war room than a sitting area.


    Holographic maps hovered over the centre table, territory charts flickered in digital oveys, and each Alpha took turns syncing patrol routes and rogue movement reports.


    For hours, we analysed, adjusted, and refined every angle.


    But even as the ns came together—timelines, diversions, safe zones—I couldn’t shake a growing tension gnawing at the back of my mind.


    It wasn’t anxiety or doubt. It was physical like something inside of me was shifting.


    During the scheduled break, I excused myself quietly.


    "I’ll be back," I said, pushing my chair away and grabbing my water bottle. No one questioned it.


    Thankfully, I did not want to engage in another conversation until I checked what was wrong with me.


    I made my way down the polished hallway, away from the nning room. My steps slowed the further I walked, the tightness in my chest worsening.


    It started as a twisting sensation in my stomach, but by the time I reached the private restroom near the end of the corridor, a dull, pulsing burn had begun to creep up my spine.


    I locked the door behind me, turned on the tap, and sshed cold water onto my face, breathing heavily as I leaned over the basin.


    Maybe it was just the long night, I reasoned. Or something in the food. Maybe stress. I was fine.


    But when I lifted my head to look in the mirror—


    I froze.


    What stared back at me wasn’t just me.


    My right eye was still the familiar icy blue I’d known all my life. But my left?


    A deep violet, bright and unnatural, almost glowing faintly.


    "No..." I whispered, stepping closer to the mirror.


    The shift wasn’t subtle anymore. It wasn’t flickering in and out of existence like before. It was settled. Permanent.


    Then, as I reached up and ran a hand through my hair, I saw it—


    The tips.


    Not all of it. But the ends of a few strands were no longer ck. They were fading... into a bright, electric blue.


    I stumbled back from the sink, heart thundering in my chest.


    "What the hell..."


    I stared at the mirror like it had betrayed me. Like it couldn’t possibly be showing me the truth.


    But there it was.


    Heterochromia. Blue and violet. Hair tinting itself with a hue that had never belonged to me.


    "What’s happening to me?" I muttered in a shaky voice.


    I tried pulling the strands straight, rubbing my eyes, sshing more water, and even stepping away and then walking back like it might fix itself.


    But it didn’t.


    The reflection remained. The mark of something deeper, ancient even, written into my very cells.


    I braced my hands against the counter, trying to slow my breathing. Trying not to spiral out of control at the changes happening within me.


    I fe;lt something pulse within, glowing brightly inside of me like a new kind of energy.


    This wasn’t a fluke.


    The moment with the mirror back at Draven’s estate hadn’t been in my head. The faint glimmers I’d dismissed, the flickers of light in my vision—none of it had been my imagination.


    It was real. And now it was undeniable.


    A knock startled me.


    "Snow?" It was Xavier’s calm voice. "Everything alright?"


    I flinched.


    "Yes," I called back too quickly. Then steadied myself. "Yeah. Just give me a minute."


    There was a pause before he muttered ’okay’, then the footsteps receded.


    I turned back to the mirror, eyes burning—not from fear but from sheer pressure.


    I didn’t know what this meant. Not yet. But I couldn’t let anyone else see. Not until I understood it.


    Not until I was sure this wasn’t the beginning of something I couldn’t control.


    Because I knew one thing for certain:


    Whatever was changing inside me... it wasn’t done yet. And soon, I might not be able to hide it anymore.


    I nced around, looking for something I could use to pack my hair and hide it.


    But there was nothing in here I could use.


    <i>"Use your hoodie. Go back and change and cover it up."</i>


    At the sound of cier’s voice, I felt something calm and reassuring rush through me.


    <i>"Sure. Thanks, Gee."</i>


    <i>"It is the least I could do after everything with Zara and Vera. But know this, Snow. You are changing and it is something more than physical appearances. You are changing on the inside too."</i>


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