Chapter 73

Gideon’s POV

I have seen and dealt with many Alphas a lot of times, but few made me curious about them the way Justin Royce did.

He is quite intelligent behind his calm composure, he had a confidence that didn’t just demand respect but commanded it naturally without any force. Even my wolf who is usually quick to

growl protectively at foreign dominance just watched him with cautious interest and curiosity instead of hostility and threat.

But still, there was something about him that didn't add up. Most Alphas came to negotiate for land, for trade, for soldiers. But Justin? He’d come with warmth of friendliness in his voice and desperation and sorrow behind his eyes. When I asked him directly why he sought an alliance, he didn’t hesitate.

He looked me in the eyes, his gaze was calm and steady.

“I want a bond of friendship between our packs,” he said. “But there’s another reason I want this alliance.”

I folded my arms. “What is that reason? Go on, tell me.”

He just stood there for a few seconds and sighed softly while hesitating for just a second—enough that my wolf perked up, sensing he was weighing truth against caution but he knew he had to tell me the truth. Then he sighed and answered.

“I’m searching for my mate, I have searched every pack I could but I couldn't find her anywhere, your pack is the only place left for me to search, it is my last chance.”

The room went completely still and silent. Even my beta, standing at the edge of the office, lifted a brow in shock.

I spoke to him thoughtfully “You haven't found her?”

Justin’s eyes softened and nodded. “I’ve searched for years, Alpha Gideon. Every pack I’ve allied with, every border I’ve crossed—it’s all been in hope of finding her. But no one has felt right. Still, I thought… Perhaps my journey might bring me both purpose and partnership. If our packs can stand together and if I find my mate here, maybe the Moon Goddess will bless us both with what we’ve lost.”

His voice held a sincerity and desperation and that caught me off guard. For a moment, I saw not a calculating and intelligent Alpha but also a man who understood loneliness and sadness. It was the kind that lingered like a wound that doesn't stop the pain and is never healed.

I leaned back in my chair, studying him but him mentioning his mate reminded him of Claire again after remembering her my eyes softened. “You’re chasing fate, then?”

A faint smile curved his lips. I can already tell he was very worried about finding his mate, his other half. “Aren’t we all?”

Something in his tone disarmed me, also I understood how it feels to not have his mate by his side. I looked him in the eye and searched for any other motive but found none. I found myself nodding slightly. “Perhaps we are.”

When I extended my hand, he took it without hesitation.

“Then it’s settled,” I said. “The Silvercrest and Moonstone packs will form an alliance, we will have each other's back.”

His grip was firm as we shook out hands, confident. “To unity,” he said with determination. “To strength,” I replied.

The deal was struck. And though it felt sudden, it also felt that I had made the right choice.

After our deal I decided to show Justin around the pack, I offered to let him stay for a few days but as the Alpha of the pack he had to decline it. Since he was in a hurry I didn't bother stopping him. I walked beside him as I showed him the pack everyone bowed respectfully to them. It was customary to give allied Alphas a glimpse into the heart of the territory—the training fields, the gardens, the family quarters.

As we walked, I can tell Justin was curious about the pack and I can tell he genuinely cared about the Werewolves in general. He asked about everything including our warriors, our defense patterns, even the children’s schooling. There was a brightness in his eyes that reminded me of someone I once knew—a spark of hope I’d buried long ago.

“This place is,” he said quietly as we walked across the open courtyard for some fresh air, “very much alive.”

I glanced at him and my eyes shined with pride. “It is. It’s taken blood and years of hard work to build it.”

He nodded thoughtfully as he looked around. “You’ve done quite well, Alpha Gideon. Most would have let the weight of betrayal crush them and give up.”

His words made me pause and looked at him with raised eyebrows. “You seem to know a lot about betrayal.”

He gave a humorless chuckle and shrugged calmly. “I had my fair share of betrayals, enough to recognize its scent.”

The way he said it made me give him a quick glance. There was a flash of something dark in his eyes which made me more curious about Alpha Justin’s past, he hid his darkness quickly behind a polite smile. Whatever history he carried, it was a heavy and a mysterious one.

We continued our tour through the residential wing, then finally reached the main pack house—the heart of Silvercrest. Every member of my pack looked at Justin curiously as I continued to speak calmly with him about this place. It was here that everything began and ended, from council meetings to celebrations. The moment we stepped into the grand living room, I felt the atmosphere shift.

The room was warm and filled with faint traces of familiar scents—hearth smoke, pine, and the lingering sweetness of honey tea. A few pack members were gathered there, speaking quietly about Justin’s sudden arrival, until they noticed us and bowed their heads in greeting.

Justin’s gaze wandered across the space, sharp yet distracted. He moved slowly, almost cautiously, as though searching for something invisible.

I began to introduce him. “This is the main hall where—” But my words trailed off.

Justin had stopped walking.

His shoulders went rigid. His nostrils flared, drawing in the air as if something vital had brushed against his senses. His pulse spiked—I could feel it through the subtle shift in his aura. His wolf stirred beneath his skin, restless, straining. He looked like he was searching for something important.

Then his eyes changed.

The calm grey-blue deepened into pure, molten black. He was no longer Justin completely, his wolf was slowly taking over.

The sudden surge of power filled the room, rippling like a shockwave. Every wolf nearby stiffened instinctively, their wolves responding to the unmistakable energy that followed. He looked around desperately. I can tell he was trailing a scent, so I quietly followed him

The bond call, my eyes widened, could it be that his mate is in my pack. “M-mate,” Justin breathed.

The word tore from him raw and unguarded—a sound of awe and disbelief. I froze.

It couldn't be possible, could it?

He spoke that word, I least expected him to be, not able to believe his mate was here.

My wolf growled low in confusion, both defensive and intrigued. Mates were sacred; their recognition was instinctive, impossible to fake. But whose scent had triggered it?

Before I could even speak, Justin’s head snapped toward the far side of the room. His eyes tracked movement I hadn’t noticed yet. My gaze followed his line of sight—

And I saw her.