Lucien's gaze drifted toward the window, his tone low, almost thoughtful. "Or they know something else."
Rowan frowned. "You think it's connected to..."
Lucien's silence was answer enough. His eyes flicked toward the faint shimmer of the wards beyond the window, the same ones that had flared weeks ago, reacting to Devon's presence.
The Beta followed his gaze, exhaling slowly. "If they suspect anything about him…"
"They can't," Lucien cut in, his voice sharp. "No one outside Ravenmoon knows of the boy's survival, or of Devon."
Still, Rowan hesitated. "You've seen what Redstone does to those they call defective. If they learn a rogue from their ranks is alive..."
"I won't allow it," Lucien said coldly. His authority filled the room like a storm rolling through stone. "Devon stays protected, no matter what they want."
The silence that followed was taut, heavy with unspoken truths. Rowan studied his Alpha carefully, the flicker of something softer in Lucien's eyes when he mentioned the rogue's name.
Finally, Rowan cleared his throat. "Then you're refusing the invitation?"
Lucien nodded once, final and unyielding. "Send a reply. Ravenmoon will not attend."
Rowan inclined his head, though his expression remained uneasy. "Understood. But if it is a trap, Lucien… refusing might not stop them. It could provoke them."
Lucien gave a faint, humorless smile.
"Let them try." He rose from his seat, his coat falling around him in a dark cascade of fabric. "If Redstone thinks they can manipulate me through politics or marriage, they've already underestimated who they're dealing with."
He turned away, his gaze momentarily distant, though somewhere behind his calm exterior, something flickered. A memory, faint and bitter, the sight of Devon's wounded body, the name "Lorne" whispered in fevered dreams, the scent of fear and blood that had clung to him.
Redstone Pack. Adrian Lorne. The Beta's son.
The same surname.
Lucien's eyes narrowed.
So that's the thread between them.
Rowan paused at the door. "I'll make the reply discreet."
"Good," Lucien said softly. Then, as Rowan turned to leave, he added, "And increase patrols near the border. If Redstone wants to play games, we'll be ready before they move their first piece."
Rowan nodded and left, the heavy doors closing behind him with a muffled thud.
Lucien remained standing for a long moment, his eyes fixed on the sealed letter. The Redstone insignia gleamed again in the sunlight, taunting him. He reached out, pressing one gloved hand against it.
If they truly want a union, he thought grimly, they won't get it through bloodlines or deceit.
Then, with a flick of his wrist, he tossed the unopened letter into the fire. The wax melted instantly, the flame flaring high and bright, like a warning carried on smoke.
-
The soft crackle of a fireplace echoed through the hall, and Devon froze mid-step. He hadn't meant to eavesdrop. He was merely walking past the main corridor when the faint murmur of voices drifted from the open council chamber door.
"…from Redstone Pack, Alpha," one of the guards whispered. "A formal invitation. They insist it's for a diplomatic gathering."
Devon's heart stopped.
Redstone.
The name was enough to pull every breath from his lungs. His vision wavered, and for a second, he thought he might collapse. The same name he had tried to erase from his soul, the same pack that branded him rogue, defective, filth. He clenched the hem of his shirt, breath trembling.
"…Alpha Lucien declined," the guard continued, "but the courier said they'll expect a reply within three days..."
Devon didn't wait to hear the rest. He stumbled away from the corridor, mind reeling. Redstone was reaching out to this pack. Why? To form an alliance? To strengthen ties? Or… had they discovered he was alive?
The thought pierced him like a blade. He'd sworn to disappear. To never let the Redstone Alpha, or worse, Adrian, know he'd survived. If they found out, they'd finish what they started.
"Mr. Devon."
He nearly jumped when a servant appeared beside him, bowing slightly. "The Alpha requests your presence in his office. Immediately."
Devon blinked. "Now?"
"Yes. He said it's urgent."
Devon's chest tightened.
"Understood," he murmured, following reluctantly through the long marble halls. His pulse quickened with every step.
Did Lucien find out? Was this about Redstone, or something worse? When they reached the Alpha's office, the guard opened the heavy door, and Devon stepped inside.
Lucien sat behind his massive desk, his usual expression unreadable, composed, distant, commanding. Papers were neatly stacked before him, but his hand rested atop a single sheet bound in leather.
"Sit," Lucien said calmly.
Devon obeyed, uncertain, lowering himself into the chair opposite. His palms were clammy.
For a moment, Lucien didn't speak. The silence was thick enough to choke on. Then, finally, the Alpha slid the document across the desk.
"Read it."
Devon hesitated before picking it up. His eyes scanned the text once, then twice, before his entire body went cold.
It wasn't an employment notice.
It wasn't a confidentiality form.
At the top, written in elegant golden ink, were the words:
CONTRACT OF UNION - MARITAL ALLIANCE
His heart skipped a beat. The ink blurred for a moment before his wide eyes focused on the names listed below.
Lucien Vale, Alpha of the Ravenmoon Pack.
Devon Albert, Omega of Redstone Pack.
Lucien's signature was already there, dark and sharp, pressed with the Alpha's personal seal.
Devon's lips parted, but no sound came out. His fingers trembled as he looked up, disbelief clear in his eyes. "This… this is a joke, right?"
Lucien leaned back in his chair, arms crossed loosely.
"It's a legal contract," he said evenly. "Not a joke."
Devon's voice faltered. "You're asking me to… to marry you?"
The Alpha's gaze was unwavering. "I'm offering you protection, and a title that binds it by law. Redstone can't touch what belongs to Ravenmoon."
Devon's mind spun. "B-but… I... you can't. I'm an omega, I'm a man..."
"I'm well aware," Lucien interrupted, his tone cool but not unkind. "This isn't about gender, Devon. It's about power, and safety. Yours, specifically."
Devon shook his head, gripping the contract as though it burned his hands. "You can't mean this… You don't even know me."
Lucien's eyes softened slightly, though his voice remained composed. "I know enough. You saved my son. You risked your life for someone who wasn't yours to protect."
"But..."
He paused, studying Devon's face. "And now, your former pack reaches for my borders, likely hunting the rogue they once cast out. Tell me, what do you think they'll do when they learn you're here?"
Devon's throat went dry. He had no answer.