Devon's gaze dropped to his hands. "Because I'm a rogue, Alpha. I have no pack, no standing. Staying here would only bring trouble to your people. I'm grateful you saved me, but… I shouldn't stay where I don't belong."
Lucien studied him for a moment, long enough that the silence became heavy. Then he moved closer, his voice dropping lower. "And yet my son refuses to be apart from you."
Devon's head lifted slightly, confused.
"He wouldn't eat until he knew you were awake," Lucien continued, his tone flat but with a faint trace of something softer underneath. "He won't sleep unless he's near you. It's the first time since his mother's death that he's smiled."
Devon's breath caught. "I… didn't mean to..."
"I know," Lucien interrupted gently. "But the bond is there, whether you meant it or not."
He paused, then leaned forward slightly, resting his hands on the desk. "I don't offer this lightly, rogue or not. Stay, as my son's caretaker. You will have food, shelter, and protection under my pack's name. In return, you look after him. He trusts you… and I trust my son's instincts."
Devon's eyes widened. He hadn't expected that, not from the Alpha of the strongest pack in the north.
"I…" He faltered, torn between gratitude and disbelief. "Alpha, I don't think I'm fit for that. I'm no one."
Lucien's gaze hardened slightly, his tone becoming final. "You're the man who risked his life for my heir. That is not no one."
Devon looked down, the weight of those words pressing on him.
Lucien straightened, his voice once again cool and composed. "You may decide after you recover. But until then, you remain under my protection. No one in this pack will lay a hand on you. Is that understood?"
Devon nodded slowly. "Yes, Alpha."
Lucien turned back toward the window, the light catching the sharp line of his profile. "Good. Then rest while you can."
As Devon stood to leave, his heart felt heavier than before. He had planned to disappear quietly, to fade into the wilderness where no one would notice if he lived or died. But now… a child's small arms, and an Alpha's unreadable eyes, had changed everything.
For the first time in years, someone wanted him to stay.
Night had settled over Ravenmoon Pack, the fortress-like mansion bathed in moonlight. The corridors were quiet, only the distant howl of sentries on patrol broke the silence. The great hall's candles had long burned low, their flames casting tired shadows across the stone floors.
Inside the Alpha's office, however, the night was far from over.
Lucien Hale stood near the large window, the faint illumination of light outlining his sharp frame. His coat hung loosely over his shoulders, the top few buttons of his shirt undone, a rare sight for a man known for his rigid composure. The weight of the day still lingered in his eyes, though it was well-hidden beneath his calm exterior.
Behind him, his Beta, Rowan Pierce, entered quietly. A tall, dark-haired man with golden eyes that missed nothing, Rowan closed the door behind him. He placed a folder of reports on the desk before speaking.
"You've been standing there for hours, Alpha." His tone was careful but edged with concern. "Still thinking about the rogue?"
Lucien didn't turn. "His name is Devon Albert."
Rowan raised an eyebrow. "So you've confirmed it?"
Lucien nodded slightly. "He gave the name himself. The healers heard it when he woke."
"And?" Rowan asked, crossing his arms. "Did you find any trace of a pack bond or lineage?"
"None." Lucien finally faced him, his expression unreadable. "His scent carries faint traces of wolf heritage, but there's something… off about it. It's not entirely pure-blooded. I can't place it."
Rowan frowned, his instincts immediately on alert. "You think he's hiding something?"
Lucien exhaled slowly. "Perhaps not by choice. But yes, something doesn't add up."
He began pacing the room, his boots silent against the thick rug.
"His injuries were consistent with long-term abuse. His body carries scars, old, layered ones. Whip marks, bite wounds, burns. That kind of pain doesn't come from a single fight. It's the kind of damage you see in someone who's been beaten for years."
Rowan's golden eyes darkened. "So he's no ordinary rogue."
"No." Lucien's gaze hardened as he stopped near the desk. "And yet, he risked his life for a child he didn't know. For my child."
Rowan tilted his head. "Maybe he's one of those wolves trying to repent. Some rogues do that, seek redemption."
Lucien gave a quiet, humorless laugh. "A rogue seeking redemption doesn't fight off a team of trained assassins barehanded."
Rowan froze. "Barehanded?"
Lucien nodded. "I saw the scene myself. At least three of the assassins were killed by claw marks, deep, clean, precise. But there were no signs of a shift. Not a trace of a wolf's form. No fur, no pawprints. He fought them as a man."
Rowan's eyes widened. "That's… impossible. You're saying he attacked them without shifting?"
Lucien's voice was low, measured. "That's exactly what I'm saying."
Silence filled the room for a long moment, broken only by the soft ticking of the clock above the fireplace.
Rowan finally spoke again, cautiously. "You're thinking he's something else."
Lucien's blue eyes flickered. "If he were just a rogue, the assassins wouldn't have targeted him after the boy escaped. Two of the corpses had silver-tipped weapons, a precaution against wolves. Whoever sent them expected a threat."
The Beta frowned. "Then maybe they thought you were nearby. Or the heir."
Lucien crossed his arms, his tone unreadable. "Or maybe they were afraid of him."
Rowan studied him closely. "You think this Devon might not even know what he is."
Lucien's gaze drifted toward the fire. "Perhaps. His energy… It's faint, but not weak. Suppressed. Like something sealed inside him."
The Beta's brows furrowed. "If that's true, then he's dangerous."
Lucien didn't respond immediately. He picked up a document from the desk, a brief report written by the pack's trackers.
"There's something else," he murmured. "His trail before we found him leads through Redstone territory."
Rowan's head snapped up. "Redstone? That cursed place?"