The rest of the evening passed but Noah’s presence lingered in my mind long after the gala ended. Something about him intrigued me, though I didn’t fully understand it at the time. He was unlike anyone I had ever met—confident and powerful.

~~~

A few months later, tragedy struck.

My parents were killed in a rogue ambush while travelling between territories. Their sudden death left our pack in disarray. I was thrust into a leadership role that I wasn’t prepared for, while still grieving.

It was during that dark time that Noah came back into my life.

Three months after my parents' funeral, I sat alone in the pack house surrounded by memories of happier times. Crying, not knowing how I would lead our pack or protect them.

The door opened quietly, and I looked up to see Noah standing there. He didn’t say anything at first, just walked over to where I was sitting and placed a hand on my shoulder. His touch was comforting.

"I heard about your parents." His tone softened slightly. "I’m sorry for your loss."

I forced back the tears that sprung to my eyes and forced a polite smile, though it didn’t reach my eyes. "Thank you."

"I imagine things have been… difficult," he said, his eyes never leaving mine.

Difficult was an understatement. After my parents' deaths, our pack had fallen into chaos. Rogues had seen the loss of our leadership as an opportunity to try and take over. With our warriors thinned and our resources drained, we had barely managed to hold them off.

"That’s one way to put it," I muttered, not wanting to get into the details with a stranger.

But Noah wasn’t deterred. His gaze hardened, and he took a step closer, his voice low. "Rogues have been pushing into your territory, haven’t they?"

I froze, my grip tightening around my glass. "How do you know that?"

"My warriors have been keeping an eye on your borders," he replied. "I’ve seen what’s been happening. Your pack isn’t strong enough to defend itself."

I bristled at his bluntness, but he wasn’t wrong. The pack had been on the verge of collapse. "What do you want, Noah?"

He didn’t flinch at the sharpness in my tone. "I want to help."

I stared at him, trying to gauge his intentions. Alphas didn’t offer help without expecting something in return. "Help? Why?"