*NEW* Chapter XXXXIII

Fabian's POV

Months had passed since Lea left, and not once had I reached out. Not because I didn't think about her—because I did, constantly—but because actions spoke louder than words. She had given up on me becoming Alpha of the Mountain Pack, but I hadn't.

Instead of making promises, I spent every waking moment tracking down the remnants of her lost pack. One by one, I found them—some hiding in rogue territories, some forced into servitude by stronger packs, others simply surviving alone, thinking they had no home to return to.

I gave them a home again.

Now, standing at the border of what was once the Mountain Pack's land, I had gathered the scattered survivors. The pack was no longer a memory—it was real, breathing, standing behind me. And today, we were here to reclaim what was rightfully ours.

I sent word to Derek, formally challenging for the land. It was time.

When Lea arrived, confusion flickered across her face as she took in the wolves standing behind me. Her expression turned to shock, then something softer—something like belief.

"You did this?" she whispered.

I nodded. "I told you I would."

Tears welled in her eyes, but she didn't cry. Instead, she did something far more powerful. She knelt before me.

And one by one, the others followed.

I had found my pack. And now, I will be their Alpha.

Not sure about how Derek would react, I went ahead and asked for a conference with him, exposing the matter. Derek barely glanced at the documents before tossing them aside. "If this is about Lydia," he said, "I'm over my fear of having her near you. I'm not giving up such an important member of my pack just like that."

I exhaled. "That's exactly the growth we wanted all along—lost packs revived, werewolves returning to the golden age when stability reigned."

Derek leaned back, still hesitant to let me go. "Then join the Crescendo Pack."

I shook my head. "I can't do that. Lea made a promise to her father, the late Alpha of the Mountain Pack. The pack will not die."

Derek sighed. "Then we fight. If I win, you stay my Beta. If you win, you're a true Alpha."

The fight with Derek was brutal. His blows came fast, precise, and unrelenting. I knew from the start that challenging him wouldn't be easy, but I needed to prove myself. Not just to him—but to my pack, to myself, and especially to Lea.

Wolves gathered around us, watching in tense silence, some eager for the outcome, others uncertain about what it meant. My body ached with each impact, but I refused to yield. I could not yield.

Derek smirked, dodging one of my swings effortlessly. "Is that all you've got, Beta?" he taunted.

I wiped the blood from my lip, ignoring the sting. "Not even close."

I launched forward, pushing myself harder, faster. The clash of our bodies shook the ground, but Derek remained unwavering, his strength monstrous. Still, I had something he didn't—a cause bigger than myself.

Lea. Her pack. A future beyond being someone's Beta.

With every strike, I imagined the faces of the wolves I had found, the ones who had believed in me. I couldn't fail them.

Finally, Derek got the upper hand, slamming me down onto the dirt, his claws digging into my shoulder. He could end it right there. But instead of dealing the final blow, he stepped back and extended his hand.

Breathing heavily, I looked up at him, my vision blurring slightly from the hits. "What are you doing?"

He grinned. "You're strong, Fabian. You fought well. And that's why you're not just a Beta anymore."

Murmurs spread through the crowd. I blinked, trying to process his words.

"I win the fight, but you win the title," Derek continued. "I name you Alpha of the Mountain Pack. You fought for them, you found them, and you bled for them. You deserve this."

The air around us was thick with tension before Lea stepped forward, eyes wide with disbelief—and something else. Pride.

Derek extended his arm, raising my own. The moment Derek commanded, "Bow to your Alpha," the air was thick with an emotion I couldn't describe.

One by one, the wolves who had been scattered, broken, and lost lowered their heads. Some did it without hesitation, others took a moment longer, their gazes flickering with disbelief before surrendering to what had just transpired. It was real. The Mountain Pack lived again.

My heart pounded in my chest as I took in the sight. This was what I had fought for. This was what Lea had always believed in. And yet, a small part of me wondered—was I truly ready?

Lea stepped closer, her expression unreadable, her hands clenched at her sides. I met her eyes, searching for something—approval, relief, maybe even pride. Instead, she whispered, "You did it."

I let out a slow breath. "We did."

The murmurs of the gathered wolves grew louder. Derek turned to me with a knowing smirk, slapping a hand on my shoulder. "Looks like you have a pack to lead, Alpha."

Alpha. The word sent a rush of heat through me. It was no longer just a dream. It was my reality.

Vanessa and Caleb approached, each offering their congratulations. The celebration that followed was something I barely remembered—I was too caught in the weight of my new responsibility. But as the night deepened, I found myself stepping away from the crowd, seeking a quiet moment of clarity.

That was when I found Lea. Or rather, she found me.

She stood under the moonlight, watching me carefully. I hesitated before speaking. "From a mateless wolf to another... do you want to be my mate?"

Her breath hitched, and for a moment, silence stretched between us. Then, she smiled, her gaze softening in a way I hadn't seen before. "Yes."

The world shifted in that instant. I wasn't just an Alpha. I wasn't just Fabian.

I had a pack. I had her. And for the first time in years, I felt whole.