[Hey, Keeshwar here. It's been ten days since I started this story and we are going to reach 500 reads soon. I can't explain how happy I am. Thank you so much for reading this book, it means a lot.

And my dear ghost readers drop a "vote", it's very much appreciated and keeps me motivated to write. Enjoy!!!]

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Ezra sat with his back to the tree, somewhere in the woods. He was out for his run at six in the morning today but his older brother wasn't here with him like always. Both of them were used to taking runs in the morning with each other. They would race each other while Easton transformed into his wolf and Ezra would stay in his human form. Like usual even today, Ezra did wait for his brother but Easton didn't show up. Instead, he met Duncan on his run.

Ezra ran at such speed that he lost Duncan on his way. There was no heaving breathing but a lot of sweat. He just slid down the tree and closed his burning eyes. He didn't blink an eye yesterday, thinking about how his perfect brother could have a mate like Blake Jensen.

The thought still stuck unbothered. It's not like he knew Blake personally but he has heard enough of his ignorant and big mouth. He knew how Blake almost slept with every girl his age. It was not like his brother didn't have girlfriends before, he did but that was the thing. He had girlfriends and Blake slept with girls who were someone else's girlfriends.

Blake disgusted Ezra. He couldn't understand how the Moon Goddess had paired him together with his brother. There must be some error.

"Hey" Ezra kept his eyes closed but he knew it was Duncan who spoke. "When did you get this fast, Ezra" Duncan heaved on his breath and sat next to Ezra but did maintain a perfect distance. He knew he would lose it if he touched Ezra by any chance. As for now, the smell drifting in the air through Ezra's body was enough to make him crazy.

"You weren't here to watch me run, Duncan" Ezra was still mad at his childhood friend but he managed to talk to him at least.

"Ouch. That hurt, Ezra" Duncan held his hand to his chest pretending to be physically hurt but it did actually hurt him emotionally. He knew he fucked up real bad by not meeting his mate for three years but he couldn't have dangered his mate's innocence from the beast within.

Did you just call me a beast again?

"I did, so?"

Ass

"Imbecile"

Dim-wit

"M-"

"If you guys are done with your kindergarten fight, leave me alone" Ezra interrupted their verbal punches. It was not like he can hear them fighting but the shuffling beside him and the silence did tell a lot.

"Sorry," Duncan muttered and cooled his self down.

"Well... How is he?" Ezra asked carefully his eyes still closed. He craved to ask Duncan about his wolf, Arion, ever since the first time he was mentioned. He didn't yet meet his wolf but he soon will. He was looking forward to that but his heart yearned for someone else to be their mate, and now that he did see his brother having a male mate, it wouldn't be a lie that he had high hopes.

"How is who?" Duncan asked, confused by the question.

"Arion" the five letters mentioned made Arion stir up and be all perked. He happily jumped at the back like a puppy who just met his lost owner.

"As stupid as ever" Duncan stifled a laugh while Arion growled.

"I bet that was about you" it was the wolf's turn to laugh. "Can I meet him?"

The duo went into silence, as no one uttered a single word. Only the birds chirping, the sound of the distant waterfall, the note of the strong wind blowing through the tall trees were heard. Duncan's heart was beating so fast and loud that it can easily be heard by a wolf. Ezra sat there waiting for an answer oblivious to Duncan's heart condition.

A whine escaped Arion's lips as he sat back in his initial position. He so wanted to meet his mate but two more days. Two more days and he gets to finally meet his mate. He doesn't think he would be able to control himself anytime before that.

I'm sorry

Duncan stays silent for a few more seconds and then says. "He is a bit moody right now. I'll convince him to meet you up in the night?"

Really?

"Uh-huh"

"Really?" Ezra had his eyes open and was now looking at Duncan with shining orbs. His eyes showcased innocence and curiosity that made the beta melt into them.

"Yep," Duncan replies while popping the 'p'.

"Thank you, Duncan" Ezra launches himself at the beta for a hug. Duncan's eyes go wide as he dodges the hug and Ezra fall to the ground. *thud*

The silence again takes over but this time it was the "awkward" silence.

"Hey, you okay? I'm sorry" Duncan worries keeping his distance. Ezra had his brows knitted while he went stoic on his fours.

"Y-yeah" he calculated as to why Duncan avoided his touch so much.

"Uh, I- I actually have a cold, I can't let you have that now, can I? Haha. Come on, let's go" with that Duncan took away in his wolf form leaving Ezra on the ground.

"But aren't we werewolves?" Ezra now stood all perplexed.

[A/N: Werewolves don't catch diseases]

Meanwhile, in the packhouse, Easton and Blake sat next to each other discussing the pack matters.

"So you want to merge packs?" Easton said after listening to Blake's opinion on all the things.

"It's the best option I think of. You got anything better?" the young alpha stated, challenging the other one. Aziel was an alpha full of pride and being challenged like this made him growl loudly. "Woah, hold your horses, hon" Blake sarcastically commented while Kai released a snicker.

Blake, as all knew, was an alpha too and he knew how it felt to be challenged by another alpha wolf but he wasn't taking his mate go all "alpha" on him and make him submit. Nope, not happening. He knew when to be in charge.

Easton took a deep breath to control his growling wolf. "I think that would work, the merge"

"I know it would. Anyways, so who going to step down their alpha duties and be the luna instead?" he wrote down in the book about the merge of packs while asking the question.

"What do you mean who? I can't, we are the biggest pack in Cali and I can't give away my duties to a dork" Easton was clear to the point. He never once thought of stepping down from his position. If anything, he could let Blake sit right beside him and lead the pack but he can't step down.

"Now that does make sense. But, I can't step down either" he thought thoroughly nibbling on the cap of the pen.

"Wait, are you agreeing with me? With me?" Easton asked being all shocked and pointing towards his chest.

"Not on the dork point 'cause now you are one acting like a dork and thinking about unnecessary things while we discuss a serious matter here" Blake made out a point glaring at the older alpha.

To be exact, Easton was surprised to see himself being this off guard with someone, not his family. It didn't make sense to him but then again, he wanted to be the same. As of now, Easton was indeed impressed by the seriousness his mate showed. He muttered a quick sorry and continued the discussion. "So... I can't step down, you can't either. Then, that leaves only one option"

"Which is?"

"Let's merge the pack with two alphas in lead" Easton put out the proposal. There was so much that can be gained from this merge. The packs were acquaintances for quite a time now, so there shouldn't be any problem with the members mingling. As for the land to stay, Easton's pack, the Blood moon had enough of that. They could just make a bigger packhouse or another one as per the convenience.

Both the packs were good on wealth so the probability to face problems economically in the future would be next to zero. And Blake's pack, the Blackwoods, had a few of the best warriors in the states. So there... a lot of benefits.

"So you are telling m-me to lead the pack right next to you while we merge them?"

"Exactly" Easton got up from the couch and walked straight to the fridge. He grabbed a bottle of water and walked back. Blake was still thinking over the possibilities the merge can do. "Here," Blake looked up to see Easton holding a bottle for him.

"How did you know?" he asked grabbing the bottle with thanks.

"Your voice went hoarse and broke while talking so I thought you would need it" he shrugged it off and sat back in his place. Blake looked all amused at the care the older alpha was showing towards him. He was so much different from what he heard of him.

"Thank you" he replied genuinely while Easton was now confused about why did he just get water for Blake. This isn't like the Easton Knight.

"What did you do to me, Aziel?"

What would I do to you, Easton?

"Then why am I acting like a love-struck puppy?"

How would I know? I am no different.

With the Easton blocked away Aziel and watched Blake write things on his notepad. "So, when do you say we announce the merge?" Easton asked recovering from his mental breakdown.

"Well, the sooner the better"

"Hmm... Then what about the mating" Blake was now all alert hearing the word. It's not like it didn't cross his mind but Easton asking it all straightforwardly made him tense.

"W-we got time, right?" he hesitantly looked up to meet Easton's gaze.

"We do" Easton smiled reassuringly which made all the worries slip off from Blake's mind. He stared at the smile for quite a time, holding his smile on the lips.

The discussion was then drifted off to the location and time for the announcement. In the end, it was decided to be on Ezra's birthday, which was on Saturday, two more days.

Thinking about it, Blake hasn't yet met Ezra formally. He never spoke to him before. If "excuse me" when he was in the way, "sorry" when he dropped some of Ezra's stuff was a conversation, then sure, they did speak to each other a lot then.

Blake decided that he would go and start a conversation with the younger alpha. After all, he was going to live here with his brother from now on. So, he needs to make sure he had good relations with everyone.

The duo finally left the suite at two in the afternoon. While they walked out of the elevator the whispers and sounds got louder. But, the thing that Easton was late yet have not mated stood tall.

Everyone in the pack expected the couple to mate on the first night and were ready to experience their dominating mixed alpha odor but there wasn't any.

Easton took hold of Blake's wrist and dragged him to his office. Blake watched the office filled with books on the three sides, a wooden desk with a huge comfortable-looking chair, a maroon couch to the side, and big piles of files.

"What is it with files?" Blake just walked to the desk and sat on the chair without even asking for permission. Normally, Easton would fire up but it was his mate, so he kinda didn't mind. He sat opposite Blake on the visitor's chair.

"It got things to do with the rogue matter we faced last few weeks" Blake's hold on the file he was holding tightened he went silent for a good minute before talking.

"I heard of that from father" were the only words he could mutter.

"Yeah..." Easton stood up from the chair and searched for the file containing all the testimony of the rogues and the hunters that were arrested. He searched again and again but couldn't find it. His brows knotted in confusion, he was pretty sure that he put the file right on the desk before he left for coronation yesterday.

"What happened?" Blake stood from the chair and walked to his mate's side.

"I think I lost a file" Easton kept searching on the whole desk, he opened the drawers and checked again and again, it was nowhere to be seen.

"What color was it?"

"Blue, dark one" Easton answered without looking at his mate's face.

"Is this is it?" Blake was holding the exact blue file, Easton remembered putting it on the desk. "It was on the right shelf to the couch"

"This is it. Thank you" he took the file from Blake and looked into the documents. Everything was in its place but how did it go there.

*Knock* Knock*

"Come in" Easton put the file back in his place and sat on the chair.

"Brother-" Ezra peaked into the office with a smile. His smile instantly wiped off as he saw Blake standing right next to his brother.

"Come in, Ezra" Easton called him in with a smile too. Blake took a seat on the couch leaving space for the brothers. The thought of talking to Ezra kept striking his mind. Once, the alpha brothers were done talking, Blake walked back to the table.

"Hi, Ezra," he said in a low voice. He was a confident alpha all his life but he just couldn't utter a word now.

"Hi" Ezra replied with a tight smile. The fact that he didn't like Blake Jensen was still there but he would rather have Jensen as his brother's mate than a rejection. That shit was so so bad.

"I know I have not been a great human or in our case a werewolf until now. I even know, you must've heard many things about me in school but that was something I did before I met my mate. Now, that I have met Easton I would never do that. I just want us to have a new start too. Different from what we were back in times avoiding each other to death, let's try to get along?" Easton watched his mate's and an unknowing pride fill his chest.

He did hear before that Blake Jensen the young alpha of Blackwoods pack was very stubborn and hard-headed but this was something new to see.

Ezra kept staring at the hand Blake has offered for a shake. Now that Blake did say all those things it made Ezra rethink Blake's personality. He smiled genuinely this time and gave a firm shake to the other alpha as a silent approval.

"Great!" Blake smiled gladly.

There was another knock on the door while someone from the pack walked in.

"What is it, Derek?" Easton asked as Derek stood right in the front of the table.

"Alpha Easton, someone is here to see you" Derek addressed.

"Who-"

"Easton!" the door flew open showcasing a woman in her twenties wearing a white blouse and red leather skirt. She stood tall at 5'7 with four inches more of her heels. Her smell said she wasn't a werewolf.

A human in a packhouse?

Her heels clicked against the floor as she tried to run with them. She took long strides towards the table while Easton stood up from the chair. "Emma" was the only word he could say before the woman launched herself in his arms.

Blake stood stunned at the scene that at just taken place. Ezra, on the other hand, was trying to stifle a laugh thinking about how his brother will handle this situation. "That's Emma"

"Who?" Blake bends towards Ezra to hear about the woman who was all over his mate. He never once blinked in case missing any detail about the woman.

"She used to be Easton's girlfriend" Ezra tried hard not to laugh on Blake's face of disgust. "Or still is..." Blake's headshot to the right to look at Ezra who shrugged off his shoulders. "I have no idea"

With that, he left the office followed by Derek. Blake stood there gritting his teeth and tapping his shoe loud against the floor. Easton awkwardly grinned towards Blake and tried to free himself from Emma's grip and finally succeeded.

Emma looked annoyed and looked at the alpha with a pout. She now spared her glance towards Blake who stood with his hands folded to his chest. "Who is this, babe?" she asked tilting her head to the side.

"Go on, Easton. Tell her, who am I?"

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