Austin's POV
I wake up the next morning feeling exhausted but content, with something distinctly different coursing through me. As I press a gentle kiss to my mate's bare shoulder and let my hand drift across her hip where it rests against mine, the realization hits me like lightning.
I am an Alpha now. A true Alpha leading an actual pack. Sure, Lara leads alongside me, and honestly, she carries more of the Alpha presence than I do most days. But mentally, the connection I have to our pack members feels completely transformed from when I belonged to Ezekiel's pack or Percy's.
Before, sensing the pack required effort. I had to actively reach out through the mental fog to locate whoever I wanted to communicate with. Now it feels like every single connection to every pack member burns bright in my consciousness, each link pulsing and ready for immediate contact.
