"How do you know sothing is wrong with him?" Renn asked, his eyes narrowing at Angela. The others turned to her, their faces tense, waiting for a reply.
"Be-because he usually cos to almost every hour," Angela said, her voice a bit shaky. "But today is different. I haven’t seen him since afternoon."
Taros and Renn looked confused, but Kaito didn’t. His eyes remained steady on Angela, and sothing in his expression changed.
"I think Angel is right. Hiro is in danger. We have to do sothing now," Kaito said without hesitation.
"What are we going to do?" Taros asked, worry written all over his face. "We don’t even know where the hell he is."
"He hasn’t connected to us. That only ans one thing—he’s in serious danger. And Kael isn’t picking up either," Renn added, his eyes fixed on his phone. He typed out a quick ssage to Hiro asking where he was, but after a mont, there was no reply.
"We’ll search around," Kaito said firmly. "Don’t tell the students anything. We don’t want to cause panic, especially with the humans around."
He glanced over his shoulder and added, "Alex and Stales will join the search. Renn, you’ll take Samuel with you."
Angela stepped forward quickly. "What about ?" she asked, surprised that she was being completely left out. There was no way she could just stay behind and do nothing while Hiro was out there, possibly hurt. But then again, wasn’t she supposed to be glad he was out of the way? Wasn’t that what she had wanted since she couldn’t reject him?
"You’re staying here with the others," Kaito told her firmly.
"Why?" she asked, even though she already knew the answer.
"Because I won’t risk your life," he said without hesitation. "Don’t argue with ."
"Kaito is right," Taros added. "It’s for your safety."
Renn said nothing. He was already preparing to move out.
Angela looked down, her heart sinking. "I guess I have to stay back," she said quietly. Of course, in their eyes, she was still just a weak human. But they were wrong. She was going to prove them all wrong. That day was coming. She could feel it.
Alex stepped closer and whispered, "You should relax. We’ll be back soon."
Angela gave a small nod and moved aside as they began to plan their search. Kaito would go with Alex. Renn with Samuel. Stales with Taros. A perfect arrangent for quick coverage.
"Don’t do anything stupid. We’ll be back before you know it," Kaito said again before they turned to leave.
Angela nodded again, trying to listen and obey, but her heart felt heavy. She was about to sit down on one of the benches when she suddenly heard her na.
"Angel..."
The voice sounded weak, almost like a whisper carried by the wind. Angela looked around, but no one seed to be paying attention to her. Alex and the others had already left. Who was that?
"Can you hear , Angel?"
She stood up slowly, fear crawling into her chest. The voice was familiar, but distant, almost like it wasn’t coming from around her. Then it hit her. It wasn’t soone standing nearby. The voice was in her head. And if it was in her head, only one person could reach her like that.
"Hiro?" she called softly, her voice shaking with both excitent and fear. "I can hear you, Hiro. Where are you?"
There was no answer.
The silence made her panic. He had spoken with so much effort. Just hearing his voice, she could tell he was not okay.
"If you can hear , please tell us where you are," she said in her mind, her eyes already stinging with tears. "Kaito and the others went out looking for you."
"I’m hurt..."
His voice ca again. Faint and broken, but it was him. Hiro had managed to connect with her, even in his condition. That ant sothing.
Angela closed her eyes and took a deep breath. In her mind, she kept repeating the sa thing over and over. Show where you are. Show , please.
Then she saw it. A flash. A sound. She could hear Kael’s voice in the background, complaining about an old cetery.
They weren’t far from the Academy.
Angela didn’t know where the cetery was, but maybe the others would. Without wasting another second, she ran out of the backyard. They were already gone, but she had no ti to hesitate. She had to find them.
It wasn’t hard. She focused on the scent of the Alphas. It led her toward the classroom area. They hadn’t split up yet. That was her luck.
"Did I not warn you not to follow..." Kaito began, his voice sharp with anger.
"Hiro connected to ," she cut in quickly, not wasting ti.
They all stared at her, clearly shocked. Their eyes were filled with questions, the biggest one being—why her?
"I heard Kael talking in the background. He ntioned an old cetery. I don’t know where that is, but maybe you do. Sowhere in Mistvale."
"I do," Renn said imdiately. Strangely, he didn’t ask the question she expected.
"You will stay here with the others. Kaito, Taros, and I will go and bring them back."
"He’s hurt," Angela said again, her voice tight with emotion.
"We’ll find him. Don’t worry," Taros replied as his eyes began to glow red. The others followed, and before she could say another word, they were gone, using their primal powers to vanish into the night.
"I guess we just wait now," Samuel said, pacing restlessly. He didn’t look calm. None of them did.
"They’ll be back soon," Alex added, his voice quiet but certain. He glanced at Angela, watching her closely. He could see the worry on her face.
She was scared for Hiro. And as much as Alex didn’t understand why, he knew one thing for sure—whatever this was between them, it wasn’t sothing he could ignore.
But that was a thought for another day.
*****
The Alphas finally found Hiro and Kael. Hiro was badly hurt. Renn explained that the bullet must have been laced with a spell—sothing dark, sothing ant to kill Alphas.
"But we’re stronger than this," he said quietly. "I think it happened too fast for Hiro to defend himself."
"Yes," Kael replied, his eyes fixed on his Alpha, who now lay unconscious on the bed. "It looked planned. The man who shot Hiro... he knew we were coming."
"Where exactly did you two go?" Kaito asked as he gently removed Hiro’s bloody shirt. The wound was deep, and the bleeding hadn’t stopped. They had to get the bullet out fast before Taros could heal him.
"That’s a real question," Taros said, his voice flat. "Where were you two?"
Angela stood quietly in the corner. It was her first ti in Hiro’s room. She was worried sick, but her eyes kept drifting to the board on the wall. It was labeled ’Puzzle Board.’ Nothing on it made sense to her—just strange symbols and drawings, like a code only Hiro could understand. She didn’t know if he was brilliant or just mad. Maybe both.
"Where did you go?" Renn asked again.
"Fuck all of you," Hiro growled through the pain. His voice was weak but sharp. "I’m lying here dying, and that’s all you care about? Do I matter that little to you?"
Everyone went silent.
"Sorry," Taros muttered as he opened the first aid kit and got to work. His hands moved quickly, focused, while the others stepped back.
Angela didn’t move. She wanted to, but she couldn’t. Sothing kept her rooted there. She didn’t care about the blood or the tension in the room. All that mattered was that her mate was in pain. That he might not make it.
The bullet didn’t co out easily. Ti passed slowly. But once it was out and Taros placed his hand on the wound, the healing began. The wound closed bit by bit, and then Hiro drifted into sleep.
Angela finally breathed. He was safe—for now. By morning, he would be better.
"Can I stay with him?" she asked softly.
"No," Renn cut in before anyone else could speak. "He has a Beta and an entire pack to care for him now."
"We’re leaving together," Kaito added, his tone firm and final.
Once Hiro was asleep, they didn’t waste ti. Taros promised he would check on him before morning. Renn left with Stales and Samuel. Angela left with Kaito and Alex.
Everyone was exhausted when they got to the dorm. Angela went straight to take her bath and changed into her big, comfortable pyjamas. She didn’t even bother with the bed. She curled up on the couch, waiting for Kaito to finish his bath.
She tried to stop thinking about Hiro. Taros said he would be fine. She had no reason to doubt him. He had healed her before. He knew what he was doing. She had to trust him.
Tiredness dragged her into sleep quickly.
She found herself in a garden. The wind was soft and cool. The trees swayed gently, and flowers stretched wide under the blue sky. It was peaceful. She stood still, taking it all in.
Then she felt two hands around her waist. A cold shiver ran through her body. The touch was calm but sent a strong wave of emotion through her. She knew that touch. She had seen those tattoos before.
His arms around her felt warm. Safe. Her heart cald under his touch. He pressed his chest against her back and kissed her neck softly. Her whole body reacted. Butterflies fluttered wildly in her stomach.
She turned around, slowly, hoping to see who it was.
Then she froze.
Renn.
Her eyes widened in shock. Her heart skipped a beat. What the hell was he doing here?.
Angela stepped back quickly, her foot hit sothing hard. Pain shot through her. She winced and held her ankle.
Wait—pain?
That ant this wasn’t just a dream.
She wasn’t supposed to feel pain in dreams.
Then why was Renn here with her?
"Mate... our mate," her wolf, Mighty-storm, whispered from inside her.
Angela shook her head. "No. He can’t be my mate. He’s not supposed to be here. Not with ," she said in panic, her eyes stuck on Renn’s face. If this was real—or close to real—he might find out. He might discover she was a girl.
"I never said he wouldn’t be," Mighty-storm replied calmly. "He is. He ca here to kiss you, girl. It’s happening now."
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