CHAPTER 139: MYSTERY SOLVED?

"A... a new Beta?" Alex asked, his voice breaking. The words hit him harder than a blow. His heart skipped, and for a moment he couldn’t breathe. Of all the punishments he thought he might face, losing his place at Kaito’s side was the one he never imagined. Yes, he had made mistakes, but to be rejected by his Alpha... that was a wound too deep to bear.

"Man, that’s too much," Renn said quickly, glancing between Kaito and Alex. He was trying to see if this was just a cruel joke, but the look in Kaito’s eyes told him otherwise. "You’re serious about this? Wow."

"What do you expect?" Kaito snapped, his voice sharp with anger. "You think I’m joking? He is my Beta, yet when I give him an order, he does the opposite. I ask him to do something, and he does whatever he pleases."

"Is that true?" Renn asked, turning to Alex. Alex’s silence and the small nod of his head gave the answer.

"Why?" Renn pressed gently. "Why don’t you listen to him? Why go against him?"

Kaito’s anger only deepened. "It’s not just that. He keeps secrets in this house when I need the truth. If he had told me about Angela and Evan sooner, we could have fixed things before they got this far. But no, he waited. He left me in the dark, and now we are paying the price." His voice shook with fury. "I will not keep a Beta who doesn’t know his duties. I can find someone else to take his place."

"Calm down, Kaito," Renn tried again, though he knew it was useless. He could feel the weight pressing down on the room. He looked at Alex’s face, pale and stricken, and his chest tightened.

"What calm?" Kaito thundered. "He overheard members talking about Angela and did nothing. He let them run to the authorities, and because of that we lost five hundred points today. Five hundred, Renn! And for what? Because my Beta chose silence. Tell me, does that sound like someone fit to stand by my side?"

Renn lowered his head, unable to deny it. Kaito was right. But his heart ached for Alex, who looked broken under the weight of his Alpha’s words.

Kaito’s voice softened, but it carried more pain than anger now. "A Beta is the Alpha’s backbone. It is not just a title, Alex. You are me when I am not there. You are my confidence, my strength. I know you have your own life, your own friends to protect, but you cannot forget what you are. You are not just another wolf in this pack. You are my Beta. And you must put me before everything. Do you understand?"

Alex finally lifted his head, his voice quiet but steady. "Yes, Alpha." The look on Kaito’s face cut through him like a blade, and Alex’s heart broke under the weight of it. He wished he could turn back time, undo every failure that had brought them to this moment. He did not regret helping Angela, but seeing this pain in his Alpha’s eyes was unbearable. Rejection from Kaito was something he could never endure.

"I promise," Alex said, his throat tight. "I will not fail you again. I will never neglect my duties in this pack."

"You said it so simply. I hope you will keep to your words. You may leave," Kaito said as he picked up his glass and took a sip, trying to calm himself.

Alex did not move. His chest felt heavy. He was not sure if his Alpha had truly forgiven him or if those words were only meant to dismiss him.

"Go, before I break your heart with what I might say," Kaito added, his tone softer but still firm.

"Have you forgiven me?" Alex asked quietly as he turned to leave. Every step felt heavy. He did not want to go, but he knew he had no choice.

"Your actions will decide if you remain my Beta or not," Kaito replied.

Something flickered across Alex’s face, a faint light of relief, because in those words he sensed forgiveness.

"Do not be too happy. I am still angry," Kaito warned. "Go now. Make sure the students are back in their rooms. Check that the others are doing their duties."

"I will do as you say, Alpha," Alex said, bowing deeply before he walked out of the room.

Renn smiled and leaned back. "I like the two of you. Samuel and I are close, but what you have with Alex is different. It feels more like a bond between father and son. Since his father is gone, you filled that place in his life."

Kaito shook his head and sank back against the couch. "No... it’s not like that. I only try to guide him. His father died in a strange way, and from what Alex told me, I believe those people are connected to the Academy."

Renn’s expression hardened. His voice dropped though the walls were soundproof. "What do you mean?"

"We saw them in the Academy block that day I went with the boys to apologize to Mr. Slade. I can’t explain it fully, but I don’t think Principal Valois is who you believe she is. You had a relationship with her in the past. She could have changed."

Renn looked at him, disbelief in his eyes. He didn’t want to think about it. "I doubt she is guilty."

"Why?" Kaito asked quietly, his eyes narrowing. "Why do you trust her so much?"

**

Taros finally got to his room. It was already midnight. He had gone through his duties, making sure that every student was safe in their rooms. If not for what happened earlier, his day would have been perfect. He could not stop thinking about Angela, about the moments they shared. It stirred something inside him that he had never felt before. He had never wanted a woman the way he wanted her, and the thought that she was his mate filled him with a joy he could not explain.

But when he looked at Xavier, he noticed something was wrong. His Beta had been quiet for days now, which was unlike him. Xavier was never the silent type.

"A penny for your thoughts?" Taros asked as he shut the door behind him. His voice was calm, but his eyes searched for answers. "You look like the whole world is against you."

"I’m fine," Xavier replied, climbing onto the smaller bed in the corner. He pulled the blanket over himself as though he wanted to hide.

Taros frowned. "I don’t think you are. Does this have to do with Renn? I saw that video of him punching you in the hallway."

"No," Xavier said quickly.

"Then is it Angel? I heard you two had some misunderstanding."

Xavier sat up, his brows pulling together. His voice was sharp but full of confusion. "Who is Angel?"

Taros froze, staring at him. For a moment he thought Xavier was joking, trying to make him talk unnecessarily. "What do you mean, who is Angel? That’s like asking me who Hiro is. Angel is your classmate."

"I don’t know anyone by that name," Xavier said, and the sincerity in his eyes shook Taros to his core.

Before he could push further, Taros’s phone beeped. It was a message from Hailey. She had finally uncovered the truth, the answer to the mystery of which family owned the bullet that had shot Hiro that night.