CHAPTER 280: GO AND HAVE FUN-BELLEZZA.

Angela walked back to the house, her eyes still showing the pain from the conversation she just had. She slumped into the sofa beside Alex and rested her head on his shoulder.

"What happened? Did you guys talk?" Alex asked quietly.

"I did, but it didn’t go well," she said, her voice weak. "The conversation didn’t go as planned. I tried to watch my words, but still, it went wrong."

"You shouldn’t have spoken in a soft tone," Stales said as he sat next to her. "We men like it when you shout at us and let it all out. When you hold it back, we start thinking maybe you haven’t forgiven us and might use it against us later."

"What the fuck are you saying?" Alex asked with a frown. "Stop filling her head with that nonsense. Renn already had a bad day, and I don’t think it’s about how she spoke but what they’re both going through."

"Well, that’s true," Stales said, running his hand through her black hair. "Who would have thought that Miss Valois was his mother?"

Angela sat up quickly, her eyes shifting from Stales to Alex. They didn’t look shocked like she did.

"You knew?" she asked, her voice shaking.

"Yes," Alex said. "Renn and Miss Valois had a terrible argument earlier. It was really bad."

"Wait... what the fuck are you saying?" Hiro asked as he entered the room with Taros. They had gone to get drinks for everyone. Marcus told them to feel at home, and they were going to enjoy that privilege for now because no one knew how long it would last.

"Did I hear you correctly?" Taros said, placing the wine on the table. He turned to Alex, because it came from his mouth. "You said Miss Valois was whose mother?"

"Alpha Renn," Alex replied. He thought they already knew, but from the look on their faces, it was clear this was the first time they were hearing it. "You didn’t know?"

"Hell no," Hiro said, his eyes wide with shock. He looked at Taros, whose expression already said it all. He had no idea either. "Sweet mother goddess."

"I thought their relationship was just a one-night stand or some kind of romance..." Taros stopped himself mid-sentence and sat heavily on the sofa opposite them. The thought of what he had just said made his stomach twist.

"I never suspected a thing. Renn was supposed to tell me," Hiro said, his voice filled with disappointment. "We’ve been close for years, and he never said a word about it."

"I’m surprised too. Does Kaito know?" Taros asked.

Alex was about to shake his head when Angela spoke, her tone bitter and sharp. "Kaito fucking knew. He didn’t say anything about it."

"What?" they all echoed at once, staring at her in disbelief.

"And he didn’t say anything to us?" Taros asked, completely confused. "Why would Renn keep something like that from us but choose to tell Kaito?"

The back door opened, and Kaito walked into the room with Marcus and the rest. He came because he heard his name.

Hiro wanted to ask, but Angela quickly stopped him. She placed her hand on his arm and shook her head. It would be better if Marcus didn’t find out this way. She would tell him later, after dinner. It was for her mate’s safety.

"I heard my name," Kaito said as he sat beside Taros. "What’s going on?"

"Nothing," Taros replied, forcing a small shrug, pretending everything was normal.

"Why is Angela in tears?" Marcus asked, his frown deepening. He knelt beside the sofa and looked up at his daughter. "Who made my daughter sad?"

The room went quiet. No one dared to speak as they watched Marcus reach out his hand to Angela. She took it and stood up. He rose too, his protective presence filling the room. Without another word, they both walked to the nearest room.

The moment the door closed behind them, Angela leaned against him and burst into tears. "It’s Renn," she cried softly.

"Your mate? What did he do?" Marcus asked, already tensing. He hoped Renn hadn’t hurt her, because if he had, he wouldn’t hesitate to make him regret it.

"He’s hurting," Angela said through her tears. "And it’s affecting me. I made it worse by talking to him about it."

Marcus froze, not sure what to say or how to act. He had faced wars and led packs, but this—comforting a crying daughter—felt harder than anything he’d ever done. What was he supposed to say to make her feel better?

"I hate to say this, but Renn is going through a lot right now," Bellezza said softly as she appeared at the door. She waited for a moment, unsure if they would let her in. Angela pulled away from her father’s arms, wiping her eyes as she turned toward her aunt. "His emotions are mixed right now."

"But that doesn’t give him the right to toy with my daughter’s feelings," Marcus said angrily. "He should be a man and handle things the right way instead of hurting those around him."

"I don’t think you’re helping with your words, Marcus," Bellezza said gently, moving closer to Angela. She wrapped her arms around her niece and kissed her cheeks tenderly. "Can you excuse us for a moment? Let me talk to her."

Marcus hesitated, clearly torn, but after a few seconds, he sighed. "Fine. If she’s not calm after this, I’ll have no choice but to go after that boy myself."

"Don’t, please," Angela said quickly, her voice trembling as she wiped her tears with the back of her hand. "I’ll be fine."

Marcus looked at her with deep concern before giving a slow nod. "Fine."

When he left, Bellezza helped Angela sit down on a nearby chair. "He told you everything, didn’t he?"

Angela nodded weakly. "Yes, he did."

Bellezza sighed. "From what I’ve learned, he didn’t want you to know that he was that woman’s son. Honestly, who would want to be connected to someone like her?"

Angela stayed quiet. She understood that much.

"But he still shouldn’t have lied to you," Bellezza added softly. "Did he apologize?"

"Yes, he did."

"Good." Bellezza smiled faintly as she pulled a small key from her pocket. "He’s at my place right now. I spoke to him earlier, and he wants to talk to you again. Even though he’s not sure you’ll come, he’s waiting."

Angela’s eyes widened with hope. "Really?"

"Yes, dear," Bellezza said with a knowing smile. "Do you want to see him? He wants to explain everything. And if things go well, you two can spend some time together without your father’s interruption."

A shy blush crept up Angela’s cheeks. Her aunt was being her usual teasing self. She nodded and took the key from her hand.

"Don’t waste time, dear," Bellezza said, her tone turning thoughtful. "I did once, and it cost me more than I can ever get back." She gave Angela a warm pat on the back. "Your mate is waiting. Go to him... listen to him, and don’t be afraid to feel."