CHAPTER 33: THE FULL MOON-ALPHA HIRO.

On the other side of the pit, Hiro sat alone. His food had been brought, but he couldn’t bring himself to eat. His thoughts were a storm. His mind was never quiet, never still. It played tricks on him, showed him things he didn’t want to see.

He could hear voices, feel emotions that didn’t belong to him. Sometimes he could connect to over a hundred minds at once, and when that happened, things always went wrong. That was why they locked him up. It wasn’t punishment—it was protection. If they didn’t do it, people could get hurt. And they had. His Beta feared him. Everyone did. No one wanted to get too close.

They were all afraid of what he could do, especially now, with the full moon near. That was when he lost control the most.

He kept his eyes shut, hoping that maybe, if he stayed still long enough, the noise in his head would stop. But it didn’t. It never did.

"Do you want anything else, Alpha?" Slade’s voice broke the silence. He stood close to the doors, afraid to step in. Afraid of what might happen if Hiro’s powers reached into his mind. The fear was clear in his voice, but he tried to stay calm.

"No. All I want is to get the hell out of this pit," Hiro growled, rubbing his hands together. The sound of the chain clanked against the wall, making Slade flinch.

"It will soon be over. You know why you’re in here," Slade said quietly, trying to remind him of the reason. "You remember what happened that night... when you transformed outside the pit. The werewolf students lost control and attacked the humans. It was chaos, Alpha. Do you remember?"

Hiro said nothing. But Slade could tell from the stillness, from the look in his eyes, that he remembered everything. That night never left his mind. Principal Valois had somehow managed to control the situation, but it had been close.

The human students’ parents wanted answers. Some wanted Hiro punished. They threatened to take the Academy to court. But the school couldn’t hand him over. That wasn’t even an option. So, they paid the families and begged them to stay quiet. The truth had to be buried, no matter the cost.

"I didn’t ask for these stupid powers!" Hiro screamed, his voice cracking under the weight of pain. His fists clenched, shaking. The energy inside him was wild, dark, and loud. He had two choices—wait for the full moon so that he would transform or push the energy into someone else. But he wouldn’t do that. He couldn’t. He didn’t want to hurt anyone again.

"You’ll get rid of it once you find your mate," Slade said softly, taking a few steps closer. He bent to pick up the tray of untouched food. Hiro hadn’t moved. He refused to open his eyes, refused to speak more than a few words. The only thing he did was cry out in pain like his soul was tearing apart.

"You won’t believe what I’ll do to her when I find her," Hiro said suddenly, laughing in a way that made Slade freeze. It wasn’t joy. It was anger mixed with heartbreak. "She’s the cure to all of this. That’s what the prophecy says, right? But I’ll make her pay. For hiding. For making me suffer. I’ll teach her a lesson she’ll never forget."

Slade didn’t know what to say. His hands tightened around the tray. Maybe he shouldn’t speak, but something in him pushed the words out. "Are you sure you’ll be able to do anything to her? The other Alphas... they’ll protect her. Don’t forget, she belongs to them too."

"You think I’ll let them have her?" Hiro growled, his voice low and dangerous. "She’s mine. Only mine. I’ll do with her whatever I want. No one is taking her from me."

"That’s going to start a war. You and the others will fight. Is that what you want?" Slade asked, his voice shaking just a little.

"Who cares?" Hiro shouted, his eyes snapping open. They glowed red like fire. "She belongs to me, and I will claim her. Fuck the prophecy, I don’t care anymore."

Slade’s own eyes lit up green in reaction to the power rising in his Alpha. That was the sign. It was time to leave. Hiro’s bones had started breaking, his body shifting. The full moon was near. The walls of the pit trembled like they were in pain, and the wind howled through the cracks as if the earth itself was warning them of what was coming.

Slade didn’t wait. He dropped the tray and ran. Even as he fled, he could hear Hiro’s cry, louder and deeper, like a wolf howling in torment. The sound followed him far into the trees.

He didn’t stop running until he reached the forest. The moment the moon broke through the clouds, Slade dropped to the ground, his body twisting and reshaping. Within seconds, he was no longer human. A brown, medium-sized wolf with glowing green eyes stood where the boy had been.

His Alpha was still locked in the pit, going through his painful shift, but Slade couldn’t wait. He had a duty to lead the others. With a final look at the glowing sky, he took off into the trees, guiding the pack before the chaos could begin.

Hiro gritted his teeth as pain ripped through his body. Every bone cracked, shifted, and realigned. He tried to stay on his feet, but the agony forced him to his knees. His claws stretched out, longer and sharper than ever. His fangs pushed through, glinting in the dim light. His skin grew dark fur, thick and coarse. He could feel every change, every twist of his muscles and bones. His mind was wild, filled with confusion and noise. He wanted to connect to someone, anyone, to ease the pain but there was no one near. He was alone. And that was for the best. If he reached out to the wrong person, he might hurt them. Again.

He couldn’t let that happen.

Within thirty minutes, Hiro had fully transformed. Standing tall and massive, he was now a huge black wolf, more powerful than ever. His chains lay broken on the ground behind him. The moment the shift was complete, he ran out of the pit, breathing hard. The danger was over now. He could control himself. He could control the madness inside him.

Without wasting time, he dashed toward the mountains, deep into the woods. That was where his pack was waiting. As soon as he howled, they responded. One by one, the wolves of the South Pack came out from hiding and gathered around him. The presence of his pack calmed him. Their loyalty gave him strength. For the first time in today, he felt a little peace. He let it wash over him... until something strange happened.

A scent hit him.

Not just any scent. It was the most powerful thing he had ever smelled. Coconut... cloves... rose... banana... so many sweet, soft fragrances all at once. It made his head spin. His heart jumped.

Mate.

The word echoed in his head, clear and loud. He could not stop himself. His paws pounded the ground as he took off like lightning. The scent was coming from the direction of the dormitories. His body moved faster than ever. His speed could match a moving car. His chest tightened with each step. Could it be? Was his mate in the Luna Girls school nearby?

Mate.

His wolf roared the word again, and Hiro kept running, heart racing, claws digging into the ground. The scent grew stronger, guiding him. But something strange happened. The trail didn’t lead to the Luna school. It turned sharply and pulled him toward another direction. His eyes widened when he realized where it was leading him.

West House.

He couldn’t believe it. Why there? What could his mate possibly be doing in West House? He had not even stepped foot near there, yet the scent was so strong, so real, it left no room for doubt.

With excitement and curiosity burning inside him, Hiro approached the gates of West House. But the moment he stepped in, he froze.

Two large black wolves stood waiting.

He didn’t need to ask who they were. He knew them by their eyes.

Alpha Renn and Taros. They had come before him.

Oh, shit!