CHAPTER 36: A LOCKED DOOR.

Kaito sensed it from far away. The moment the scent hit him, his heart stopped for a second. It was familiar. Too familiar. It was the same scent he had caught the day his new roommate arrived. That day, he had thought maybe the smell came from the boy who moved in, but now he knew the truth. His mate had shown up that day. He had felt her. And he had been too blind to realize it.

He clenched his teeth in anger. How could he have missed it? How could he have been so foolish? But now that the scent was back, he wouldn’t waste another second. He was going to find her, and he was going to mark her before the others had a chance. He had no time to play fair.

It wasn’t because he was selfish. No, Kaito had just never learned how to share. And he wasn’t about to start now—not even because of some old prophecy. He wanted her to be his. Only his.

He sired Alex quickly and told him to take care of the pack. Then he took off, following the trail of the scent. It pulled at something deep in his soul. His mate was calling him. He could feel it. She wanted to see him too. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have released a scent so strong, so powerful that it reached him even across the woods.

Kaito ran with everything he had. His speed doubled, even tripled. It felt like the ground moved under his feet just to help him reach her faster. But when he saw where the scent was leading him, he slowed down in shock.

His own dormitory.

Why there?

Why would his mate be in the boys’ dormitory on the night of the full moon? Could she be from the Luna Girls school? Maybe she got lost. Maybe she was scared and wandered here by mistake. The thought of it made his body burn hotter.

His fur, already made of flames, sparked brighter. Other wolves who saw him on the way moved aside, scared by the fire. Kaito didn’t care. He had to see her. But he couldn’t go into the dormitory in his wolf form. The human students would lose their minds.

Without wasting a second, he shifted. The giant wolf with flaming fur turned back into the Kaito everyone knew—tall, handsome, with fire still dancing faintly on his skin. A few flames clung to his body, but he didn’t care. They would fade in time.

Nothing mattered now except finding her.

His mate.

As Kaito walked toward the gate of West House, black, burned footprints followed behind him. His body still carried the heat of his flames, but he didn’t care. The only thing on his mind was his mate. But the moment he stepped inside the gate, he froze.

Right in front of him stood the last people he wanted to see tonight.

Hiro. Renn. And of course, his friend Taros.

All three of them were still in their wolf forms, but Kaito knew them instantly. They stared at one another with a mix of shock and disbelief. It was clear none of them had expected this meeting. Within seconds, they shifted into their human forms, ready to face one another, their bodies tense and their eyes sharp.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Hiro asked, his voice sharp, his brows drawn together in frustration.

Kaito looked at him, not believing what he was hearing. "Are you seriously asking me that?" he said, his tone rising. "This is my dormitory. I live here. I am the leader of this house. Or have you forgotten that too?"

Hiro looked around, blinking in confusion. "Oh... this is West House?" he asked, glancing up at the building as if he was seeing it for the first time. He stepped back a little and looked at the name written boldly above the entrance. "It really is."

Kaito narrowed his eyes. Something felt off. Hiro had been in the Academy for more than four years. He knew every corner of it like the back of his hand. How could he not know where West House was? And why now—on the night of the full moon, when their senses were the sharpest? There was no way this was a mistake.

Still, he didn’t push it. Not yet. He turned his attention to the rest of them, his voice firm. "Tell me why you’re here. Why are all of you in my territory at this time of the night?"

Renn crossed his arms and leaned back slightly, trying to look calm. "Are you not supposed to be with your pack right now?" he asked, clearly trying to change the subject. He had no proper excuse to give, so turning it around on Kaito was the easiest way out.

Kaito clenched his fists. "And what about you?" he snapped. His patience was wearing thin. Time was running out. The moon would soon begin to fade, and with it, the connection to his mate. If they didn’t stop talking and let him go, he might lose her again.

"As for me, I came to see you. I always come around," Taros said, lying through his teeth. He knew the truth would change everything. If he told them their mate was here, they would all rush in, desperate to be the first to mark her. He didn’t want to risk losing his chance. But he had just lied to his best friend. The guilt sat heavy in his chest. He tried to ignore it. "The real question should be—what are Hiro and Renn doing here?"

"I got lost. I’m leaving now," Hiro replied as he turned toward the gate. He didn’t want to leave. His heart begged him to stay, but the moon was already fading. Time was almost up, and his mate would soon disappear with the night. "Bye."

"I’ll leave too," Renn said quietly, following behind Hiro. Neither of them looked back as they left the west side of the grounds.

"I should go too. It’s almost daybreak," Taros said, eyes scanning every corner as if hoping she would step out one last time. But she didn’t. Her scent, once strong, was slowly slipping away along with the moonlight.

"Bye," Kaito said, staying behind to make sure they all left without causing any trouble. When the last of them disappeared, he turned and walked into the dormitory. The moon was gone, and the silence in the corridor was loud. But then he stopped.

That scent... it was back. It had faded just moments ago, but now, it drifted in the air again. Softer this time, but real.

He followed it. Step by step, it led him to his room. He stood frozen at the door. His mate was inside? How? Did she know about him already? Was she here for him? Did she want him to claim her?

Heart racing, he grabbed the doorknob and turned it, but it wouldn’t move. It was locked. From the inside. That was strange. Angel never locked the room. If it was locked now... then his mate was in there? With Angel?

What were they doing inside together?

Kaito knocked hard, his chest tight with worry. He waited. No sound came from inside. No footsteps. No voice. Nothing.

Panic crept in.

What the fuck is going on?

He knocked again, louder this time, but still no response. Something didn’t feel right. If Angel didn’t open the door now, he was going to break it.