CHAPTER 38: YOU ARE MY FUCKING MATE?

Angela wanted to speak, but it was as if her voice had vanished. Her lips stayed parted, yet no words came out. She was frozen. She liked what was happening, and that alone scared her. Kaito was going to kiss her—she was sure of it. His eyes dropped to her lips, and then his face moved to her neck.

A warm, sweet wave rushed through her body. She felt like melting into him. Her body betrayed her—her senses spinning, her skin burning. Her chest tightened, and she could feel her nipples harden even without a touch. It confused her. She had never been this close to a man before, not like this. Now Kaito stood in front of her, their bodies nearly touching, and her secret was hanging on a thread. If he got any closer, he would know instantly that she wasn’t a boy.

"Your scent..." Kaito said, his voice low and distracted. His nose brushed close to her skin, his breath warm on her neck. Angela shut her eyes, ready for whatever would come next. A kiss. A touch. Anything.

But then he spoke again, and his words cut through everything. "Why do you smell like her?"

Angela’s eyes flew open. Her? Did he just say her? Was he talking about Kaine—the girl he always mumbled about in his sleep? His supposed lover?

Her heart sank. Her face turned hot with embarrassment. Of course. It wasn’t about her. This was all about someone else. Not Angela.

"You smell like my mate," Kaito whispered, barely audible, his voice soft and unsure. He sounded nothing like his usual self, and for a second, she forgot to breathe. He didn’t sound angry or suspicious. Just... lost.

"That’s you, girl! He’s talking about you!" Mighty Storm yelled inside her head.

Angela panicked. She quickly pushed him away, not too roughly, but enough to make him take a step back. He didn’t know. He still had no idea she was a girl—and that meant he also didn’t know she was his mate. That gave her a tiny moment of peace.

She walked over to the couch and sat down quickly, trying to calm her heart.

"I asked you a question, Angel," Kaito said, his voice firmer now. He wasn’t going to let it go. His eyes were sharp and full of questions.

"I don’t know," she replied, not looking at him. It was the only thing she could say.

He turned away and walked into the bathroom. Angela watched him disappear inside, her fingers clutching the edge of the couch. When he came back, his expression was different. He didn’t look angry. He looked like someone trying to figure out a puzzle.

He moved to the wardrobe and pulled it open. He glanced around quickly, then turned back to her.

"There’s no one in here," he said quietly, almost to himself. "But her scent is still in this room. I know a girl was here. I can feel it."

"Maybe you’re getting it wrong. You’re just in a rush to meet her and..." Angela paused. She was about to say something that could anger him, and that would only bring more trouble. He hadn’t even forgiven her for what she said the night before. She quickly changed her words. "A wolf came in here... I didn’t know she was a girl, or that she was your mate."

"You’re really good at this lying thing. If it was a school subject, you’d be ranking number one on the general board," Mighty Storm said in her head. Angela sighed and ignored him, focusing again on Kaito.

"She came here? In her wolf form? What did she look like?" Kaito asked, his voice soft, curious. He looked different—calmer, even hopeful. Angela had never seen this side of him before. He looked like a whole different person just because of the mention of his mate. She couldn’t help but wonder how he would react when he finally found out that she was the one he had been searching for all along.

"Did she say anything to you?"

"N-no... she came in so fast. I thought it was you, so I opened the door. But she knocked me down and ran off. That’s why I smell like her," Angela explained. She watched his face fall, his shoulders drop slightly in disappointment. He had no idea that the one he was dying to meet was standing right in front of him. "She’s a beautiful wolf, though. You’ll like her when you finally see her. You’ll—"

"You’re talking too much," Kaito cut her off, his tone cold again. He turned away, walked to the wardrobe, and pulled out his nightwear. Then he grabbed his towel and headed to the bathroom.

That was when Angela suddenly remembered—her chest cloth, the one she always tied around herself after a bath, was still inside.

Her eyes widened. She jumped up and rushed to the bathroom without thinking. She pushed the door open, breath caught in her throat.

He was standing there in nothing but boxers. Water dripped slowly from his body. Muscles flexed with every small movement he made. She froze. She should have turned around and apologized, but instead, her eyes dropped. She stared, wide-eyed, at the clear bulge under the thin fabric.

Her heart skipped a beat. She couldn’t move. Couldn’t speak. Couldn’t even breathe.

"What the hell are you doing?" Kaito asked, his voice firm. Angela quickly turned her back to him, feeling caught. He continued, "Why are you acting strange? Do you want to take a bath? If yes, then come in."

"Holy shit... he just invited you. Don’t think twice," her wolf whispered sweetly in her head.

"No, I came to pick my brush," Angela replied, her voice shaking a little. She pointed to the corner where they usually kept the brushes. Kaito looked confused but still turned to get it for her. The moment he turned his back, she quickly reached for her cloth and tucked it behind her.

He turned around and handed her the brush, but she shook her head. "I won’t be needing it anymore."

Kaito looked at her, puzzled by her change in attitude, but before he could say anything, she walked out and gently closed the door behind her. Angela leaned on the wall and let out a deep breath. Her heart was racing. Damn, he was so hot. Did he even know what he looked like?

"I told you, just tell him you’re his mate. But no, you’re busy playing games," her wolf said in a teasing voice. "You’re going to miss the full package tonight."

Angela covered her face with her hands. She hated that she knew exactly what her wolf meant. But she wasn’t going to throw away all the progress she had made just because Kaito looked like that without a shirt. She had been through too much to act on impulse now.

"I will tell him. I’ll let him know I’m his mate. But not yet," Angela whispered.

"By the time you do, he would have already found out on his own."

"I can’t say it now. I don’t even understand why I’m a wolf. Why didn’t my mother ever say a word about it?" she asked, shaking her head. "It would be foolish to open up when I don’t even know the whole truth."

Her wolf went quiet, and Angela was thankful for the silence. She sat down, waiting for Kaito to come out, but he took longer than she thought. Before she realized it, sleep had taken over and she drifted off.

**

The next morning, when she got up for the morning road work, Kaito was already gone. She quickly got dressed and rushed outside, only to realize it was too late.

Once again, she had missed it. But this time, it was worse. The take-off ground where they usually formed lines was completely empty. Not a soul in sight. Angela cursed under her breath, frustration bubbling in her chest. She hated herself for being lazy again. This meant more lost points. More punishment.

She was about to turn around and go back to her dorm when she noticed someone walking toward her. At first, she couldn’t tell who it was. He had a strong build, the kind that made him look like he belonged on a battlefield. The moment he got close, too close for her to run or hide, she recognized him.

It was Hiro.

"Hello, little human," he said, his voice low, a lazy smile resting on his lips.

Angela looked around quickly. The place was still empty, and none of the streetlights were even on. There was no one else coming. She didn’t want him to see that she was nervous.

"Alpha Hiro... I-I..."

"You?" he raised a brow, amused. "You’re stuttering?"

He chuckled, but it wasn’t loud. It was soft and strange. Angela stood still, trying to appear calm. But inside, something was wrong. Something was different. Angel was acting weird, and he didn’t understand it. He was looking at him in a way that made his skin tingle. And he smelled...different. Good. Addictive.

He swallowed hard, trying to control the urge to lean closer. To breathe him in. To touch him. But that didn’t make any sense. He didn’t even like boys.

"I’m not stuttering," Angela replied and started walking away. "I was just leaving. See you later."

As she walked off, she placed a hand on her chest, trying to calm her racing heart. What the hell just happened? She had just escaped something she couldn’t even name.

Then, Mighty Storm’s voice echoed in her head again.

"Mate... He is our mate."

Angela froze.

"No. You said Kaito was our mate," she snapped in her mind.

There was no way in hell that Hiro—crazy, annoying, heartless Hiro—was her mate. She would rather bury herself alive and ask for more punishment than accept him.

She turned, thinking he must be gone by now. But no.

The moment she turned around, she saw him again—right in front of her, staring at her with those intense blue eyes.

She gasped. "Shit... You scared me," she whispered, almost losing her balance.

Hiro didn’t smile this time. His face was hard, cold, almost angry.

"You’re my fucking mate?" he asked, his voice low and bitter. His brows pulled together as if the very thought disgusted him.