CHAPTER 44: MATE NUMBER 3? TRIPLE PROBLEM!

Song Recommendation: Kante by Davido and Fave.

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Evening had come. Angela was getting ready to head to the cafeteria when she heard a knock on the door. Kaito had already gone out, so she wondered who it could be. She opened the door and her breath caught the moment she saw who it was.

Taros.

If the word handsome was a person, it would be him. No doubt. He stood there, looking effortlessly perfect, and for a second, she just stared.

"Come in, Alpha Taros," she said, stepping aside.

"Is Kaito in?" he asked as he walked into the room. His eyes scanned around, then he nodded to himself. "I guess he already left. I actually came to get you ready."

It took a second for Angela to remember their plans. The outing. She had not even told Kaito yet. And the celebration in her house tonight—if she missed it, everyone would be asking questions.

"I have a house—"

"Party? That’s exactly why I’m here," Taros said with a smile so charming it made her feel weak for a moment. He really knew how to use that smile. "We’ll go now, and I’ll make sure you’re back in time for your party. What do you say?"

Angela smiled, feeling her heart warm at how easily he solved her problem. "Nice idea. I’ll get ready now."

"I’ll wait outside," Taros said and headed for the door. She watched him walk out and couldn’t help but sigh. He was such a gentleman. If only Kaito could learn a few things from him.

Angela quickly changed into a big black baggy trouser and an oversized shirt. She combed her hair, which had grown longer than she expected. Maybe she’d trim it again soon. She grabbed a face cap and adjusted it properly, then stood in front of the mirror for a final look.

She looked at her reflection and chuckled. There she was—beautiful and handsome, all at once. No wonder the alphas couldn’t handle her. They didn’t know she was a girl, but they still couldn’t stop trying to break her. They must be jealous. She looked too good to be just another boy in the Academy.

She laughed softly at the thought and rushed out of the room to meet Taros. Just the thought of spending time with him made her chest flutter. She wished, even for a moment, that she could tell him the truth—that she was a girl hiding in this world of boys.

But no. That was too dangerous. Her safety came first. And so, the secret would remain hers...at least for now.

Outside the dormitory, Angela stood quietly, waiting for Taros. Most of the students had already gone to the cafeteria, and for that, she was thankful. The silence made everything easier. She could slip away without drawing any attention. Things seemed to be working in her favor for once. But where was Taros? He had told her he would be waiting outside, yet she couldn’t see him anywhere.

Just as she began to wonder if he had changed his mind, a white BMW pulled up in front of her. She narrowed her eyes in confusion. Whose car was that? The first time they met, back at the Academy gate, he had driven a white Benz. This wasn’t the same car, so maybe it wasn’t him.

Angela tried to ignore the car and turned her face away, but then the window rolled down. Her eyes widened the moment she saw the driver. It was Taros.

Her lips parted slightly, but no words came out. She just stared. He still wore the white shirt and black trousers from earlier, but now he had added a white face cap. She, on the other hand, had on black. She didn’t know why, but something about that made her cheeks flush with heat. It felt like they matched, like they were connected somehow, and the thought made her heart race.

"Get into the car, or do you want me to come open the door for you like a girl?" Taros said, snapping her out of her thoughts. His voice carried that teasing charm that always left her feeling both embarrassed and flattered.

"No, I’ll come in," Angela said quickly, realizing she had been standing there like a statue. She opened the door and got in. He didn’t start the car right away. He waited until she had buckled the seat belt, and then he drove off.

At first, the speed was slow, almost relaxing. But as soon as they passed the Academy gate, he pressed harder on the pedal, and the car picked up speed. Angela felt a rush of excitement. The way the wind brushed against her face, the soft music playing from the car speakers, the speed of the ride, and the man beside her—it all felt like a dream.

Taros didn’t say much. He just focused on the road, tapping along to the beat of the music. It gave her the freedom to watch him without feeling shy. He looked completely at peace. There was something about him that pulled her in.

She found herself staring at his face, tracing every detail with her eyes. His blue eyes were the most striking thing she had ever seen. They held something powerful and beautiful. She felt like she could look at him all day and never get tired.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Taros suddenly said, and the car slowed to a stop in front of a building. His voice was calm but laced with amusement. "You didn’t even pay attention to where we are. I thought you wanted to see the town."

Angela blinked. She had no words. He had caught her, and she had no excuse to cover it up. All she could do was sit there, heart pounding, and wonder what he was thinking now.

"Let’s go out. We’ve arrived at the popular market in Mistvale town," Taros said with a soft smile as he stepped out of the car.

Angela nodded and followed him, stepping out as well. "Of course..." she muttered, trying to sound normal even though she felt embarrassed. She knew she had acted strange back in the car. No matter how drawn she was to him, she needed to stay in control. She had to stop letting her feelings show.

"Come, I’ll show you around," Taros said, leading the way.

As they walked side by side, Angela took in the view. Mistvale looked even more beautiful than she had imagined. When she first arrived in town, she had gone straight to the Academy and never got the chance to explore. Now, seeing it like this, she felt a little regret. The market streets were alive and colorful, filled with people moving about. The sounds of busy footsteps and the rumble of cars made the town feel full of life. It was neat, easy to move around, and filled with warmth that made her feel at ease.

"It’s beautiful out here," Angela said softly, turning around slowly to admire it before catching up with him again.

They stopped in front of a jewelry store, and Taros stepped inside. She followed without saying much. He picked up a wristband with a small tag that had the word "forever" written on it.

"Here," he said gently, holding it out to her.

Angela lifted her wrist, and he carefully tied it around her. His fingers brushed against her skin, and for a moment, her heart skipped. Then his voice came again, calm and thoughtful.

"You know, when I met you at the gate that day, I was confused. Something about you felt different. But as time passed, I started to believe it wasn’t by chance. We were meant to meet."

Angela wanted to say something, but nothing came out. It was always like this with Taros. He had a way of making her lose her voice, like her thoughts were too heavy to turn into words.

"Friends forever?" he asked as he finished tying the wristband.

"Sure," she replied with a soft smile. Wanting to do something for him too, she reached for another wristband and gently slid it onto his wrist. When she looked down, her smile faded. Her heart dropped when she saw the words written on it: "I love you."

She froze, then looked up at him. He was staring at the words too.

Angela’s chest tightened. She shut her eyes and silently cursed herself. Why hadn’t she checked it first? Now he was going to think she was weird or desperate. Worse, he might think she had feelings for him as a boy. What if he thought she was trying to confess something she didn’t mean to?

"I’m sorry," she said in a quiet rush. "I didn’t read what was written on it... We can change it, I swear." She reached for his wrist, wanting to take it off, but he gently held her hand.

"It’s okay," he said softly. "Let me go pay for them."

She watched him walk to the counter and pay. That was when the truth hit her hard. She had no money with her. Not a single coin. Grace had taken everything from her the day she left home, and now, here she was, unable to even pay for the gift she gave him. The shame crept over her slowly. She stood there, feeling helpless, wondering if there would ever be a day when she wouldn’t feel like a burden.

"Let’s go. I have somewhere cool I want to show you," Taros said as he came back to where she stood.

Angela blinked in confusion, wondering what place he meant. She followed him anyway, curious and eager. He led her into a gaming center. The place was alive with noise, lights, and excitement. There were different kinds of games, some she had never seen before. Though there was time, Angela only managed to try three of them, and she didn’t even finish them. She gave up halfway through each one.

Taros, on the other hand, was good at everything. Every time he picked up a game, he looked like he had done it a thousand times. But her? She was terrible at it. She had never played games like these before. Back home, there was nothing like this. Her hometown had been destroyed by war. Everything was still being rebuilt. They had no space or energy for things like gaming centers.

Still, even if she was bad at it, Taros made the experience fun. He made her laugh so much she almost forgot herself. She laughed like a boy would, letting it all out but still holding back just enough so no one would guess she was hiding anything. It felt good to be free, even just for a while.

When they were done at the gaming center, Taros suggested they try some drinks at a nearby werewolf bar. But before they could enter, he stopped and started telling her something unexpected.

"There’s this woman who sells coffee just a few stores from here," he began with a grin. "One night, we came here, and her daughter, who had a huge crush on Kaito, slipped her number onto the receipt. Her mom saw it happen and thought Kaito asked for her number."

Angela’s interest doubled the moment she heard Kaito’s name. "So what happened?" she asked quickly. She hardly knew anything about Kaito, and it was always hard to read him. She even wondered if this girl was the same one he had called out to in his sleep.

"Do you really want to know?" Taros teased, laughing at her eager face.

She nodded, and without saying a word, he turned away from the bar and led her down another street. They walked for a short while until they reached a small shop with a bold sign that read A smooth time with coffee. Taros stopped walking.

"What are you doing?" Angela asked, confused.

He didn’t answer. He just smiled and walked straight into the store. She followed him, unsure what to expect. It was a small, warm space, packed with customers.

The scent of fresh coffee filled the air. Behind the counter was a young blonde girl of average height. She was moving quickly, trying to attend to everyone, and her face looked tired—until her eyes landed on Taros. Then everything about her changed. Her anxious face brightened, her shoulders straightened, and a smile spread across her lips like she had just seen something or someone...she had been waiting for all day.

The blonde girl left the customers she was attending to and came rushing toward Taros. But before she could get to him, Angela noticed a fat woman storming out from behind the counter. Her face was red with anger as she pointed and shouted, "Hey, you loser! You came back, didn’t you?"

"I did!" Taros shouted back without a care in the world.

Angela was shocked. His words only made the woman more furious. She reached for the gun hanging on the wall behind her. At that moment, a few men sitting in the corner stood up. Angela hoped they were going to stop the woman, but they weren’t. They were heading toward them.

Her heart raced as fear gripped her. She turned to Taros and whispered quickly, "Let’s go." She couldn’t understand why they were still standing there. She didn’t like the blonde girl and didn’t get what the Alphas ever saw in her. Maybe nothing. But maybe she was wrong.

The woman raised the gun and pulled the trigger. Angela froze. Taros stepped back just in time and grabbed her hand. A chill ran through her body, not just because of fear. The way he held her hand made something stir deep inside her. She was scared, but that one touch made her feel too many things at once.

"Run!" Taros laughed, and just then, another shot fired. The bullet missed them again. Angela didn’t think any of it was funny, but as they raced out into the streets, dodging people and things while Taros did his best to keep her close, she found herself smiling without meaning to.

They ran together through the busy streets. The men were chasing them, but Angela was sure the blonde girl’s mother had already given up. That was probably why she sent those men to do the chasing instead.

Taros laughed so hard it echoed down the street. When they turned into a narrow corner and squeezed themselves into a small space to hide, the men ran past them without knowing.

Angela kept her eyes on Taros. The space was too small to hold both of them, yet they were pressed so close together she could feel his breath. Their bodies touched, and the heat from his skin made her heart beat even faster. She wondered if he could feel it too. But he didn’t look her way. He was still peeking around to see if they were safe.

Then suddenly, he turned and looked straight at her. He stopped moving. He just stared.

Angela felt her stomach twist with nerves. Her heart was in her throat. His blue eyes locked onto hers, and it felt like she couldn’t breathe. He wasn’t even blinking.

"You..." Taros spoke softly, but his brows pulled together in confusion. "What are you?"

Angela didn’t know what to say.

"You smell just like my mate," he whispered, his voice full of doubt and something else. "Who are you?"