CHAPTER 47: ALEX ’S TO BE TRUSTED?

"Don’t you think they look cool?" Stales asked as he swayed his body slightly to the music. Angela already knew who he meant. Kaito and Alex. They stood near the third cabin, talking in low tones, while the rest of the students danced and drank and laughed like they had no worries.

"Alex doesn’t know how lucky he is," Stales added, eyes still fixed on the two boys.

"Because he is standing next to Kaito?" Angela asked, pretending to focus on the wolfscan she pulled from the cold cooler shared by their House. Her fingers were shaking a little, but she tried to hide it. She was nervous, but Stales was too busy admiring the scene to notice.

"N-no... yes, that too," he said with a smile. His whole face lit up just mentioning Kaito. "He’s Kaito’s Beta. You don’t understand how big that is."

Angela’s brows pulled together. She knew exactly what it was like to be close to Kaito. She shared a room with him. And she knew how cold, distant, and dangerously handsome he was. Sometimes he reminded her of the godfather in one of those dark Mafia stories—quiet, commanding, and unreadable.

"I wish I knew what they were talking about," she muttered, lowering herself into one of the wooden chairs and taking a slow sip from her drink. Her throat was dry. Not from thirst, but from fear.

What were Alex and Kaito discussing? Was it about her?

Angela tried not to think about the obstacle test field. But the memory kept crawling back. The fear. The rush. The way she had pulled Alex out so fast, so easily. It didn’t make sense. She hadn’t used strength. At least not the kind she knew she had. She didn’t even feel herself struggle. It just happened. Like something had taken over.

Was it because of that small prayer she whispered to the goddess before the test? Was that what gave her the power? Or was it her wolf—was her true strength finally waking up?

But even that left her with no answers.

The one person who could help her understand was Mighty Storm. But her wolf had been quiet all day. Almost like she didn’t want to be found.

Angela’s chest grew heavy. Maybe it was because she hadn’t had her first shift yet. Maybe that was why Mighty Storm was slipping in and out like a shadow. Or maybe... maybe it was something deeper.

Something she wasn’t ready to face yet.

Angela knew she couldn’t keep running from the truth. She had to start finding answers for herself. Who was her real father? Could he have been a wolf? Or was it her mother who had been hiding her true nature all this time? No... she doubted that. Not Grace. Grace was too open and a talkative. She didn’t feel like someone who carried such a big secret without spilling it out.

"A penny for your thoughts, buddy?" Stales said gently as he sat beside her. His eyes were full of concern. "What’s going on? You seem distant."

Angela was about to respond when her eyes met Taros across the field. Her heart skipped. She quickly looked away, biting the inside of her cheek. Another distraction. That was what he was. And right now, she didn’t need any more distractions. She needed to stay focused on herself.

"Oh I see... it’s him," Stales said, following her gaze. "He’s the cutest of the Alphas, no doubt. He looks soft, gentle even, but don’t be fooled. Taros flirts a lot."

Angela blinked and turned to him. Her cheeks were already warming. "Oh really? You said that before."

"I did. Just wait until the Luna Girls’ School visits. You’ll see how wild everyone gets," he said, not realizing how his words stung a little.

Angela looked again at Taros. He was now speaking with Kaito, his tone calm, his smile smooth. But every now and then, he stole a glance in her direction. Her heart tightened.

"What about Kaito?" she asked quietly. "Do you know if he has a girlfriend? Or someone named Kaine?"

"Kaito?" Stales raised a brow. "Why are you asking that?" He looked even more confused. "I don’t know anyone named Kaine. Honestly, no one knows much about Kaito. Maybe Taros and Alex know a little. But Kaito only shares what he wants people to know. The West Pack has always been secretive like that."

"I see..." Angela’s voice trailed off as a cold wave of fear passed through her. She had just spotted Alex leaving the group and walking toward them. Her chest tightened. She knew why he was coming. He was going to ask questions, and this time, he would not let her dodge them.

"How well do you know Alex?" she asked suddenly, turning back to Stales.

"Seriously?" Stales gave her a confused look. "He’s your friend, your seatmate, your packmate. Shouldn’t you know him better than I do?"

"You’ve been in this school much longer than I have. You should know him better. If he’s really good at keeping secrets..." Angela began.

"I already told you, the West Pack is best known for that," Stales replied without hesitation.

Angela knew he had won this round. There was no point pushing the conversation any further. Her heart dropped when she saw Alex approaching. He wasn’t smiling. He never smiled unless there was a reason, and tonight he looked even more serious than usual. It was supposed to be a fun night, but something heavy was written all over his face.

"We need to talk," Alex said, his voice calm but firm. He stood there, waiting for her to get up.

"What’s going on?" Stales asked, looking between them. He felt the change in the air, the sudden silence that wasn’t there before.

"We’ll find out soon. Angel is going to tell us everything tonight," Alex said without taking his eyes off her. The way he looked at her made her chest tighten. His frown was sharp, the kind a man wears when he feels deeply betrayed.

"What is he talking about?" Stales turned to her, eyes wide. He placed the wolfscan drink aside.

"We’re not talking here," Alex added before walking away. His steps were steady, like someone who already knew what he was going to do.

Angela’s hands were damp with sweat. Her heart was racing. She didn’t know exactly what Alex had figured out, from happened in the field. She got up slowly, Stales rising beside her. Together, they followed the path Alex had taken. It led behind the cabins, near the edge of the woods, where the music and laughter from the party could no longer be heard.

When they reached the quiet spot, Alex finally stopped. He turned to face them, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. The night air was cold, but it was the silence that made Angela shiver.

"Go ahead, Angel," Alex said, eyes locked on hers. "Tell us what’s going on. Who are you, really?"

She didn’t speak.

"If you dare lie to us," he continued, his voice colder than before, "I will go back there and tell everything to Alpha Kaito. I won’t care about our friendship or what happens to you after that."

So he didn’t tell Kaito? Angela felt a wave of relief. At least Alex was giving her a chance, a chance to redeem herself. She could see it in his eyes. He didn’t want to destroy their friendship. He was still holding on, waiting for her to come clean. But deep down, fear crept in again. Even if she told them now, would they keep her secret? Or would they run to Kaito the moment she turned her back?

"I’m dying of curiosity right now. Can we just skip all this and say what it is already?" Stales asked, his voice tired and confused. He wanted answers, not tension.

Angela didn’t think. She just closed her eyes and let the truth fall out. "I’m a girl. I disguised myself as a boy. No one knows."

Silence. Nothing but silence.

Her chest rose and fell quickly as panic set in. Her hands shook like she had just confessed to the whole school and not just to two people. Still, there was no reaction. No shouts. No insults. No anger. Nothing.

She opened her eyes slowly, heart pounding, only to meet the most stunned expressions she had ever seen. Both Stales and Alex were frozen. Their mouths hung open, their eyes stretched wide like they had seen a ghost. Not a word left their lips. They looked like statues.

Angela stood there, not knowing what to do. They didn’t move for what felt like forever.

"I know it’s crazy," she said softly, her voice trembling, "and hard to believe. But I had to do it. My family... they were going to sell me off like I was nothing. Like I was something to trade. I got expelled from my last school, and I had no other way out. I didn’t want the life my mother has. I didn’t want to be like her. I wanted something different."

Her words cracked at the end as tears finally slipped from her eyes. She didn’t try to stop them. She had just scared the only two people who truly mattered in her life at this moment. She had broken something, and there was no fixing it now.

This was it. The end of the road.