CHAPTER 49: MAYBE I’M IN LOVE-HIRO!

Renn stepped into the party venue. He hated parties. That was one of the reasons he almost didn’t show up, even though Kaito had sent him an invitation. They weren’t friends, not really. But still, they couldn’t deny the truth—they were brothers. Born of different mothers, raised in different packs, yet chosen by the moon goddess for a purpose bigger than any of them.

And he hadn’t forgotten. The bond that would unite them wasn’t blood, but a woman. Their mate. Whoever she was, she had managed to turn their lives upside down without even trying.

"Renn," Taros called, his voice cutting through the noise. He stood near the corner, eyes scanning the crowd.

Renn walked over, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. The air felt strange. He knew they had all felt it. Something wasn’t right, though none of them could explain it.

"You got it too?" Taros asked, his eyes no longer red but their natural shade of blue again.

"I did. That’s why I came," Renn replied. His voice was calm, but his thoughts were restless. "Do you think it’s about her? Our mate? Maybe she’s in trouble."

For a moment, none of them spoke. The silence wasn’t empty—it was heavy. None of them wanted to talk about that night. Each one believed the others didn’t know she had been there. Each one hoped to be the first to reach her.

"I don’t know. Did you get anything else?" Kaito asked, and this time there was worry in his voice.

"No..." Renn trailed off. His eyes had fallen on Angel. A sudden cold wave rushed through him. It made his heart pound for a reason he didn’t understand. Why now? Why him? The feeling didn’t sit right. He frowned and quickly turned away from the boy.

"We won’t know anything until we look around," Renn said. "She could be somewhere close."

"I doubt it," Taros said quietly. He couldn’t catch her scent. The only trace left was what clung faintly to Angel. And even that was fading. Without her scent, finding their mate would be nearly impossible. And tonight wasn’t even a full moon—their chances were slipping through their fingers.

A small voice broke their focus.

"Is something wrong?"

The three Alphas turned to find the little boy standing there, his eyes full of curiosity.

Renn stared down at him. He was taller than the boy, yet something about Angel’s confidence made Renn pause. Most students in the Academy avoided him. But this boy? He didn’t flinch. He didn’t back away. It was like fear didn’t live in his heart.

"It’s none of your business," Renn replied sharply, though his eyes lingered longer than they should.

He studied the boy more closely. As Angel stepped closer, Renn noticed the softness of his features. The pink lips. The delicate skin. There was something too gentle... too beautiful.

And for a second, Renn’s mind slipped.

He liked those lips.

He wanted them.

What the hell?

His jaw clenched.

No. He wasn’t supposed to think like that.

Damn it, Renn. What’s wrong with you?

Stop it.

Just stop.

"I want..." Angel began, but Taros cut in, his voice calm but firm.

"Renn is right. You should stay out of this. We can handle it."

Angela felt her heart racing. If they didn’t let her speak, she was going to snap. Could it be that they already knew this had something to do with Hiro? She couldn’t sit still. She couldn’t stay quiet. The fear inside her was growing.

"I know why—"

"Boy, do you want to put on another show?" Renn asked, glancing around with a mocking smirk. He was clearly talking about what happened on Initiation night.

"Stop scaring him, Renn," Kaito said, stepping between them. He turned to Angel, trying to sound patient. "Say what you want to say and leave. We’re in the middle of something important."

"Where is Hiro?" Angela asked, not wasting time. Her voice was clear and direct. It was a question that should have come up earlier, but none of them had even noticed Hiro was missing.

The Alphas looked around as if just realizing he wasn’t there. They exchanged confused glances like they expected Hiro to walk in any moment.

"Strange. He should have been here by now. Or maybe he didn’t get the signal?" Renn said, pulling out his phone. The others did the same. He dialed Hiro’s number. It rang. No answer. He tried again. Still nothing.

"This isn’t right. He always answers his phone," Taros said, and for the first time, there was fear in his eyes.

"Exactly. He wouldn’t miss this," Renn added, starting to pace restlessly.

"I saw him last in the field," Angela said, her voice low but urgent. She knew Hiro would have come looking for her by now if he could. Something was wrong. Something deep in her chest was screaming it. "Is there someone else we can call? A close friend? His roommate?"

"Let me try Kael. He should know something," Kaito said, trying to stay calm. But when he called, the result was the same. No answer.

Angela couldn’t hold it anymore. Her chest tightened. Her breath came fast.

"Can’t you all see it? Something bad has happened to him!" she cried. Her voice shook with emotion. She didn’t even care if they saw through her disguise.

The thought of Hiro in danger made her stomach turn. Her eyes burned with tears she was too proud to let fall. Why did it hurt this much? Was it because he was her mate? Was that why she couldn’t breathe?

****

Kael could not move at first. He stayed low, eyes glowing gold as he watched his alpha groan in pain. His body trembled with rage, but he couldn’t act yet. Whoever that security man was, he wasn’t just anyone. There was something different about him. He wasn’t human. He had come prepared, almost like he had been waiting for them. This place had been guarded against their kind.

Kael’s heart pounded. He wasn’t afraid to fight, not even close. But Hiro was down. Bleeding. Struggling to breathe. If Kael made one wrong move, he might not be able to save him. So he forced himself to think. Carefully. Quickly. Even as every part of him wanted to shift and tear that man apart, he held back. His wolf was howling, ready to break free. But Kael couldn’t let anger cloud his mind. Not now.

Then it hit him.

Quietly, he slid to the driver’s seat. The guard didn’t seem to notice. Maybe he thought Hiro came alone. That would explain why he wasn’t watching the car. And the bright headlights were working in Kael’s favor. The man couldn’t see inside.

The engine was still running. Hiro hadn’t turned it off when he got out. Kael silently thanked the moon goddess for that. It was their only chance now. If the man had weapons that could harm an alpha, then who knows what else he had on him. Or worse, maybe he wasn’t alone. There could be others hiding nearby.

This was not the time to fight. It was the time to protect.

Kael tightened his grip on the steering wheel. His chest burned with panic. Hiro was still lying there, and the man kept talking like he had already won. Kael didn’t care what the bastard was saying. None of it mattered.

With one deep breath, Kael stepped on the reverse pedal. The sound of the car moving caught the man’s attention. Maybe he thought Kael was running away.

Idiot.

Kael would never leave his alpha behind. He would rather die right here than turn his back on him.

Without a second thought, he slammed on the brake and shifted forward. The tires screamed as he drove straight at the man with everything he had. The gun was almost up, but it was too late.

Kael hit him.

The man flew into the wall with a force that cracked the night. The impact was hard and ugly. Even if he survived, he would never walk the same way again.

Kael quickly got out of the car and rushed to help Hiro. It wasn’t easy. Hiro was badly injured, barely able to move, but he was still awake and tried to lift himself with what little strength he had.

With effort, Kael managed to get him into the passenger seat. Once Hiro was in, Kael ran around and jumped back into the driver’s seat. He didn’t waste a second before speeding out of the public school compound. The way he drove, anyone watching would think a thousand wolf hunters were after them.

"Arhhhg," Hiro groaned, his face twisted in pain as he clutched his chest. The bullet had hit too close to his heart. That was why he felt so weak, like his strength was slipping away with every second.

"I’ll drive faster," Kael said, pressing harder on the pedal. If he could just get him to the Academy, they could get help. Someone would know what to do. Someone would save him.

"I can’t reach the others," Hiro said through clenched teeth. "No matter how hard I try... I think the poison is blocking my link."

Kael didn’t respond. He gripped the steering wheel tighter, eyes locked on the road. His chest felt heavy. He had always known the Alphas were strong, but this? That moon-etched bullet had nearly ended Hiro. If it was him, Kael in that situation, he would have died right there.

But Hiro was still trying. Still holding on. Still reaching for the others.

"I don’t want Angel to see me like this when we get back," Hiro said quietly as he leaned back into the seat. Blood was soaking through his shirt, slowly staining the cushion beneath him.

Kael turned his head for a second, stunned. "Are you serious right now? You’re bleeding out, and all you care about is what Angel sees? This is exactly why you’re lying here like this. Your obsession with him is going to kill you. Stop acting like you’re in love."

"Maybe I am," Hiro said with a faint laugh, then coughed hard. His body shook with the effort.

They had just left Angel’s hometown behind. If Kael kept this speed, they could make it to Mistvale in an hour.

But deep down, Kael was scared.

Would Hiro survive long enough to get there?