CHAPTER 69: WHO IS THE SUSPECT?

Renn headed straight to the South House after leaving Angela’s classroom. He hadn’t been able to check on Hiro the day before because of his packed schedule. Aside from his regular duties, he had to take combat classes for the Junior students. The other three Alphas were also instructors, but their classes weren’t scheduled yet. For now, everything was on his shoulders.

When he reached the room, he knocked, and Kael opened the door. They exchanged greetings, and Renn walked in, heading straight for the bed where Hiro was lying.

"I know what’s in that thick skull of yours. Don’t you dare say it," Hiro warned, already guessing what Renn wanted to say.

"I’m going to say it anyway," Renn replied with a small laugh as he sank into the couch. He looked at his friend and shook his head, "You look like shit."

"I told you not to say it," Hiro sighed and tried to sit up. "It’s all because of that damn bullet. And Taros didn’t help either."

"How did he contribute to this?" Renn asked, confused. As far as he knew, Taros was the reason Hiro was still alive.

"If only he didn’t make it seem like I’m helpless, none of you would be babying me right now," Hiro explained, rubbing his forehead. "He won’t even let me step out of bed. Thinks I’ll drop dead the moment I walk through that door."

"You need rest. He’s right," Kael added from where he stood near the door.

"Wow, thank you for the motivation," Hiro replied sarcastically, flashing Kael a fake smile before turning back to Renn. "By the way, Taros left a scar on me. A huge one. Can you tell him to get rid of it? Girls are going to keep asking me questions about it."

"Let them ask. It makes you look more dangerous," Renn teased, chuckling softly. "It’s beautiful on you."

"You’re not my brother. None of you are. You’re all my enemies," Hiro muttered, shaking his head.

"I really missed you, bro," Renn said, his tone softer this time. Hiro was one of the few people who could make him laugh no matter what. His jokes, his energy, his reckless honesty—he was more than a friend. He was like a brother. They fought sometimes, argued over little things, but Renn would always pick Hiro over anyone else. Even family.

"That bullet almost got my heart," Hiro said suddenly. He sat up straighter and placed a hand over his chest. "It landed right here."

"So sorry you had to go through that alone, bro," Renn said softly. His voice was low but filled with guilt. He hated the fact that he wasn’t there when Hiro needed him. "Tell me, where exactly did you go that landed you in such big trouble?"

Hiro’s face changed. His eyes drifted from Renn to Kael and then back to the ceiling. He knew they weren’t going to stop until he gave them something. At least something close to the truth.

"I don’t want to lie to you," Hiro finally said. "But I also don’t want to talk about it."

Renn frowned. He leaned forward, his voice firm but not angry. "This is serious, Hiro. Why are you hiding it? You almost died, for fuck’s sake. Don’t you care? About yourself? About how this could affect the rest of us?"

Hiro rolled his eyes and let out a slow breath. "Stop being dramatic. I was going to tell you anyway."

"Then talk," Renn said. He didn’t raise his voice, but there was something about his tone that demanded answers.

Hiro looked him in the eye. "We left Mistvale. We went to Angel’s town."

Renn’s jaw tightened. He was not expecting that. His mind raced. Angela’s town? Why?

"To his former school," Hiro added, watching Renn’s face closely.

Renn felt his chest tighten. He almost asked why the hell Hiro would go digging, but he stopped himself. He remembered how much they wanted to know about Angela when she first came to the Academy.

Now, he didn’t want that.

Still, he had to know. "What did you find?"

"Bullets," Hiro said, placing a hand on the scar across his chest. "A guard shot at me the moment I stepped out of the car. No questions. No warnings. Just straight fire."

"He didn’t even let him walk closer to the gate," Kael added, arms folded.

Renn’s mouth went dry. What the hell was going on? Why would a school guard open fire like that?

Hiro shook his head slowly. "At first, I wanted to believe it was a mistake. Maybe he thought I was a threat. It was dark. Maybe he panicked. But that’s not what happened,"

"Let’s just say he knew we were coming," Kael said, stepping closer to the bed as they spoke. "I mean, who guards a public school in that kind of town? It’s almost abandoned."

"It’s not even a boarding school," Hiro added, clearly annoyed. "The school doesn’t have any official security. I made my research before we went there. That’s the reason I didn’t take any weapons with me. We weren’t going to fight...we just wanted to check a few records."

Renn sat in silence. He didn’t know what to say anymore. He was listening to stories about his own girlfriend, and none of it sounded real. But Hiro wasn’t someone who would lie—not to him. Still, it all sounded too strange.

"When that guard shot at me," Hiro continued, "he said I shouldn’t have come there. That’s all he said before I passed out."

Renn swallowed hard. He didn’t know how to feel. His girlfriend was in the center of all this, and somehow, someone ended up nearly dying. Why? What exactly was Angel hiding? And if she wasn’t hiding anything, then who was doing this behind her back?

"Are you sure about what the guard said?" Renn asked.

"I’m very sure. I was bleeding and in pain, but I heard him clearly," Hiro replied. "Why would I lie to you?"

Renn dragged his hands over his face. "This is messed up," he muttered. "I don’t even know what to think anymore. Why would anyone want to hurt you just because you went to his old school?"

"That’s the thing," Hiro said. "It doesn’t make sense unless someone knew we were coming. The way everything happened... It felt planned."

Renn was quiet again, his thoughts racing. "Did anyone else know you were going after Angel’s past?"

"Kaito knew," Hiro said. "But I didn’t talk to him directly about it. I told Angel. I asked him questions."

"And what did he say?"

"He told me there’s no connection between him and Kaito. Said he had nothing to hide."

"That’s all?"

Hiro paused, as if something else had just come to mind. "Wait. Principal Valois. She knows too. And she threatened me."

Renn’s head jerked up. "No. She wouldn’t do that."

"You’re the one who hates her. And now you’re defending her?" Hiro looked at him with surprise. "That’s strange, bro. I’ve asked you so many times why you hate her so much, and you’ve never told me. It’s not just about school, is it?"

Before Renn could say a word to explain himself, his phone rang. It was a call from Mr. Slade, asking him to come to his office. He had no idea why he was been called but hope it was no trouble.