CHAPTER 72: THE BLACK VAN.

"You think I’m buying this?" Mr. Slade asked as he leaned back in his chair, rocking it slightly while pressing the pen cap against his lips. Kaito wished he could walk up to him and shove that pen down his throat, but no. The rules were clear. No laying hands on teachers. A stupid rule, but still a rule.

"We meant it," Kaito said, tilting his head to glance at the boys he had dragged into the office. They looked pathetic, eyes lowered, faces heavy with guilt. They even had Kaito fooled for a second. If he hadn’t been the one who planned the whole act of fake apology, he might have believed them himself. "The boys are truly sorry. That’s why I brought them here. I want this to end in a mature way... without violence."

Mr. Slade studied them quietly for a moment, then shook his head. "I don’t buy it. These same boys came to my office an hour ago—before I called you and Renn. I thought they were coming to apologize then. But no. They refused."

He sat forward suddenly and pointed at Alex. "This one right here told me he wasn’t wrong and wouldn’t apologize. So what changed? Do you think I’m that easy to fool?"

Kaito looked at Alex, who looked like he was about to cry. It took everything in him not to laugh out loud, but he stayed in character. "I’m apologizing on their behalf because—"

"That’s exactly why I don’t believe you," Mr. Slade cut in, chuckling bitterly before going stone cold. "You? You never say sorry, not even when you’re clearly wrong. And now you’re here playing the hero? This whole thing is a performance, isn’t it? Just another show from the famous Alpha of the West Pack."

"No, it’s not about me," Kaito said, his jaw tightening. He was doing everything to stay calm, for Angel’s sake. If not for him, he would have already flipped the whole room upside down. "I told them they can’t just go around fighting and hurting people because they think they’re right. That’s not strength. That’s foolishness."

"Where is the main villain of the story?" Mr. Slade looked around the room, clearly searching for Angel. He already knew the boy hadn’t come to apologize. He had seen the stubbornness in his eyes earlier. "See? He’s not even here. And he’s the one who punched our poor Evan."

"His name is Angel," Kaito replied, trying not to let his voice rise. "He got sick after everything that happened today, so I told him to stay back and rest."

He wished Mr. Slade would just take the apology and let them go. The more he talked, the more Kaito felt like screaming. Was this man actually enjoying the sound of his own voice?

Mr. Slade made a long sound of thought and stared at the two boys in front of him. They had apologized as soon as they walked in. Maybe that should be enough.

"Alright. I accept the apology," he finally said. "But you’ll both make a video apologizing to Evan Thatcher. Once I get it, I’ll cancel the deduction of points from your houses. What do you say?"

The boys were ready to protest, but Kaito quickly raised a hand to stop them. He forced himself to smile and spoke with a tone that barely passed as respectful. "Sure. They’ll do it tomorrow morning. A big sorry to Evan. He didn’t deserve what happened."

"Exactly, Kaito," Mr. Slade said as he opened a file on his desk. "Now, until then, please leave my office."

Kaito’s hands clenched at his sides. His nails dug into his palms as the man’s words sank in. The disrespect was clear. Mr. Slade would never dare speak to him like that if not for this situation. But just as his eyes began to glow, he noticed Mr. Slade looking up. He blinked fast, and the glow faded.

He didn’t say another word. He waited for the boys to walk out first, then followed them.

Once he stepped outside, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. The air felt better out here. He had felt like choking in there. The whole room had been heavy with tension.

"Now I understand why you don’t like him," Alex said as they walked down the stairs. He hated that he had brought this whole mess to his Alpha and the pack. "I’m sorry."

"It’s okay, as long as you don’t act reckless again," Kaito replied as they stepped out of the Academic building. He was about to say more when his eyes caught something odd—Principal Valois standing with a few men in black suits. It looked like their meeting had just ended because a black van pulled up, and the men got into it.

Principal Valois spoke to them for a few seconds before the van began to move. At first, it crawled like every normal vehicle leaving the school gates, but then, within moments, it sped off like it was carrying someone in critical condition.

Kaito frowned. He had never seen those men before. Sure, people came and went from the principal’s office, but something about this felt different. The Alphas on the board were always introduced to new members, and if there had been a change, they would have received a message. He didn’t get one. That meant his brothers didn’t either.

"Who are those people?" Stales asked, watching the van disappear down the road.

"I have no idea," Kaito said, shaking his head. He turned to head in the direction of Principal Valois when Alex’s voice made him stop.

"I’ve seen that van before," Alex said, his voice suddenly low. A cold feeling rushed through him. Goosebumps rose on his arms as he stared after the van. "It was the same van that came the night my dad died. My mom screamed and chased after it. She was terrified after they left."

"Your dad is late?" Stales asked, surprised. They hadn’t really spoken about personal things before. Now he wished they had.

Kaito placed a hand gently on Alex’s shoulder. He had gone through something so painful at a young age. "That was years ago and you still remember the van?"

"Why not?" Alex said, his brows pulling together. "I even remember the face of the first man who knocked on our door. Things got worse after they came. Mom never told us what they said, but after they left, she changed."

"I’m sorry," Kaito said with true concern.

"If you ask me, I think they had something to do with my dad’s death."

Kaito nodded "I also don’t think this is just a coincidence. I think the people who came in that van... they’re connected to Hiro’s attack. And I don’t think this is over. They came for us too."