Alpha's mate is a male?!?-Chapter 180: I’m On My Way.

A knock echoes through the dimly lit room, pulling Kieran from his sleep.

His golden eyes flicker open, narrowing slightly in irritation.

Beside him, Ace stirs, his body warm against the sheets. Billie, the tiny bundle of mischief, is nestled against Ace’s chest, his tiny fingers clutching the fabric of Ace’s sleepwear.

Ace groans, his voice thick with sleep. "Is it morning already?" he mutters, his face buried in the pillow.

Kieran sighs, running a hand through his dark, tousled hair. "Seems like it. Who the hell is knocking at this hour?" His voice is edged with annoyance as he swings his legs off the bed, his bare feet hitting the cool wooden floor.

He stalks toward the door, his shoulders tense.

The door creaks open, revealing a servant standing anxiously in the hallway. The young man bows slightly, his expression tight with unease. "Alpha, I apologize for disturbing you so early, but the other alphas and elders have arrived here. They say they must speak with you immediately."

Kieran’s frown deepens. A visit this early and from alphas could only mean trouble. "Understood," he mutters, his voice rough. He shuts the door, exhaling as he turns back inside.

Before he can move further, another knock interrupts him. This time, it’s Billie’s babysitter.

The young woman shifts on her feet, clearly nervous. "I... uh... I came to take the baby. He needs to be cleaned up."

Kieran steps aside, watching as she gently lifts the sleeping child.

Billie lets out a small, sleepy whimper but doesn’t wake as she carries him out of the room.

Kieran lingers by the door for a moment before finally shutting it.

Ace is now fully awake, sitting up with his tousled curls falling over his forehead. He watches Kieran with a questioning look. "What’s up?"

Kieran exhales sharply, rubbing the back of his neck. "The elders and alphas are here." He scoffs. "Who knows what they want now."

Ace’s brows knit together, concern flickering across his face. Kieran steps forward, leaning down to press a lingering kiss to Ace’s forehead before brushing the back of his fingers against his cheek. "How did you sleep?" he asks, his voice softer now.

Ace smiles, his fingers grazing Kieran’s wrist. "Perfectly. What about you?"

Kieran smirks. "Like never before." He moves to climb back into bed, his hands already reaching for Ace, but Ace stops him with a firm press of his palm against Kieran’s chest.

"We have to hear what they want," Ace reminds him, though his voice lacks conviction.

Kieran groans but relents, standing back and offering Ace a hand.

Together, they freshen up in the bathroom, washing away the remnants of sleep.

Kieran steals a few lingering kisses, his lips brushing over Ace’s as if he’s memorizing the taste.

Ace laughs softly, but when Kieran refuses to let go, he gently pushes him away.

"Later," Ace promises, his fingers briefly caressing Kieran’s jaw.

Reluctantly, Kieran lets him go, and the two dress swiftly before making their way to the grand hall.

~The grand hall is already filled with tension by the time Kieran and Ace step inside.

The alphas and elders stand in clusters, their hushed murmurs swirling through the air like an impending storm.

Sunlight filters through the high windows, casting elongated shadows on the polished marble floor.

As Kieran and Ace approach, the room falls into an uneasy silence. All eyes turn to them, some respectful, others wary.

Lucian steps forward first, his expression unreadable. "Good morning," he says, his voice level.

Responses come back immediately.

One of the elder alphas, a broad-shouldered man with graying hair, steps forward.

His name is Aldric, a seasoned leader who had seen far too many wars and betrayals. "Alpha Kieran, and Ace, we wanted to first acknowledge the way you have handled the conflicts between wolves and humans, even if it isn’t over yet." he says, his voice measured. "Your leadership has been... careful. Thoughtful. For that, we are grateful."

Kieran remains still, his posture unwavering. He knows a prelude when he hears one. They are not here to shower him with praise.

"But," Aldric continues, and there it is, the inevitable ’but.’ "We have come to discuss a matter of grave concern."

A ripple of agreement spreads through the assembly. Another alpha, a sharp-eyed woman named Orla, steps forward. "The child," she states coldly, her gaze shifting to Ace before landing back on Kieran. "Rehan’s blood runs through his veins."

Ace stiffens beside Kieran, his fists clenching at his sides.

Aldric nods. "You know what Rehan did. You all do. He left scars that have yet to heal. The suffering he caused us, the lives he took, including VeilWalkers; Marsel and Elira... How can we trust that his offspring won’t grow to be the same? Blood is thick, and it flows through the ancestors. Rehan was a beast, he made us restless even though he was our own kind, we don’t want this to happen again."

A murmur of agreement sweeps through the hall. freewёbnoνel.com

Orla’s gaze sharpens. "We cannot allow the child to remain among us. Better clean the mess instead of waiting for it to become uncontrollable."

Kieran’s hands flex at his sides, his wolf stirring with barely contained rage. "So you have been holding secret meetings talking about this?! Well, first, I say that’s so disrespectful. If you had something... you should have just come and say it to us! And about the baby. If you want to exile an innocent baby then that’s never going to happen. He is in my pack, and that’s my problem, not anyone’s else. Here, he will grow up under good and strict guidance. This is the end of this discussion, I don’t want to hear it. Again." His voice is deceptively calm, but the undercurrent of danger is unmistakable.

Orla does not waver. "Alpha..."

Ace’s voice is like a blade, cutting through the tension. "No one is touching him, that’s it."

A heavy silence falls over the hall. No one confirms it, but their refusal to deny it speaks volumes.

Ace takes a step forward, his presence dominating the space. "Why are you people being so heartless?! He is just a baby." he says, his voice low and edged. "And he is not his father. He is not Rehan." His eyes turn golden, sweeping across the room. "If you believe blood determines fate, then tell me, how many of you come from lineages with dark pasts? How many of you have ancestors who committed atrocities?"

A few alphas shift uncomfortably, but no one speaks.

Ace moves beside Kieran, his voice steady but filled with quiet fury. "My parents died, not exactly because of Rehan, but yes, Rehan was the one who caused the chaos. But I don’t they would want their deaths to justify killing a child? They fought for peace, not vengeance."

Aldric’s expression tightens. "We are not asking for vengeance. We are ensuring the safety of our kind."

Kieran steps even closer, his presence suffocating. "You will not touch him, I don’t know how many times you want me to say this." he growls, his alpha command thrumming in his voice.

The energy in the room shifts, some wolves bristle at the weight of his dominance, while others bow their heads in reluctant submission.

Orla narrows her eyes. "You are making a mistake, Alpha Kieran."

Kieran doesn’t hesitant answering back. "And you are overstepping."

For a moment, the standoff holds, heavy and unyielding. Then, Aldric exhales sharply, glancing at the other alphas. "I don’t mean to question you, Alpha Kieran. But this is not just about your pack, it’s about the wolf world." he says.

"Am done talking about this. As I said, I’ll make sure nothing of the sort happens because Billie will grow under our care and guidance, he is ou..." suddenly Kieran’s phone rings, cutting him. He looks at the screen, only to realize it’s from work. "Sorry, I have to leave, I hope we’re clear on everything we just talked about."

He says, taking Ace’s hand walking out.

The moment they get in the room, Kieran’s phone ring again.

He picks up his phone, pressing it to his ear. The second the call connects, a lady’s voice cuts through.

"Sir, I know you haven’t fully recovered, but we have a serious problem. We might need your help here."

His jaw tightens. "What is it?"

"Mass deaths. Multiple victims. Different locations. No signs of forced entry. No weapons. No struggle. And..." the officer hesitates, his breathing uneven, "no cause of death."

Kieran frowns. "What do you mean, no cause of death?"

"I mean, sir... they’re just dead."

His grip on the phone tightens. "That’s not possible, there must be someone or something."

"I know. But it’s happening. No wounds. No suffocation. No toxins in the preliminary scans. It’s like they just... stopped existing."

A heavy silence fills the space. Ace, watching Kieran’s expression shift, sits up straighter. "What’s wrong?"

Kieran doesn’t answer. His mind is already working, trying to piece together something that makes sense. It doesn’t.

"The reports are coming in from different districts, sir. People are dying in their homes, at work, on the street... just dropping dead. No one sees anything. No one hears anything. One second they’re fine, the next... gone."

Kieran presses his fingers to his temple, a slow, creeping sense of dread settling in.

This wasn’t just a killer. This was something else.

He exhales sharply, grabbing his jacket. "I’m on my way."