<h4>Chapter 191: The Signal.</h4>


    The door opened just as they were about to leave. Renn stood there, surprised to see her ready to go when he had told her to wait.


    "Where are you going?" he asked, closing the door behind him. He kicked off his shoes and walked to her. "I thought we agreed you would wait for me."


    "I changed my mind. My ss starts in less than ten minutes," Ang said, reaching for her shoes. Renn did not move. He stepped in front of her, his eyes fixed on her. She swallowed, feeling the steady rise of the heat between them. "I am at odds with your brother. If I amte, he will be worse."


    Renn put his hand under her chin and lifted her face. Stales looked away before he pressed a soft kiss to her lips. Ang closed her eyes and let the small, warm touch hold her for a moment. She wanted to stay, but her sses mattered.


    "Kaito told Samuel to handle it," Renn said when their lips parted. He sounded calm, but she could hear the edge in his voice. "Kaito is not in the right ce to help you."


    "He is so angry he does not want to see me," Ang said, rubbing a hand around her neck. She did not know how long this silence wouldst. The distance from them was already tearing at her. "Is this how it will be now? I do not want to lose them."


    "Babe, breathe," Renn said, slipping an arm around her waist and pulling her into a safe hold. He rested his chin on her head and she felt his heartbeat steady against her. "I will help. I will talk to them. We will fix this."


    "Are you really going to help me?" Ang asked, looking up into his green eyes. She searched his face, unsure if he was sincere or only trying to calm her.


    "Why would I not?" he murmured, kissing her forehead. His answer was simple, but itnded deep inside her.


    Ang froze, surprised that he had agreed so easily. She pulled back from his arms and searched his green eyes, desperate to see if he was lying. "You really mean it? I can’t believe this, Renn. What happened to ’I can’t share you with anyone, you’re mine alone’?"


    "Do I sound that bad?" Rennughed, mimicking the tone she used.


    She chuckled softly. "Maybe... I’m not sure."


    "Wow. Well, I never wanted to share you. But the goddess made it this way, and the more I try to keep you only to myself, the more it hurts you. You’re tied to them too, and you want them. If I truly love you, I have to let it happen."


    Ang was stunned. Was this because of the bond they now shared? It had to be. Without it, Renn would never have allowed her to go back to the others. After iming her, he had changed. He shared in her feelings, and instead of making her suffer, he chose to take the pain himself.


    "I promise to help you win them back," Renn said firmly. "I know what each of them likes, what they want. I can use that to—"


    "Make it easy?" she asked quickly.


    He shook his head. "No. It won’t be easy. But if we do it together, we’ll get a good result in the end."


    Her chest tightened, and she threw her arms around him again. "Thank you, Renn." She pulled back and nced at Stales, who was glued to his phone like nothing around him mattered. "Can we go now, buddy?"


    "Yes, ma," he replied, getting up from the seat and heading for the door.


    Her brows lifted. He called her ma? Ang wanted to ask him why, but she let it go.


    Outside the east house, a group of boys were wrestling on the ground,ughing and shouting like children. They were so caught up in it that they didn’t notice her or Stales slipping away, and she was grateful for that.


    When they reached the sportingplex, Stales finally looked at her. "You’ve improved with swimming, but it’s still not good enough if you want high marks." He opened his locker and pulled out a swimming short and a cap.


    "Is it really that bad?" Ang frowned as she sat on a chair and began removing her shoes. The examiners had to understand she was new at all this.


    "Not too bad," Stales said, his tone calmer. "But you have at least two more days before the test. You can still improve."


    She nodded, determination shining in her eyes as she got back on her feet.


    Ang went to her locker and pulled out her swimming outfit before heading into the changing room. When she came out a few minutester, she saw Stales already in the pool area with Samuel, the two of them deep into training.


    "Alex isn’t here," Ang said quietly as she walked over. Her eyes softened when she looked at Samuel. "Hi, Sam."


    "Luna, how are you?" Samuel greeted her with a warm smile.


    Ang wasn’t surprised that he knew the truth about her. He was Renn’s roommate after all, and it would have been easy for him to figure it out. Still, she felt a sting of embarrassment at being called Luna so openly. "I’m doing great," she answered softly.


    "Good. Then let’s start now, so you can finish early and get some rest," Samuel said. He was calm and patient, a good tutor in every way, and she always enjoyed his sses. Yet it still wasn’t the same as learning with Kaito.


    Her chest ached at the thought. If only her mate would set aside his anger and walk through that door, it would have been enough for her. But he didn’t. She kept her eyes on the door through the entire lesson, hoping, waiting, and silently praying. He never came.


    When the training ended, Stales offered to walk her back to her dormitory. Ang hesitated but agreed, though a small part of her wondered if it was the right choice.


    "Are you scared?" Stales asked gently when they got close to the West house.


    "Just a little," Ang admitted, her steps quickening. "But it’s going to be fine. I’ll try my best and whatever the oue is, I’ll face it. The rest, I’ll leave to fate."


    Stales gave her a look that held quiet support. "Good. I’m d you understand. Just stay calm. We’ll get through this."


    *******


    Marcus went through the list of pictures of the girls sent to him. His men could onlye up with a rough sketch of his daughter. He searched each face, hoping to find something that looked like her, but it was hard to tell.


    "Do you need help with it?" Eliza asked, standing a few steps away. Her master sat at the long dining table in the Malynster mansion, his hazel eyes locked on the phone in his hand. He did not answer her, and she dared not press further.


    Eliza stayed quiet, waiting. She knew better than to test his patience, because his anger was not something she ever wanted to face. Ten minutes passed before she spoke again, her voice soft and her eyes lowered. "If there is nothing I..."


    "Don’t be stupid, Eliza," Marcus cut her off, finally raising his head. "Can you stay silent for at least four minutes?"


    Her eyes widened. She had been waiting longer than that already. "Forgive me, master," she whispered.


    Marcus ignored her. His hand brushed over his lips as he sighed. Something was wrong. He had hunted down his strongest enemies wherever they hid, but now he could not even find a girl of seventeen. Was the information wrong?


    The thought made his blood boil. He hated that anger, because when it came, no one around him was safe. Rising to his feet, he scrolled through the pictures again and again, but none of them matched the image of his daughter.


    Rage broke through him. He gripped the edge of the white cloth covering the table and yanked it. tes, sses, and food crashed to the floor with a loud shatter. His growl filled the hall as his eyes glowed and his fangs pushed through.


    Then, the crescent mark on his hand lit up. The anger in his face shifted into sudden joy. He lifted his arm and smiled.


    A young woman appeared, her long dark hair falling to her knees. She wore ck trousers, a shirt, and boots. The crescent mark on her neck glowed as she moved closer. "Did you feel that, blood?"


    "I did," Marcus answered with augh. "Do you know what this means, Belleza?"


    "It’s her," Belleza said with a smile as she folded her arms. "She has been imed by one of her mates. Can you feel it? You should."


    "Yes, but it’s faint," Marcus admitted.


    "I can’t feel her. Maybe it’s because I’m her aunt."


    "That must be it," Marcus said, his eyes darkening. "But now I am sure of one thing. My daughter is still in Mistvale."


    "Then what are you waiting for? Tell the others so we can find her," Belleza urged. She wondered why he was still keeping it from the rest of the family. What could be his reason?