<h4>Chapter 198: Why Is There Tension?</h4>


    The bell rang and Ang stirred awake. She tried to move but a sharp pain burned in her neck, forcing her hand up to squeeze the sore spot. It was the way she had slept, curled up awkwardly against the bed.


    She was still on the floor, her arm resting against the mattress for support. When her eyes drifted to the couch, her chest tightened. No one was there. The boys had left. It couldn’t have been long ago because she had barely slept. She remembered dozing off only around three in the morning.


    Ang pushed herself up slowly. Every bone in her body ached from the weight of yesterday. She hadn’t believed she would even find the strength to stand after everything that happened, but somehow she did.


    Her gaze fell to the bed and her heart sank. Kaito was still unconscious. She had hoped, prayed even, that he would be awake by morning. The boys had promised he would be fine, but here he was, still lost in sleep.


    Her hand hovered above him, tempted to touch, but fear from yesterday’s events held her back. She had to protect herself. She had to stay strong for her friends, for the pack depending on her.


    "Did I interrupt anything?" Alex’s voice came from the doorway.


    Ang pulled her hand back quickly. "No... wee," she murmured, trying to smile but failing. Her lips trembled with the effort.


    "You can go ahead and touch him," Alex said as he walked toward her. "It’s over. He’s back to normal."


    Her eyes widened. "Really?" She wanted to believe him. Alex was her best friend; he would never lie to her. With a shaky breath, she ced her hand on Kaito. Nothing happened. The storm she feared did not return. Her head snapped toward Alex, relief shining in her eyes.


    "I told you. Nothing will happen," Alex said with a gentle smile.


    Ang sat on the edge of the bed, her hand brushing Kaito’s face. His skin was no longer burning with fever, only cool and steady. The crushing weight on her chest eased, and she breathed deeper, lighter, as though a heavy chain had fallen away.


    He looked different now. Peaceful. His face carried no trace of the pain from hours before, and seeing him like this filled her with hope that everything would be alright.


    "You miss him?" Alex asked quietly.


    Her throat tightened. "Of course. He’s not just my mate... he’s been my roommate since the very first day I came to this academy. I owe him more than I can ever repay."


    Leaning down, Ang pressed a soft kiss to Kaito’s forehead before pulling back. She let her eyes sweep across the room one more time, confusion filling her. "Where is everyone? I fell asleep for a moment and when I woke up, no one was here."


    "Oh, the alphas? They went for a jog," Alex replied. He dropped himself onto the couch and motioned for her to join him. She sat down beside him, still looking puzzled. "The ban on the woods has been lifted, so the packs decided to run free again. We’ve been held back for too long and it’s not good for werewolves to be caged."


    Ang’s eyes widened. She stared at him in disbelief, unable to hide her shock. She expected more sense from Alex, not this.


    "Who lifted the ban?" she asked, her brows pulling together.


    "The authorities," he answered, though her question seemed to confuse him.


    "I see..." she bit her lip hard, her voice trembling with anger. "Why would they lift it when Evan’s killer has not even been found? Why am I asking you anyway? You never want to see that something is wrong."


    Alex shifted and looked at her firmly. "We all know Evan’s killer is Mr. de. He already ran away... it’s not like he had a choice. If he hadn’t, I’m sure my Alpha would have ripped his heart out," he said with pride.


    Ang rolled her eyes, frustration spilling out. "We stopped the investigation because we didn’t want to risk more lives, right?"


    "Yes, and because there’s nothing more to investigate," Alex insisted. He clearly didn’t want this argument, but she wasn’t letting it go.


    "Nothing more? Are you serious?" she shot back. "Dr. Dn is in my town, with that ridiculous hospital, scanning my people as if they are test subjects..."


    "They’re humans, Ang. I’m sure they’ll figure it out," Alex said. "Besides, we have elders in the kingdom. If there’s a problem, they’ll handle it."


    His tone left her stunned. She stared at him, her chest rising and falling as hurt filled her. "So that’s it? You’re just going to live like nothing happened... like nothing is happening... like nothing ever will?"


    Alex’s face softened, but his words stayed firm. "We are focusing on Kael and protecting you from Marcus. That’s all that matters right now." He reached for her hand, but she pulled it away before his fingers could touch her.


    "I understand you’re scared," he continued gently. "But nothing bad is going to happen. You need to focus on your mates and your bond with them. Once the harvest moones, you’ll carry the weight of a Luna. And not just for one pack... you’ll be standing for all of them."


    Ang wanted to argue more, but the door creaked open before she could speak. Stales peeked inside, then pushed the door wider when he saw them. He stepped in quickly, breaking the heavy air that lingered between her and Alex.


    "Why is there tension here? Did Alex say he wants to kiss you?" Stales teased, his eyes darting between them. The moment the words left his mouth, Alex’s face flushed red. He didn’t find the joke funny at all.


    ***


    Hello sweethearts,


    Tomorrow is our mass Release. I am working on the Chapters so you get them in the morning. Please be patient with me.


    Thank you for staying with me. We are going to hitting 200+ Chapters tomorrow. I am more than grateful for your support.