Alpha's mate is a male?!?-Chapter 109: "They Wanted To Take You!"

"Excuse me, and who exactly are you?" Kieran’s voice cuts through the thick air like a blade, deep and commanding, carrying the unmistakable authority of an Alpha.

The teasing and laughter from earlier are long gone_ what stands here now is a leader, unwavering and fierce.

His golden eyes gleam under the moonlight, sharp as daggers as he stares at the intruders.

The leader of the witches steps forward, their dark robes shifting like liquid shadow.

Their face remains eerily calm, but their voice holds the weight of fury restrained. "We are the Noctis Coven, the keepers of balance, the wielders of the arcane. We are here for justice!" Their words echo through the courtyard, ringing with power and conviction.

Their gaze lands on Ace, eyes narrowing with barely veiled contempt. "He killed our kind! Not one, not two, but three!" The leader’s voice rises, raw with accusation.

Behind them, the other witches murmur in agreement, their resentment filling the night like a thick fog.

Ace clenches his fists, feeling the heat of Kieran’s presence beside him.

Kieran scoffs, stepping closer. "Your kind has been distracting our peace! In fact every problem we’ve had is all about the witches! _manipulating, deceiving, taking lives without remorse. And now, you stand here playing victims? Your kind intruded, and if there’s anyone to look for Justice...? It’s us!" His voice is sharp, unyielding.

A woman from the witches’ ranks steps forward, eyes burning with defiance. "It was your wolves who sought us first! You come to us in desperation, begging for our magic, and when the price becomes inconvenient, you turn against us!"

A murmur of agreement ripples through the witches.

"Since the wolves that sort your magic are not anymore...! Dead! And so are your members, then why are we here to fight because of them? Both sides failed us. Your members used magic to help our members to ruin us. But neither of them are here now! So nothing to fight about!" An elder snaps.

"He has magic that reduce us to ashes! He burnt us to ashes! And that is not taken lightly." The witch retorts back.

The tension between the two groups tightens, a fragile thread stretched to its limit. The witches stand firm, their magic simmering in the air like a storm waiting to break.

Kieran_ not even a centimetre away from Ace as the witches stand their ground, their accusing eyes locked on Ace, while Kieran’s pack remains tense, ready to pounce at the first sign of aggression.

The air hums with unspoken threats.

Rey steps forward first, arms crossed, his expression unimpressed. "So, let me get this straight," he drawls, tilting his head mockingly. "You’re here crying about three witches who got burned, but conveniently leaving out the part where they were the ones attacking first? If you say the wolves came to them for help first_ they shouldn’t have agreed after knowing that_ what they were being asked to do is something wrong. They were asked to ruin, and they agreed to ruin! So if possible, many more of you who are like that should be burnt the same way!"

The witches bristle at his words, but before they can respond, Jun sighs and steps beside Rey.

His voice is calm, but his eyes are sharp. "Let’s look at the facts," he says, his tone almost scolding. "Ace’s fire didn’t just randomly choose your kind to burn. It reacts to threats. Every single one of those witches you’re mourning made their own choice. They played with fire, literally, and lost. And by the way, if you are that kind of a witch and you are here... you should run as early as possible, because that fire... it senses, and before you know it... you’ll be ashes!"

They could see fear written on their faces before vanishing.

One of the witches clenches their fists, stepping forward, but their leader raises a hand, keeping them in place.

Their eyes narrow as they study Ace, as if searching for the truth in Jun’s words.

Ace stops infront even when Kieran tries to stop him, "You’re trying to paint me as the villain, but I don’t do anything, I don’t choose to burn anyone! If you believe you are innocent and you are zero percent danger to us... then come touch me! Am saying that because if really you are, you will not burn to ashes."

None of them steps forward, but they don’t retreat either.

There’s a flicker of hesitation among them now. They came expecting a monster, but what they see in Ace is something they don’t understand_ something even they might fear.

The tension in the air reaches a breaking point. The witches exchange glances, subtle nods passing between them, silent confirmation. They aren’t here to negotiate.

Before anyone can react, one of the witches flicks their wrist, and a fine, dark powder bursts into the air, aimed directly at Ace.

The substance shimmers unnaturally, twisting in the air like it has a life of its own.

Kieran moves instantly, but he isn’t fast enough. The magic-laced dust engulfs Ace before he can pull him away.

For a moment, everything is still. Ace stumbles, a sharp breath leaving him as his knees threaten to give out.

The air around him crackles as the dark magic slithers over his skin, trying to sink in, trying to suppress him.

But then, something shifts.

A deep, electric-blue glow pulses from Ace’s chest, right where his mark burns beneath his shirt.

The witches freeze as the glow intensifies. The magic powder that should have weakened him doesn’t take hold, it burns away.

And then, whoosh.

Blue fire explodes around Ace, a roaring wave of energy surging outward.

The flames don’t lash out wildly; they protect. They rise in a wall between him and the witches, an instinctual defense.

Ace doesn’t even realize he’s gripping Kieran’s wrist tightly, grounding himself as his powers flare.

His eyes widen_ he hadn’t done this. His fire had acted on its own.

The witches stumble back, their eyes reflecting the blue flames flickering dangerously close. Fear flickers in their expressions, just for a second.

Kieran doesn’t speak.

He doesn’t need to.

His hand tightens on Ace’s arm, his body positioned in front of him like an unmovable force.

His jaw is clenched so tight it looks like he might break his teeth. His breathing is slow, controlled_ but his eyes are pure fire.

The witches don’t attack again. They don’t dare.

But they don’t back down either.

The flames still flicker around Ace, a silent warning. His power knows they are a threat. And so do they.

Kieran looks at Ace, and at the witches_ They just attacked Ace!

The silence shatters.

Kieran’s body tenses, his breathing sharp and uneven.

His rage is beyond control, beyond reason. His fear of losing Ace again pushes him over the edge. His muscles tremble, his skin burns, and then...

A powerful snapping sound echoes through the night as Kieran’s form explodes into something far greater, far wilder than his human body.

His clothes shred away, his bones stretch, his frame expands_ and then there’s only fur and raw power.

The ground itself shakes under the weight of his shift.

Where Kieran stood, now looms a massive wolf, far larger than any normal werewolf.

His fur is midnight black, absorbing the moonlight like a shadow come to life.

His golden eyes glow, filled with rage, warning, and something primal. His claws dig into the ground, his fangs bared in a silent snarl.

Ace stares, his breath caught in his throat.

He’s never seen Kieran like this.

The witches freeze. Even they did not expect this.

A low, thunderous growl rumbles from Kieran’s chest, making the air feel thick with unspoken danger.

Kieran attacks_ holding two witches in either hand, his legs kicking others to unconsciousness.

He almost squeezes life out of them, but Ace snaps out of it. He barely thinks this is the same Kieran that he knows but he still call, "Kieran! Stop! Don’t kill them!" He yells at him.

But Kieran is already out of control, not even the witches magics is working on him, though Ace’s flame is covering everyone from their magic.

"Kieran! Look at me! Stop! Stop it!" Ace’s voice finds it’s way into Kieran’s head and he lets them fall down.

And then, with a swirl of dark energy, the witches vanish, retreating into the night.

Silence.

But Kieran doesn’t shift back.

He stands there, chest rising and falling, his golden eyes still locked on the empty space where the witches disappeared.

His wolf is still ready to fight, still ready to protect.

Ace swallows and steps forward, reaching out cautiously. His fingers brush against Kieran’s thick fur, feeling the heat and tension still vibrating through him.

"Kieran," he says softly.

Nothing.

Ace presses closer, both hands now gripping Kieran’s fur. His voice is firmer this time. "Kieran."

A sharp exhale.

And then, slowly, the golden glow fades. His wolf form begins to shrink, muscles shifting, fur receding_ until Kieran is back in his human skin, standing before Ace.

Ace covers him with his hoodie, Jun bring other clothes to cover him.

His expression is unreadable at first. Then his jaw clenches, his fists tightening at his sides.