Alpha's mate is a male?!?-Chapter 120: Choices

The night passes in heavy silence. With Kieran gone, the air feels different... emptier. But Ace refuses to let that shake him. He knows Kieran will return.

At least they didn’t leave him completely alone.

By morning, the atmosphere in the settlement has shifted. The witches move with less tension, but uncertainty still clings to them.

Now that Hunter is gone, the question of leadership looms over them like a storm cloud. Without a leader, everything they fought for could crumble.

Ace stands at the center of the clearing, facing the group. They have formed a rough circle, murmuring among themselves.

Jun is nearby, leaning lazily against a tree. He didn’t leave with the others last night, choosing instead to stay behind with Ace.

And so did Elira.

The rest of Kieran’s pack has returned home, Marsel Joined , leaving with them.

That leaves Ace, Jun, and Elira.

Taking a deep breath, Ace speaks. His voice is firm, cutting through the murmurs.

"You all know why we’re here, right?" he says. "Hunter is gone. That means it’s time to decide who will lead you."

A hush falls over the witches. Looking among themselves, as if trying to figure out who fits in the seat which is vacant, left behind by their previous cruel leader.

Ace steps forward, his expression softening. "I won’t stand here and tell you what to do. This is your home, your people. You are the ones who will shape your future. And for that, you need a leader. Not someone forced upon you, but someone you trust. Someone who will guide you and stand beside you."

The silence stretches. A few murmur among themselves, but no one speaks up right away. The weight of his words settles over them, heavy yet full of possibility.

Ace lets them take their time, watching as understanding dawns on their faces. Then, at last, a voice rises from the crowd.

"I think this is the easiest way to do this_ if you have someone in mind, or even yourself, raise your hand, name the person, they will come infront here."

One young lady raises her hand immediately. When Ace give permission to speak, she says, "Rika." her tone is firm and her eyes filled with certainty.

There is a shift in the crowd. Most of the hands drop, as if the answer they had have been said.

Some nod, murmuring in agreement.

But there is still four or three hands,

"Max." and when the name is mentioned, the other hands drop too.

Ace takes a slow breath, glancing between the crowd. No more hands.

"It seems we have two choices," Ace says. "To make this fair, we’ll decide now. Rika and Max should come to the front." They do exactly as told.

"If you support Rika, stand behind her. If you support Max, stand hehind him."

For a moment, no one moves. Then, one by one, the witches shift. The majority gather behind Rika, forming a strong, united front. A smaller, but still significant group stands beside Max.

Ace studies the numbers, then nods. "Well, I don’t think I have to announce anything, everyone can see the answer. It’s clear. Rika has the most support. So she will lead."

Max remains silent for a moment before stepping forward. His gaze meets Rika’s, steady and unwavering. Then, he nods. "I was going to support you myself, because trust you, I trust you fit perfectly." he says, a small smile planted on his lips.

Rika, who has been standing still as if in shock, exhales sharply and straightens her shoulders. "I won’t let you down."

Ace turns to Max. "Max, wait, don’t go. Your voice still matters in this. A leader is only as strong as the people beside them. Rika will need those she can trust. You can be part of that if you choose. You can assist her, be an assistant."

Max hesitates, then gives a small nod. "I’ll help however I can."

Relief flashes in Rika’s eyes. "Am glad that we’ll get to do this together."

The crowd murmurs in approval, the tension in the air slowly giving way to something lighter, something like hope.

"So, here we are, Rika and Max, our official and powerful leaders." Ace announces, they all clap their hands , looking happy about this change

Jun leans toward Ace, smirking. "That went smoother than I expected."

Ace lets out a quiet laugh. "This is just the beginning. The real work starts now."

"Rika, You have something to say to your people?" Ace asks.

Rika nodes, then slowly, she turns to face her people, the uncertainty in her expression giving way to determination.

She stands before them, their expectant eyes fixed on her.

The weight of their trust settles over her shoulders, but she doesn’t let it crush her.

Instead, she inhales deeply, steadying herself. She has never been one for grand speeches, but this moment isn’t about perfect words, it’s about honesty, strength, and the future they will build together.

Ace takes a step back, watching as Rika and Max begin to speak with the others, their voices weaving through the morning air. This is their moment now. Their future.

She exhales, then speaks.

"Thank you," she begins, her voice clear and firm. "Thank you for trusting me. For believing that I can lead you. I won’t lie to you, I never imagined standing here like this. But if you see something in me that makes you believe I can, then I promise, I will not let you down."

A murmur of approval ripples through the crowd, some nodding, some exchanging glances, reassurance passing between them.

"But let’s not pretend the road ahead will be easy," she continues, her gaze sweeping over the witches. "We have survived things no one should have to endure. We lost people. We lost our sense of safety. And though the immediate threat is gone, we are not free from danger. The Hunters still exist. Our enemies still watch from the shadows, waiting for us to fall apart."

Silence falls over the clearing, tension thick in the air. A few faces tighten in worry, others drop their gazes to the ground.

Rika clenches her fists and steps forward, making sure they hear her next words.

"But we will not fall apart."

Her voice is stronger now, filled with unwavering conviction.

"We are not weak. We are not broken. We are still here. And as long as we stand together, no enemy will ever take that from us again."

A few voices murmur in agreement. Someone claps.

Then another.

Slowly, the sound grows, spreading through the crowd until a wave of applause rolls through them, not just in support but in relief.

They need this, this fire, this assurance that they are not alone. They never heard this from their previous leader.

Rika waits for the noise to settle before continuing.

"But survival isn’t just about fighting. It’s about preparing, about becoming stronger, about ensuring that when the time comes, we are ready. Ace gave us this chance, he fought for us when no one else would. He stood against our enemy, not because he had to, but because he chose to. We owe it to him to make sure his efforts weren’t wasted."

The witches shift, determination flickering in their eyes.

"So from now on, as we start the journey of making us stronger, training isn’t just an option, it’s a priority," Rika declares. "Every single one of us must be prepared. Whether it’s magic, combat, strategy, we must learn, we must grow, and we must become a force that no one can challenge."

A few cheers rise from the crowd this time, and she lets the energy build before she adds, "But I can’t do this alone. I don’t want to do this alone. That’s why I ask, no, I expect cooperation. We do this together, or not at all. We owe it to each other. We owe it to Ace. We owe it to our future."

They all nod, some murmuring in agreement, others straightening their backs as if already preparing themselves for what’s to come.

She looks at Max beside her, Max steps forward.

The tension that once existed between them seems to have faded, replaced with something else_ respect.

"I wasn’t sure how I felt about this," he admits, his voice carrying across the clearing. "But standing here now, hearing you... I know this is the right choice." He looks at the crowd. "Rika’s right. We can’t waste this chance. This is all we’ve ever dreamt about, freedom, freedom to let out everything we feel, suggestions, choices. So now we have it at hand. Let’s get to work and build each other the way we always wanted."

The crowd erupts into applause, the sound filling the space, echoing through the trees.

A few feet away, Ace, Jun, and Elira watch from a distance.

Jun smirks, arms crossed. "Whoa," he mutters. "They got it."

Elira hums in agreement, her eyes never leaving Rika. "She’s more than ready for this."

Ace, watching the way the witches respond, the way they believe, only nods.

They’ll be fine.