Alpha's mate is a male?!?-Chapter 159: . hurt him again!

Ace clenches his fists so tightly that his nails dig into his palms, but he barely notices the pain.

His entire body feels like it’s been hollowed out, like something vital has been ripped from him, leaving behind nothing but an unbearable emptiness.

His throat burns, his chest tightens, but he refuses to let himself fall apart.

He takes a slow, shaky breath, forcing himself to speak. "Where is his body?"

The words scrape out of his throat, rough and raw. His voice is hoarse, almost unrecognizable even to himself, but there’s no hesitation.

No faltering.

Kieran swallows, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he struggles to answer. His mouth opens, but the words don’t come right away.

He looks like he’s searching for another way to say it, some softer version of the truth that won’t hurt as much.

But there isn’t one.

"In... the car."

Ace’s breathing stutters for a second. He stares at Kieran, unblinking, as if he didn’t hear him right.

Then, without a word, he turns and walks away.

Not storming off.

But every step feels like he’s dragging his own shattered heart behind him.

Kieran watches him go, frozen in place. His mind screams at him to move, to follow, to say something, but he doesn’t. He can’t.

A tear slips down his cheek. Warm. Unstoppable.

He blinks, confused for a second, like he doesn’t even recognize the feeling. But then another follows, and another, until his vision blurs.

He turns away from Jun and Rey sharply, fists clenching at his sides. He needs to get himself together. He has to.

But the tears won’t stop.

And that makes him angry.

His shoulders shake, his body taut with barely restrained emotion. His fingers twitch, itching to lash out, to break something, to make this unbearable weight inside him stop.

But there’s nothing to hit. Nothing to fix. Nothing to undo.

Marsel is gone.

Ace doesn’t want him near. He pushed him away.

But he let Jun hold him.

That realization slams into Kieran like a physical blow, knocking the air from his lungs. It hurts, more than it should, more than he thought possible.

Because even now, even now, Ace doesn’t want his comfort. Doesn’t want him. Because of his failures.

He grits his teeth, forcing himself to swallow down the lump in his throat. He won’t fall apart. He can’t.

Jun watches him carefully, hesitating before stepping closer. He doesn’t know how Kieran will react, whether he’ll snap or push him away.

But Jun doesn’t wait for permission.

He sees the pain in Kieran’s eyes. He sees the guilt eating him alive.

So he steps forward and wraps his arms around him.

Kieran doesn’t move.

He doesn’t return the hug. Doesn’t react at all.

He just stands there, rigid, as if his body doesn’t know how to accept comfort.

Jun tightens his grip, pressing his forehead against Kieran’s shoulder. "I know you’re blaming yourself," he murmurs. "I know you think this is your fault. But Kieran... you never would have let this happen if you had a choice."

Kieran’s breathing is sharp, uneven. His hands are still clenched, nails digging into his palms.

"Of course Ace is devastated," Jun continues, voice steady despite his own grief. "Of course he’s spiraling. But he’ll calm down. He’ll come back."

Kieran’s throat tightens. He doesn’t believe that.

He can’t.

Because what if he doesn’t?

What if Ace never forgives him for this?

The thought sends a fresh wave of anguish crashing over him, nearly knocking him off balance.

Jun doesn’t let go. He holds him tighter, like he’s trying to keep him from slipping away.

"Don’t let this break you."

His grief is a living thing, wrapping around his ribs like iron chains, squeezing tighter with every breath. It sits heavy in his chest, suffocating him, crushing him from the inside.

And no matter how hard he tries, he can’t breathe past it.

Jun’s grip doesn’t waver. He’s struggling too, Kieran can feel it.

Because Marsel and Elira weren’t just Ace’s parents.

They were his too.

The closest thing to family he’s had in a long time.

And now they’re gone.

Kieran stays still, silent, trying, really trying, to keep himself under control.

But it’s taking everything he has.

And even that might not be enough.

Rey glances at Jun, giving him a subtle signal before turning and walking out. He doesn’t say anything, but the look in his eyes is clear- he’s going after Ace.

Jun watches him go, his chest tightening. He doesn’t know if Ace wants to be followed right now.

The room falls into silence.

Kieran stands there, shoulders tense, his face unreadable. But Jun knows. He knows Kieran is barely holding himself together.

After a long pause, Kieran finally speaks, his voice hollow. "What do you think I should do now?"

Jun exhales slowly. Finally.

It’s the first thing Kieran has said since Ace walked away. The first thing since his emotions started swallowing him whole.

"Just be there." Jun’s voice is firm, but gentle. "You don’t have to do anything. Just let him process everything."

Kieran doesn’t argue.

He can’t.

Because thinking, making decisions, figuring things out, is impossible right now. His mind is a mess. His heart is even worse.

Ace’s pain is his pain.

And Kieran doesn’t know how to fix this.

Another silence settles between them. But this one doesn’t last long.

Jun clears his throat, pushing back his own emotions. He doesn’t have the luxury of falling apart right now. They don’t.

"And remember..." His voice is lower now, serious. "We still have the packs to protect. Blake is out there. I know how you feel right now, but you can’t ignore that." novelbuddy.cσ๓

Kieran closes his eyes for a brief moment, as if grounding himself.

He knows Jun is right.

Blake is still a threat. She might reveal all of them.

The pack still needs him.

He should be thinking about that. But his mind keeps circling back to Ace, to Marsel and Elira, to the way everything just keeps falling apart.

He forces himself to speak, though his voice is barely above a whisper. "What do you want me to do?"

Jun stares at him.

This moment, this right here, is what makes him realize just how much Kieran is hurting.

Because Kieran never asks what to do.

He gives orders. He leads.

But right now, he’s lost. Broken. His usual fire has been drowned by grief and guilt.

Jun swallows, pushing down the lump in his throat. "Stay."

Kieran looks at him, waiting.

"I’ll find out if there’s any progress. If they’ve traced her."

Kieran nods stiffly. He doesn’t argue.

He doesn’t have the energy to.

Jun turns to leave, but just as he reaches the door, Kieran’s voice stops him.

"I’m sorry."

Jun halts mid-step.

"They were your parents too."

The words are soft. Heavy.

Jun clenches his jaw, blinking rapidly against the sting in his eyes. He slowly turns back around.

"And so were yours."

His voice is steady, but there’s a weight to it. A quiet insistence.

"Stop blaming yourself."

He holds Kieran’s gaze for a moment, letting the words sink in. Then, without another word, he turns and walks out.

And the second he’s alone in the hallway, his own tears finally fall.

He wipes them away quickly, his footsteps never slowing.

Because he doesn’t have time to break.

But damn, it hurts.