Alpha's mate is a male?!?-Chapter 118: Strong Without Him.

Ace and Rika step through the door, leaving behind the warmth of the dining hall.

The moment the door clicks shut, the air outside feels heavier, cooler.

It’s quieter here, away from the murmuring conversations and the clinking of plates. Only the distant rustle of the wind.

Rika exhales sharply, her shoulders visibly tense. She clasps her hands together, as if steadying herself before she finally turns to face Ace.

Her usual confidence wavers, replaced by something rare, uncertainty.

"What’s wrong? Is there a problem?" Ace asks noticing her uneasiness.

She has been panicking since the moment Kieran mentioned that they were going to leave.

"Ace, I know I have no right to ask you this but we really need your help," she says, her voice quieter than before.

Ace narrows his eyes in curiosity. "What’s wrong?"

She hesitates, eyes darting toward the floor before locking onto his.

"When Kieran said you should leave... I panicked," she admits, rubbing a hand over her face. "Not just because you’ve been helping us, but because..." She hesitates, then straightens her shoulders. "Because without you, we’re vulnerable right now."

Ace frowns. "What do you mean?"

Rika’s lips press into a thin line. "Our previous leader_ Hunter, he wasn’t just cruel to us. He made enemies everywhere. Witches from other places, powerful ones, despised him. He thrived on conflict, on proving his strength, and he never cared how much damage he left behind." She takes a breath, expression grim. "And now that he’s gone, I’m afraid they’ll come after us. It’s not that they never came before, they always came, but he always had ways to make more trouble. And when they hear that he is no more, am very sure they will come after us."

Ace didn’t expect that, it got him off guard. "Why?"

Rika’s fingers curl into fists. "Revenge," she says simply. "It’s not about power anymore. It’s about payback. They must want to see us suffer the way he made them suffer. And now that they know we’re without him, we aren’t strong enough to fight back."

Ace studies her carefully.

The tension in her shoulders, the flicker of unease in her eyes, it’s clear she’s been thinking about this for a while.

Then he shakes his head. "Who says you’re not strong enough to stand up and fight without him?"

Rika blinks. "What?"

"Why are you diminishing yourself? Just because he is gone, that doesn’t mean that you are vulnerable without him. Also, am not saying this so that you literally fight them. The fact that some thoughtless person from your group is the one who kept stirring conflict, then that means we should make those other witches to understand that you had nothing to do with it and the person who wronged them is no more. Make peace." Ace explains.

"I... I can’t d..." Rika starts but Ace cuts her.

"Yes you can. If you haven’t realised yet, your people are now looking up to you, like their next leader." Ace says, "you have very good qualities of a leader. And I would also like it if you stood as a leader now. Your people need someone who can guide them, not with fear, not with brute strength, but with wisdom and resilience. And that person is none other than you" He steps closer. "I get it. Your old leader kept you alive through sheer force. But you don’t have to rule like him to be strong. You don’t have to be him."

Rika looks away. "But what if I can’t protect them like he did even when in the inside he was cruel to them too?"

Ace offers a small smile. "You won’t have to do it alone. And just as I said, you don’t need to be as magical as he was to protect them. Strength isn’t just about fear and power. It’s about knowing when to fight and when to stand your ground without violence. You have that."

She looks down, absorbing his words. "Even so... what if the others don’t see it that way?"

Ace shrugs. "Then we let them choose. But I’m sure they’ll go for you." He smirks. "Not just because you’re the best option, but because they trust you more than they ever trusted Hunter."

Rika looks at him skeptically. "You sound pretty confident about that."

"I am." Ace’s expression softens. "And that’s why I’ll stay."

Rika’s eyes widen slightly. His face lighting up, "You will?"

"Yes," he says, nodding. "But not to fight for you. I won’t be here to fight your battles, I’ll be here to make you realize how strong you and your people already are. You don’t need a cruel leader like Hunter. You’re so much better without him. They are much better with you."

Rika looks away for a moment, exhaling as though releasing some of the weight pressing down on her.

When she meets his eyes again, there’s something new in her gaze, not just relief, but determination.

As if telling herself that , if Ace will do that for them, then she doesn’t want to fail him. She will do whatever it takes.

"...Thank you," she says softly.

Ace grins. "Don’t thank me yet. I might make you train until you drop. Till you tell me that, okay! Enough, you just go back to where you came from. Or rather, make me disappear with your magic."

She scoffs but smiles. "I think I’d prefer to train till I drop, over feeling helpless. And about wanting you gone, I don’t think that can ever happen."

"Don’t talk about it like that yet." Ace warns with a grin.

The tension in the air lessens, replaced by something more solid, resolve. Rika isn’t entirely convinced yet, but Ace can see it in her eyes.

The doubt is fading, and in its place, something stronger is beginning to grow.

And that’s enough for now.

All this time, Kieran has been watching them, especially when the tension lessened and they started smiling a bit.

He has tried to eavesdrop with his wolf abilities but was unable, maybe it’s because of the magic that is hovering around the place.