Alpha's mate is a male?!?-Chapter 144: Countdown!

The next day, early in the morning before the light even takes over the darkness properly, everyone is already in the study.

The air in the study is thick with tension. The weight of the coming hours pressing down on them.

Max and Rika stand at the center of the room, their expressions grim as they deliver their report.

"The girl hasn’t been touched," Max begins, his voice low but steady. "But her parents kept walking in and out of the room throughout the night.

There were also several people dressed in lab coats and masks- some looked like nurses. They kept checking on her, and it seems like they administered sleeping pills. She hasn’t woken up since then."

A heavy silence follows his words.

Everyone processes the information in their own way- Marsel rubbing a hand over his chin, Elira exhaling slowly, Kieran standing completely still, eyes sharp with calculation.

Ace, however, isn’t focused on the report for now.

He’s too aware of Kieran.

Standing right beside him, their shoulders almost brushing, Kieran’s presence is like a flame- dangerous, consuming, impossible to ignore.

Ace tries to focus, but the memory of last night threatens to creep in at the worst possible moment.

The way Kieran touched him, the way his voice sounded when he whispered his name, the way his body fit so perfectly against his own.

The way Kieran begged him to allow him to make love to him again even after they had just done.

The way his eyes were shut feeling him, the way he groaned silently in pleasure, muttering Ace’s name non-stop.

Damn it.

Ace clenches his fists, forcing himself to breathe.

This is not the time.

But when he lifts his gaze, Kieran is already looking at him. That gaze- warm, steady, filled with something known too well.

"Kieran," Ace murmurs, voice just a little unsteady.

Kieran tilts his head, eyes narrowing slightly. "Mmh?"

The small sound shouldn’t make Ace’s stomach tighten the way it does.

Across the room, someone clears their throat. Ace ignores them. He shifts closer, gathering his thoughts, and finally speaks.

"Do you... do you think it’s important to inform the other packs about this? The other alphas?" His voice regains its strength, pushing aside the distractions in his mind. "We’re not sure how this will end, but if it doesn’t go well, it won’t be just our problem. This will affect all wolves. Instead of waiting for things to escalate, I think we should tell them now- so they understand where this is coming from and where it’s heading."

The room is silent for only a second before Marsel nods in agreement.

"Yeah," Marsel says, voice calm but firm. "Because if they find out later, they’ll blame us for exposing them to humans.which isn’t really our fault."

Elira crosses her arms. "And they wouldn’t be wrong to assume that. We need them to understand the full picture before they start pointing fingers."

Kieran exhales, rolling his shoulders as if weighing the idea. Then, he nods once looking down at Ace, as if proud of him for thinking about such an important part. "Rey, can you have that meeting set in the shortest time possible?"

Rey, who is standing side by side with Jun, finally speaks for the first time since they came in. "Yeah, sure."

But he doesn’t move yet even when he knows he had to, immediately.

He turns slightly, his gaze landing on Jun. It’s subtle, but Ace catches it- the way Rey’s eyes linger, the unspoken words between them.

Jun hesitates, glancing at Kieran as if expecting him to send him along with Rey.

But Kieran doesn’t.

"No, no," Kieran says, voice firm. "You two are going to work together on this. Rey, you can find someone else to assist you if you need help."

Jun stiffens. "But I can handle..."

"That’s not the point," Kieran interrupts. "You and Rey need to focus on different things. This is not the time for distractions."

Rey’s jaw tightens, and for the first time, he looks genuinely frustrated. But he doesn’t argue.

Instead, he turns on his heel and walks away, leaving the room without another word.

Jun exhales through his nose, glancing at Kieran as if debating whether to say something. - about how kieran himself and Ace are distracted with each other.

But in the end, he simply walks back to his spot, silent and thoughtful.

The tension remains thick, but the decision has been made. They will inform the other alphas.

The storm brewing between werewolves and humans is inevitable, but at least now, they won’t face it alone.

Kieran exhales through his nose, rubbing a hand along his jaw. "Alright. We don’t have time to sit around. While Rey arranges the meeting, we need to plan how to get the girl out. We can’t afford mistakes."

Max leans forward, arms braced against the table. "The security is tight, but it’s not impenetrable. The biggest challenge is the fact that she’s never alone. There’s always someone going in and out of her room. If we don’t time this perfectly, we’ll be seen."

Rika nods, arms crossed. "And even if we do time it perfectly, we still have to get her out unnoticed. If they realize she’s missing before we put her back, it’s over."

Ace listens, fingers curled into his sleeves. He can feel Kieran’s presence next to him, solid, steady, grounding. For some reasons it calms his jumpy nerves.

It assures him .

"Then we will need to assign positions," Ace says, thoughtfully, they can’t just walk in at a go. "Who’s going in? Who’s waiting outside? And what’s our escape plan if something goes wrong?"

Marsel nodes.

"Mom, do you already have the herb?" Ace asks.

"Not yet but it won’t take long to get it ready." Elira answers.

"Well, I think you should stay so that you get everything ready for her, so that when we come back we go straight to business." Marsel suggests.

"No..." Elira starts disagreeing but Marsel cuts her.

"I’ll be there with them, I’ll not let anything happen to them." He says assuring her with almost a silent voice.

He is referring mostly to Ace and Jun.

Elira couldn’t sleep last night thinking how much danger her kids are always in. She had talked to Marsel last night saying she will be side by side protecting them.

Elira nodes hesitantly.

Marsel turns to others, "Max, Rika, you’re leading the entry team. You’ll be the ones getting her out. I mean, you now know the place too well so it will be much easier. We can get you the same uniforms as those nurses so that you blend in."

Max smirks, "Sounds fun."

Rika slightly hits his shoulder for saying something like that.

"I’ll detect any form of suspicion around there." Marsel says.

Kieran turns to Jun, "Jun, you’ll handle the vehicles. I want a clean, undetected getaway. No unnecessary risks. Keep the car running and be ready to move the second they’re out."

Jun nods, already calculating the best routes in his mind.

"Am sure in there are CCTVs, I’ll find ways to disconnect them before Max and Rika go in." He says, giving himself a task.

Kieran’s gaze then sweeps over everyone before landing on Ace then looks away.

"Well, what about me? Because it seems like am the only one remaining without anything to do." Ace complains.

He knows Kieran too well and he knows what Kieran is trying to do. This is where they start fighting.

"Ace, you can stay with Elira, you can help her with everything so that the moment the girl is in, you get Elira everything she needs to do her part."

Ace doesn’t want to argue with him now. Besides, tasks seem to have been distributed and none is remaining or one person doing two, so he swallows down his arguments of wanting to be there.

Although he knows Kieran wants him out of danger.

"Okay" Ace says, simply, everyone is surprised because they all knew Ace would refuse.

Kieran looks at Jun, he wants to make sure he’s protected too, "Jun, Rey will tug along with you. You can help each other." He says.

Jun’s face lights up.

Now the plan is set. The countdown has begun.