Alpha's mate is a male?!?-Chapter 131: Brushed Him Off.

The journey back is eerily silent.

It’s not the peaceful kind of silence, nor the comfortable one that comes after a victory. It’s heavy, dragging behind them like an invisible weight, pressing down on Ace’s chest with every step he takes.

At first, he thinks it’s just the exhaustion from everything they’ve been through, the intense negotiations, the emotional weight of Rika’s confession, and the sheer effort it took to keep everything from falling apart.

But as the minutes stretch on, he realizes it’s not just that.

Jun still hasn’t spoken even a word to him since they had a little fight yesterday.

And now the fact that he is not saying anything to anyone_ That in itself is unusual.

Normally, he would have at least thrown a comment about Kieran’s impatience, or maybe teased Ace about how Rika nearly tackled him with gratitude.

Instead, he walks ahead, separate from the others, his face unreadable, his steps brisk.

Ace’s chest tightens. He knows why.

He is still upset about Rey. And Ace had told him that their personal problems weren’t important at the time, that dealing with the witches was.

Ace had meant it as a way to keep them focused, to make sure they weren’t distracted at a crucial moment.

But now, replaying the scene in his head, he realizes how dismissive that must have sounded.

Ace had brushed him off.

With a quiet sigh, he quickens his pace, catching up to him.

"Jun."

No response.

"Jun, I’m sorry."

Jun’s steps don’t slow. He doesn’t even glance at him.

But Ace doesn’t let it drop.

"Jun, if what I said made you think I don’t care about what’s happening between you and Rey, I’m really sorry," he says. "That wasn’t my intention. I was just... I thought we had to focus on the situation at hand. But still, I shouldn’t have said what I said to you."

Jun’s shoulders tense slightly, but still, he says nothing.

Ace swallows. "Is something going on between you and Rey?" he asks. "Did you fight?"

This time, Jun reacts, but not with words. He speeds up, putting more distance between them.

Ace exhales, watching his back as he moves ahead.

This isn’t like Jun.

Normally, even when he’s upset, he talks

, sometimes bluntly, sometimes sarcastically, but he talks.

This level of withdrawal is new, and it worries Ace more than he wants to admit.

The rest of the walk continues in uneasy silence.

When they reach Kieran’s territory, they were going to go to Kieran’s mansion, but Jun stops just before the gate, glances toward it, then turns and walks in the opposite direction.

He doesn’t even hesitate.

He doesn’t say goodbye.

Ace watches him go, his gut twisting.

Ace wants to speak, to follow him , but he knows he won’t listen. He clenches his jaw, his hands curling into fists.

This isn’t right. Something is seriously wrong, and maybe it’s not just about what Ace said before.

He’s so caught up in thinking about Jun that he barely registers anything else.

He doesn’t notice the others moving around him, doesn’t hear whatever conversation Kieran and the others are having.

His mind is stuck, turning over everything that’s happened, trying to piece together what he missed, trying to figure out what he’s supposed to do now.

"Ace."

He doesn’t respond.

"Ace."

Still nothing.

Then...

"Ace."

The sharpness in Kieran’s voice finally cuts through his thoughts.

He blinks, snapping out of his haze. Kieran is standing in front of him, arms crossed, brow raised.

"Well, that’s so deep. I mean, your thoughts." Kieran says.

Ace hadn’t even realised they already got into the mansion.

Ace exhales, rubbing the back of his neck. "I need to freshen up." He says, heading to Kieran’s room.

Kieran talks with Marsel who had remained behind and Rey to handle things around, they talk about what happened and everything.

"Is Ace alright?" He asks.

"He’s fine," Kieran says, "...just tired I think, he needs some time to rest."

By the time Kieran follows him into the room, Ace is already stepping out of the bathroom, freshly cleaned.

He towels his damp hair as he moves toward the dresser, where his clothes are laid out.

Kieran watches him for a moment before speaking. "Going somewhere?"

"Yeah," Ace answers simply, pulling on his shirt.

Kieran frowns. "Where? I thought you’d use this time to rest. I feel exhausted too, and I was hoping I could hold you in my arms and get some proper sleep. Is this about Jun?"

Ace pauses for a second before answering. "I should check on him."

Kieran sighs, stepping closer. "Ace, they probably had a fight. They’ll figure it out on their own. You don’t have to get involved. And if this is about how you answered him before, Jun understands, we were in a complicated situation. This isn’t on you." Ace doesn’t speak.

He reaches out, pulling Ace toward the bed. "Come on, you need to rest."

Ace hesitates, but eventually gives in, letting Kieran pull him down. Kieran kisses him softly before whispering, "Goodnight." He wraps an arm around Ace’s waist, pulling him close, as if this moment, just the two of them together, this close to him, is all he needs.

Within a minute, Kieran’s breathing evens out, his body relaxing completely into sleep.

Ace, however, remains awake, staring at nothing.

He doesn’t sleep regardless of the tiredness he feels.

His mind replays his last conversation with Jun, the way his words had come out, the way Jun had gone silent. ’Now that you are in Kieran’s arms you don’t care about other people! Alright! Enjoy!’

The look in his eyes before he turned and walked away.

"This isn’t about you."

Kieran’s words echo in his head, but Ace isn’t sure he believes them.

Jun was hurt. And while part of it might be about Rey, part of it was also about Ace, about the way he brushed Jun’s feelings aside when he needed someone to listen.

Slowly, carefully, Ace shifts in Kieran’s arms, making sure not to wake him. He moves with practiced ease, slipping out of bed soundlessly.

Kieran doesn’t stir.

Ace exhales softly before grabbing his hoodie and heading for the door.