Alpha's mate is a male?!?-Chapter 190: Kieran’sTears.

Kieran pulls Ace into a tight hug, his arms locking around him. His body trembles, and for the first time in front of others- Max, Rica, and Ace himself, Kieran lets the weight of his emotions crash over him.

The dam he has held up for so long shatters, and tears spill from his eyes, raw and unrestrained.

He buries his face into Ace’s shoulder, gripping him so tightly that it’s almost painful.

Ace feels the damp warmth of Kieran’s tears seeping into his shirt, feels the rapid rise and fall of his chest against his own.

Kieran is breaking. Completely, utterly breaking.

And Ace lets him.

He doesn’t tease, doesn’t speak, doesn’t pull away, he just holds Kieran through it, letting him shatter in the safety of his arms.

Across the room, Rica swallows thickly, her hands clenched at her sides as she watches Kieran, the man who always stood tall, always led with strength, now clutching Ace like a lifeline, vulnerable and broken.

Her own eyes well up, and she presses a hand against her mouth before turning sharply on her heel.

She steps outside, blinking rapidly, but the tears spill anyway. She wipes at them, frustrated at herself, but the emotions refuse to be tamed.

Max follows her, watching as she furiously rubs her sleeve over her damp cheeks.

He says nothing at first, simply stepping close and wrapping his arms around her. Rica exhales a shaky breath and leans into him.

"They really love each other," she murmurs, her voice hoarse. "It would break me into pieces too if they ever lost each other."

Max tightens his hold, resting his chin against the top of her head. "They can never lose each other," he reassures her. "They’re powerful together, just like Marsel and Elira. No matter what happens, they’ll always walk together."

Rica sniffles, burying her face against Max’s chest, and he rubs soothing circles against her back.

Meanwhile, inside the room, Kieran doesn’t move. He doesn’t say anything. He just holds Ace, his grip never loosening.

He’s still caught in the storm of his emotions, unable to pull himself out of the fear that had gripped him so tightly just moments ago.

Ace recovers faster, exhaustion settling into his body, but even in his drained state, he can’t resist a little teasing. He exhales softly, then says, "Now you know how it feels when you’re on the verge of losing the person you love. You understand now why I was mad at you when you threw yourself into danger, when you nearly died."

Kieran doesn’t react. His arms stay locked around Ace, his body stiff.

Ace tries again, shifting slightly in his grip. "Okay, Come on, crybaby," he teases, attempting to lighten the mood. "You’re really squeezing my ribs here. You wanna kill me yourself instead?"

Kieran finally loosens his hold, just a little. His hands shake against Ace’s back, but he still doesn’t pull away, still doesn’t look at him. His head remains bowed, his breathing uneven.

That’s when Ace realizes-- this isn’t over for Kieran.

It’s like Kieran isn’t just reacting to what happened today. He’s feeling everything, every ounce of fear and pain and helplessness he’s been burying for so long.

Ace frowns, his teasing slipping away. "Hey..." he calls softly, reaching up to lift Kieran’s head.

Tears still stream down Kieran’s face, unchecked and unrelenting. His eyes are red-rimmed, glassy, full of so many emotions that Ace can barely grasp them all.

This isn’t just about almost losing Ace today.

This is about every time he’s had to watch Ace in danger. Every time they fought. Every time they almost lost each other forever. Every time he’s had to be strong, never letting himself break, never letting himself falter.

And now, now he’s crumbling under the weight of it all.

Ace doesn’t say anything. Instead, he lets Kieran cry, lets him release every bit of anguish, every unspoken fear.

He holds him close, pressing their foreheads together, running soothing fingers through his hair, tracing slow, grounding patterns against his back.

Kieran shudders under his touch, and when he finally speaks, his voice is barely above a whisper.

"I really love you."

Ace freezes. It’s not like it’s the first time kieran us saying this to him. But the weight of those words every time they hold a different kind.

Hearing it like this, spoken so rawly, so desperately, makes his chest tighten, his throat close up.

Kieran has always been strong, always in control, but right now, he’s stripped down to nothing but his most vulnerable self.

Ace swallows hard before answering, his voice steady but full of emotion. "I love you, too. I’ve always loved you, from the moment we met until now. And I’ll still love you tomorrow. And the next day. And every day after that."

Kieran grips him tighter at that, burying his face against Ace’s shoulder again as if trying to memorize the way he feels, the way he smells, the way his heartbeat thrums so steadily against his own.

Ace presses a kiss against Kieran’s temple, his own eyes burning.

"It’s over," he murmurs, voice firm. "Nothing can ever beat us."

For a long moment, they stay like that, wrapped in each other’s warmth, grounding each other.

The moment shatters when Kieran’s phone vibrates loudly in his pocket, breaking the fragile silence.

He hesitates before reaching for it, reluctant to let go of Ace even for a second. When he finally pulls it out and glances at the screen, his expression hardens.

Sam.

The head detective.

Ace watches as Kieran wipes the last of his tears away, his body shifting from vulnerable to alert in a matter of seconds.

Kieran grips his phone tightly, trying, really trying to make his voice steady. "Sam?"

"Sir, we got something!" Sam’s voice is frantic, barely controlled. "Lucy! Sir, stay away from that woman. We found one of the cameras , one that was hidden this time, at the crime scene. It’s her, sir. The footage shows Lucy. She’s the serial killer."

Kieran’s breath catches.

Sam continues, his voice uneven, rushed. "She’s using something we can’t explain. It’s like magic, like something out of a fantasy movie. We haven’t caught her yet; she must’ve sensed it and ran. We’re after her now!"

Kieran exhales sharply, processing the words. "I’m coming," he says, short and firm.

He ends the call, jaw clenched, his pulse pounding in his ears. The room feels colder now, heavier with the weight of this revelation.

He lifts his gaze to the others, and they’re already watching him, waiting.

"They caught a camera at the crime scene," Kieran says, his voice rough. "It shows Lucy. They think she’s the killer. And..." He hesitates, eyes flickering to Ace. "They said she was using something unnatural. Something like magic."

Lucy is still here, lying unconscious. The very person the police are hunting, the woman they believe is a murderer.

"Holy heavens," Ace breathes, eyes wide. "What now? She’s innocent."

Kieran runs a hand over his face, trying to think. "We can’t let them imprison her or do whatever they plan to do."

"But we also can’t hide her," Rica says, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. "Not forever."

"They think it’s her," Max adds. "And if they have footage, it’s going to be damn near impossible to convince them otherwise."

Silence settles, thick and suffocating.

"Maybe..." Kieran finally says. "Maybe it’s time to come out with the truth. Confess that she was possessed by some evil spirit."

Ace gives him a skeptical look. "You think that would work?"

Kieran exhales, rubbing his temples. "We can only hope." Then, straightening, he turns toward Lucy. "We have to go. Now."

"She’s still unconscious," Rica points out.

Kieran doesn’t hesitate. "Water can wake her. We’ll explain everything once she’s up."

Rica rushes out and returns with a mug of water, leaning down and gently splashing some over Lucy’s face.

Lucy stirs with a sharp gasp, her body jerking as her eyes snap open. Confusion floods her face as she takes in the room, the people standing around her.

"Holy shit! What the hell, dude?!" she blurts out, sitting up so fast she nearly knocks Rica over. Then, her gaze lands on Kieran, and she blinks, stunned. "Sir?"

Her eyes flick around, scanning the unfamiliar surroundings. "Where are we? What am I doing here?"

Kieran crouches beside her, his expression gentle but firm. "Lucy," he starts, voice calm, careful. "Something happened to you. And I don’t want you to freak out, because I’ll be with you through all of this. Until it’s over. Until you’re free again."

Lucy’s brow furrows. "What are you talking about?"

Kieran sighs, then slowly, patiently, explains everything. The evil spirit. The way she was possessed. The crimes committed in her body’s name. How they got rid of it. How the police are now after her.

At first, she laughs.

A nervous, breathless laugh that quickly turns into something more panicked.

"You’re joking, right?" Her eyes dart between them, searching for a sign that this is some elaborate prank. "This is insane. You... you’re saying I killed people? That I was possessed? That’s crazy."

"It wasn’t you," Ace says firmly. "It was the spirit. You didn’t do anything."

But Lucy isn’t convinced. Her hands tremble as she clutches her head, shaking it furiously. "This isn’t happening."

"It is," Kieran says softly, reaching out to steady her. "But you don’t have to be afraid. We won’t let anything happen to you."

Lucy looks at him, and for the first time, real fear flickers in her eyes. "I killed... the police..."

"They’re looking for you, but there’s no need to panic. You didn’t do it." Kieran’s voice is steady, reassuring. "We’re going to clear this up. Together."

Max and Rica exchange a look before stepping closer.

"You’re not facing this alone," Max says.

Lucy takes a slow, shaky breath, but she finally nods.

They don’t waste another second.

They head out, piling into the car, with Max and Rica joining.