Alpha's mate is a male?!?-Chapter 58: End Of Lila.

When they arrive at the mansion, the air is thick with tension and unspoken words.

Kieran carries Xiao Jun in his arms, his steps firm but his face etched with worry.

Ace walks beside him, silent and pale, his fists clenched tightly at his sides.

Behind them, a few wolves trail solemnly, their heads bowed after the devastating news of Xiao Jun’s passing.

The grand doors of Kieran’s mansion swing open, and the wolves inside scramble to make way.

Kieran’s voice is steady but strained as he orders, "Prepare Xiao Jun’s room immediately. The one he used to sleep in when he stayed here."

A maid nods, rushing off to ensure the room is ready, while Kieran ascends the stairs with Jun still in his arms.

Ace follows, his breathing uneven, his eyes darting between Kieran and Jun’s pale face.

The room is exactly as Xiao Jun had left it during his previous stays.

A modest space compared to the rest of the mansion, yet comfortable, with warm tones and soft bedding.

Kieran gently places Jun on the bed.

Ace lingers by the door, his shoulders hunched as if carrying the weight of the world.

He watches Kieran tend to Jun, his throat tight. The events of the night swirl in his mind_ Lila’s malicious laughter, Jun’s blood, the devastating moment Mr. Wang’s death was announced.

Kieran glances back at Ace, his voice low. "He’ll need time to recover."

Ace doesn’t respond immediately.

His eyes are fixed on Jun’s face, his chest tightening with guilt and helplessness. Finally, he says, "You... saved him. He seemed like he was dying, what did you do?"

Kieran hesitates. The words should feel like a relief, but instead, they settle heavily in the room. He straightens, turning to face Ace fully. "Ace, there’s something I need to tell you."

The tone in Kieran’s voice makes Ace’s heart drop. He stiffens. As if say_ not again!! "What?"

Kieran runs a hand through his hair, his jaw tightening. "I... I had no other choice. He was dying, Ace. There was nothing else I could do to save him."

"What are you trying to say?" Ace’s voice is sharp, the tension in his chest growing unbearable.

Kieran exhales deeply, his expression grave. "I bit him."

The words hang in the air like a thunderclap. Ace’s eyes widen, his breath hitching as the meaning sinks in. "You... you what? You bit him? What does that eve..."

"I gave him a bite," Kieran repeats, his voice steady but filled with regret. "An alpha’s bite. It was the only way to keep him alive."

Ace exhales with nothing to say.

Kieran adds, "I don’t know if you know, about an alpha’s bite..."

Ace stares at him in disbelief, his mind racing. "You... turned him? You made him one of us?"

Kieran’s gaze doesn’t waver. "I had no choice. He would’ve died, Ace. There was no time, no other way."

The room feels like it’s spinning. Ace presses a hand to his chest, his breathing uneven.

He looks at Kieran blankly and Kieran knows he has just pushed Ace to the edge, and he has now known him as someone who is unable to contain his emotions when they get too much.

"There was no time to explain." Kieran adds. "Do you think I wanted to do this? Do you think I wanted to force this on him? I couldn’t let him die, Ace. Especially when I know what he means to you, I didn’t want to watch you live the rest of your life, feeling the sorrow of loosing someone who has been your anchor."

Ace shakes his head, his hands trembling. "He didn’t ask for this. How are we going to tell him that?!."

"No, he didn’t," Kieran says softly, his voice laced with guilt. "But it was better than letting him die. You know that. We will help him come to terms with it, including his late father."

Ace turns away, running a hand through his hair as he tries to process the news.

His thoughts are a chaotic mess of fear, and sadness, not even . After a long silence, he finally says, "I don’t know how I’m supposed to tell him this. Or that his father is gone."

Kieran’s shoulders sag slightly. "We’ll figure it out together. But right now, the most important thing is making sure he survives the transformation."

Ace turns back to Jun, his heart aching as he takes in Jun’s pale, lifeless form. "Is he... is he in pain?"

"Not yet," Kieran admits. "But his body will be changing gradually. It’s already starting. He’ll feel it soon enough."

As if on cue, Jun’s body jerks slightly on the bed.

Ace rushes to his side, his hands hovering uncertainly above him. "What’s happening?"

Kieran steps closer, his eyes narrowing as he observes Jun. "His body is fighting it, maybe adapting to the change."

Jun’s breathing grows uneven, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

Beads of sweat form on his forehead, and his fingers twitch.

Ace swallows hard, his hand trembling as he brushes Jun’s hair back. " I don’t know how he will react to this. He didn’t ask for this," he murmurs again, his voice breaking.

Kieran places a hand on Ace’s shoulder, his grip firm. "Neither did you. But you adapted. You survived. And so will he."

The room falls silent except for Jun’s labored breathing and the faint rustle of the wolves outside.

Ace doesn’t move from Jun’s side, his eyes never leaving his face.

After what feels like an eternity, Kieran speaks again. "You should rest."

"It’s okay, am fine here," Ace says firmly, his voice trembling but resolute.

Kieran leaves hesitantly.

His emotions are something he has never experienced in the life that he has already lived.

Ace’s sorrows are doing things to him. Not that he can feel it because of some ties between them, but because he can’t handle seeing Ace that sad.

Later he returns to the room with a somber expression, a tray of food and water in his hands.

He sets it on a nearby table, glancing briefly at Xiao Jun’s pale, restless form before turning his attention to Ace.

"You need to eat," Kieran says, his voice soft but firm.

Ace shakes his head. "I’m not hungry."

"You’ll be no good to him if you collapse from exhaustion," Kieran counters.

Deep down he is just using Xiao Jun, but in real sense, he is worried about Ace’s condition.

Ace exhales sharply but doesn’t argue further. He picks at the food half-heartedly, his mind far away. After a few moments of silence, Kieran clears his throat.

"So, about Jun’s father," he begins, his tone cautious.

Ace freezes, his fork hovering mid-air. He sets it down slowly, his gaze fixed on the plate. "What about him?"

"We have to take his body to the mortuary, we can’t keep him for long," Kieran says. "we can’t bury him unless Jun wakes up. We also need to decide what to tell people about his death."

Ace looks up at Kieran, his expression pained. "How are we supposed to explain this? We can’t exactly tell them the truth."

"No," Kieran agrees. "But we can’t avoid it either. People will have questions, especially Xiao Jun’s friends and maybe work mates, at the hotel. We need a believable story."

"Jun has no friends, the only problem is the employees at the hotel, I know by now they are already having questions since the chairman and his son haven’t shown up for long. Maybe I’ll have to go there in the morning, they know me, I can keep up the act and give an excuse before Jun wakes up."

"I can come with you if you want." Kieran offers.

"No" Ace refuses.

"Ace..." Kieran starts but Ace cuts him.

"Or rather, I can just tell them the truth, that the chairman died, and his son is still in shock can’t show up now." Ace says, ignoring Kieran’s sudden care behaviour.

"That could work, but what will you tell them he died from?" Kieran asks. "If the truth comes out, it could ruin everything." he adds.

They sit in silence for a moment, the weight of the conversation settling heavily between them. Finally, Ace breaks the silence.

"What are we going to say?" he asks, his voice barely above a whisper.

Kieran leans against the wall, "We’ll say he passed away suddenly. A heart attack, perhaps. It’s not uncommon for someone his age to suffer from one. And when they decide to do a postmortem, they will know it’s true because really he died from shock."

Ace frowns. "What about the wolves who were there? What if someone talks?"

"They won’t be there," Kieran says firmly. "Even so, they know the stakes. They won’t say a word."

Ace sighs, rubbing his temples. "A heart attack. I guess that’s... plausible."

"It’s the safest option," Kieran says. "And it spares Xiao Jun from having to deal with questions he’s not ready to answer."