Alpha's mate is a male?!?-Chapter 69: Ace Meets Alpha Rehan!

Ace walks into the grand hall, his steps slow but deliberate. He expects hostility, scrutiny, maybe even veiled threats_ but what he gets is something entirely different.

The Alpha stands as soon as Ace enters, not with dominance, not with force, but with a quiet, assured grace.

His amber eyes settle on Ace_ not with hunger, not with the need to control, but with something far more dangerous. Interest. Genuine, unwavering interest.

"You came," the Alpha says, his voice smooth, carrying none of the arrogance Ace expects. "I was hoping you would."

Ace tilts his head slightly, studying him. "I didn’t have much of a choice, did I?"

The Alpha chuckles, deep and rich, but not mocking. "No? I like to think you’re a man who goes where he chooses, not where he’s forced."

That catches Ace off guard. He doesn’t respond immediately, just watches as the Alpha steps closer_ measured, unhurried, as if they have all the time in the world.

"I’ve heard many things about you, Ace," the Alpha continues, his voice calm, deliberate. "Stories, rumors... but none of them truly do you justice."

Ace raises an eyebrow. "And what exactly do those stories say?"

The Alpha folds his arms, leaning slightly, not as a man asserting dominance, but as someone speaking to an equal. "That you are different. That the Moon Goddess marked you with something beyond what any of us understand. That you are powerful, but more than that... you are meant for something greater."

Ace doesn’t answer, but something inside him stirs. Not from flattery. Not from manipulation. But from the sheer certainty in Rehan’s voice.

The Alpha gestures subtly, and one of his wolves immediately steps forward, offering Ace a seat. There is no demand, no expectation_ just a quiet gesture of respect.

Ace exhales and lowers himself into the chair, feeling the weight of several eyes on him_ not with fear, not with judgment, but with admiration.

These wolves are watching him the way people watch legends_ curious, awed, drawn in by something they don’t fully understand.

"My pack has always admired you," Rehan says, his gaze steady. "Not just for what you can do, but for what you represent."

Ace watches him carefully. "And what do I represent?"

A small smile tugs at the Alpha’s lips, something unreadable in his eyes. "Change."

The word is simple, but it carries weight.

Ace leans back slightly, his fingers tapping against his knee. He doesn’t trust this Alpha. Not yet. But this place... these people... they make him feel something he hasn’t felt before. Important. Respected. Wanted.

Ace narrows his eyes slightly. "So what exactly do you want from me?"

Rehan holds his gaze, unreadable, unwavering. "You."

A pause.

Ace stiffens, instincts prickling, but before he can speak, Rehan chuckles lightly. "Not in the way you’re thinking. I meant you, as in your presence. My pack has always admired you, and I wanted them to see you with their own eyes. I hope you don’t mind."

Ace studies him, looking for deception, for an angle. But Rehan gives nothing away.

Finally, the Alpha extends a hand, formal yet inviting. "Let’s start properly. I am Alpha Rehan, of the Moonshine Pack. And I would like you to see my pack for what it truly is."

Ace looks at the outstretched hand. He could refuse, keep his distance.

Or he could find out what this Alpha really wants.

After a beat, Ace takes his hand. "Ace," he says simply.

And the moment their hands meet, the game truly begins.

Ace rests his elbow on the arm of the chair, his fingers loosely curled as he watches Rehan carefully.

Alpha Rehan sits across from him, his posture relaxed yet commanding, as if the entire world bends to his presence.

"You’re comfortable here," Rehan remarks, his voice smooth as ever. "That’s good. I hoped you would be."

Ace lets out a quiet chuckle, tilting his head slightly. "Should I be uncomfortable?"

Rehan’s lips curl into an easy smile, the kind that makes people want to trust him. "I’d never give you a reason to be." He pauses, his gaze steady. "Unlike others."

The unspoken name hangs between them_ Kieran.

Ace leans back, unfazed. "You seem to know a lot about me."

Rehan inclines his head. "I make it my business to know what matters." He gestures vaguely to the wolves around them, all watching Ace with silent admiration. "And you, Ace, matter more than you realize."

Ace doesn’t let the words affect him, but deep down, he can’t deny the strange feeling stirring in his chest.

This place, these people_ they look at him differently. Not like a burden. Not like something forbidden. But as something worthy.

"You brought me here so they could see me," Ace says slowly, testing him. "That’s all?"

"For now." Rehan doesn’t deny it. His honesty is unsettling, almost disarming. "But I won’t lie to you. I wanted to meet you, too. I’ve watched from afar for a long time..."

Ace stiffens. "You’ve watched me?"

Rehan chuckles, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Not in the way you’re thinking. But you are... a fascinating presence. A mystery, even to the Moon Goddess herself. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to speak to you. To know you beyond the whispers and the stories."

Ace narrows his eyes. "And now that you do?"

Rehan studies him, his expression unreadable. Then, with the kind of confidence only an Alpha of his stature could have, he answers, "Now, I don’t want to let you go."

The air shifts.

Ace holds his gaze, unbothered. "And what exactly do you mean by that, Rehan?"

Rehan’s lips curve slightly. "You’re an intelligent young man. What do you think I mean?"

Ace exhales, shaking his head with a small smirk. "You’re starting to sound like someone else I know."

Rehan raises an eyebrow. "Kieran?"

Ace leans back slightly. "He has a habit of speaking in riddles, and making decisions for me. Assuming things. Holding on without ever really reaching out." His jaw tightens for half a second before he exhales sharply. "But I’m not something to be claimed. Not by him. Not by anyone, so whatever you mean... It’s starting to irritate for me."

Rehan studies him for a long moment, his eyes deep with something Ace can’t quite name. "Is that what you believe?"

Ace frowns. "Isn’t that what I just said?"

A slow, knowing smile crosses Rehan’s face. "No. That’s what you want to believe."

Ace stiffens slightly, caught off guard_ not by the words, but by the way they dig under his skin.

Before he can respond, a growl rumbles through the air, low and unmistakably dangerous.

Ace’s breath stills.

He knows that sound.

Kieran.

The moment shatters as the Alpha of Alphas steps forward, his eyes dark and burning with something raw.

His gaze locks onto Rehan, then snaps to Ace, and for a fleeting second_ just a second_ Ace catches something beneath the fury.

Fear.

Because Kieran knows what’s happening here. freewēbnoveℓ.com

And for the first time, Ace wonders if Kieran is afraid of losing him.