Alpha's mate is a male? Chapter 41: Freedom

After Ace left Kieran and Jun fighting, he went straight to Marsel’s ho.

He couldn’t take it anymore—the shouting, the tension, the weight of everything crashing down on him.

Kieran and Jun’s argunts were relentless, circling around him like vultures, picking at the remnants of his frayed patience.

Each word they threw at each other felt like a blow to his chest, a reminder of how trapped he was in the middle of their clashing emotions.

Neither man seed to notice how much their bickering was suffocating him.

The air around them had grown too thick to breathe, and Ace felt like he might explode if he stayed even a mont longer.

He needed air.

He needed quiet.

The forest path to Marsel’s ho was shrouded in a calming silence, broken only by the rhythmic crunch of his boots against the ground.

The crisp air bit at his cheeks, the cool sting a welco contrast to the heat of the confrontation he’d just left behind.

The towering pines stretched high above him, their needles whispering softly in the breeze, offering a kind of solace he hadn’t known he needed.

He didn’t have a plan—his legs moved of their own accord, guiding him toward the one place that felt like a sanctuary.

Each step through the familiar woods brought back fragnts of mories: quiet conversations by the fire, the scent of Elira’s cooking wafting through the air, Marsel’s steady, reassuring presence.

’°

By the ti he reaches the modest, welcoming house nestled on the edge of the woods, it’s night again.

The sight of the cottage, with its warm glow spilling from the windows, stops him in his tracks.

For a mont, he hesitates , staring at the intricately carved door.

Summoning a breath, Ace raises his hand and knock softly.

The sound seems to echo louder than he expected in the stillness.

Within monts, the door creaks open, and Elira’s face appears.

Her sharp, knowing eyes softens as they land on him, and her lips curve into a wide, understanding smile.

"Ace," she says gently, stepping aside to let him in. Her voice carries the warmth of soone who has been expecting him, even if she hasn’t. "We weren’t expecting you."

"I... need a break," Ace admits, his voice raw and subdued. He feels the weight of his exhaustion settle deeper as the words leave his lips. "Things are... complicated."

Elira places a comforting hand on his shoulder, her touch light but grounding. "Co in," she says, guiding him inside. "You’re always welco here. Am happy you rembered here."

The scent of herbs and spices imdiately envelops him, wrapping around his senses like a blanket.

The faint crackle of the fireplace in the corner adds to the cozy atmosphere, and for the first ti in what feels like hours, Ace’s shoulders relax.

Marsel is seated in a high-backed chair by the fire, a thick book open in his lap.

He looks up as Ace enters, his keen gaze softening with recognition. "You look like you’ve been through a storm," Marsel says, closing the book and setting it aside. "Co, sit. Let the fire chase away the cold."

Ace sinks into the chair across from him, letting the warmth of the flas seep into his skin.

He leans back, closing his eyes for a mont as the tension in his body slowly ebbs.

"I’ll get you sothing to eat dear." Elira says but Ace stops her.

"No please, am fine.

It’s not just a storm," Ace finally murmurs, his voice barely above a whisper. "It’s a hurricane."

Elira moves to sit beside Marsel, her hands folding neatly in her lap.

Her gaze never wavers from Ace, her quiet understanding shining through. "Tell us," she says gently, her voice encouraging him to unburden himself.

Ace hesitates, his gaze flickering between the two of them. But the weight of everything he has been carrying is too much to bear alone anymore. Slowly, he begins to speak.

He tells them about Kieran’s cold indifference, about the way Jun’s love feels like both a lifeline and a chain.

He recounts the endless argunts, the growing tension, and how it all seems to revolve around him.

He speaks of Lila’s looming presence, how they delt with her and unfortunately ran, and the way it feels like her shadow still lingers over the pack.

"I ca here because... I need so peace," he admits, his voice breaking slightly. "But I don’t even know if I can have that anymore."

Elira reaches across the table, placing a hand over his.

Her touch is warm, steady, and it sends a strange pang through Ace’s chest. "You can always find peace here," she says, her voice firm. "This is your ho as much as it is ours."

Ace’s throat tightens at her words. Ho. Why does it feel so true, so right, when he barely knows them?

Marsel leans forward, his expression serious but not unkind. "You ntioned Kieran and Jun," he says. "Why are they fighting?"

"I don’t know," he finally admits. "Jun is upset with Kieran, but neither of them will tell why. It’s like there’s this tension between them, and I’m stuck in the middle."

He looks down at his hands, his shoulders slumping. "There’s still a problem I haven’t solved__ telling Jun the truth , and seeing them like that just kills . I don’t know what to think anymore. Am confused, Kieran barely talks to and am supposed to be with him, and Jun... Jun loves , he takes risks for , stays by my side even when he doesn’t have to. I don’t know what to do. Should I just... move on? Forget about Kieran and focus on Jun? Can I even do that, with the bond between Kieran and still there?"

The room falls into a heavy silence, the weight of Ace’s words settling over them like a thick fog.

Marsel exchanges a glance with Elira before leaning forward, his expression careful. "Ace," he begins, his voice steady, "have you noticed anything... different since yesterday? About yourself? About Kieran?"

Ace frowns, his brow knitting in confusion. "Different? What do you an?"

Marsel’s gaze sharpens. "The mate bond. Have you felt it? Truly felt it?"

Ace’s chest tightens as he searches his mory. "I... I don’t know. I haven’t really thought about it. Everything’s been so chaotic."

"What about the mark, the mark Kieran made on you? Is it still there?" Marsel urges, his voice quiet but insistent.

Ace hesitates, his pulse quickening. Slowly, he presses his palm against his neck, where the mark made that night never faded nor his skin smooth. Closing his eyes as he tries to sense the familiar tug—the invisible thread that has always tied him to Kieran.

But there’s nothing.

His eyes fly open, panic flashing in them. "It’s gone," he breathes, his voice shaking. "I... wh... What does that an?"

Marsel’s expression is grave as he leans back in his chair. "It ans the Moon Goddess has severed your bond. You and Kieran are no longer tied by fate. You’re free to choose your own path now."

Ace’s mind reels. The bond is gone? It doesn’t make sense. "When... when did this happen? Why didn’t I feel it?"

Elira’s voice is soft, soothing. "Maybe because you’ve been too consud to realize it."

Her words hit him like a wave, and he leans back in his chair, his thoughts spinning. He is free.

The bond is gone.

But instead of relief, he feels... lost.

"Why did the moon goddess severe our bond? Is it because I did sothing wrong? Did I not do what she wanted to do? Wh..."

Marsel’s voice breaks through the haze. "No, that’s not it, you have done a great Job, and still you have to deal with Lila until she is no more. You and Kieran. I don’t know the real reason why the moon goddess did it , but it’s not any of your fault, maybe she thought you were struggling with the bond. You have a choice now, Ace. A real choice. But before you make it, take the ti to figure out what you truly want."

For the first ti, Ace feels like his future is in his hands. But the weight of that freedom is both terrifying and exhilarating.