Angela could not believe what she just heard. Did Kaito really say those words? Did he just throw her out of the house like she meant nothing to him? Just like that, without even giving her another chance?
She blinked in disbelief and slowly laid down on the couch. He didn't even bother to give her a blanket. Just one pillow and that was it. But she didn't care.
She had slept on worse. There were nights back home when she had to sleep on the cold floor. Grace wouldn't let her on the bed because she had brought a client into the room. Compared to those nights, this couch was even better.
If Kaito thought that making her sleep there would break her, he was wrong. It was nothing.
Still, Angela couldn't stop thinking about what he said. The eviction. What would happen if no other house accepted her? Where was she going to stay? Did that mean she would be asked to leave the school altogether?
A cold shiver ran through her. What if this was the end of everything? What if she had just ruined her only chance? Going back home was not an option.
If Grace saw her return, she would send for her uncle. In her eyes, she would be a failure and Angela knew too well what Uncle Toga would do to her if he found her.
This Academy was the only place he could not reach her. The only place where, no matter how hard Grace or Toga tried, she was safe because she was a student here.
But if she lost that protection, she was finished. Her breathing began to feel heavier. She tried to stay calm but it wasn't working. Did Kaito really mean everything he said or was he just angry when he said it?
Tomorrow morning would tell. If he stood by his words, then she would be in serious trouble. But maybe, just maybe, if she went to him and apologized, he would change his mind. He might forgive her. No. She shook her head. That would mean the Alphas won. That would mean they had power over her like they did over everyone else. And she was not ready to bow to any of them.
She thought about it again. Even if another house took her in, who was going to protect her from the Alphas? Who would stand up for her when they made her life miserable?
Kaito and Taros used to help her, but after today, she doubted either of them would lift a finger. If she ended up in another house, people like Hiro and Renn would turn her life into a living nightmare.
Tears slowly gathered in Angela's eyes as her thoughts returned to the one person who made it possible for her to enter the Academy. It was Kaito. He was the reason she was here. He helped her get in.
If he wanted to, he could take it all away. Now that he had thrown her out of his room, what stopped him from reversing her admission too? He could make that decision at any time. And if he did, she would have nowhere else to go.
"No… no, Kaine," a voice broke the silence.
Angela turned her head. The lights were off, but she knew that voice. It was Kaito's. It was the middle of the night, and he had already fallen asleep. The only reason she was still awake was because the weight of her thoughts wouldn't let her rest.
At first, she ignored the voice. He was probably just talking in his sleep. But then the name he said echoed again in her head. Kaine. Who was Kaine? Kaito had whispered a girl's name in his dream. That was strange. He was not the kind of person who let things slip. He never talked carelessly. He only shared what he wanted others to know, and that was it.
From the first day she met him, Kaito had always been a mystery. He did things that made her wonder who he really was. Why did he help her get into the Academy? Why did he choose her as a roommate? Why was he always showing up to save her when no one else did? She had never asked, but the questions never left her mind.
"Kaine, please… no," he whispered again in the dark. Angela sat up on the couch and looked toward his bed.
For a moment, she thought about going to him, waking him up, maybe asking if he was okay. But she stayed still. Maybe Kaine was someone he loved, maybe even someone he still dreamed about. Why should she care about that? Why should she worry herself about what Kaito does with other girls?
She laid back down, pulled the pillow close, and turned away. Maybe she felt jealous, or maybe it was just something she could not name. Whatever it was, she hated that he called another girl's name in his sleep.
**
He didn't see Angel or Kaito at the cafeteria during dinner. It was strange, especially after the whole school started talking about West House's sudden fall from first place to fourth.
The drop was huge and unexpected. Two hundred points gone, just like that. For nothing. Kaito was nowhere to be found since then, and that said a lot.
Hiro knew that what Renn did must have hit Kaito hard this time. He could feel it in the air. Kaito was angry, and very soon, everyone would feel it.
For weeks, West House had remained at the top. Kaito had made it his goal to win the overall best house again this term.
But it looked like his roommate had different plans. The one person who was supposed to help him keep order had now become the cause of chaos.
Hiro tried not to laugh but couldn't hold it in. The great Kaito, losing control over a boy. He waited for the school news to post something about it, but nothing new came up.
The Academy news had not been updated, which meant they were trying to keep it quiet. That made Hiro even more curious. He was sure there was something deeper between Kaito and Angel. They were hiding something.
A few students had started posting about Angel on the student feed. Some said he had become the Alpha's plaything, and others said he was being used.
Hiro rubbed his face with both hands and sighed. He opened the video from the gym again and played it slowly. He watched Angel step up to Renn with boldness. The boy had guts. No fear. No second thought.
Anyone else would have backed down after what Renn did to him the day before. But not Angel. He even had the nerve to ask for the students to be regrouped.
Hiro shook his head "I can't keep sitting here doing nothing," he said as he got up from his bed.
He began pacing around the room. It was late. Almost midnight. And tomorrow was the full moon. A strong reminder to all Alphas that they were getting closer to meeting their destined mate.
Hiro didn't let his mind go there. He pushed the thought aside. Instead, he let the questions in his head lead him. He needed answers. Real answers. Then it hit him.
He could break into the principal's office and check Angel's file himself. He was sure there was something there. Something that would explain why Kaito cared so much.
If he found out that Angel was related to Kaito in any way, or had any link to him, he would post it with proof. By morning, the whole Academy would know.
Breaking in wouldn't be easy, but he didn't care. He was ready to take the risk. Hiro grabbed a pair of gloves, put on a mask, and carried his small bag. He left the hostel quietly. No one saw him, and even if someone from his house did, they wouldn't dare question him. He was Hiro, and they knew better than to get in his way.