<h4>Chapter 219: Daddy Issues.</h4>


    Ang took her bath slowly, trying to let the warm water ease her mind, but it did little to calm the storm inside her. She kept thinking about the bite and whether she had overreacted. If there was anyone who could control himself, it was Kaito. He would never hurt someone on purpose. For him to do that, something must have pushed him beyond his limits.


    Still, doubt crept in, whispering that there was something he was hiding. Her instincts nagged at her, making her question him again and again, even though she didn’t want to. Maybe there was no secret at all, or maybe there was one she could not yet see. The confusion only made her restless. She knew her focus should be on Hiro and finding a way to make himplete the circle, but her heart kept drifting back to Kaito.


    When she stepped out of the bathroom, wrapped in fresh air, she found him pacing the room as if something weighed heavily on his mind. She tried to ignore the tension, reaching for the dryer on the mirror stand, ready to dry her hair. But before she could switch it on, his cold hand brushed against hers. The touch sent a shiver racing down her spine. She wanted to pull away. She didn’t need his help, not with something as simple as drying her hair.


    "Let me do it," he whispered, leaning close. His breath stirred against her ear as he buried his face in her hair for a moment. "I love your hair. I wish you would leave it like this."


    His voice was gentle but dangerous, wrapping around her like a spell. For a second, she almost let herself sink into his words, but she snapped her eyes open and nudged him with her elbow.


    "Ouch," he muttered, stepping back with a small smile. "I wasn’t expecting that. I only wanted to help."


    "But you were trying to seduce me," she said, shaking her head as her eyes met his reflection in the mirror. He had nearly caught her off guard, but she managed to slip away from the charm of his tone.


    "Did you really call that seduction?" Kaito chuckled softly, resting his hands on her shoulders as if it was the most natural thing in the world. She rolled her eyes but gave him the dryer.


    To her surprise, he handled it with ease, drying her long hair and smoothing oil through it like he had done it a hundred times before. She expected clumsiness, but there was none. His touch was steady, confident, almost too perfect for someone like him.


    "Do you want me to braid it?" he asked, looking at her through the mirror.


    "Yes," Ang answered, her voice quieter than she intended. Curiosity tugged at her, and she could not stop herself from asking, "But where did you learn all this from?" She found herself watching him more than her own reflection.


    "My mom," Kaito said softly. "She taught me everything since she didn’t get a daughter." It was the first time he had opened up about his family to anyone, and it was to her. She had only heard of his father, and even that was just the part that connected to her.


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    "This is the first time you’re talking about her," Ang said, a small smile tugging at her lips. "She sounds like she has a lovely personality." Deep inside, she felt a strange warmth, almost grateful that he had a mother who seemed kinder than her own.


    "Yes, you’ll like her when you meet her in the future," Kaito replied as his fingers worked skillfully, braiding her hair into one neat strand. "She’s Spanish."


    "I know. Taros told me."


    Kaito froze for a second, clearly not expecting that. "What? What else did that guy tell you? I need to know everything."


    "I can’t snitch," Ang teased, shaking her head before augh slipped out. The curious look on his face only made it more amusing.


    "That’s not snitching."


    "He didn’t say much about you," she admitted. "Even though he’s your friend, he knows very little about you." She nced at her hair in the mirror, and a soft smile formed. He had done it so well she could hardly believe it. "You’re so secretive, Kaito. It’s difficult to know what’s really going on with you."


    "Maybe there’s nothing too interesting in my life," he murmured as he gently turned her around to face him, "except for you." His fingers traced her cheek, then her lips, making them part under his touch. "I want you."


    Ang didn’t find the words to resist him. She didn’t even try. When his mouth imed hers, the world slipped away. He kissed her slowly, drawing her in deeper, his tongue teasing hers until she could hardly breathe. She tried to keep up, but the kiss overwhelmed her. When she finally choked against it, he pulled back at once.


    She coughed, her face burning, while he rushed to get her water. She sipped it, feeling embarrassed, her heart racing. How could someone like her, who thought she was strong, fail to even handle a kiss like that?


    "Are you okay?" Kaito asked, his face full of worry, and Ang nodded softly.


    "That’s better. You should go to bed. Your test is by noon and I don’t want you stressed."


    "It’s just a swimming test. Can you at least give me areas of concentration?" she asked, tilting her head with a hopeful smile.


    "You’ve been practicing so muchtely. I know you’ll do great," he said gently, kissing her cheek before leading her toward the bed. He helped her slip under the covers and pulled the nkets over her. Then he turned away and walked back toward the couch.


    "Are you sleeping on the couch?" Ang sat up, her eyes wide. She thought they were already past that stage.


    "Yes. You asked me to give you space because you wanted to be fair, remember?" he reminded her, and she nodded. "So I’m keeping to that. It’s better if I stay here. But if you don’t feel okay about it, I can go to Taros’ ce instead."


    "Hell no..." Ang rolled her eyes andy back on the bed. Sleep wouldn’te. That strange feeling that had been chasing her all evening grew heavier, pressing down on her chest no matter how hard she tried to shake it off. "I feel weird, Kaito. It’s like I’m sad, but at the same time, I’m happy."


    "It’s Renn. I can feel him too," Kaito said quietly.


    Her heart skipped. Renn. They hadn’t spoken this evening. She had been juggling so much with her mates, and she had left him out. The guilt settled on her at once.


    "Could he be hurt? Or wounded?" she asked quickly, sitting up again.


    "No. He’s just sad," Kaito answered. "Maybe he has daddy issues as well.


    "Can I go to him?"


    "No. It’ste, and you need rest. I will check on him in the morning before breakfast. I’m sure he’ll be fine," he said firmly.


    "Yeah..." she mumbled, though the word felt heavy on her lips. It was easy for him to say, because Renn wasn’t his mate. But for her, the sadness lingered and pressed deeper. She turned restlessly in bed, fighting with the ache in her chest until exhaustion finally pulled her into sleep.