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Chapter 115
~Valerie’s POV~
I thought I could slip past it. The stares, the whispers, the insane headline now cented on Whispr’s trending page.
But apparently, fate—or more likely, chaos—wasn’t ready to let catch a break, because when I stepped into the Honours Alpha Strategy class, Dristan was already there.
Thankfully, every other student wasn’t present, seeing as I got to school and class 30 minutes before ti.
Seated near the back, dressed in black like so cursed prince out of a legend, he didn’t look up when I walked in. He didn’t need to.
He already knew I was there.
And that alone was dangerous.
I crossed the room quickly, ignoring the empty seat beside him and sliding into one near the window. My pulse still hadn’t settled since Isla’s ssage.
Dristan hadn’t taken the Whispr post down. He hadn’t denied it. He hadn’t acted like the private, brooding heir who hated attention. No—he’d smiled. That smile.
Before I could make sense of it, the door creaked again.
Kai entered first, tall and silent as ever, his erald eyes sharp as glass. Xade followed, all lazy swagger and loose limbs like he hadn’t just punched a bear earlier that week for training fun.
And then Axel sauntered in with his silver chain swinging and a smirk already in place.
"Ah, the infamous ’lightning rescue,’" Axel announced to the room before even sitting down. "Our icy king goes soft for a girl and breaks the internet."
Dristan didn’t move. Didn’t flinch.
Kai’s voice followed smoothly. "Didn’t peg you for the dramatic type. ’I didn’t co for the target. I ca for you?’ Really?"
I felt my face heat up.
"Wasn’t planned," Dristan said simply.
Xade laughed darkly, sliding into a seat two rows behind mine. "Sure didn’t look like hesitation. If anything, you seed... territorial. That smoke was for show?"
Dristan lifted his eyes now, slow and calm and deadly. "I don’t do shows."
"Well," Axel mused, kicking his boots onto the desk, "Whispr would argue otherwise. You basically gave them a season finale."
"Why didn’t you stop it from going up?" Kai asked him more quietly.
Dristan’s gaze flicked to . "Why would I?"
My heart tripped.
"You’re not hiding it anymore?" Axel said, his grin turning sharper. "Big shift for soone who acted like even breathing the word ’mate’ in public was a felony."
How did they know? Did he act that way with them, too, or did soone like Brielle spill the beans?
Dristan shrugged once. "I’m not hiding it. I’m claiming it."
Oh.
Oh no.
Kai’s posture stiffened.
"You’re what?" Xade leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand like watching an amusing play. "You think the rest of us will just nod and back off?"
"No," Dristan said coolly. "I expect you to try. And I’ll break anyone who gets in the way."
"Bold of you," Kai muttered. "Considering I’ve been holding back."
"Sa," Xade said, smile gone. "But if we’re all playing cards face up now..."
"Not the sa, you’ve kissed her," Axel cut in.
"And so have you, Axel," Dristan chirped in.
Since they were all calling themselves out, why not bring it to the table?
Kai glanced around like he was seeing stars for the first ti. "I see you all say one thing and wear your testosterone on your sleeve."
"No one asked you to be a slowpoke, Kai. Get on the train," Axel hissed. "She’s our mate and not just yours."
"And so?"
"No rule was placed. I want her."
"And I do too," Kai stated, like I wasn’t there.
"Too late," Dristan voiced.
I exhaled, ready to jump in when Axel beat to it. "Oh," Axel added, folding his arms behind his head, "you’ll have to try harder than just a lightning storm, champ."
I didn’t know where to look. Their voices clashed like swords behind , not loud, but sharp. Too sharp.
"I’m here, rember... And I’m not a prize," I said, turning in my seat. "None of you get to stake claims like I’m a rare magical egg to be hatched."
Xade’s grin ca back. "You’re not a prize, darling. You’re a war. And we’re already fighting it."
Kai looked straight at . "This was going to happen eventually. He just made the first move louder."
Dristan stood suddenly but slowly. He didn’t raise his voice. He didn’t need to.
"I don’t need her to choose now," he said. "But I won’t let you act like I won’t fight for her."
Axel let out a low whistle. "Looks like we’ve got ourselves a real show coming."
Dristan stepped past them, brushing close enough that sparks lifted in the air again. As he passed my desk, he paused, just briefly, and stared at .
"I ant what I said," he murmured low enough for only to hear. "And I don’t regret it. I’m not taking that video down."
Then he walked out, as casually as he had walked into my life—like a storm that never asked permission.
Behind , the air thickened.
And all I could think was, I wasn’t just the girl the lightning prince ca for. I was the girl for whom the storm was about to start.
One mind told to run because I did not want to engage in any conversation with the others, particularly Kai, even though my whole body scread, ’speak to him.’
And Astra, as usual, was screaming in my head each ti they spoke and staked their claims.
I needed space. I needed air, and I wasn’t about to get any here.
Just as I was about to stand, Xade’s voice made halt. "Little wolf."
But before he could say anything, three students walked in. Imdiately, I felt six extra pair of eyes on briefly before they went away.
I was sure they had diverted their gaze to the Alpha Kings’ Heirs. I looked up and noticed one of them was Erald as she walked over to my seat.
"Valerie!"
I exhaled, ntally thankful for the save.
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