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Chapter 152
~Valerie’s POV~
Valerie said nothing, but she didn’t have to. How she looked at —like she wanted to say everything but didn’t know where to begin—was enough.
I nodded once and stepped back toward the door.
"I’ll see you later," I said reluctantly.
"Kai?"
I stopped with my hand on the knob and glanced over my shoulder.
"Yes?"
Valerie’s lips parted, but for a mont, no words ca. Then she just smiled faintly. "Thank you for being here."
I knew it wasn’t love yet but she kissed back voluntrarily... it was hope and I’d take that over silence any day.
I gave her one last look, I hoped told her everything I didn’t dare say—and then I walked out.
My heart still raced as I stepped out and my lips still burned and Kaiser, for once, was silent.
But I felt him smile.
Kaiser didn’t have to say anything .Because for the first ti in weeks, I wasn’t confused.
I was sure. I was in love with Valerie Nightshade.
And no matter who else stood in my way, I wasn’t walking away.
Just as I walked away from the dorm and turned in the direction leading to the Alpha Heirs’ personal house, I heard a deep voice from behind .
"So, I see you’ve stepped up, huh? I love you?"
Inwardly, I was shocke,d but I let my expression remain neutral. "I never took the great Dristan Alexander as a spy."
I felt his body stiffen and added, "if you are so sure of yourself and have nothing to do, you wouldn’t be bothered about what I told Valerie."
"Be careful, Kai."
I arched a brow at him. "Really, Dristan... Or do you forget that she is not just yours, nor mine, but our mate?"
Dristan was about speaking when I lifted my chin. "Save it and let Valerie make her decision on who she wants."
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~Solstice’s POV~
Professor Draven’s voice was droning.
"...power dynamics in hybrid-led councils differ slightly when werewolves are in direct opposition to vampiric political factions due to..."
I stopped listening.
My pen tapped uselessly on the edge of my notebook as my gaze flicked toward the classroom door. The boys had all left in so dramatic parade of testosterone, and Kai had held out longer than most—but even he had cracked.
I’d seen it in his knuckles, the way they gripped the table.
The bond had called to him.
And I wasn’t surprised, not after the dream I’d had about Valerie.
I glanced at the clock.
Sick or not, I needed to check on her. But I wasn’t stupid. Draven may be ancient and obsessed with war diplomacy, but the man had a mory sharper than silver and a temper to match.
So, I raised my hand.
"Professor? I need to use the bathroom."
He gave a brief, distracted wave. "Be quick."
Oh, I would.
I thanked him, then bolted the mont I hit the hallway, made a beeline for the girls’ restroom, and locked myself inside. I waited—five, six, seven long seconds—then flushed the toilet, washed my hands, and stepped out like a student playing by the rules.
Check one: Alibi.
But I wasn’t done.
I detoured back to the dorms, slipped inside long enough to grab a sanitary pad—just in case soone asked why I left class again. Easy excuse. Undeniable. And no one dared question bleeding won.
Check two: Backup alibi.
Then I was out the door again.
I moved quickly, quietly, crossing the courtyard and cutting through the shaded side path of the dorm building. The sa path I’d seen Kai disappear into earlier.
Sothing had drawn him to her, and sothing in my chest said I needed to see why. I knew he was her mate, but I needed to be sure she was safe too and not slipped to one of the heirs.
I paused at the edge of Valerie’s dorm window, heart hamring in a way it had no right to.
I shouldn’t be doing this. But I did.
Slowly, I peeked through the half-open window and what I saw stopped my breath.
Kai stood over her bed, his forehead resting against hers. Valerie’s eyes were closed, but her hand was in his.
Then he kissed her. Not a light kiss, it was long and I... I thought she was given Dristan a chance?
I blinked. My chest... twinged.
It wasn’t jealousy. Not exactly. I knew Valerie and Kai had a pull toward each other, and hell, if anyone deserved softness and comfort, it was her.
Still... watching her lt in his arms when she’d just been in pain—it did sothing to .
Because it reminded that she was in pain and whatever she was dreaming about, whatever she was hiding, it was getting worse.
I leaned closer to the wall, silent as breath, and caught his voice.
"This thing between us. The matebond. It’s strong and loud. But it’s not just that, Valerie. It’s you. You’re in my thoughts constantly. I see you when I close my eyes. I feel you... even when you’re not around."
His words poured into her like balm. I felt them as if they’d been said to . But they weren’t.
And yet... she needed them. She needed him.
My fingers curled against the wall. I didn’t hate him for it.
But I hated that I didn’t know how to protect her from what ca next because I knew sothing she didn’t: my dad was coming.
And if he saw her like this—bonded, tangled with Kai and the rest of them—it wouldn’t just be her identity at risk.
It would be her mission and that would affect Valerie significantly.
"I’ll always be here," Kai said softly.
As much as I wanted to go away, I listened until she shooed him off. That’s when I turned away. I didn’t need to see more.
I’d gotten what I ca for. Valerie was alive and hurting or not, since she now found solace with her mates. And she was too deep in sothing none of us could stop.
So I took one step back from the window, drew in a deep breath, and whispered to myself, "Looks like I’ve got clean-up duty again."
Before I knew what was happening, I heard the faint sound of lips, and I knew what that ant. I paused, turned and looked again. They were kissing each other.
Subconsciously, a smile crept up on my face as my cheeks pulled to the side.
"What’s wrong with you, Solstice. You should stop helping Valerie and not be so lovey-dovey sick for her," I scolded myself.
But then, as I was about to walk off, casually—head high, shoulders squared—as if I hadn’t just witnessed the only person I swore to protect fall harder than she was ready for, when I heard a sonorous, stern voice call my na.
"Solstice Aura Gold, why have you been eavesdropping on my conversations?"
I gulped, my shoulders tensed and straight as my brain thought of the possible lie to give.
"I’m waiting, Ms. Silver Aura?"
Valerie wasn’t supposed to know I saw, and she would have thanked later. For what I was about to do but now... I was going to explain thing to her.
Gulp
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