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Chapter 186
~Valerie’s POV~
The kiss was slow, unrushed but deep, like a secret Dristan didn’t want to let go of.
His hands were on my waist, his breath warm against my lips, and for a mont, the storm that was my life faded into nothing.
I let myself feel it, feel him. The rawness, need, the silent confession laced in every soft drag of his mouth against mine.
I shut my eyes, allowing myself to enjoy the mont when he door creaked open.
I tensed instantly and Dristan stiffened too, our kiss pausing mid-breath.
"I swear, Dristan, if you forgot we have that—"
Kai.
My eyes flew open just as his voice cut off and I turned my head toward the door. He stood frozen on the threshold, a folder in one hand, lips parted like he’d just walked in on sothing he wasn’t supposed to see.
Which... he had.
His gaze moved from to Dristan and back again. Sothing flashed in his eyes—hurt? Jealousy? Pain? I didn’t know. But it made my chest tighten.
Kai blinked once, then turned, muttering, "Excuse ."
I almost called after him—almost—when he suddenly stopped. His jaw tightened.
Then, with a growl, he turned back around and marched straight toward us.
"Kai?" I breathed.
"What are you—"
He didn’t let finish.
One hand grabbed mine, firm but not painful, and the next thing I knew, he was pulling up from the bed and into him.
"Kai, what the hell?" Dristan growled, imdiately gripping my other hand, yanking halfway back toward him.
But Kai didn’t even look at him. He leaned down to my level and kissed hard right in front of Dristan.
My brain short-circuited, my eyes widened and my body locked.
The warmth of his lips clashed with the cold shock of the mont, and I couldn’t even react fast enough.
"Back off," Dristan snarled the second he regained his voice, yanking back into him. "She’s mine now."
"I don’t recall her choosing anyone," Kai shot back, his voice low and lethal. "She’s our mate."
"She did."
"I haven’t chosen!" I snapped before anyone could say more, tugging my hands free. "Gods, you two act like I’m not even standing here!"
Kai smirked, stepping to the side. "You heard her. You can’t keep hoarding her like the rest of us don’t exist."
"She belongs with ," Dristan hissed, shoulders tight. "You had your chance. She was done with you."
Kai shrugged. "You sure it wasn’t just you hoping that? Because last I checked, you weren’t the Moon Goddess."
"Maybe not," Dristan snapped back, "but I’m the one she’s with now."
"And yet you still look like you’re seconds away from combusting just because I kissed her." Kai’s smirk deepened. "Who’s insecure now?"
The tension spiked like lightning in the room—raw, wild, and dangerously close to chaos.
That was when Xade strolled in with Axel in tow, both of them eyeing the scene with equal parts curiosity and amusent.
"Well, well..." Xade drawled, stepping between us and gently dragging behind him like I was so glass relic. "Looks like things are heating up."
"Perfect ti to share," Axel added casually, licking his lips. "I an, the Moon Goddess didn’t bond her to just one of us for a reason."
"If she’s willing," Xade said, voice more serious now, his blue eyes watching closely, "then why not?"
"I—" Axel started.
"Stop!" I yelled, the word tearing out of like a whip across the room, freezing all of them.
All four of them turned to stare at like I was the last steak in a wolf den.
My heart pounded like a war drum.
"I’m still here, gods damn it! Not one of you even asked what I wanted!" My eyes burned as I glared from one face to another. "You can’t just all kiss like that without even warning and then expect to sit here and play goddess of your little territorial pissing contest."
Kai’s mouth parted, but I held up a hand. "No, don’t. I swear, if one more of you tries to touch like I’m so prize to pass around, I’ll break your fingers."
There was a beat of silence.
Then Kai had the audacity to smirk again. "So... are you saying no to the idea of taking us all at once?"
My breath caught.
Dristan let out a low groan beside . Xade’s eyes darkened, and Axel—gods help —tilted his head with a grin that could lt panties.
A shudder rolled through . My entire body flushed at the thought, and I hated how they all noticed.
Kai grinned. "You’ll have to choose one day, honey. And if you don’t... well, sweetheart, you’ll have to take us all."
"You can handle one, and I will be the one," Dristan said.
"I—I-I... just forget it. You guys aren’t thinking well."
"Oh, but we are, Valerie, and we each want you," Xade stated.
I looked up again but regretted it instantly as they all had those hungry, predatory eyes.
"Just... forget it. You all can go fuck or kiss yourselves but count out. I’m leaving."
I turned back once, my face hardening, about to storm out. But I stopped at the door, breathing heavily.
Then I reached out and grabbed Axel’s hand. He blinked before the others could react.
I t his gaze steadily. "I forgive you. I hold no grudge. You’ve earned that much. So..." I exhaled, then smirked. "Lead out of this house, lover boy. Then you can co back and finish your boys’ date."
Axel chuckled, clearly trying not to laugh as he glanced at the others.
"Gladly, little moon."
And just like that, I walked out of that den of male testosterone.
****************
After spending so ti with Dristan and the guys, I returned downstairs, Axel leading the way, and soon I was out of the house.
The evening that followed was uneventful, thankfully. No drama. No testosterone-driven chaos. Just , my books, and a much-needed silence that didn’t co easily these days.
I buried myself in revision, surrounded by notes and textbooks, hoping that between chemistry, little enchantnts and runic formulas, my brain wouldn’t slip back to the madness of earlier.
By the next day, I convinced myself everything had cooled off. Mostly.
Classes were tolerable, the kind of slow pace that teachers used when they didn’t want to ruin us before a major assessnt. With term grading evaluations around the corner, everyone was either high-strung or in zombie mode.
I had just stepped out of chemistry class, where I caught the tail end of a very suspicious conversation between Isla and so upper-class vamp boy. Sothing juicy, definitely, but I kept my lips sealed for now.
As I joined the trickle of students down the hallway, my phone buzzed in my skirt pocket.
I pulled it out lazily, expecting a text from Solstice or maybe Storm, but the screen showed sothing... odd.
Unknown Number.
My brows knitted as I tapped it open, only to be t with a suspicious text.
"I got your ssage. et at the south courtyard in five minutes, and I shall give you my answer."
—R.A.
My steps slowed.
R.A.?
My thoughts ran a mile trying to figure out which friend I had bearing the na R.A. in this school until my head finally figured it out.
Riven Alucard?
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