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Chapter 341
~Dristan’s POV~
I wasn’t in my room.
By the ti the first rays of dawn were spilling faintly across the horizon, I had already left the Alphas’ House.
My feet pounded against the soft earth as I ran through the cool morning air, my lungs burning with every sharp inhale.
It was barely past 5:30 a.m., and yet, I hadn’t slept a wink.
Ever since I made the decision to go last—to let the others date Valerie before —Soren had been relentless.
My wolf had been clawing at the edges of my mind, refusing to be silenced.
"Coward."
He spat the word at again in a snarl.
I gritted my teeth as I ran harder, trying to outpace the ache gnawing inside .
"I’m not a coward," I countered silently. "I want sothing different with her. I want to give Valerie ti, and I’d like to give us so ti too. I don’t want her to think I’m like the others, rushing in to claim her without thought."
Soren’s answering growl rumbled through my head.
"And while you wait, the others are setting the bar and giving her a good ti."
"No."
"I am angry that you didn’t date her and set the bar so high for the other alphas to try and cross and still fail. And instead you let them have Valerie."
"Soren."
"No, you listen, Dristan. You should’ve gone first. You should’ve shown her who we are."
I shoved the thought away, sweat dripping down my temple. "I’ll have her," I muttered under my breath. "I’ll give her sothing none of them can."
"Then why aren’t you with her?" Soren was relentless. "Why aren’t you kissing her before her first official date starts? Marking her scent on your skin, making it impossible for the others to—"
"Enough!" I snapped aloud, startling a few early-rising birds from a nearby tree. I slowed my pace, raking a hand through my hair, but my chest still heaved with the weight of my wolf’s frustration.
And sohow, without aning to, my steps had carried toward the female hostel.
I cursed softly under my breath when I realised it. This wasn’t my plan. I wasn’t here for her... I wasn’t supposed to be here. I was about to tell Soren we were turning back when movent caught my eye from one of the windows.
Soone was climbing out of Valerie’s window.
I froze.
"The fuck..." I muttered, narrowing my eyes as the figure landed gracefully on the grass below.
Silver hair peaked out of teh hoodie and caught the weak sunlight. I caught a sharp scent with hints of Valerie’s sweetness and imdiately, my fists clenched involuntarily.
"Xade."
Soren’s growl was pure, raw fury, vibrating inside like a violent storm.
"I told you it was foolish believing the rest would quietly wait their turn. Take a look. What do you see? What do you sll?"
My jaw tightened as my wolf’s words dug beneath my skin. I didn’t want to believe it, but my senses didn’t lie.
I inhaled deeply.
Her scent was fresh, as was her arousal.
Did he... Did Xade make love to her?
The realisation punched the air from my lungs, and for a mont, I couldn’t move, couldn’t think. My entire body tensed with a heat I didn’t want to na.
Soren’s voice rumbled like thunder once more. He was itching to go punch Xade. "She let him touch her."
I exhaled shakily, forcing my claws to retract, forcing myself not to storm into that room and demand answers Valerie wasn’t ready to give.
Maybe it wasn’t as it seed.
But my eyes locked on Xade’s retreating form, and sothing primal burned deep within .
Without another thought, I followed him, each silent step fueled by the roaring storm inside my chest.
Patience had been my plan. But patience, it seed, was no longer an option.
I followed Xade until I saw him enter the Alphas’ House, and as much as I wished to go in there, punch so sense into him, I did not want to make a scene and wake up everyone at ho.
Soren pushed to the surface, daring to let go, and I knew it was a mistake.
Instead, I took a turn and walked back into the forest, running away from him before Soren took over.
By morning, the academy was still buzzing.
Rumors of the forest attack spread like wildfire. Everyone was talking about it, whispering in small groups, speculating about what happened and who the victims were.
By the ti I overheard a few upperclassn near the cafeteria, the story had already gotten bloodier, wilder with so spinning so tales about the incident.
Three bodies were identified.
They weren’t PSA students — thankfully — but they also hadn’t been properly ID’d yet. The way the news spread, you’d think a massacre had taken place.
I ignored it. I couldn’t afford distractions, not with everything piling up. My focus needed to be razor-sharp, and right now, it wasn’t.
After a long shower, I dressed and prepared for school, pushing Xade’s face and Valerie’s scent out of my head... or at least trying to.
The Alpha Gas was only a few months away and the mock was weeks away, yet our training hadn’t taken the strong, disciplined approach it should have.
There were too many distractions, too much tension between us — , Kai, Xade, Axel and the Lycan Twins. I knew why, of course. We weren’t focused, because she was right in the middle of us.
I decided I’d speak to Principal Whitmore later about tightening the training schedule.
But as soon as I stepped into the academy and headed toward my locker to drop off my bag, I spotted him.
Xade.
Leaning casually against the lockers like he hadn’t just sent my wolf spiraling into chaos an hour ago.
Soren’s fury surged instantly, claws scraping against the inside of my skin. My jaw tightened, breath as mories from dawn ca rushing back.
Valerie’s scent, Xade’s silvery hair flashing in the light.
Before I knew it, I was walking straight toward him.
"Xade."
He glanced up lazily, lips quirking in a half-smile. "Hey, Dristan. Morning. I didn’t—"
I cut him off sharply. "Explain why you were sneaking out of Valerie’s room through the window at exactly 5:48 a.m. this morning."
For a fleeting second, shock flashed in his bright blue eyes. Then, just as quickly, it vanished, replaced by a slow, infuriating smirk.
He tilted his head slightly, and when he answered, his voice was taunting.
"Nothing," he drawled. "Just... having my usual morning protein. That’s all."
Soren roared inside , and my hands clenched into fists before I could stop them.
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