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Chapter 344
~Valerie’s POV~
The kiss didn’t last long—only a few seconds, but enough to leave dizzy. My lips tingled, my heart hamring like it wanted to break free of my chest.
Ash pulled back slowly, his breath brushing against my skin, and for a mont, neither of us moved.
Then he lowered the necklace to my eye level, the chain glinting faintly in the fading light, and gently placed it in my hand.
I stared at it for a mont. "How did you get this?"
"I told you," he said evenly. "It was stolen."
My brows knitted. "By who?"
His eyes darkened, and a dangerous glint sparkled in them. "Marianna."
The na didn’t sound new. It only confird my suspicion, and I blinked hard. "I was going to take it back, actually," I admitted. "But... a few things have been bugging , and I didn’t get the chance."
Ash nodded. "I figured. When she walked past yesterday, I imdiately picked up your scent on her. And when I looked closer, there it was—your necklace, hanging around her neck like it belonged to her."
"What?" I breathed, disbelief coiling in my stomach.
Ash tilted his head slightly. "I followed her. Waited until she was alone. Then I cornered her and took it back."
I could picture it in my head as he continued.
"She was shocked," he said, his lips twitching at the mory. "Tried to fight back, but the mont I unleashed my Alpha aura, she crumbled. Dropped to her knees, trembling like a leaf. I got her to tell everything I need to know."
My eyes widened. "You... used compulsion?"
Ash’s lips curved into a sharp smile. "Of course. I’m a Lycan royal alpha, Valerie. Against a lesser wolf like her, it’s child’s play."
Astra’s silence inside was telling—she knew the truth of his words.
"What did she say?" I pressed.
His expression hardened. "She confessed. It wasn’t entirely her idea. Astraea stole it and handed it to her. And Titania masked the scent so you wouldn’t find it."
My stomach twisted with shock. "They’re... all involved?"
I knew they were involved or suspected as much, but hearing the confirmation alone was sothing else. I clenched my fists, fury rising. But Ash caught my chin gently, forcing to et his gaze.
"Let it go, Light," he said softly but firmly. "I’ve taken care of it. I warned her, if anything like this happens again, she’ll regret ever breathing."
Sothing in his calm voice certainly lted the anger clawing in my chest. My shoulders sagged, and I whispered, "Thank you."
He smiled faintly, brushing his thumb across my cheek. "What day is it, Valerie?"
I blinked at the sudden change of subject. "Uh... 19th?"
"And doesn’t today an it’s your first official date with my brother, as his girlfriend?"
Heat rushed to my face. "Ash..."
He chuckled, his eyes glinting sweetly. "Stop letting trivial things drag you down. You deserve to live a little."
I swallowed, then smiled faintly. "You’re right. Thank you."
"Always." He gestured for to hand over the necklace. I did without any worries.
As soon as it touched his palm, Ash moved behind and fastened it around my neck. His fingers lingered for a second against my skin before he dropped his hands.
"Now," he said, offering his arm, "allow to escort you to class."
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The rest of the day should have been okay—ordinary even—but fate had other plans.
By the ti I returned to class, I barely had ti to breathe before our lecturer arrived.
Thankfully, I hadn’t missed the first period, though the hush that settled over the room was strange.
Professor Lumina entered late, her gown swishing softly as she crossed the floor to the centre of the board to stand before us with an armful of papers clutched against her chest.
But what I never expected was for her to begin by calling our nas to hand over our test scores.
"Isla Storm."
My heart skipped a beat as I watched Isla rise with her usual poise, back straight and chin slightly lifted as though she expected nothing less than perfection, and walked over to the lecturer.
As soon as Isla got them, Professor Lumina smiled cheerfully at Isla. Isla accepted her paper with a polite smile, but as she pivoted I caught the sparkle in her eyes—restrained glee. Of course she’d done well. Isla always did.
With every second that ticked by, a na was called as the air in the classroom grew heavier.
Papers rustled. Desks creaked. A few students grinned as they returned to their seats, but others slumped low, defeated.
And soon more than half of the class had gotten their test scores.
I tried not to think about my turn, but my palms were already slick with sweat. My mind had already started drifting off when suddenly I heard my na loud and clear.
"Valerie Nightshade."
The sound of my na crashed against my ears like a bell tolling.
For a second, I couldn’t move. My heart skipped a beat for a second there, pounding heavily against my ear drums, it drowned out the classroom chatter.
My legs finally obeyed, carrying to the front with careful, deliberate steps, even though my insides twisted.
The last few weeks hadn’t been... normal. How could they be?
The test had been taken in the middle of chaos — my powers saving from death the previous day, the people I’d killed, that strange, haunting presence outside my window, Queen Aurora’s motherly words... and my mates agreeing to take turns dating .
Though so of it happened after the test, those before completely derailed my focus. It was nonexistent!
Still, I wasn’t prepared for what ca next.
I took in a deep breath, inhaling and exhaling sharply as I arrived at the front of the class, my lips pressed together.
Professor Lumina smiled faintly, but there was no warmth in her eyes as she handed my paper. Just plain disappointnt.
Math: C.
I stared at it. Blinked. Stared again.
Astra gasped sharply in my mind. "Oh, my goddess, Valerie."
I swallowed thickly. A C. On a test I should’ve aced in my sleep.
"Miss Nightshade, I do not know..." Professor Lumina began gently, but then her voice hardened, sharp and clear for everyone to hear. Her brows furrowed.
"I honestly don’t know what happened here. You’re one of the academy’s top students. Your reports scream excellence—straight As across every subject with perfect scores." Her eyes narrowed as she put on a stern expression, and her voice dropped an octave, full of disappointnt. "And yet... here you are, letting distractions and boys ruin you."
A ripple of whispers broke out behind . My throat tightened.
"I had high hopes for you," she finished, shaking her head slightly. "I suggest you get your act together, Miss Nightshade. Soon."
I didn’t know what to say.
My lips remained tightly shut as I held my result, blinked in silent acknowledgent before taking the paper silently and turned, forcing myself to keep my expression neutral as I walked back to my seat.
Inside, sha gnawed at like acid.
I know I had no excuse for failing. I imagined my uncle finding out. He’d never raise his voice, but disappointnt from him always cut deeper than any scolding.
But still, so many things happened.
I exhaled as I returned to my seat. By the ti I sat down, my mates’ absence felt like a blessing... at least, p artially.
Well... just the werewolves. Unfortunately, the lycan twins, Riven, and Xander were present, and their super-hearing ant they caught everything. Well, any werewolf or supernatural could literally hear the teacher’s words.
I had no one to bla but myself for getting distracted.
I didn’t need to look at Xander to know he was watching ; I could feel it all at once.
I looked up as Professor Lumina continued calling our nas.
"Valerie." I heard Xander’s soft, reassuring voice brush across my head.
However, like Astra earlier, I shut him out and let my mind rest. No thoughts, no boys, just utter silence.
Professor Lumina continued distributing scores, and soon, the teaching began as she introduced herself as the Professor taking the second course—another mathematics course under her guidance.
I tried to pay attention, I really did, but her words blurred together, dissolving into aningless equations.
By the ti literature rolled around, I thought I’d braced myself. I hadn’t.
Another C.
I stared at the grade, blinking slowly, feeling numb. One test was forgivable. Two... not so much.
Unfortunately for , most of my grades for the assessnt fell between a C and a barely escapable B.
Yes, I was grateful I did not get a lower grade than that, but my assessnt scores had always hovered between an easy A and flawless perfection.
With the record I had built over the years, to drop this low... this was an utter failure.
I was unraveling.
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