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Chapter 362
~Dristan’s POV~
"I am guessing it is about Dristan," Ace chid in before I could answer and I nodded.
"Shall we go inside?"
Everyone nodded and we all went inside. As son as we were settled, we addressed the elephant in the room.
"There’s a new rumour going around which I am sure everyone must have heard," I said, keeping my voice low and studying their expressions.
Kai seed to focus deeply on as though he wanted to read the thought from my mind.
Axel shifted on his feet.
Xade didn’t have much on his face seeing as he knew.
Ash and Ace on the other hand, well, they were slightly confused but not really, like they knew sothing.
"About Dristan. They’re saying he’s been hypnotising people. And I thinkw e all know what this ans? He’s beco a target."
Ace shook his head. "Before we move from target to victim and whatnot, how about adressing the issue?"
Everyone turned their gaze towards him. "Did Dristan actually do it?"
I felt my heart skip a beat as I least expected him to not ask but that would have been too much.
They were Lycan Princes’ they weren’t daft.
"No, and yes."
Xade shut his eyes. He couldn’t expect to lie to them when we needed their help.
"What do you an?"
"I ant, even Kieran said there are more victims... and that you," I looked straight at Xade, "covered it up."
Xade’s brows furrowed instantly. "That’s ridiculous. Kieran wouldn’t dare say that..." He stopped himself, jaw tightening. "Who told you that, Valerie?"
"I overheard two girls outside the hallway," I said. "And before that, I overheard Titania and Astraea agreeing to the sa thing."
Ace swore under his breath. "Soone’s trying to turn everyone against him. That’s too specific to be just gossip."
Kai crossed his arms. "Then who’s planting it?"
I hesitated. The thought had been circling in my mind since morning, but saying it out loud made it feel dangerous. "What if... it’s not about Dristan at all? What if soone wants to use him—to cover sothing bigger?"
They exchanged glances, silent but alert. The tension in the air shifted, heavier now.
Xade finally spoke,. "Then we find whoever started it. Fast. Before this turns into sothing none of us can control."
"Scratch that, it already has."
"Valerie is right," Kai agreed with as he stepped forward towards the centre where I stood. "What will Dristan stand to gain from doing that?"
No one spoke until Ash broke the silence. "Valerie."
"What?" I asked looking at him.
"You in the sense that from the few rumours I caught, most of these people had sothing to do with you. They hurt you. Or should I say, try to."
Ash was right and I knew that.
"Still, I doubt he’d go to such extent like Marianne’s case or even do it so much without thinking of the consequences. Dristan isn’t like that," I argued.
"The question still remains. Where is Dristan to prove his innocence?" Ash questioned.
"He left school," Kai explained. "And..."
BEEP! BEEP!
I looked down at my smart watch, snoozing the alarm to 5:35 p.m., then back up to see all five pairs of eyes glued on .
"Sorry. It’s... umm, there’s sowhere I got to be. It’s really important."
The look they gave showed they believed this was more important. So I did my best to put on my puppy dog eyes and begin my manipulation.
"I really got to go, guys. But please, eyes and ears out. Let us fin Dristan and ty to out rule any possible suspect. See you guys later."
"Alright love, go ahead." Ace bead from where he stood before moving towards . I did not get a chance to stop him before he held my face and kissed right there, before everyone.
"Okay, tim to leave," Ash announced as he turned away.
I noticed the pain in Kai’s eyes when he saw us but as quickly as it ca, it was gone.
Ace finally broke the kiss, pecked my forehead and hugged . "Be safe. And don’t over think this."
"It’s hard not to but I’ll try."
He nodded and stepped back. I turned towards Xade. "Don’t bla yourself but please, perhaps it is ti to confront Kieran concerning the words he is spreading."
"I will and more. I’m probably gonna need Riven and Xander’s help."
"We can use allure or compel your target for you too," Ash bead as he turned to face Xade.
"Appreciated." Xade’s gaze darted in my direction. "Run along now."
I did not wait for another invitation and hurried out of the house.
I had one goal in mind now and that was to find this quest from Nightshade, complete it and ensure I got in.
Anything else, was secondary at this point.
I could already taste and sll my revenge. Nothing was stopping it now.
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~Dristan’s POV~
The jet landed smoothly on the private airstrip just behind the main estate. By the ti I stepped out, the sun was already climbing past noon, its heat sinking through my jacket.
It did not take long for a car to park in front of and one of our pack’s new top warriors ca for .
I did not say a word when he greeted . I only gave a nod and entered the car. By the ti we arrived at the estate, a few servants hurried forward, bowing deeply as I passed.
Their familiar scent—linen, soap, and a faint trace of pack aura—assaulted my nostrils like nostalgia I hadn’t asked for.
The maids lingered at the sides, whispering and giggling behind gloved hands. I caught fragnts of their discussion.
"The young Alpha has grown taller."
"Even more handso now."
But I ignored them. I wasn’t in the mood for idle talk or admiration.
A familiar figure approached across the courtyard—tall, broad-shouldered, and wearing that sa easy grin that always made people forget his age.
"Beta Leon," I greeted, lowering my head respectfully.
"Your Highness," he replied, voice warm but teasing. "Welco ho. To what do we owe the pleasure?"
I exhaled, my shoulders slouched a little. "So Father hasn’t told you. No worries." My tone slipped flat as I scanned the familiar grounds. "Where’s the old man?"
Beta Leon chuckled, leaning forward and causing his red hair to fall over and fra his already angular face.
"Careful, pup. Don’t let him hear you call him that."
"I wish it’d loosen him up for once," I muttered. "He broods too much."
"Well," Leon smirked, "his charm isn’t around."
"My mother?"
He shook his head, grin widening. "No, Dristan. Your cousin, Isla. How’s that troublemaker doing these days?"
I huffed. "Still a nace. Half her energy’s spent annoying and most tis with my mate."
At the ntion of her na, Leon’s eyes lit up with interest.
Unlike my father, who lived behind walls of discipline and expectation, Leon, his beta and best friend, had always been the lighter soul between them—more laughter, more warmth.
My mother used to say they balanced each other out, like fire and stone, two sides of a coin.
"I heard her na’s Valerie," he said with a knowing smile.
"There’s nothing for you to tease there, Leon." I straightened my collar and added firmly, "Where’s Father?"
This ti I decided to control the conversation better than before.
He gave a dramatic sigh. "Fine, fine, you kill-joy son of your father. He’s in your mother’s study."
The words hit harder than expected. My heart skipped a beat, then another, before pounding fast enough to make my throat tighten.
I tried to mask my shock and all it entailed but Leon noticed.
His grin softened into sympathy as he clapped a hand on my shoulder. "Brace up, Dristan. You’ve got this."
Then his expression turned completely serious as he walked away.
I stood still for a mont, breathing in the faint scent of old wood and wild roses that still clung to this place.
Then, with my fists clenched and my pulse hamring, I made my way toward the west wing—the forbidden one. The one that still held my mother’s mories.
My breath stilled as I gently knocked on the door and it opened.
I stepped in, only to be greeted by the sowhat dark room, save for the dim light of the lamp post by Mum’s desk.
"Fath..."
"Sit," he ordered before I could get any words out.
I nodded and walked further in, took my seat but did not say anything.
"What were you thinking?"
"Father?"
"Using hypnosis on a student nd getting her comatosed to draw in the White Witches? I don’t know if you are sucidal or just plain stupid."
I inhaled, already used to this—his downgrading talk.
"No one was to know about your witch heritage until the end, Dristan. Or did you rember the reason why you were taught dark magic in the first place, huh?!"
Imdiately he thundered, the door shut loudly behind as the air seed so heavy in his presence.
"Because I did not. You had one goal, one job, befriend all the Alpha Kings’ Heirs, watch them, find their weakness and eliminate them."
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