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Chapter 37
~Valerie’s POV~
I exhaled and rubbed my forehead. The last thing I wanted was to put myself out there for soone like Erald to be watchful of . "Sorry. I didn’t an to zone out."
"You don’t have to apologize," she said softly. "I get it. A lot happened today." She paused, studying my face. "I know you act tough," Erald continued. "And you are tough. But that doesn’t an you always have to be okay."
I looked at her and chuckled softly. "When did you get so wise?"
Erald grinned. "Been spending too much ti with Nova’s philosophy books."
We shared a laugh, and it helped, even for a mont. But after that, shit beca awkward.
Although I had always had my eyes on Erald and how she either supported or did not support at tis, I didn’t want to shake my alliances right now.
"Umm..." Her eyes darted to my laptop, and before she got the chance to speak, I spoke too.
"Yeah, uh..."
We both laughed, and Erald pointed at . "You go first," she offered, and I smiled.
Bingo!
"Just a random question though."
Erald shrugged. "Any is better at this point." She chuckled cutely. And for the record, you and I haven’t really bonded or, you know, hung out."
"Then what are we waiting for?" I laughed in return.
I loved the fact that she ca to . It showed sothing, but as a Snow, that ant guard up until I chose to be open to you and let my guard down. So now, I’m searching for slip-ups.
I wasn’t naive. My family’s death flashed before my eyes and I inhaled.
"Waiting for you," Erald stated.
I smiled back and nodded. "Do you ever wonder if all this... fate, you know, mate bonds, guild wars—it’s just one big trap?" I asked suddenly.
She blinked, then nodded slowly. "First of all, I didn’t expect this."
"Yeah, too."
"You’re weird," Erald laughed, "but yeah, all the ti. Like we’re playing roles in soone else’s ga."
"Exactly. For , I would say it’s the Moon goddess’ ga."
Erald leaned forward, resting her chin on her knee. "But you know what? If we are pieces on a board, then I say we move ourselves. Flip the table if we have to."
I smiled at that. "True. Thanks, Em."
She smiled back and stood. "Anyti. Now, get so rest. Or at least pretend to. Night, Val."
"Night."
She closed the door behind her, and the warmth from our conversation slowly faded.
Once I heard a room door close, I reopened my laptop. My fingers moved swiftly across the trackpad, but the site was gone.
"What?" I whispered.
I refreshed. Nothing. The link was erased. The emblem—the only lead I had—was gone.
There’s no way. How... who the hell does that?
"Urrrgh!" I groaned, shutting the lid with more force than necessary, and flopped back onto my bed. My phone slipped from my fingers and landed beside .
There was only one place left.
That club.
The underground one where whispers of dark trades, relic dealings, and forbidden histories were as common as the drinks they served, but unlike last ti when I let Xade sway off, I won’t this ti.
I knew who I had to be on the watch for. Unlike the rest of the Alpha Kings’ heirs, Xade had more reason and justification to be outside.
This was his region, not theirs.
I didn’t hesitate.
Throwing off my dorm tee, I changed into black jeans and a snug hoodie I had newly bought and pulled on my boots. I tied my hair back, slipped a dagger into my boot, and stepped out.
I barely made it to the common space when Isla appeared from the corner, her eyes narrowing the second she saw .
"Going sowhere?"
I blinked. "Night run," I lied smoothly. "Couldn’t sleep."
She studied a mont, like she knew I wasn’t telling the whole truth—but she didn’t push. "Just be careful out there, okay?"
I nodded without missing a second beat. "Always."
Then I was gone.
Sneaking past the usual hall patrols wasn’t hard. I’d done it before. I knew the cara blind spots, the sensor patterns.
But when I heard a creak behind and turned to check, I didn’t see the faint red laser grid stretching out just beyond the treeline near the back fence.
I took one more step, and a butterfly flew right into the lacer the sa second a strong arm wrapped around my waist, yanking backward just in ti.
My back hit a solid chest.
Before I could react, a dagger flew through the air from beside .
Thunk!
It struck a small box buried near the base of the fence and imdiately sparks flew, and the lasers vanished.
The hand around my waist didn’t let go. I looked up and froze.
My first thought was that it was Dristan.
Of course. Of freaking course. It had to be him, but then a pair of violet eyes stared back at .
He was clearly not Dristan.
Not Xade.
And not any of the Alpha Kings.
My breathing halted for a second or two there.
He was taller than I expected, built lean but strong. His grip around my waist was firm but effortless, as if holding were second nature.
His face was sharp, almost ethereal. He had high cheekbones, a perfectly carved jawline, and lips that were slightly parted, like he was about to say sothing but had changed his mind.
His hair—gods, his hair—was silver, but at the roots, near the tip, were streaks of blue shimring like starlight on water. Two tones, woven together like a spell in motion.
The very sa type of hair as mine.
He looked... otherworldly, and at once I already had my suspicion on who he was—a dragon.
Then he smiled.
Not cocky. Not forced. Just a simple curve of his lips that made everything else around us blur out.
I blinked, still frozen in his arms, as my heartbeat thudded deeply and loudly. I thought my eardrums would burst out of my chest or sothing.
Astrid stirred within .
It wasn’t like the matebond I felt with the Alpha Kings’ heirs. This was different and sowhat special. "Who the hell are you?" I whispered before I could stop myself.
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