*******************
~Valerie's POV~
The wall behind was cold, but his body wasn't. Dristan stood so close, every breath I took brushed against his chest.
His eyes were darker now, edged with sothing between anger and frustration.
I shoved at him, palms flat against his chest. "Speak," I snapped. "Stop trying to intimidate ."
He smirked, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly. "If I was trying to intimidate you, you'd know."
My heart thudded, but I refused to look away. "Then stop acting like you're above everyone else. I'm not a fan of your on-and-off support. One second you're defending , the next, you're throwing to the wolves."
He leaned in slightly, jaw tight. "Funny. I should be saying that to you. One minute you're accusing of hurting people, and the next, you're playing detective on my behalf."
"You left no choice," I hissed, eting his stare.
"I was only analysing and looking for the best way to help you out."
"Way put?! You call that a way out?"
"Yeah, what was yours? Running? I know you did it for but I never wanted you to do so to the point ofputting yourself at jeopardy. Why didn't you co to ?"
"I was going to but what did I et, your judgent."
"Yeah right. Is that the lie you tell yourself?"
That did it. His eyes flashed. In a heartbeat, he was closer, his hand gripping my chin firmly but not painfully.
"Everyone has a choice, Valerie," he said lowly, each word deliberate. "And yours was to throw under the bus."
Anger flared, sharp and fast. I bit his hand. Hard.
He grunted, jerking back, his thumb brushing over the faint mark my teeth had left.
"You can say that without being this close, you know," I snapped, glaring at him.
But instead of backing off, he stepped right into my space again. His wild scent wrapped around . "You talk too much," he murmured, and before I could retort, his lips crashed onto mine.
It wasn't gentle. It was a clash of heat and stubborn pride, a battle neither of us intended to lose. I pushed at his chest, but he only deepened the kiss, his hand sliding behind my neck.
When I finally tore away, breathless, I glared up at him. "You're impossible."
"Maybe," he said, voice rough. "But it wasn't easy, Valerie. You think I left because I wanted to?" His gaze softened, just a fraction. "Every hour I was gone, suspicion followed like a curse."
I blinked, my anger faltering. "You could have told ," I said quietly. "You didn't have to disappear."
His expression hardened again. "You're not innocent either. You hid things from . Like the fact Kieran suspected long before anyone else."
My throat tightened. Guilt prickled through as I looked down. "I didn't want to believe it…"
"You broke my trust with that little doubt of yours, love."
Then sothing clicked in my mind—sothing I'd half-forgotten. I lifted my gaze back to his. "Dristan… is it true?"
His brow furrowed. "True what?"
"That you killed…" I hesitated, swallowing hard. I know now wasn't the right ti and I did not want him accusing of doubting him again.
But the way we ended that conversation back at their house wasn't at all ended.
No one knew what to believe anymore. We all had questions but Ash seed so sure of himself.
He told us he couldn't state his source but he was pretty sure that was the answer to the truth, because right after his personal trip with his mother, where she died, Dristan got his blue eyes.
"No."
"Valerie, co on, talk to . Don;t hold out."
Hearing him say that with all sincerity and seriousness that i stuutered.
"Valerie."
I lifted my palm to stop him. "Stop okay. I do not want to you thinking I am doubting you."
"Then why did you ask?"
"I…" I wanted to respond but the words got caught. "Forget what I said."
I tried to leave, move at least but Dristan wasn't having it. His right hand had my escape route blocked and he inched his face closer to .
"Speak."
I felt Astra stir within . She loved the challenge from our mate and I had to say I was feeling the sa.
I shut my eyes to shake the effect he had on off.
"Say it Valerie. I won't ask again."
"Or what?" my stupid mouth challenged and trusting Dristan, he did the exact sa thing as before with no escape room for .
He kissed deeply again. Imdiately, my minmd drifted to Ace and I pushed at chest. "Dristan stop, please. I know this may sound so… but I'm dating Ace now and you know it."
He nodded, swallowing as he cleared his throat. "I'm… I'm sorry. It won't happen agan. Soren just got so needy."
"Soren now? Blaming the poor wolf are we?"
"Don't change the subject."
"I'm not. I… It's sothing about why you and Ash fought back when they transferred."
Dristan's brows furrowed. And oh yes I knew he recalled pretty much.
"What?"
"What Ash said that day was that you killed your mother."
Silence ensued imdiately.
I saw several emotions in that one split second from Dristan's eyes—anger, pain, regret, guilt, vengeance, anger.
Did I say anger? Yes, solid anger.
"Dristan…"
Dristan's eyes darkened, his jaw ticking once. "He said what?" he asked, voice low, dangerous.
"Drist…"
He pushed back, creating distance between us.
For a minute there, Dristan shuffled between opening his mouth, placing his right hand on his hip, raking his fingers through his hair.
It was a lot for a short sixty seconds.
"Ash ran his mouth again?"
"He didn't…" my voice was low.
Now I knew I had made a mistake with my curiosity and I had to fix it, stat.
I rushed up to Dristan and held his arm, turning him to look at .
He didn't want to look at but i had to try to get him to.
"Dristan?"
He did not answer. "Dristan? Dristan please, please don't be mad. I—I never should have said that. I am sorry. The truth is I don't believe that. No wonder you were mad then. I am sorry for bringing it up."
For a while he did not look at until now and when he did, he's eyes were bloodshot red, I almost couldn't discern whether it was his wolf or he was truly angry.
"I… I have sothing to show you."
To say I was not shocked was a lie. I was so shocked at what he said.
Show sothing and not tell sothing?
"Dristan?"
He shook his head, closed his eyes and when he looked at once more, he looked les son edge and more calr though his eyes was still red.
'et in my room at 10 p.m., stat."
My eyes might have looked like saucers because Dristan figured it out and attacked.
"What? Relax, I'm not gonna take your virginity or…"
My brows creased, showing how much of a disapproval I had with that language.
"I'm sorry. No. It's important. Please. I haven't shown anyone willingly, ever."
"Okay. I'll be there."
"Alright."
"Oh and Dristan?" He turned to look at . "Take a break, please. I'll skip school with you. You need so ti away from everything. The gossips, rumours… everything. You need a break."
"I… Fine. I will but you can't co."
I was already walking towards him when I stopped mid step. "Why?"
"Alone, rember?"
And with that, Dristan walked out of the room.
***********
Well, Ace had wanted to spend ti with at Lunch break and I knew it was ti to co clean. Jusr that we did not sit at the cafeteria, we went to a spot unde rone of the trees in the West courtyard, away from everyone.
"Ace."
He exhaled deeply, reaching his fingers to mine. I took it and exhaled too.
"I have sothing I have to tell you."
"You kissed Dristan." He laid it out for thick. But that was partial truth.
Dristan kissed .
I didn't want to argue it so I nodded.
"Yes, we kissed. I'm sorry but I… I stopped it."
"How many tis?"
"Twice."
"And judging by that big bully of an Alpha heir, he kissed you both tis?" I could sense the hurt in his voice as he spoke and it got thinking.
"Yes," I answered without truly answering it but my mind already thought of the implication of my actions.
I agreed to a date of two weeks each with all of my mates.
And right now, I jut realised that when Ace and finally put a pause or a break up and I date the next person, it would affect him seeing with the other guy.
Sa with the others right now.
This deal was dood from the start. A doom I had outrightly agreed to. I was losing.
I was losing them and everything.
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