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Chapter 78
~Valerie’s POV~
I didn’t know how I successfully avoided Isla, but sohow, I did.
One minute, I was in the bathroom, taking the longest shower of my life, letting the hot water burn away the tension in my muscles and the next, when I finally stepped out, towel wrapped tightly around and heart bracing for a full interrogation... Isla was gone.
No teasing voice. No pounding on the door.
Nothing.
Just a folded change of clothes placed neatly on my bed, a small sticky note on top with a hastily scribbled: "You owe the full story later. Sleep first. —Isla."
I blinked at it, then smiled faintly. Maybe she wasn’t so bad after all.
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~Dristan’s POV~
The mont I stepped into the Alpha Kings’ house, I felt it—the sound of voices, the way tension prickled in the air like against my skin.
My boots thudded softly against the floor as I made for the stairs, fully intending to head straight to my room and avoid whatever ss was brewing downstairs.
But just as I passed the living room, I saw them.
Kai, Axel, and Xade—lazily sprawled across the couches like they had all the ti in the world, a half-finished bottle of whiskey perched on the table between them, their voices low and heated.
They were talking about Valerie.
"—I’m telling you, it’s not just so random attack," Axel said, his brows drawn tight with worry. "Soone wants her gone for a reason."
Kai, always the more asured one, leaned back against the armrest, calm even now. "But who? She’s only been here for weeks. She doesn’t have enemies strong enough to pull this off... right?"
Xade, with that ever-cunning smirk, twirled a coin between his fingers like he didn’t have a care in the world. "Or maybe she does. Maybe soone higher up doesn’t want her surviving the selection at all."
I gritted my teeth and forced myself to keep walking.
I didn’t need to get involved. I didn’t want to get involved.
But of course, Xade couldn’t leave it alone.
His voice lifted, coated with that false innocence he wore like armour.
"Dristan," he called out smoothly, like he hadn’t been watching the entire ti. "Aren’t you worried about Valerie too? Or are you still pretending you don’t give a damn?"
I stopped mid-step.
Every muscle in my body locked down hard.
Slowly, I turned, my face slipping into that familiar, unreadable mask, hands sliding casually into my pockets even as tension coiled tight beneath my skin.
My voice ca out low as I ignored the careless drawl. "And what exactly is your point, Xade?"
Xade grinned like a predator scenting blood. "Don’t play coy with us."
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his voice dropping into a mocking, almost lazy tone.
"You acted all cold during the mission, but you never left her side. Even when we were getting ambushed, you wouldn’t let her go."
My jaw ticked once, a warning he was too reckless to heed. My fingers curled tighter inside my pockets.
Still, I said nothing.
But Xade wasn’t finished.
He tilted his head, a gleam of pure mischief lighting up his eyes, and then he said it—loudly enough that even the walls seed to listen.
"Don’t act indifferent if you can’t even keep your lips off her."
The silence that hit the room was brutal.
Even the whiskey bottle on the table seed to freeze mid-rock.
"What?" Axel and Kai barked at once, both snapping their heads toward like I’d just announced I was defecting to another region.
Kai’s expression twisted with sothing that almost looked like betrayal. "Dristan... is it true?"
I glared at Xade, a deliberate promise of violence in my stare.
Then I shifted my gaze to the others, keeping my face locked down, unreadable.
For a heartbeat, I didn’t say a word.
But my silence was answer enough.
Axel made a strangled sound between a cough and a disbelieving laugh, sinking even deeper into the couch like he needed the furniture to hold him up.
Kai just stared at , his brows shooting so high they nearly disappeared into his hairline.
"Well, shit," Kai muttered under his breath. "Didn’t think you’d be the first to crack."
"I didn’t crack," I snapped, sharper than I intended. The defensiveness in my voice betrayed before I could drag it back.
Xade snorted, looking entirely too pleased with himself. "Yeah? Sure didn’t look that way when you kissed her like she was your last breath on earth."
I shoved a hand through my hair, the movent rough and jerky, turning away before they could catch the rare, unwelco heat rising up the back of my neck.
I hated them. I hated them all for this. And worse—I hated that I couldn’t lie to them.
They weren’t the real threats I needed to keep Valerie safe from.
Kai stood slowly, tension rolling off him in waves. He wasn’t smiling anymore. "So it’s true. You kissed her."
I didn’t answer. I didn’t need to. The truth was already in the air.
Axel leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his expression serious now. "You better be careful, Dristan. You think you’re the only one feeling it? She’s not just yours."
That word yours sent a bolt of sothing sharp through my chest. I masked it quickly, shifting my weight like it ant nothing.
"She’s not ready for any of this," Kai said quietly, voice cutting through the room. "Not for you. Not for any of us. She’s still surviving. Besides, it’s like you wish to claim her for yourself, which was why you went behind our backs."
I rolled my eyes at them.
Xade twirled his coin one last ti before pocketing it. His grin was gone now, replaced by sothing sharper, colder. "We don’t rush her. We protect her. No matter what it costs."
Their eyes were on , waiting for my answer. I stared back at them, my heart thudding once, hard.
And I nodded once. I was going to protect her att all costs with or without them.
Without another word, I turned and stalked upstairs.
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