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Chapter 84
~Ash’s POV~
Back to Present – Starlight City, Prestige Supernatural Academy (PSA)
We returned two days later. And the second we stepped onto the academy grounds, heads turned.
But that wasn’t what bothered . In my case, as soon as our boots touched PSA ground, I felt it. Sothing had shifted.
The air slled different—heavier and sowhat sharper, laced with tension and the faint sting of old blood.
Ace walked beside , conversational as always, but even his smirk faltered.
"You feel that?" he asked, keeping his voice low.
I didn’t answer yet because my mind wasn’t here.
It was still back at the estate.
Still standing outside the living room door with the weight of a prophecy echoing in my chest and my mother’s words carved into my skull.
The Blood Moon Wolf. A girl born of blood and ash. Silver and violet.
Valerie.
My thoughts spiraled straight to that mont—when my mother’s smile vanished the second her na left my mouth.
When everything around us paused like the universe had just connected a thread none of us were ready to pull.
Valerie Violet Sapphire Nightshade.
Ace had to try and let my mum believe that Valerie was just Valerie Nightshade, a nobody.In that mont we mind linked, already knowing we had to find the truth and prove to ourselves as well as our mum, she was a different girl.
Even though deep within , part of wanted it to be true.
Was it really her?
Everything told yes. And yet, nothing made sense. But whether it did or not, one thing was now very clear.
Valerie wasn’t just another girl with a sharp tongue and too much fire in her eyes.
She was the storm the Moon Goddess had attached to six powerful mates.
And maybe... just maybe... the South hadn’t fallen after all.
It had been waiting for her like mum believed.
Eyes followed us. So widened. So narrowed. But all of them scread one thing—sothing had happened.
Ace slowed beside , his posture tense, alert. "This isn’t the usual we-missed-you fanfare."
He was right. Though we had spent so days here, we had so girls who were already fan girliing at us due to our social dia presence and background.
This wasn’t curiosity either.
I stopped a co-senior passing by, one of the bigger guys from the combat division. I didn’t even touch him, but when he caught my stare, he jolted like I’d punched him.
"Hey," I said. "What the hell happened during the past two days?"
His eyes flicked between and Ace, and he licked his lips like his mouth had suddenly gone dry. "I–uh—there was a simulation. A special one, the day you two left."
"So?" I pressed, stepping in just slightly.
They all knew Ace and I had fought their Alpha Kings’ Heirs, and a few probably knew the reason was Valerie.
The colour drained from his face when I stepped closer. "Valerie... she was attacked."
My heart slamd to a stop.
"What?" My voice ca out too sharp and too loud.
He stumbled over his words. "The do—it glitched. I heard there were masked n. Real blades. She disappeared inside the system for hours before the instructors were able to retrieve her. No one knows what happened in there, but..."
But.
My wolf surged, claws scraping just beneath my skin.
"But what?" I hissed, unable to withhold my anger and agitation.
He swallowed. "She ca back covered in bruises but she was alright. She ca back with Dristan and..."
I didn’t wait to hear more. My feet moved before my brain could catch up.
"Ash!" Ace barked behind , but I was already gone, storming across the courtyard.
Imdiately, he mind-linked .
"Ash, wait! We need a plan!"
"She was attacked, Ace."
"I know. But barging in—"
I cut the link. I didn’t care.
There were very few tis in my life when I lost control. I was arguably always the composed one. Scratch that. I was reckless and impulsive at tis but that did not an I sat back when danger ca close to those I cared about.
Ace, however, had proven to be the steady one—the calm after my storm.
And once more, those Alphas had proven to they were not ant to be her mate.
Not when I could still see Valerie’s face in my head—mouth bruised, eyes glazed, breathing ragged.
I moved like the world owed answers, shoving through the halls, following her scent.
It wasn’t hard. My wolf knew her like breath. I found her just as the first bell rang.
Advanced Shifting Techniques Class.
The door was halfway closed, her scent thick in the air. I didn’t knock. I slamd it open, and every head turned.
The room fell silent.
All eyes on . Then mine found her.
Valerie was at the back, hair tied up, gaze locked on her notebook like she hadn’t felt walk in.
But she had because I noticed her hand froze, her breath hitched, and her shoulders stiffened.
I stepped inside, ignoring the stares, my voice cutting through the silence as I ca to an abrupt stop in front of her seat.
"Valerie, are you alright?"
The words ca out rougher than I ant. Like sothing inside had cracked.
She looked up, eting my gaze. "Ash?"
I ignored the whispers that exploded around the classroom.
I knew what they were saying.
"The stoic Lycan twin."
"The one who never spoke to just anyone unless he had to stord in."
"Eyes glowing red and asking after a girl."
"Get up," I said, moving closer.
Valerie blinked. "Ash—"
I reached her desk and grabbed her hand.
She was warm against my skin and still breathing. "I’m fine—"
"You’re not," I cut in, pulling her gently from the seat. "And I’ll be the judge of that too."
"Ash, stop. We’re in class—"
I didn’t hear her. Not fully.
Because I was already leading her out, her fingers still in mine, her protest fading the mont I got her into the hallway.
We reached a quiet corridor before I stopped. The walls here were tall, creating shadows falling just right. No students. No caras.
It was safe.
I turned to face Valerie, heart still pounding.
"Show ."
She frowned. "What?"
"Where you’re hurt." I reached for her arms, checking first before moving to her shoulders and I was just about to check her legs when she tried to pull away.
"Ash—stop."
But my hands kept moving—gentle, shaking—my fingers brushing over the edge of her collarbone, searching for bruises.
I couldn’t help it. "I wasn’t here," I muttered. "I should’ve been here."
Her expression shifted when I looked back up. She looked at then—not the way she usually did, like I was another obstacle to dodge—but like she saw sothing real in .
"I’m okay now," Valerie assured softly.
But she wasn’t really. I could see it in her eyes. Sothing inside her had changed.
Before I could say more, a low growl cut through the air behind us like a warning.
"Get your hands off her."
I turned sharply just to see Kai standing there, fingers clenched as his gaze locked on where my hands lay on Valerie.
His erald eyes were glowing, his chest rising and falling with slow fury. His wolf burned just beneath the surface—dangerously, waiting to be unleashed.
He stalked forward, gaze locked on where my hand still touched her waist. Without thinking, I stepped in front of her. My own growl answered his.
Kai bared his teeth. "She’s mine, not yours."
I bared mine right back. "She’s not a property."
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