<h4>Chapter 136: Valerie’s Fear</h4>
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<strong>Chapter 136</strong>
<strong>~Valerie’s POV~</strong>
The moment I pushed open the dorm room door, I knew something was off.
It was too quiet, more like too synchronised.
All three girls—I, Emerald, and Astraea—were seated by the kitchen counter like they were in the middle of some witchy intervention.
Each one had a mug in hand. No one sipped. They just stared like I was thest puzzle piece they’d been dying to p into ce.
"Uh," I blinked, kicking off my sneakers. "Did I miss a meeting or something?"
"Where have you been?" I asked first in a casual tone, but her eyes were a little too curious.
I wiped at the sweat on my brow. "I went for a jog. Nothing major. Why? Aren’t we allowed that anymore?"
A beat of silence passed over everyone before I tilted her head slightly. "Hmm. Did anyonee to the dorm before you left?"
My brows furrowed. "No? Why?"
She shrugged. "I just... I thought I heard some noise. Voices or something."
I froze for a second.
Shit.
Solstice.
My heartbeat stumbled a little, but I smiled quickly, pushing the thought away. "Oh! That was me," I lied, way too smoothly. "I was on a call with my friend. Early riser."
I put on the perfect smile, recalling one of the fun moments Solstice and I had as kids.
I hummed thoughtfully, then gave a small nod like she believed me. I wasn’t sure if that was good or bad.
"I’m gonna take a quick shower," I added, slinging my hand towel over my shoulder and heading toward my room.
"Didn’t you just shower this morning?" Emerald’s voice floated after me. "I heard the bathroom running earlier."
I froze again—mid-step. I almost forgot our rooms were just a wall apart.
Damn it.
I had forgotten Solstice’s very loud shower.
I blinked once, twice, trying to remember how I’d yed that out in my mind. "Did I?" I repeated dumbly.
The silence was awful.
Then Iughed, nudging Emerald yfully. "Em, she just went jogging. Even if she bathed earlier, she’s probably all sweaty now."
"Oh. Right," Emerald muttered, sipping her tea again.
I offered a sheepish smile, mentally thanking the moon for I. "Yeah. Exactly. Sorry, I forgot. I’ve got so much on my mind."
"So much," Astraea echoed, finally looking up from her seat. Her brows arched just a little. "Or... someone?"
I looked at her, scrutinitsed her to make sure those words didnte from jealousy of some sort.
I paused, opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out.
That was all it took—three girls. One moment. Total silence.
I could feel it—the shift in their mood, like they already knew what I hadn’t said.
"You know I smell him on you, right?" Astraea said softly, but her eyes sharpened. "Ace. One of the Lycan twins."
My stomach dropped. I’s mouth parted slightly. Emerald blinked at me.
"We can tell," Emerald added. "Where his hands were. Where his scent lingered. So, unless you n to lie again, maybe exin?"
I opened my mouth, then looked at I instinctively.
Her expression wasn’t angry. But it wasn’t... easy.
She looked almost disappointed. The kind that said she wasn’t mad, just quietly sad and probably because I did not end up with Dristan instead.
I sighed, rubbing my forehead. "Girls, I tripped. He caught me. That’s all. I didn’t realise his scent would cling so strongly. We barely spoke afterwards."
Emerald smirked. "You sure you didn’t cling back?"
"Em," I said gently.
Astraea just kept watching me, like she didn’t quite believe it but wasn’t ready to push further.
I didn’t me them. The tension between Dristan and the others was alreadyplicated. Add Ace into the mix, and this wasn’t just a trip-and-fall moment anymore.
But I had no intention of justifying something that wasn’t even a thing.
"Anyways," I said firmly, brushing past them, "we’ve got a big day ahead. General training. Full guild engagement. I’m not about to waste energy defending a non-event."
Emerald snorted. "Non-event, huh? I’ll bet Dristan doesn’t think so."
I didn’t flinch this time. I just looked her dead in the eye and said with a smirk, "Then he should step up."
That shut them up.
I turned and walked toward my room, still clutching my towel, heart beating far louder than I liked.
Because they weren’t wrong.
I could feel Ace’s presence still clinging to me—not just his scent, but the heat from where he held me. The subtle way he looked at me.
And as much as I tried to brush it off, it was... something.
I didn’t know what yet, but it was something. I’d be a fool to think there was nothing there. Ace was my mate too, and just like his brother and the other heirs, they all want me.
And maybe that scared me more than falling.
Or maybe what truly scared me is how I was going to let six men, six possessive alphas, ravage my body with their sexual desires.
This should be fun... not!
I didn’t want to scream and got into the shower instead while my chest heaved at the thought of what the Moon Goddess possibly meant with that.
<strong>***************</strong>
<strong>~Author’s POV~</strong>
<strong>PSA Academy—Front Courtyard & Main Hall</strong>
Solstice walked through the front gates of PSA like she’d done it a thousand times before.
Her hoodie was zipped halfway, light grey fabric blending effortlessly with the faint mist that lingered over the courtyard.
Her sneakers made no sound as she stepped onto the white stones, and her face was angled slightly down, not too shy or confident—just enough mystery to be ignored.
And she wanted to be ignored.
Today wasn’t for standing out. Today was for slipping in.
She passed through groups of students without drawing a single lingering stare, except one—from a shy-looking boy leaning against the east pir, nose deep in a map of the school.
Vampire.
She knew it from the scent: old blood, cool, pale skin, and barely interacted. Though not all Vampires did that, he stood out.
Solstice paused, gave a soft smile that bloomed gently at the corners of her eyes, and tilted her head. "Hey," she said sweetly. "Good morning. It’s my first day. Could you point me toward the principal’s office?"