My Alphas' Dark Desires
Chapter 188: new day

Chapter 188: new day

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Chapter 188

~Valerie’s POV~

I did not know what to say to him. I wanted to deter him off but it looked like whatever love letter that was, had prompted more than just a mistake to Riven.

If he was playing a game, I had no idea and if not...

I sighed and half turned to him. "Just forget what you read, Riven. I need to head to my next class."

I tried to brush it off lightly.

Just as Riven turned his head slightly, like he was about to say something else, a sharp clap split through the air behind me.

"Wow," came a lazy voice soaked in mischief. "Now this... this I didn’t expect."

I didn’t need to turn to know who it was. Ash Kaid.

He strolled toward us, arms folded, smirk dialled to maximum irritation. His dark brown hair was tousled, and his eyes flicked between me and Riven with far too much interest.

"You meeting him now?" he asked, nodding toward Riven with exaggerated confusion. "What happened? Finally decided you had had enough of us wolves?"

Riven, to his credit, didn’t blink. Just watched Ash with that same cold curiosity or more boredom.

"Not your business, Ash," I said, trying not to sound defensive.

Ash arched a brow and tilted his head, voice lighter but still sharp. "Not my business? Valerie, we’re your mates. You making romantic appointments with the school’s bloodsucker prince is very much our business."

Riven’s eyes glinted with mild amusement, maybe. "Bloodsucker prince," he repeated in a tone I couldn’t quite place.

"I didn’t mean it like—" Ash started, but I cut in.

"Stop," I snapped. "You don’t get to talk about him like that. He saved me."

"Ohhh," Ash drawled, nodding slowly. "So that’s what this is. Hero complex turned crush."

I clenched my jaw. "No, Ash. I’m allowed to talk to people. Riven’s not just—"

"Not just what?" he interrupted. "Not just cold, deadly, emotionally unavailable?"

"I could say the same about you!" I snapped.

"Whoa," came another voice as Ace joined us, hands shoved into his pockets. "Did I miss a memo, or are we having a Mate-Off in broad daylight now?"

He walked up beside Ash and gave Riven a once-over. "You know, if you want her, maybe actually talk to her next time instead of stalking."

"I didn’t stalk her," Riven said quietly.

"Didn’t deny the want her part, though," Ace muttered.

"Okay, this is getting ridiculous," I groaned, massaging my temple. I just did not want to expose the lie that Solstice did, if she did it. I needed to figure it out then I could explain it better to Riven.

Because denying sending that would only look pathetic, or so I thought.

The last thing I wanted was my mates finding out either and Solstice getting more heat on her for trying to set up their mate with another.

I mean it was already a miracle that Xander wasn’t staking a claim ove rme, but having another man, aside that stupid Kierana nd my mates, chase me would be disastrous.

I glanced at Riven. He looked like he would be trouble if he joined them.

As if on cue, Kai and Axel rounded the corner, voices carrying, already mid-conversation.

"Valerie?" Kai called, eyes scanning until he spotted me... then locked on Riven.

"Another mate or...?" Axel muttered under his breath. "Can the Moon Goddess give us a break, already?"

Did they just think it was about them?

I threw my hands up. "Alright, I’m out."

"Val—" Kai began.

"No," I said, cutting him off. "This is not happening. I am not about to stand here while all of you throw alpha tantrums because I dared breathe next to someone who wasn’t you."

"Riven isn’t—" Ash started.

"I KNOW!" I snapped. "I know he’s not one of you. That’s the point! He doesn’t smother me. He doesn’t try to own me."

Riven remained silent through all of it, but the way he tilted his head, the faint glimmer in his eyes—I could tell he was watching everything and enjoying it all.

I turned, stomping off without looking back. "I need a break from all of you."

But before I left, my glanced back at Riven, deciding to just call it off anyways, before my mates found out and think I did it.

"I did not send that. Someone must be messing with me... us."

Confusion flickered over their faces but I did not waste another second there and hurried away.

***************

Later, in the dorm...

The door clicked shut behind me, and Solstice didn’t even look up from where she was lounging on her bed.

"Hey," she said casually, flipping a page in her notebook.

"You lied."

That got her attention. She sat up, brows arching.

"What now?"

"You sent the Riven message," I accused, waving my phone in her direction. "Don’t pretend you didn’t."

Solstice blinked once. "The what now?"

I marched to her bed, glaring at her as her confused expression further worsened. "You said you lied."

Solstice shook he rhead. "No, Val. You said you lied. I never agreed to anything."

I paused, inhaled and took out my phone. Quickly, my fingers worked on my sceen and I pulled up the message and shoved it under her nose.

She stared at it. Then slowly... shook her head.

"I swear on Mother’s tea garden, I didn’t write that."

"Then who did?! You’re the only one who touches my phone."

"I didn’t send this, Vee. That’s... not even my phrasing. I’d never say those words unironically."

I narrowed my eyes. "Then explain this."

I shoved her another text, the one she admitted to writing the letter.

From Solstice.

"Don’t be mad. It was me. And yes, I watched from the roof. You’re welcome."

Her eyes went wide briefly before she shook her head and chewed her lip. "I mean... could be a hack? Or a spell? Some glamor glitch? But this wasn’t me."

I stared at her, then the phone, then her again. Something didn’t sit right with all these. And if my phone was hacked, as well as hers... then...

"Meaning they hacked both our phones."

Immediately Solstice brows knitted. "Who’s the bitch or witch’s pet that did that?"

"I don’t know but we need to find out. Cause right now, I have a hot Vampire breathing down my neck."

Her eyes went wild. "Wiat... by hot, do you mean the Hot as fuck vampire, Vice President Riven Alucard?"

Iface palmed already regretting the words I said judging by the growing smirk on her face.

And then it hit me like a spark in the dark.

My eyes widened. "I know how to find out who did it."

Solstice leaned forward, becoming serious. "Who?"

My grip tightened around my phone as I turned on my heel. "Beta Ryan."

Solstice blinked. "Uncle R...?"

"The same," I said cutting in.

And with that, I grabbed my bag, shoved the phone in my hoodie pocket, and stormed toward the door.

Solstice’s voice followed me. "Wait—hold up! You mean Dad’s b..." she clamped her lips shut from exposing too much, but it did not stop her. "Vee... he always teases me.."

I didn’t stop as I called out, "He misses your trouble, too but yes, i need answers. I am going."

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Hey guys! I made another video for this book; the song and lyrics were created for the book... it’s on TikTok under my pen name Baevida or on Ko-fi.