My Alphas' Dark Desires
Chapter 191: Shocking Truth

Chapter 191: Shocking Truth

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Chapter 191

~Valerie’s POV~

I tried to recover, ignoring Riven’s question by asking one of my own. "What are you doing here?"

I watched to see if Riven would flinch or do something, but not even a blink as he answered me. "I could ask you the same."

His tone wasn’t cold. Not exactly. Just... laced with that unnerving stillness he always carried—interest buried under ice. "I was looking for you."

I blinked. "Okay... I am here now. What for exactly?"

Riven did not say much. "To check up."

"To check up or were you keeping track of me?"

He didn’t deny it. Of course, he didn’t.

"You have six mates," he said evenly. "And more enemies than friends. I think someone should."

Solstice, standing beside me like my emotionally reactive backup generator, let out a loud snort. "Wow. Stalker logic. Cute."

Riven’s eyes slid to her, unreadable. "Your friend knows the risks. You don’t."

Solstice bristled, looked like she was ready to throw hands—or maybe a well-aimed verbal nuke—but I raised one palm, stopping her.

"I had something to handle," I said flatly.

His gaze didn’t budge from mine. "Hotel business, then?"

My stomach twisted. So he knew. Of course he did. Nothing slipped past a vampire with too much time and sharp instincts.

I drew in a breath. "It wasn’t what you think."

"I don’t think anything yet," he replied. "Besides, I shouldn’t care too much."

"Shouldn’t care?" I asked. "Interesting for someone who has a crush."

Riven tried speaking but stopped. I was teasing him and trying to keep the conversation focused on him.

"Hey. I did not mean it that way. Yes, I care, but not to pry into your business."

"But I was tracked."

"I was curious and just... maybe trying to figure you out."

But it looked like you were walking straight into a trap."

"I wasn’t," I said, trying not to sound defensive.

Riven pushed off the wall he was leaning against and walked towards me, his movements like liquid shadow. "Then why didn’t you tell anyone where you were going?"

"Because I also have business to attend to," I shot back. "And sometimes, Riven... I just need to do things myself."

His jaw ticked—barely—but I caught it. Just a flicker like something tight behind the eyes.

"Next time," he said, softer now, "at least leave a trail."

Solstice arched a brow. "Why? So you can follow it?"

"No," Riven said, but his eyes never left mine. "So you don’t disappear. Again. I heard what happened in the simulation. We wouldn’t want you going missing. What if I wasn’t around, huh?"

"Then why hasn’t the culprit been found?" Solstice snapped.

Riven didn’t answer immediately as a beat of silence passed, then another.

"We’re still investigating," he said finally.

Solstice scoffed. "How convenient. Is it just because she’s not a royal? Or do the school board need another invitation to care when it isn’t one of theirs bleeding out?"

The air went still. I didn’t know what to say to that.

Riven didn’t answer right away either. His eyes flicked toward me again, colder now, but not cruel.

"I’m not your responsibility," I said after a moment.

"Maybe not," he murmured. "But you’re interesting."

Solstice groaned behind me. "We are not doing cryptic vampire flirting right now, are we?"

Riven smirked, just faintly. "I would love to, but she’s tired. I wouldn’t want my advances to go to waste. Besides, I love a strong woman. I would love to see you try to put me off."

Subconsciously my lips stretched at the side, then he added, "Good luck at Guild One training, Nightshade."

"Thanks," I said, guarded but polite.

His expression shifted again, thoughtful. "Be careful. Your enemies might strike when your guard is down."

"Let them," I replied. "I’ll be expecting it."

That earned me a flicker of amusement. He nodded once, then melted into the shadows between the columns, vanishing with a rustle of fabric like mist.

Solstice stared after him, then looked at me. "Do you have some secret pheromone I don’t know about?"

I rolled my eyes. "Don’t start."

"I’m just saying," she said, nudging my side with her elbow. "First the six Alpha heirs, now the vampire vice president with a jawline sharp enough to commit war crimes? Girl, you are a public safety hazard."

My lips twitched despite myself. "Let’s go change. Before the field eats us alive."

But she didn’t move.

Solstice had stopped walking completely, her eyes locked on something. I followed her gaze—to my chest.

My necklace.

"What is it?" I asked. "Sol?"

She looked like she’d seen a ghost.

"Oh no," she murmured, smacking her forehead. "How the hell did I forget this? With all the scandals, the assassins, and the drama—gods, how?"

I stepped in front of her, brows drawn. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Her eyes lifted to mine, glassy, wide, filled with something deeper than guilt.

"Valerie," she said, voice cracking slightly. "There’s something I should’ve told you. A long time ago."

My heart picked up. "Solstice, what?"

Her eyes dropped to the necklace again, then back to my face. "Valerie Snow... you have powers."

The words hit like a slap and something clenched in my gut.

"I... I figured," I whispered. "Like elemental powers, like the heirs."

Solstice shook her head. "No. Not like the heirs. They have one, but you, Valerie, you were born with more."

I reeled. "That’s... that’s not possible. I do not even have one of the said powers when the others have theirs, so how?"

"It is possible, Val," Solstice said softly. "I did not get to hear the rest of the conversation when I eavesdropped on our parents’ conversation, but I know it is possible."

This was too much. No matter what she said... I did not know what to think or say.

I was right all along, but what are my powers? And if each heir was an elemental, representing a single element, did that make sense to have more than one?

My mouth was dry. "But what has that got to do with the necklace? Why are you looking at it?"

"Isn’t it obvious?" Solstice asked, stepping closer. I held my breath, not knowing what to expect anymore.

I did not want to guess because I could be wrong, so I waited for her to speak. It is shielding you, shielding it."

I stumbled back half a step. My mind raced, piecing together what was going on. But then her next words gutted me.

"And I’m sorry," Solstice whispered, "but... there’s no heat, Valerie. There is no pheromone."