Chapter 321: Skipping With Ace
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Chapter 321
~Solstice’s POV~
Silence followed.
It was so quiet I could hear the faint rush of wind in the background on her end of the line.
Mum didn’t even try to cover it up with an excuse, and that silence told me more than any words could have.
My throat tightened, and I sniffled, a single hot tear slipping down my cheek. My lips trembled.
"You didn’t answer," I whispered, even though I already knew the truth.
Still, she said nothing.
I ended the call before my voice could break completely and at the moment when she finally summed up the courage to speak.
It was too late to hear anything. My hand was shaking so badly I almost dropped my phone.
This time, I scrolled back to Dad’s name and pressed it without hesitation. The phone rang once before he picked up.
My feet came to an abrupt stop mid pace. My heart was pounding so hard it hurt.
"Dad." My voice was sharper than I intended.
"Hello, jewel," he greeted warmly, like nothing was wrong.
I swallowed hard, my tears threatening again, but this time they were fueled by anger.
"Skip the sweet names, Dad. I know what you did."
I sensed a brief poause from his end, followed by a deep sigh.
"Tell me, was that why you actually sent me to PSA to study? In hopes that Dristan and I would be together?"
"Aura."
"Answer me truthfully, Dad. Is it true? Did you betroth me to Dristan Alexander?"
He did not respond to me this time, and it irked me.
"Dad, talk to me, please. Did you betroth me to an Alpha Kings’ Heir without giving me a chance to find my mate?"
"What? Have you found your mate?"
I blinked. How did he deduce that from what I said?
"Yes. And it is not Dristan because Dristan belongs to..."
"It was a good proposal," Dad cut in before I could tell him about Valerie and the heirs.
"When Alpha Alexander proposed the idea to me, I considered it and considered your protection. And I agreed. Then he voiced his regret about the late Southern Heiress he was hoping Dristan would marry when they grew up, and since she was no more, he wanted to unite our families."
"So what? They offered your daughter as a replacement for my cousin, and you just went ahead? When were you going to tell me? After sending me here? No. Were you ever going to tell me?"
Dad sighed deeply, and I could tell he was probably choosing his next words carefully, as if weighing what explanation might soothe me enough to accept this.
But he was wrong—there was nothing he could say to make this okay.
"End it, Dad," I said firmly, my voice low but shaking with restrained fury. "End the betrothal, or you lose me."
"Aura—"
"I’m serious. You can justify it however you want, but I’ve already found my mate, and it’s not Dristan. If you care about me at all, you’ll end this... today."
He stayed silent, the sound of his breathing barely audible over the line. I didn’t give him the chance to respond.
Before his voice could break through the moment, I ended the call.
My hands dropped to my sides, my phone clutched so tightly it hurt. The wind tugged at my hair, but it couldn’t cool the heat burning through me.
I felt like I was betrayingValerie ust by existing and I did not want to take anything from her.
Losing her family was already bad enough.
I turned and headed for the stairs, with my mind made up—whatever came next, I wasn’t letting anyone else decide my future for me.
I’d help Valerie however I can. And ensure she gets together with her mates and date them.
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~Valerie’s POV~
I didn’t go to class that morning. My legs carried me to the running trail instead, as if motion could untangle the storm in my chest.
My feet pounded against the earth, my breath coming in uneven bursts, not from the run, but from the weight pressing down on me.
I told myself I was stronger than this. That emotions shouldn’t control me. But right now... it felt like they had me by the throat.
My thoughts were so tangled, I didn’t even notice the figure ahead until I nearly collided with him.
"Whoa, easy there," Ace said, steadying me by the arm. His eyes scanned my face, lingering on mine. "Valerie... what’s wrong?"
"Nothing," I said quickly, blinking. My eyes were already red and puffy, but I forced a faint smile. "Something just... got in my eyes. I was trying to get it out."
Ace didn’t buy it. His brow furrowed. "Not convinced. From the look of things, you’re not running for exercise, you’re running from something."
We had stopped under the shade of a wide, sprawling tree, its thick branches blocking the growing morning sun. The air here was cooler, quieter.
He didn’t push at first, but his gaze didn’t waver. A few moments of silence stretched until I finally let the words out, telling him everything.
The whispers. The truth about Solstice and Dristan. The betrayal of my mates, keeping it from me.
When I finished, he let out a quiet sigh and said, "Relax. Maybe think about what the guys are saying, or not saying. Maybe they didn’t want it either and were scared of losing you if you found out. People hide things when they’re afraid."
I stared at him for some seconds. "Whose side are you on, Ace?"
He chuckled softly, shaking his head. "The side of love." His smile deepened, but there was a softness in his eyes. "We haven’t had that much time with you—me and my brother—but the last thing I want is you falling out with your mates."
I arched a brow. "This from the guy who, when he first got here, was ready to steal me from the werewolves?"
Ace’s grin tilted wryly. "I grew."
For a moment, neither of us spoke. Then he asked, "Did you let them explain?"
Speaking now, I realised I might have acted oyut of pure anger and not thought things through.
"I... didn’t really give them a chance," I admitted. "But the fact they hid it means they were considering it and didn’t know how to tell me."
"Or," Ace said gently, "they were trying to end it quietly and didn’t want you worrying. Maybe for your safety. Who knows?"
I exhaled slowly. "I just don’t want to think about it right now. I just... need to calm down first."
Without warning, Ace pulled me into a hug...
At first, it was comfortable, warm and grounding, but as the seconds passed, I became acutely aware of him.
His scent wrapped around me. His muscles flexed lightly where his arms enclosed me. And my wolf... Astra was practically drooling, whispering that we could stay here for hours.
Ace must have sensed the shift, because he loosened his hold slightly and pulled back just enough for me to look up at him.
The sunlight angled perfectly, lighting his face so beautifully it made something in my chest hitch.
His gaze dropped to my lips, and he began leaning in slowly.
I froze, unsure of myself or what to do. One part of me wanted to lean in, another wanted to pull away.
In the end, I stepped back.
Ace blinked, then gave me a small, apologetic smile before leaning forward to press a soft kiss to my forehead. "Sorry. I wasn’t thinking."
"No... It’s me," I murmured, shaking my head. "I just..." But no reasonable excuse formed on my tongue.
He studied me for a moment, then his smile returned. "Want to skip class today?"
I gave a small, almost guilty smile. "Yes. I don’t want to face the Alphas right now."
"Then come on," he said, and walked me back to my room.
I changed quickly, aware we were both going to get in trouble for this. "You know," I said as I emerged, "we’re going to pay for skipping."
Ace grinned. "Worth it. Actually... want to go somewhere with me?"
I narrowed my eyes in suspicion. "Where?"
His smile turned sly. "You’ll see."
When Ace asked if I wanted to go somewhere with him, I’d imagined maybe a quick stroll outside the academy walls while sneaking out, not that he’d use his position as a Lycan Prince to smoothly talk our way out of school grounds.
He didn’t even blink when telling the gate guards that his mother had sent for us. The confidence in his voice made it sound completely believable, and they let us through without hesitation.
I couldn’t help but laugh, shaking my head. "You’re impossible."
He smirked, eyes glinting in that way that said I know.
The drive was longer than I expected.
Somewhere along the way, I got caught up talking about random things—funny stories from classes, the odd quirks of certain professors, and even my own clumsy mishaps.
Ace listened with that lazy, attentive smile, chiming in with teasing comments now and then. I was so wrapped up in our back-and-forth that I didn’t notice our surroundings changing until the car slowed and stopped.
When I looked out the window, my brows pulled together.
The building before us wasn’t just big, it was grand. "Where are we?" I asked, still trying to take in the sprawling mansion framed by tall trees.
"My favourite space," he said simply.
Before I could ask more, he was already out of the car, rounding to my side and opening the door for me.
Ace didn’t take me through the front, but instead led me around the back.
We passed a sunlit garden full of wildflowers, their scent sweet in the warm air, and then crossed beneath a white gazebo whose wooden beams were twined with ivy.
Beyond it, a narrow path wound between the trees. When we stepped through the small opening at the end, I caught my breath.