Chapter 323: Cornered
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Chapter 323
~Author’s POV~
Riven leaned against the railing of the west wing balcony, arms crossed as his sharp eyes scanned the school grounds below.
His black hair glinted faintly in the afternoon light, but his thoughts weren’t on the scenery. They were on her instead.
Dristan appeared a moment later. He stopped beside Riven, folding his arms as well, though his gaze was far colder.
"You’re thinking about Valerie, right?" Dristan said flatly.
Riven’s lips curved into a wry grin. "What gave me away?"
"You’re a poor liar," Dristan replied. "And besides, shouldn’t your attention be on your own mate now? Not on mine?"
Riven chuckled softly, though his eyes felt like they held more weight. "I won’t deny it. I like Valerie. I was ready to fight for her, you know. But fate has its sense of humour."
He paused, inhaled and looked away. "Now her friend is my mate. And honestly? I don’t know what to feel. Solstice’s not bad. She’s chaos, like your mate, but she needs me. And I... I think I need her too."
Dristan’s jaw tightened. "You’re clearly confused. Are you saying you’re rejecting the bond?"
Riven smirked and tilted his head toward him. "Why? So you can keep Valerie to yourself, and stay betrothed to her at the same time?"
That struck. Dristan’s eyes narrowed, and for once, his mask faltered.
"You’re surprised," Riven drawled. "Don’t be. I have sharper hearing than any wolf here. I overheard everything. Secrets don’t stay secrets around me."
For a moment, Dristan said nothing, his silence heavier than words. Riven sighed and pushed away from the railing.
"You can’t eat your cake and have it."
"It’s have your cake and eat it," Dristan corrected tersely.
"I know," Riven said with a half-smile. "But I wanted you to understand exactly what I meant."
Dristan’s hands clenched at his sides. His voice, though controlled, carried an edge.
"I know what I want. And it’s not some game. I love Valerie and not your mate, Solstice. Whatever name she goes by—Silver, Solstice, Aura—it doesn’t matter. She’s not Valerie. And I love Valerie."
"Then make her realise it," Riven countered. His tone dropped lower, almost threatening. "Or I will—"
The air shifted instantly. Dristan’s aura surged outward, thick and suffocating, pressing down on Riven like a storm. His eyes gleamed dangerously as he cut him off.
"You aren’t her mate."
Riven only smirked, refusing to flinch. "And who says she has to end up with her mates? All it takes is one mistake, one slip—"
Dristan’s expression hardened to stone. "Don’t push your luck. Don’t be greedy. Valerie belongs to us. You’re not part of her six. Stick with your mate."
"Who knows?"
"Suit yourself," Dristan shot back.
With that, he turned sharply, hands sliding into his pockets as he walked away, every step a dismissal.
Riven watched him go, a sly smile curving his lips. He tilted his head back, eyes glinting with mischief and intent.
"You’re trouble, Valerie," he murmured. "But maybe... I’ll find another way to make you mine."
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~Valerie’s POV~
Spending time with Ace was good but when we returned, reality struck back.
Thankfully, Ace said he’d speak to our Professor concerning my skipping school, and I had nothing to worry about.
But that did not exclude my cousin or friends.
We didn’t spend long at his place, and by the time we arrived, it was lunch break.
Rather than hiding, I headed back to my locker to pick up a few books in preparation for my following classes.
Just as I closed the locker, I jolted where I stood when I saw Emerald, Isla and Solstice, standing there.
"Jeez, girls, be careful. You could scare a girl with that look."
"That’s the idea. Where have you been?" Isla questioned. "It’s not like you to skip class. So...?"
"I needed a break."
"From what?" Emerald popped the question.
"Marianne or Riven?" Isla asked.
"I..." I glanced at the side where I saw Solstice shift and lower her head like she knew something.
"It’s nothing. I’m happy my... Solstice has found her mate."
"And he was one of your crushes," Emerald noted outwardly.
Isla immediately poked her with her elbow.
She glanced at Solstice and me, then gave us an apologetic look.
"It’s okay. Like I said, I’m happy for her. I’m happy Riven would have someone like her. He deserves her."
"Really? You mean that?"
It was the first time she spoke since my return.
"Yes. I do." I assured her, smiled sweetly and patted her on the shoulder.
"Then where were you?"
I raised my brow, then let my expression soften lightly.
"Ace accompanied me, nothing much."
Isla gave me the knowing eye, but I ignored it and focused on Solstice.
"How are you feeling, though, having your mate bond announced like that?"
"Honestly, with how he reacted when Kieran tried forcing himself on you, I kind of suspected that."
"I’m sorry about that. Then why didn’t you let us know that you found your mate? You weren’t shocked to see his reaction today."
"When did you know?" Emerald chimed in, with concern written on her face.
"Last night, during our sneaking out. I felt restless and decided to use the bathroom, but instead I came outside to breathe when suddenly someone jumped down in front of me."
"Typical Riven," I muttered and smiled when she looked at me. "That’s how we met. I stepped out with Dristan."
Everyone’s eyes gave that girlish judgmental look of ’oh, you naughty girl’ and I had to correct it ASAP.
"And no, it was nothing naughty."
"But you kissed," Isla stated.
"Yes, we did"
"Oohhhh," they chorused in unison now, even Solstice.
"Hey, it’s not like that. Dristan was just..."
I noticed that the more I spoke, the more I had to reveal if I wanted them not to misunderstand my mate kissing me in a club, sneaking outside to trail criminals and kissing again while getting shot at.
"Forget that. The point is, Drisan had to trail some criminals, and then I returned alone. Only to sneak in and have my heart leap out of my chest when Riven’s voice called out from atop the fence where he stood."
I noticed a tiny smirk form on Solstice’s lips.
"A moment ago, he wasn’t there, but when he needed to be, he was," I explained.
"I see," Em nodded, looking thoughtful, with her finger brushing her jaw.
I tried to stir the conversation in a different direction when I spotted Lucy staring at me from a bend in the hallway with her head poked out.
"Anyways, you just got back to school. You have catching up to do with your curriculum and other things," I said to Solstice.
She nodded, but that smile on her face told me something else.
"What is it?"
Solstice shrugged. "Nothing much. Just that you forget, I’m mostly homeschooled. So catching up and surpassing the curriculum is kinda normal for me."
I nodded, trying to hide my smile.
"Alright, you’ve got things covered."
I reopened my locker to drop a note I wasn’t sure I would use. Just as I was about to say something else, I felt a certain weight on me as my stomach tightened in a knot.
Astra woke up within me, her low growl already confirming my fear. It was them. My mates.
Even when I stood surrounded by my friends, I felt the tug, the bond threading itself tighter around my ribs, a constant reminder that no matter how I tried to be normal, I wasn’t.
The heat I had endured only days ago lingered at the back of my mind. A dangerous reminder of how fragile my control could be around them.
My mates had been there... helping me find release to quench my heat.
I snapped my locker shut harder than I meant to, earning a side-eye from Isla.
"What’s on your mind now?" she asked softly.
"Nothing," I lied too quickly.
"Val..." Emerald’s voice was gentler, but sharper too. "You can’t keep pretending. We see it."
My lips parted, but before I could argue, the scent assaulted my nose.
It was Kai.
And just like that, the hairs at the back of my neck rose. Because if Kai was here... the others weren’t far behind.
The hallway stilled when they arrived.
Four figures—each one radiating the kind of dominance that made weaker wolves instantly avert their eyes.
Their aura pressed down on everyone like a storm about to break. Conversations faltered, laughter died, and the air grew tight with an energy that only they carried.
Kai was in front, which was unusual. His emerald-green eyes swept the crowd once before they found me.
My breath caught, the knot in my stomach tugging tighter. His jaw, tense a moment ago, unclenched slightly as if just the sight of me soothed something inside him.
Behind him, Dristan moved like a shadow. Dark heat rolled off him, his shoulders carrying a kind of restrained violence—like he’d been keeping himself in check all day and could snap at any second.
His eyes cut toward me and lingered.
Axel followed, looking deceptively calm. He didn’t need words; his gaze alone made my heart thud painfully against my chest.
And then there was Xade. The lazy smirk on his lips didn’t reach his eyes. His aura did. It crawled across my skin like fire and smoke, daring me to meet his gaze.
Astra stirred sharply inside me, tail lashing. "Our mates."
Her voice vibrated with both hunger and warning, the bond tugging at me mercilessly.
I stiffened, clutching my books tighter to my chest.