My Alphas' Dark Desires

Chapter 374 374: Not a Date

VALERIE'S POV

By the time Dristan finally drifted off, his head resting against my shoulder, the room had gone quiet. His breathing evened out—slow, heavy, tired.

I stayed still for a moment, watching the faint glow in his eye fade completely. He looked peaceful, almost boyish.

Carefully, I shifted out from under him, lowering him onto the bed. He stirred slightly but didn't wake. I brushed a strand of hair from his face before slipping out of the room.

Outside, the night air was cool against my skin. I shoved my hands into my jacket pockets and started walking down the quiet path toward the dorms. It was late… past midnight, maybe closer to one, but my mind refused to rest.

I took out my phone and called my uncle. He picked up on the second ring. "Val? It's late. You good?"

"Yeah," I said quietly. "I'm in."

"In?" His voice sharpened. "Where exactly?"

"Nightshade."

There was a pause. Then a low whistle. "That was fast. I thought you said you'd wait till the end of the semester."

"Well…" I kicked at a loose pebble. "I'm not entirely in yet. Still have one last test."

"Last test?"

"Two out of three completed."

He chuckled. "Then you're as good as in, kiddo. What's the third one?"

I hesitated. "Elimination."

His tone changed instantly, becoming flat and professional. "Who?"

"I was given an envelope containing his picture and name. But I'll need your help. Intel, location, background… the works."

"Send me the name once we done with this call," he said. "I'll see how fast I can dig something up."

"Thanks, Uncle."

"Always. Stay sharp."

I hung up just as I reached my dorm. Most of the lights were off. I slipped inside quietly, kicked off my shoes, and collapsed on the bed without even changing. Sleep took me before I could overthink anything.

—

The next morning, sunlight stabbed through the blinds. My phone buzzed beside me, one new message from my uncle.

Here's what I could find. Short notice, but it should help.

I was about to open the file when a soft knock came. The door cracked open, and Solstice peeked in.

"Hey," she whispered. "You're awake."

"Barely," I muttered, sitting up. "What's up?"

"Just checking in. You didn't come back last night. Thought maybe you got eaten by homework or… Dristan." Her grin was teasing.

I rolled my eyes. "Funny. I was fine. Just had something to deal with."

"Uh-huh. Well, we've got morning drills in twenty minutes. Don't be late again, or Heart's going to have a meltdown."

"Got it."

She smiled and left, closing the door behind her.

I opened the message. It was a detailed rundown of my target's schedule, security patterns, routes. Everything I'd asked for. At the bottom, a single line stood out:

Stay safe.

I sighed, locked my phone, and got dressed for school.

******

PRINCIPAL WHITMORE'S POV

Morning light filtered through the blinds as I stepped into my office, the faint scent of polished wood and coffee lingering in the air.

I placed my bag on the desk, stretching my shoulders to ease the stiffness that came from too little sleep and too many late-night reports.

I eased into my chair and stretched until my joints gave a satisfying pop. That was when my gaze landed on the rolled-up yoga mat sitting in the corner of my office. A tiny, amused smile tugged at my lips.

"Yeah," I muttered to myself. "I was supposed to resume yoga today… in my personal room."

A sigh slipped out. "Guess I just need to get things together, then I'll give it a go. Moon Goddess knows I need that mental rest and meditation."

For one glorious second, I allowed myself to imagine silence — no student chaos, no council pressure, no—

The sharp ring of my desk phone shattered that fantasy.

I groaned under my breath. Calls this early never meant good news; it either meant the council had another demand, or something had gone wrong at the academy again.

"What in the devil's name is going on now?" I murmured under my breath, reaching for the receiver.

"Principal Whitmore," came Ms. Abigail's voice, sounding unusually bright and cheerful.

I relaxed slightly. "Morning, Abigail. What is it?"

"It's Marianne."

My heart thudded once, hard. "What happened to Marianne?" I demanded, gripping the phone tighter.

"She's awake, Principal."

My entire body sagged in relief. "Thank the Goddess…" I breathed. "Are the White Witches there?"

"Yes, Principal."

"Good. I'm coming down. I need to speak with her—and them. It's a miracle her father hasn't torn down PSA's gates already."

I hung up before Abigail could reply, snatched my blazer, and hurried out.

Ms. Heart, my secretary, looked up from her desk as if I'd just sprouted wings. "Principal? Is everything—"

"Marianne's awake," I announced, already halfway to the door.

Her eyes widened. "Finally!"

I didn't wait to reply. My heels echoed down the marble hallway, the morning calm of the academy breaking under the sound of my rush. By the time I reached the school clinic, my heart was thudding with a mix of nerves and hope.

Abigail met me at the entrance, smiling in that quiet, knowing way of hers. "She's stable now. The witches are inside."

I nodded, forcing myself to breathe before stepping in.

The scent of herbs, salt, and faint magic hung in the air. The White Witches stood near Marianne's bed, pale robes glimmering faintly under the light. Claire, their leader, turned to me with a serene smile.

"We told you she'd be alright," she said gently.

"I know," I replied, exhaling a deep, grateful breath. "Still, I'm glad. A huge weight's been lifted off my chest."

Claire's companion, Lyra, crossed her arms, half-smiling. "Your intuition was right to be worried though. The spell used on her wasn't ordinary."

"I figured as much," I said, voice firming. "Which is why I have another favor to ask."

Claire's brow arched. "Another one? You don't waste time, Principal."

"I can't afford to," I replied. "Now that she's awake, I need you to check seven students — quietly. See if any of them had involvement in Marianne's… incident."

Lyra frowned. "Why? We already told you the culprit was Dristan Alexander."

I nodded. "Yes. But Dristan has an alibi. He wasn't there at that hour. And considering dark magic was used, there's a possibility someone impersonated him — a shapeshift spell, maybe even blood mimicry."

Claire and Lyra exchanged a look. "Impersonation," Claire repeated. "That's not easy magic."

"I know. But it's not impossible either," I said. "Xander Draco, the dragon prince, admitted to using shapeshifting in the past — disciplinary stunts, he claimed. But he swears he had nothing to do with this."

Lyra scoffed lightly. "That's what students their age would say."

"Normally, yes," I countered, meeting her gaze. "But not these ones. They're heirs — royal heirs. Reputation alone keeps them cautious."

Claire studied me for a long moment, then sighed. "Alright, Principal. Their names?"

"Dristan, Axel, Ace, Ash, Xander, Kai, Xade…" I hesitated, "…and Valerie Nightshade."

Claire blinked. "Valerie? A non-heir?"

"Sadly, yes. But everything seems to revolve around her somehow."

A heavy silence filled the room. Even the faint hum of magic seemed to quiet.

Claire finally nodded. "We'll look into it."

I gave a small, weary smile. "Thank you. The Goddess knows we can't afford another incident like this."

As I turned toward Marianne's room, the faintest ripple of unease passed through me. The girl had woken up — but the truth? The truth was only beginning to stir.

*****

VALERIE'S POV

By lunch, I spotted Dristan near the training field. He looked… calmer. Almost normal. I approached quietly.

"Hey," I said. "How're you feeling?"

He looked over, lips twitching faintly. "Better than last night. You don't have to worry about me."

"I'll still worry," I said lightly. "You up for going out after classes?"

He raised a brow. "Where to?"

"Surprise."

He gave me a look. "That sounds suspicious."

"It's not," I lied smoothly. "Just need to check out something. You're coming with me."

"What about Ace?"

"It's not a date, Dristan. I just need company."

He smirked slightly. "Right. Company."

After school, my phone buzzed again.

DRISTAN: Waiting out front. Don't keep me long; I scare easily.

I couldn't help but laugh. When I stepped outside, he was leaning against his car, pretending to check his phone… but the second he saw me, he stood straighter and grinned.

"Wow," he said, mock serious. "You actually showed up. I was starting to think I got stood up for a non-date."

"Keep talking," I said, walking past him toward the passenger side.

He opened the door for me with a grin. "After you, Miss Not-a-Date."

I rolled my eyes, but smiled anyway. "Just drive, Dristan."

"Whatever you say, boss."

As we pulled out of the academy gates, I looked out the window, my mind already mapping routes and locations. This was not just an outing; it was reconnaissance. And the beginning of my final test.