My Alphas' Dark Desires

Chapter 381 381: The Dragon King's Visit

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~Xander's POV~

I didn't see Valerie after our meeting for the rest of the day, nor the next. That fact sat in my chest like a stone. As much as I wanted to talk to her, to explain, to apologise for everything I'd set in motion, the thought of facing her mates and avoiding any brawl kept my feet glued to the floor.

I wasn't part of her mates, and I also wanted to give her some space.

I knew it would take a miracle for Principal Whitmore to believe me that I never hurt Marianne.

If the White Witches pried into my memories, if they peeled back the layers like paper, it would be pretty bad, considering what I know about Valerie.

The worst part: if I tried to conceal anything with a spell, they'd smell the magic. That would be the easiest justification for everyone to assume I was hiding something tied to Marianne. No, digging myself deeper with sorcery was an idiot's solution.

The only way I could think of brushing this interrogation aside was simply to seek help. And that would mean my father.

I walked out of class after the end of the period and did not pay anyone any heed.

Today, I chose not to take class with the Alphas, but still, that did not stop almost every student from staring at me like I had a big monkey on my head.

"Xyler?"

I knew I had neglected him for some time now, and my Dragon wasn't the forgiving one when it came to things like that.

He had given me the silent treatment for a while now, but I needed my best friend.

"Xyler?"

"What do you want? Speak and stop disturbing me," he groaned.

"Stop being grouchy. I need your help."

"You know my only condition. Let me out."

I sighed, not ready for his insane demands. "Xyler, you…"

"Yes?"

Before Xyler could make a snide retort in my head, the school intercom cut through everything, and the secretary's voice rang out. "Xander Draco, your presence is needed in Principal Whitmore's office right now."

Every head whipped toward me. Heat rose to my cheeks. I should have gone to Whitmore and cleared things. Instead, my feet took me to my locker to drop the books I no longer bothered to carry, then I walked toward the lion's den.

On my way, I spotted Valerie walking over with Isla. I wanted to call her back, but decided against it and took a different direction.

As soon as I got inside Principal Whitmore's office, what I saw made me halt in my tracks as my mouth fought to utter the words.

Seated in all his regal honour, my father lifted his brows, staring at me from the side but uttered no words.

"Dad," I said, and the word felt small.

His eyes lifted slowly, cool and unblinking. "I see you've been causing trouble."

It wasn't a question.

"Dad, I—" I started, the protest sticking in my throat.

"I was summoned, Xander." His voice was flat, controlled. "You made them summon me."

"Dad, I know you are angry, but…"

"Damn right I am." I lowered my head, already knowing how this would pan out.

Principal Whitnmore cleared her throat from her seat opposite us. Then she gestured for me to take a seat beside my father.

"Your Majesty," she gestured to my father, "please, calm down. You can scold him all you want later. I called you here because I did not want to take any disciplinary action against a royal, especially one from an allied race and sent for you."

I held my breath, already anticipating his rage.

"Your son…"

Suddenly, Principal Whitmore's voice was toned down in my mind, and the next voice I heard wasn't even Xyler's but my father's.

He mindlinked me.

"Xander."

"Dad,"  I responded through the mindlink but kept my expression neutral.

"I am a father, and I am not above being sent for when it comes to my children. However, I am angry because you did something stupid in the first place and did not dare to tell me before I got summoned."

"Dad, I apologise for what I did, but if I had a chance, I'd do it again."

I saw my dad's jaw clench harder than it had already been when I first came and I knew he was so pissed at me.

"Excuse me?"

"Dad, please listen."

"Why did he universe choose to torment me with such reckless…"

"I did it for Valerie. I did it to protect Valerie, Dad," I cut him before he could speak anymore, and that little revelation made my father's eyes go wide.

At the same time, Principal Whitmore knew we had not been listening and had been communicating through our mind-link.

"What is going on here?"

"Nothing to concern your pretty head for, Mrs Whitmore. But to answer your question, no. I won't let anyone go through my son's memories."

"But, Your Majesty…" Principal Whitmore began only to get cut off by a waving his hands.

"I'd do that myself. And you have nothing to fear. I won't be hiding anything."

She sighed and nodded. "It's just to be fair…"

"You think the Dragon King isn't fair?" Dad didn't need to unleash his aura or anything; immediately, I felt his dragon's presence push forward on his own accord, and the pressure in the office dropped.

"I'd be fair, but if you for one second think I'd let two witches poke around my son's memory, with a high probability of worsening him after, no. I'll also check the other heirs myself."

"But I cannot authorise that," Principal Whitmore quickly stated.

Dad scoffed a little and smiled. "I do not need you to authorise anything. One call from me to the Lycan King or the lpha Kings and they'd agree."

"There are protocols to these things."

"Then you have my word right now, right here. My son, Xander Draco did not hurt your student."

"But he hurt the others."

"Not all but a few," I chimed in, hoping to correct the notion.

"Not another word," Dad chided, and I gave a nod. "Now, if that's all."

Principal Whitmore barely got the words out of her lips when Dad rose from his seat, and I followed suit.

"If you need me, I'm but a call away. Now, son, shall we?"

"But what about the other students? He broke the rules. He hurt people."

"And shall be disciplined, you have my word."

Seeing as this was a losing battle, Principal Whitmore did not bother repeating anything.

I gave her an apologetic smile, then followed behind my father.

Considering no rumours or whispers went out before I got called into the Principal's office, I knew that she had used the teleportation stone to get into her office, which was why she looked flustered when I walked in.

Immediately, several eyes fell on us, and whispering began.

I'd almost convinced myself my father's presence would smooth things over—until we stepped back out into the corridor and the school's breath hit us like wind.

Heads swivelled. Conversations cut off mid-word. Students clustered in little islands, eyes wide, phones half-raised.

"He's the Dragon King?" a girl near the lockers whispered, breathless. "No way. He looks… unreal."

"He's actually taller in person," a boy murmured, craning his neck as we passed.

"Is that Xander Draco's dad? I thought Xander got his looks from his mom, but…" another voice trailed off, voice thick with adolescent appraisal.

"Do you see him? His jaw is like chiselled stone. I'd literally faint if he smiled at me," a sophomore sighed, clutching her chest melodramatically.

I stayed quiet, shoulders rigid beneath my jacket, every compliment like a pinprick. Compliments were fine; suspicion felt like knives. I could feel the gaze of the students on my back.

"Why is he here, though?" someone else asked. "Did Xander do something huge? Like, big-time trouble?"

"They said Xander was the one who impersonated Dristan to hurt Marianne or whatever. Maybe he did it," another voice said, less impressed than gleeful.

A cluster of girls giggled. "Can you imagine being accused of hypnotising someone? That's insane. Also, his father is so pissed. I'd love to see him scold Xander. That would be iconic."

"Scratch that, I'd rather just hold his hand," someone else confessed, and a chorus of flirtatious gasps followed.

I felt my face heat. My father's hand on the small of my back was grounding. He led me down the hall as the waves of whispers swelled and ebbed.

"Is it certain Dristan wasn't the one who hurt Marianne but Xander?" a boy whispered sharply to his friend, like it was the juiciest rumour on the menu. "If Xander did it, I'd, I don't know. This is messy."

"Why would he do that? He's a Draco, not a psychopath," the friend replied, though his voice held a brittle uncertainty that didn't comfort me.

"His dad must be so embarrassed and angry," a senior said, awe and schadenfreude mixed in her tone. "Imagine telling the king your kid messed up. Awkward family dinner."

A younger student piped up, voice trembling with bravado, "Scratch that, I'd do anything just to hold his hand, snap a pic, or hug him."

They laughed then—soft, nervous, excited. The banter was normal school cruelty and worship, all at once. It was human and shallow and awful, and I hated that my name put them in this small theatre of gossip.

Sadly, we heard most of what was said.

"Isn't it time I see the girl you love?"

My head whipped to my side to look at his face. Not only had Dad mentioned that, he said it loud enough that the few students loitering in the corridor heard and all turned their heads.

"Where is the Nightshade girl?"