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Chapter 340
~Valerie’s POV~
Xade’s words still burned against my ear in a sinful manner, leaving my body trembling with anticipation.
Before I could catch my breath, he claimed my lips, roughly. I whimpered softly against his mouth, my fingers tangling in his silvery hair as he pressed me deeper into the mattress.
Every brush of his body against mine set my nerves alight, every touch igniting sparks that shot through my veins.
His hands roamed, tracing the curves of my waist before sliding lower, gripping my thighs possessively.
He pulled me closer, spreading me effortlessly beneath him, and I could feel the heat radiating from his body like a wildfire.
"Xade..." I breathed, half a plea, and maybe in warning, though I couldn’t tell which one I meant.
He pulled back just enough to look at me, his silver eyes darkened to molten steel. "Mine," he growled softly, the single word sending shivers cascading down my spine.
I barely had a chance to respond before his lips trailed down my throat, leaving searing kisses along my collarbone, then lower still, until I was arching helplessly beneath him.
My breath came in ragged gasps as his hands guided me. I could feel another orgasm building just from how his hands roamed my body and caressed every inch of me.
Every movement was slow yet maddening, every graze of his fingertips leaving trails of fire across my skin.
Xade devoured me — my breath, my voice, my thoughts — until I was nothing but sensation, drowning in him.
"Say my name," he murmured against my skin when he pushed his cock close to my entrance.
My eyes squeezed shut briefly.
"Look at me, love and say my name."
At his command, I choked out, "X-Xade."
My nails dug into his shoulders as he finally thrust into me, breaking my hymen.
Pain coursed through me, making Xade pause and giving my body time to adjust to his length.
As soon as I felt the pain subside, he continued.
On and on, he went until the only thing I felt was pleasure coursing through me in waves and before long, he pushed me beyond the edge.
The world shattered around me, my body breaking apart beneath the waves he pulled me into, and I surrendered completely, lost to him.
—
When I woke the next morning, pale sunlight was spilling softly through the curtains. My body felt heavy, but not sore in places I didn’t want to think about, and for a long moment, I just lay there, staring blankly at the ceiling.
What happened?
I glanced around the room, but there was no sign of Xade anywhere.
My mind tried to recall what happened last night when the memories came rushing back.
Xade’s hands on me, his mouth, voice. The way he whispered my name as he stole my breath. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮
Heat rushed to my cheeks, and my heartbeat stuttered wildly as I sat up abruptly, clutching the sheets to my chest.
But when I glanced down between my legs, confusion crashed over me like cold water.
There was nothing.
No blood, mess or any lingering evidence of what I was sure had happened last night.
I froze, my lips parting slightly. "Wait... what?"
Slowly, hesitantly, I touched my thighs. They were slightly sore, but there was no other sign, nothing to prove that what I remembered had actually happened.
My chest rose and fell sharply as my thoughts spiralled.
"So it was... a dream?" I muttered under my breath, a shaky laugh escaping me despite myself.
But even as I said it, something deep inside me whispered otherwise. It had felt too real. Too intense and too much like... him.
I sighed and fell back onto the bed, draping an arm over my eyes. "I’m losing my mind," I whispered to no one in particular.
And then my phone rang.
I jolted upright so quickly the duvet tangled around my legs. My heart raced as I grabbed the device from the nightstand and glanced at the screen.
Solstice.
My throat went dry instantly.
"What the hell could she want this early?" I whispered, hesitating for only a second before swiping to answer.
"Fine," she muttered at last. "Yes. Riven called. He wants us to discuss. Happy now?"
My grin widened until my cheeks hurt. "Ecstatic." Then I cleared my throat. But are you happy?"
From the background, Isla piped up again, unbothered by Solstice’s murderous tone. "Good question, Val. I know Riven is hot and all, but..."
"Isla!"
I burst out laughing, nearly doubling over as Solstice sputtered incoherently. "Oh, this is gold," I said between chuckles. "Pure, unfiltered gold."
"I hate you both," Solstice muttered.
"No, you don’t," Isla teased. "You love us. And you’re welcome."
I shook my head, wiping tears of laughter from my eyes. For the first time since Astraea’s betrayal, the weight pressing down on my chest felt lighter in this room.
The tension in my dorm, my mates, and everything else still lingered, but right now, hearing my girls bicker and tease each other, it felt... normal.
And normal was exactly what I needed.
"Alright, enough teasing," I said eventually, still smiling. "Move all your things in soon enough, Sol. I want all the details about your first date when you return. Every. Single. One."
Solstice groaned again, but I could hear the reluctant smile in her voice. "Fine, fine. But only if Isla doesn’t get to narrate it for me."
"No promises," Isla called in the background, making me laugh again.
"And I doubt it’s a date," Solstice muttered.
"Baby, with how protective he got in the cafeteria? It’s definitely a date."
Just as I was about to hang up, another voice echoed faintly through my door, Emerald’s this time.
"Val, girls," she said, her tone different from the playful mood we’d been in. "Something’s happening. You should probably come to the courtyard after breakfast."
My laughter faded instantly, replaced by unease. "What’s happening?"
Emerald hesitated. "I’d rather you see for yourself."
The line clicked dead as I heard feet rumbling, obviously Solstice and Isla making a run out of Isla’s room.
My stomach churned as I could tell whatever this was, it wasn’t good.
Did they find a clue to those deaths in the forest or what?

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