My Alphas' Dark Desires novel Chapter 349

Chapter 349: Lucy’s True Hate

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Chapter 349

~Valerie’s POV~

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t hide my smile.

Then Ace’s gaze shifted, softening in a way that caught me off guard. His smirk faded into something almost solemn, like he’d peeled back a mask I didn’t even know he wore.

"You’re stronger than you think, Val."

I blinked, startled by the sudden seriousness in his tone. "What?"

"I’ve seen you doubt yourself," Ace said quietly, brushing a damp strand of hair from my cheek. His fingers lingered, gentle, almost reverent. "But when you fight... there’s fire in you. You just need to trust it."

The words struck deeper than I expected. He was right—too right. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

I had been holding back. Not just against him, but against everyone, even myself. Since that night—the accident, the men I killed—I hadn’t allowed myself to let go.

The memory clung to me like a dark shadow whispering that if I unleashed too much, I might never be able to cage it again.

My throat tightened. For a moment, all I could do was stare at him, caught between gratitude and fear. "...Thanks."

Ace’s grin returned, playful again, though his eyes still held that flicker of sincerity I couldn’t quite ignore. "Don’t thank me yet, Princess."

I raised a brow. "Why not?"

"Because more’s coming. After class and training every day, I’m going to train with you until the Alpha Games. Think of it as my personal little support package."

I nodded slowly, unsure what to say.

"Oh, and I won’t go easy on you," he added with a smirk that promised trouble. "I’ll attack like I mean it."

No sooner had Ace said those words than my mind betrayed me. Images of that night surged forward—men with bloodlust in their eyes, fighting with the desperation of those who knew defeat meant death.

Brutal, ruthless... And I had matched them. I had killed them. My stomach twisted.

"Earth to Valerie!" Ace snapped his fingers in front of me, and I blinked back to the present, a shaky smile forming on my lips.

"Umm, sorry, where were we?"

"You spaced out?" His tone was teasing, though his gaze sharpened with concern. "Relax, it’ll be easy."

And that was a lie.

The next hour was anything but easy. He pushed me, harder than I’d expected, forcing me to adapt, to think, to move with precision.

My muscles burned, sweat dripped down my spine, and every strike left me gasping for air. If this was how he trained his recruits, I almost pitied them.

Almost.

By the time we finished, I was sore, drenched, and exhausted. A quick shower later, we changed back into our uniforms and slipped into school just before curfew. Thank the Moon Goddess for that.

But the moment I stepped into the girls’ dormitory, I froze.

Someone was there.

A shadow shifted near the far end of the hall. My first instinct was to brush it off, but the memory of that prickling sensation—someone watching me these past days—flared in my chest. No. Not tonight. I wasn’t letting it go.

I adjusted my steps, turning casually down another corridor before looping back silently, tracking the figure’s movements. My heart thumped steadily as I cut through a side door and circled behind.

When she finally slipped into a small, forgotten room tucked beneath the stairwell, I followed.

The sight made my stomach drop.

It wasn’t just a room. It was a shrine of hate. My photos, some ripped and slashed, others defaced with angry scribbles.

Notes pinned to the walls, muttered insults scrawled in harsh ink. And at the center—a dartboard. My face taped dead in the middle, darts jutting from my eyes and chest.

And standing there, dart still in hand, was Lucy.

"Lucy," I said flatly.

She shrieked, spinning around as though I’d risen from the grave.

Her face went pale, then flushed crimson with anger. "What—what are you doing here?!"

I stepped fully inside, my arms crossing over my chest. "Funny. I was about to ask you the same thing. Why are you stalking me?"

Her eyes darted wildly, searching for an excuse, but the silence between us stretched, suffocating. I closed the door behind me, cornering her.

Her lips trembled before twisting into a snarl. "You think you’re so perfect, don’t you? Do you even know what it’s like hearing your name over and over again? Valerie this. Valerie that. That’s all he talks about!"

I stiffened. "He?"

She scoffed bitterly. "Kieran. Who else? I’ve given him everything—my time, my loyalty, my heart—and all he ever does is whisper your name like you’re some goddess. I’m sick of it!"

Her voice cracked, but she masked it with venom, hurling the dart to the floor.

My breath caught. "He still hasn’t let it go...?"

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