My Alphas' Dark Desires novel Chapter 374

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?"

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