My Alphas' Dark Desires-Chapter 104: Blood Moon Masquerade Queen

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Chapter 104

~Valerie’s POV~

"Oops," Titania said with a twisted smile, her voice as fake as her lashes.

"The fuck,’ I muttered, my anger boiling deep... my fists curled at my sides.

My gown clung to me like a second skin, soaked and sticky, and I could already feel the fabric stretching from the weight of the wine.

The cold wetness sank deeper, not just into my dress but under my skin, like venom.

Astra stirred within me, ready to give her a piece of our mind and I was more than glad to give her that freedom.

Because I knew she’d done it on purpose. I saw the flick of her wrist, the way her smirk bloomed before the tray had even hit the floor.

But I also saw the crowd. Dozens of eyes, masked but wide. And her little group of minions—painted and pretty in red—circling her like she was the moon and they were stars too dumb to shine on their own.

If I lunged at her now, I wouldn’t just stain the floor. I’d stain my name. An ordinary nameless werewolf assailed the fae princess. That would be the headlines of the school gossip gang.

And right now, staying low was a priority I needed to keep.

So I bit down on the urge to slap the smug off her face and stayed still.

Xade stepped forward from my side floor, ready to defend me. But before he could do anything or say anything, I held his arm and pulled him back, shaking my head at him.

"Don’t,’ was all I could say to him.

"Valerie, someone has to pay.’

"Would it be waiter? He wasn’t careless," I said just loud enough for Titania to hear since she was practically eavesdropping judging from her expressions when Xade and I spoke, "however the bitch who hit him was the clumsy one."

Just then, Isla appeared out of the swirling crowd. She took one look at me and groaned. "Oh, screw this cursed night," she muttered, grabbing my wrist and pulling me away before I could explode into flames.

We slipped through a side corridor and into one of the lavish restrooms—gold-trimmed, crystal-lit, and currently empty. Isla locked the door behind us.

Ignoring her and what she was doing, I hissed as I peeled the soaked fabric off my skin and stared at the stains.

"Let me try," she offered, dabbing with wet tissues. But the wine only spread.

"Now it looked like a drunken banshee had mauled me." I sighed, my shoulders slouching. "Of all the people," I grumbled, watching the stains deepen, "Titania had to be the one."

Isla tossed the soggy tissue into the trash with a scoff. "She’s jealous. You walked in like a goddess and she panicked. That witch would poison the moon if it meant outshining you."

I sighed, brushing hair out of my face. "I shouldn’t have worn this dress."

"Oh, hush," Isla said, grinning. "You looked hot. Xade nearly combusted, and don’t get me started on Axel. But you know who really looked like he wanted to set someone on fire?"

My head snapped up.

"Dristan," she said with a teasing lilt. "And I saw that almost-kiss too, by the way." My cheeks heated up as she added, "I gotta hand it to my cousin, he knows how to make a girl’s heart beat fast and make her blush." She nodded. "Bold move."

My cheeks heated so hot, I could tell I was already blushing.

"And girl, the way that you were ready to take his lips...’

"It wasn’t me," I blurted, too quickly. "He kissed me. They kissed and I didn’t instigate anything. Actually—" I tripped over my words, heat crawling up my neck. "They did and me, not the other way around."

Isla’s jaw dropped. Then she burst into laughter, smacking the wall for support.

"You just exposed yourself, dummy!" she howled. "That was gold."

I buried my face in my hands. Usually, I was one who could sprout the best of lies even in a critical condition, even though I hated lies, but when it came to my mates and the bond, I was a flustered fool, making silly mistakes.

"Why do I talk?" I wondered out loud.

"Oh, Valerie, you’re so cute! Aiiii! So you guys did it? What else happened?"

I looked away, hoping she would drop the conversation.

"Spill, Valerie. You know I am the only one in this school who knows you all are mates, right?"

"So?"

"Meaning you need a friend to spill the deets to. And I won’t tell. Besides, I cannot harass my cousin for this. His cold heart wouldn’t melt for me—only you. So... I’m your best ally. So... tell me!"

A knock echoed sharply against the door. Isla froze.

A moment later, her eyes darted over before she opened the door, and Emerald walked in, holding a glossy black nylon bag like it was the Holy Grail.

She tossed it at me with a grin. "Got you covered, warrior princess."

I blinked. "How—what—where—?"

"Dristan’s car," Emerald said, flopping into the chair beside the mirror. "Isla told me to go and meet him to take me to the dorm, that you needed a change. He didn’t even wait for the engine to warm up. Just sped straight to school like the world was ending. I thought we were going to die."

Isla and I chuckled, ignoring Emerald’s predicament because it was funny.

For a girl who looked so strong and unaffected, that did her solid.

"His hands were so tight on the wheel," she added, eyes wide. "I’m pretty sure the steering almost broke."

I stared at the bag, then at both of them. "You guys..."

"Yeah, yeah," Isla said, waving a hand. "Say thank you later and go get changed."

Inside the bag was the dress Dristan had picked for me the day we’d gone shopping. Midnight black, backless, fitted with velvet embroidery that shimmered under light.

It was bold and haunting, like a whisper from the stars.

I slipped it on quickly. And when I saw myself in the mirror, I didn’t even recognize the girl staring back.

She looked taller. Stronger. Not someone who was trying to survive the party.

Someone who could rule it.

We walked back to the ballroom together, Isla on my left, Emerald on my right. The music had shifted into a symphonic rhythm, slow and deliberate, like the heartbeat of something ancient.

And just as we stepped into view, a spotlight hit me. I blinked, stunned for half a second. My brain did its usual assassin training move and tried to track who had done it when I saw him.

Dristan stood on the balcony above, mask off, eyes lit like twin wildfires.

"Welcome," he said, voice echoing across the hall, "the Blood Moon Masquerade Queen, everyone."

Gasps rippled. All heads turned.

The lights glittered against my new dress, bouncing off the velvet threads like I was stitched from moonlight itself.

Even the band faltered for a beat.

My gaze glanced over the crowd in search of one person. And when our eyes locked, I had that triumphant smile adorning my lips.

Titania’s jaw clenched. She stood a few feet away, drink in hand, smile frozen. Her eyes screamed ’What the hell’, but it only fueled my smile.

Game, set.

Without saying a word, Isla nudged me in Dristan’s direction. He had moved.

I nodded in understanding. I owed him a thanks, at the very least and walked straight toward the man on the balcony who couldn’t stop looking at me like I was the only storm he’d ever welcome.