My Alphas' Dark Desires-Chapter 69: Taking Her Back

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Chapter 70

~Valerie’s POV~

The bathroom door clicked shut behind me, and for a long second, I just stood there.

The air inside was warm and smelled faintly of lavender soap. A towel hung neatly on the rack, and there was a clean sink, a plain mirror, and a soft white light. It was quiet—too quiet. And suddenly, I could hear nothing but my own breathing.

And the thundering of my heart.

That kiss.

I braced my hands on the sink and stared into the mirror. My lips still tingled. My face was flushed. I looked like someone who’d been through a war—and then somehow, in the middle of the battlefield, had her first kiss stolen by the last person she expected.

Dristan fucking Alexander.

Of all people, of all times. And right after everything.

A mix of emotions twisted in my chest—anger, confusion, heat. My thoughts were a mess. Part of me wanted to scream at him again. Another part wanted to kiss him back harder and longer.

Who was I kidding?

I liked it even though I was scared to admit it. I never really thought about how I wanted my first kiss to be, thanks to the situation in my life and how I grew up, but still.

When I met my mates, that thought became far from me. Why? Because I had four and did not think my brain could handle such romance.

Astra, of course, wasn’t helping.

"That was perfect," she whispered dreamily. "So much heat. So much claim."

"Don’t start," I muttered aloud, glaring at myself in the mirror. "It meant nothing."

A pause.

"I don’t think you believe that," Astra whispered again.

I splashed cold water on my face but stopped halfway, lowering my hand. I hadn’t even washed up yet. I was just staring. Breathing. Replaying it over and over again, like it held some kind of answer.

Then came the knock.

"Valerie?" Dristan’s voice was calm and close.

I opened the door slowly.

He stood there, expression unreadable, but I caught how his eyes flicked over me quickly, and how his brow pinched just slightly when he noticed I hadn’t done anything.

"Everything okay?"

"Fine," I replied curtly, brushing past him.

He held something out. A bundle of soft, folded clothes—a button-down striped shirt, a pair of white tank tops. They looked fresh.

"There are clean towels in there," he said. "You should take a bath to relax."

I arched a brow, still standing there. "Is it safe?"

He blinked, confusion flickering in his gaze. "Safe?"

I sighed and clarified before his mind went somewhere worse, like he was thinking I meant he was perverted or something else. "I meant... should I really be taking my bath now?"

For a second, I thought he’d get offended. His jaw ticked, and his arms crossed like he was about to snap something sharp.

But instead, he exhaled slowly. "Valerie, I wouldn’t do anything to you." I narrowed my eyes. "Okay," he added dryly. "I kissed you, yes, but I’m not the threat here."

I rolled my eyes. "You think too much."

He blinked. "Excuse me?"

"I meant the question wasn’t about you. It’s about being ambushed while my guard’s down. What if we’re attacked again?"

A ghost of a smirk tugged at his lips, then vanished. "Then I suggest you hurry before that happens."

"But—"

"No one followed us here," he cut in, tone firmer now. "This place is warded. They’d be fools to try."

He pressed the clothes into my hands. "Go."

I took them, glancing down briefly. They were my size. Of course. I didn’t even ask where he got them. I didn’t want to. freēwēbηovel.c૦m

All I knew was that they had been worn and washed before due to the absence of a label, and they looked very girlish—definitely not his.

Dristan turned without another word and walked back down the hallway.

I lingered for a second longer, then finally closed the door and did as he asked.

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When I stepped out—clean, hair damp, towel slung over one shoulder—I found him seated at the dining table with his legs crossed. Same blank expression.

He hadn’t even changed.

"You didn’t shower?" I asked.

He looked at me once, then away again. "Didn’t feel like it. Besides, I had already done so before when I came to get you."

I waited.

"I’m done. Let’s go," I said flatly.

"No."

I blinked. "Why?"

"Because," he said without moving, "I told you—we let the dust settle."

"And what do I do while we wait? Twiddle my thumbs?"

"Sit. Breathe. Try not to punch anyone."

"Tempting." I tried not to snap at him.

Then, his phone rang. He checked the screen. "Xade."

I perked up instantly, my arms folding again as I stared at him.

Dristan answered.

"It’s safe now," Xade’s voice crackled through the speaker. I could hear him clearly even from where I stood. "Her attackers are gone. You must bring her back. Whitmore is not happy."

Dristan leaned back slowly in the chair. "No."

"Dristan."

"Why? Because Whitmore cares now? The dragon prince is back. She has her damage control in place."

"Dristan, behave."

"I won’t throw my mate into danger again just to satisfy some agenda."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

"She’s my mate too, remember?" Xade snapped. "Just—"

Dristan didn’t wait. "See you later." Then he ended the call and tossed the phone on the table.

Silence stretched between us. When he looked up, I was already glaring. Arms crossed.

"What?" he asked.

"It’s safe," I said firmly. "We are going." With that, I turned and headed for the door, ignoring him.

Dristan lifted a brow when I glanced back and leaned back in the chair again. "And how do you plan to do that without the keys?"

I smirked. "Try me." Then I raised my hand and let my claws slide out. His eyes flicked to them—mild surprise, maybe a trace of amusement—but he said nothing.

I closed the gap between me and the door and lifted my hand, fully intending to break the damn thing if I had to—

"Fine," his voice came from behind me. "I’ll go. I’ll take you back."

I paused, hand still lifted.

Slowly, I turned to look at him, keeping my face neutral, even though Astra was already doing her little happy dance again in my head.

"Better," I said simply.

And just like that, he stood, grabbed his jacket from the chair, and walked ahead of me, unlocking the door.

"After you."