Chapter 113
Chapter 113
Valencia’s POV
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Kiss
I flinched, though not out of disgust or anger. It was surprise that made me take a half–step back as I caught the fleeting expression on Dante’s face. It wasn’t something I was used to seeing on him, and it unsettled me in ways I couldn’t explain.
Dante’s eyes darted to mine, sharp and searching, before he reached out and gripped my wrist firmly. His touch was grounding, as if to steady me. “What are you thinking?” he asked, his voice low but steady. “He’s alive… for now.”
The last two words weren’t meant for me. He turned his attention to Aiden, his tone laced with a mix of approval and something darker. “Good job. Now all we have to do is wait.”
Wait? For what? My heart thudded in my chest, and I opened my mouth to ask, but before I could, Dante’s expression shifted, his features smoothing into something less foreboding.
The conversation shifted abruptly, turning to harmless chatter about the food from earlier. It was a calculated move, meant to ensure that no eavesdropping ears could piece together the fragments of what we’d been discussing after the barrier was down.
I caught sight of Drogo approaching from the corner of my eye, his towering frame cutting through the crowd with practiced ease. His face was carefully neutral.
“Everything okay?” he asked, his words light but his tone betraying his suspicion.
Before I could respond, Aiden stepped forward smoothly, his silver eyes calm as he answered, “Valencia didn’t seem to like the food earlier. I was just asking her what she’d prefer to have instead.”
I froze, my heart skipping a beat as Aiden used me as a convenient shield. It wasn’t a bad excuse–in fact, it was perfect. But I could feel Dante’s irritation crackling through our bond, sharp and intense.
I forced a smile, nodding as though Aiden’s explanation was entirely accurate. “That’s right. I wasn’t feeling too well either earlier,” I said, keeping my tone light and dismissive.
Drogo’s gaze lingered on me for a moment longer than necessary before he finally nodded, his suspicion seemingly eased. He muttered something about checking on the other representatives and walked away.
It seemed Lethia wasn’t the only person on edge because of Aiden’s closeness to us.
As soon as he was out of earshot, I tugged on Dante’s sleeve, pulling him down to meet me halfway. Without thinking, I kissed him softly, letting my lips linger against his for a moment longer than usual.
When I pulled back, I smiled at him, my voice playful. “Win the hunt, okay?”
The hunt was exactly as it stated. Unlike usual full moon runs where everything was just to unwind, this was a competition on who caught the most prey. Alive or dead, within an hour.
His eyes softened, the tension in his frame melting away as he grinned. “Always for you, princess,” he murmured, his words carrying an intimacy that made my heart flutter.
The term caught me off guard. He hadn’t called me that since our first night together, and hearing it again now stirred something warm and nostalgic in me.
When we broke apart, Aid
was already gone, disappearing into the growing crowd near the forest’s edge.
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Chapter 113
Left to my own devices, I wandered toward the area where most of the remaining quests were seated. I picked the least conspicuous seat I could find, hoping to blend in for the remainder of the evening,
Unfortunately, my choice landed me next to Alpha Selene,
I stiffened slightly, the horrifying memories of the encounter back at Norsor hate tasting, through my mind, I didn’t want to talk to her and I had honestly expected her to ignore me–or worse, look down at me with disdain. Instead, the surprised
- me.
She turned toward me with a soft smile, her dark tresses falling over one shoulder. “You and Dante make a striking pair, she said, her voice low and smooth.
The compliment caught me off guard, and I forced a polite smile in return. “Thank you” I replied, my tone carefully measured,
She didn’t stop there. Leaning in slightly, she lowered her voice further. “I wanted to apologize for what happened during the meeting on the Isle. If I had known what a reaction it would cause, I would have been fully against it.”
I blinked, momentarily stunned. An apology? From her?
She continued, her expression tinged with regret. “Lupin Blanc is cautious. It was his decision to insist on that ‘test‘ He wanted to judge Dante’s control over himself”
I tilted my head, her words settling uneasily in my mind. So that’s what it had been about? My stomach twisted as an unsettling thought occurred to me. “What would have happened if he had failed?” I asked softly,
Selene’s eyes darkened slightly, but she shook her head. “Let’s not dwell on things that didn’t happen,” she said, her tone firm but kind. “Dante is a capable man–and a capable husband. I am glad you became his wife. You deserve someone like him, and he deserves someone like you.”
Her words took me by surprise. There was an odd sincerity in them that I hadn’t expected, and for a moment, I didn’t know how to respond.
“Why do you think that?” I asked finally, my curiosity getting the better of me.
Selene’s lips curved into a small smile. “You and Dante are more similar than you know,” she said softly. “Especially your mothers.”
I froze, her words sending a jolt through me. “You knew my mother?” I whispered, my voice trembling slightly.
Selene’s gaze softened.
“Yes,” she said quietly. “She was beautiful, just like you. A free spirit who didn’t like to be tied down. She loved dancing” Dancing? I had only known about her being a maid and a sex worker.
A lump formed in my throat, and I swallowed hard, trying to keep my emotions in check. “Was my mom…” I hesitated, the words catching in my throat. “Was she a good person?”
Selene’s smile wavered, but she nodded. “The best,” she said firmly. “Don’t believe those who slander her. She had a kind soul and would never with harm upon anyone.”
Her words filled a void in me I hadn’t realized was so deep. It felt like a lifeline, a glimmer of light in the darkness. And yet, questions swirled in my mind, unanswered and heavy.
If my mother had been such a good person, why had she done what she did? Why had she gotten involved with a married
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Chapter 113
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and mated man? Why had she left me?
I wanted to ask Selene, to demand answers. But before I could, another pack Beta approached, drawing her attention away.
I sat there in silence, my thoughts spinning wildly. For the first time in years, I felt like I had a piece of my mother back. But the more I clung to that piece, the more the unanswered questions gnawed at me.
When Selene turned back to me, she picked up the conversation as if there had been no interruption, her words a balm to my frayed emotions. And though I couldn’t shake the lingering ache in my chest, I found myself listening closely, hoping for more glimpses into a past I didn’t know of.
