My Alphas' Dark Desires novel Chapter 191

Chapter 191: Shocking Truth

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Chapter 191

~Valerie’s POV~

I tried to recover, ignoring Riven’s question by asking one of my own. "What are you doing here?"

I watched to see if Riven would flinch or do something, but not even a blink as he answered me. "I could ask you the same."

His tone wasn’t cold. Not exactly. Just... laced with that unnerving stillness he always carried—interest buried under ice. "I was looking for you."

I blinked. "Okay... I am here now. What for exactly?"

Riven did not say much. "To check up."

"To check up or were you keeping track of me?"

He didn’t deny it. Of course, he didn’t.

"You have six mates," he said evenly. "And more enemies than friends. I think someone should."

Solstice, standing beside me like my emotionally reactive backup generator, let out a loud snort. "Wow. Stalker logic. Cute."

Riven’s eyes slid to her, unreadable. "Your friend knows the risks. You don’t."

Solstice bristled, looked like she was ready to throw hands—or maybe a well-aimed verbal nuke—but I raised one palm, stopping her.

"I had something to handle," I said flatly.

His gaze didn’t budge from mine. "Hotel business, then?"

My stomach twisted. So he knew. Of course he did. Nothing slipped past a vampire with too much time and sharp instincts.

I drew in a breath. "It wasn’t what you think."

"I don’t think anything yet," he replied. "Besides, I shouldn’t care too much."

"Shouldn’t care?" I asked. "Interesting for someone who has a crush."

Riven tried speaking but stopped. I was teasing him and trying to keep the conversation focused on him.

"Hey. I did not mean it that way. Yes, I care, but not to pry into your business."

"But I was tracked."

"I was curious and just... maybe trying to figure you out."

But it looked like you were walking straight into a trap."

"I wasn’t," I said, trying not to sound defensive.

Riven pushed off the wall he was leaning against and walked towards me, his movements like liquid shadow. "Then why didn’t you tell anyone where you were going?"

"Because I also have business to attend to," I shot back. "And sometimes, Riven... I just need to do things myself."

His jaw ticked—barely—but I caught it. Just a flicker like something tight behind the eyes.

"Next time," he said, softer now, "at least leave a trail."

Solstice arched a brow. "Why? So you can follow it?"

"No," Riven said, but his eyes never left mine. "So you don’t disappear. Again. I heard what happened in the simulation. We wouldn’t want you going missing. What if I wasn’t around, huh?"

"Then why hasn’t the culprit been found?" Solstice snapped.

Riven didn’t answer immediately as a beat of silence passed, then another.

"We’re still investigating," he said finally.

Solstice scoffed. "How convenient. Is it just because she’s not a royal? Or do the school board need another invitation to care when it isn’t one of theirs bleeding out?"

The air went still. I didn’t know what to say to that.

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