My Alphas' Dark Desires novel Chapter 92

Chapter 92: Venting

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Chapter 92

~Valerie’s POV~

The slap of the ball against the court echoed through the gym, loud and rhythmic, but my mind wasn’t in it.

Not really.

Not with the memory of Ash’s hands on my waist, steadying me, or Axel’s lips savouring mine.

Not with Dristan’s kiss, the kind that haunted my dreams.

And certainly not with Xade’s hungry lips on mine and his demonic smirk, the one that lit my nerves like a fuse waiting to explode.

I didn’t know how I made it through the volleyball match without missing every serve. But I didn’t let the team down. Somehow, I held it together.

Barely.

Still, I must have slipped up more than I thought, because after our scrimmage, our assistant Coach, Professor Ivan, called me over with a furrowed brow.

"Valerie, are you alright?"

I blinked, wiping sweat from my brow. "Yeah."

He gave me a look. "You’ve been off. It’s okay if you need a break, especially after what happened in the simulation dome."

I almost said no. Nearly forced a smile and pushed through it like it was nothing or I was some kind of female Avatar Kiyoshi or Yangchen or even Korra, but nah. I was like Aang when he first woke up from the iceberg.

And maybe a break was exactly what I needed. Besides, this could afford me a chance to make my plan and sneak out to find what I needed about the emblem since my search in PSA so far hasn’t yielded any fruit.

Not like it could drop out from thin air. I needed to belong.

"Alright," I nodded. "Thanks, Coach."

I grabbed my bag, slung it over one shoulder, and made my way out. I didn’t head to the dorms right away. My feet had other plans.

They carried me to the training arena—one of the older ones, rarely used this late. The sky outside had already started bleeding into dusk, casting long shadows through the high windows.

I stepped inside, dropped my bag near the edge, and rolled my shoulders.

Time to vent.

I summoned my aura slowly, feeling it stir beneath my skin as I moved into position. Every strike, every stretch, every controlled burst of power was meant to clear my head.

But it didn’t.

Because they followed me in my mind.

Axel. Dristan. Xade.

I saw them—uninvited but vivid—in the corners of my mind.

The steady rhythm of my punches echoed across the empty training arena—just me, my fists, and the burn in my muscles.

That was how I liked it until it wasn’t just me anymore.

I didn’t hear footsteps. I didn’t need to. I felt him—Axel—before I saw him.

He lingered near the far wall, arms crossed, quiet as a shadow. Watching and always watching. His expression was blank, but his eyes—those sharp, deep red eyes—never left me.

"You here to stare or fight?" I called over my shoulder without stopping.

A beat passed. "Spar?"

I turned slightly and nodded once. "Try not to whine when I bruise that pride."

He walked over silently, no arrogance in his gait, just calm control. We circled each other, letting instinct dictate the first strike.

But before either of us could move, another shift in the air, much colder and sharper.

I didn’t hear Dristan approach either. He just appeared like a silent storm, stepping into the light, arms behind his back, gaze locked on me. He didn’t say a word.

He didn’t need to; his presence was loud enough.

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