My Alphas' Dark Desires novel Chapter 69

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."

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