Their Hidden Princess (Zora) novel Chapter 35

**Where Sleeping Rivers Dream We Follow Trails Toward Tomorrow by Evan Milesa Cade**

**Chapter 35**

As I stepped into Valentin’s office, I was immediately struck by the heaviness in the air. His eyes were pools of darkness, brimming with unspoken thoughts and unyielding tension. His jaw was set tight, muscles taut as if he were bracing for an impending storm. Without uttering a single word, he slid the rotary phone across his desk towards me, the movement sharp and deliberate. The silence between us felt almost palpable, thick enough to slice through with a knife. I hesitated for a moment, then picked up the receiver, my heart racing as I pressed it to my ear, trying to avoid his penetrating gaze.

“Hello?” I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Well?!” Victoria’s voice burst through the line, a mix of excitement and disbelief. “I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to reach out to you after Mateball. Part of me was holding out hope that you’d be basking in the glow of newfound love.”

“Oh,” I sighed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, feeling the weight of disappointment settle in my chest. “No, sorry. That’s not the case.”

Victoria’s sigh echoed my own. “What happened?” she pressed, concern lacing her tone.

“Well,” I huffed, bracing myself for the inevitable letdown that would follow. “I felt the pull of a fated mate,” I confessed, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. “But when I finally found him, he—uh—rejected me.”

“Rejected?!” Victoria squeaked, her voice rising in shock. “Oh, Gods above, I am so terribly sorry, my love.”

“Yeah,” I murmured, my hand dropping into my lap as I began to fidget with the hem of my shirt, a nervous habit I had developed over the years. “It kind of sucked. It really hurt, actually.”

“Could you break it back?” Victoria continued, her curiosity piqued. I opened my mouth to respond, but she swiftly cut me off. “Well, you’re here, so I’d assume so.”

I froze, the implications of her words sinking in. “What do you mean?” I asked, my heart racing with a mix of fear and confusion.

“The bond of a fated mate is incredibly potent, Zora,” she explained, her voice steady but urgent. “When one mate rejects it, the other must reject it back. If not, the magik that binds us as wolves could drain you completely. It could have killed you.”

Great. Just what I needed—another addition to my list of future husbands who had tried to end my life. It was becoming increasingly clear that Valentin was the only one who didn’t harbor murderous intentions.

“Further reasons to court him,” my wolf chimed in, her voice a teasing whisper in my mind. I tried to ignore her, but the reminder of her presence lingered, a constant companion I was still getting used to.

“Oh!” I exclaimed, suddenly remembering something important. “That reminds me. My wolf… she presented.”

“That makes sense,” Victoria mused thoughtfully. “She probably had to present to give you the strength needed to break the bond. This is fantastic news!”

“Yeah,” I mumbled, my thoughts swirling. “I was beginning to think she wasn’t going to show up at all.”

“My wolf swished her tail,” I thought, but I chose to ignore her again, focusing instead on the conversation at hand.

“Me as well,” Victoria chuckled lightly. “But back to this fated mate bond—who was it that you were fated to?”

I groaned, the weight of the question pressing down on me. “Does it really matter? My wolf showed up, and I’m still alive, so I don’t really need a mate anymore, do I?”

I couldn’t help but wonder what Victoria would do if she found out it was Thorne, her own Knight, who had been fated to me—fated and then rejected, no less. Would she seek to punish him? Would she kick him out of the royal court for his betrayal? A shiver ran down my spine at the thought. The last thing I needed was another target painted on my back.

“That’s true,” Victoria said, her voice steady but filled with concern. “But remember what I told you about your second gift, Zora. It was prophesized to only be unlocked by the acceptance of a fated mate bond.”

“How does that even work now?” I asked, my voice tinged with frustration. “Now that I’ve rejected my fated mate bond? Do I get another chance?”

“Keep training,” Victoria advised, her tone soothing. “It’ll all work itself out and reveal itself in time.”

“Can you tell me what this stupid prophecy about me is?” I blurted out, frustration bubbling to the surface.

“You’re not ready,” Victoria replied solemnly. “When you are, I will tell you.”

“Okay, and when will that be?” I pressed, my impatience getting the better of me. “I’m keeping up with Valentin now. I’m excelling in my classes. Don’t you think I have a right to know the prophecy about my own life?”

“Not now, Zora,” Victoria sighed, her voice heavy with concern. I could sense her desire to help, yet her refusal only fueled my frustration. With a huff, I shoved the phone back into Valentin’s hands and stood up, my emotions boiling over.

“Yes. Yes. No,” Valentin murmured softly, his expression unreadable. “I’ll let her know. I have to go.”

The phone hit the receiver with a decisive click as I pushed through the door of Valentin’s office. I could hear him calling my name, urgency lacing his tone, but I didn’t stop. I marched toward the exit of the Admissions building, determined to put distance between us. I could hear the unmistakable sound of him running in his loafers, trying to catch up with me. Suddenly, he grasped my forearm and spun me around, the force of it sending a jolt of electricity coursing through me.

I gasped, instinctively yanking my arm away from his grasp, glaring at him with a mix of anger and confusion. “What now?” I snapped, my voice sharp. “More rules and demands and secrets?”

“Zora, please,” Valentin said, his voice low and urgent. “You must know that every secret we keep, every demand we make, every rule we create is to keep you safe. Your mother and I care about you more than anything.”

His eyes held a sincerity that made my heart ache. Yet, I could see the tension in his hands, the slight tremor that betrayed his calm facade. The remnants of the electricity he had sent through me lingered on my skin, a reminder of the connection we shared. I shook my head, stepping back to create space between us.

“The more you keep from me,” I said sharply, my voice rising in frustration, “the more you hurt me, and the less I believe you actually care.”

With that, I turned on my heel and strode out of the building, leaving Valentin standing alone in the empty Admissions office, the weight of unspoken words hanging heavily in the air behind me.