Their Hidden Princess (Zora) novel Chapter 53

**Chapter 53**

The muffled voices surrounding me pierced the darkness like sharp daggers. They echoed in my mind, swirling in a chaotic blend of confusion and fear. At first, their words were a jumbled mess, barely distinguishable from the garbled shouts that filled the air. I instinctively tried to protest, to scream, but the grip holding me captive was too strong. My hands were pinned down, resting helplessly in my lap, as if they had no will of their own.

Suddenly, a bright flash illuminated the room, and the voices became clearer, more defined, yet my vision remained shrouded in impenetrable darkness.

“You asked me to invite her so you could show her a good time. Tell me this is not what you meant?!”

Alessia’s voice rang out, laced with fury. I could almost picture her, fiery and fierce, her eyes ablaze with anger.

“I didn’t know this was his plan!” Another voice interjected, deeper and somehow familiar, though I couldn’t recall having spoken to him. “He literally just asked me to make sure you invited her. Said it was important.”

“Gods fucking damn it, Petyr!” Alessia shouted again, her voice rising to a fever pitch. Petyr must have been the one with the lower voice, the one she was confronting. “Trying to fucking assault her is not showing her a good time. You should be ashamed!”

“I am!” Petyr retorted, his voice tinged with indignation. “This is disgusting behavior. In my own bathroom too!”

“Fuck your bathroom!” Alessia shrieked, her frustration palpable. “This is about more than your fucking bathroom! You’re lucky I’m not going to the Headmaster.”

A heavy silence fell over the room, thick with tension that felt almost suffocating. It was as if the air itself was charged with fear and sweat.

“You should,” Petyr finally whispered, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial tone. “He was out of line. I don’t want him in my house anymore. Let alone my fucking school. He’s a disgrace to wolves everywhere.”

Alessia scoffed, the sound sharp and bitter. “Something we finally fucking agree on.”

As the conversation faded, I slipped back into the depth of darkness. A few muffled voices swirled around me again. I recognized Loren’s frantic tone, her panic palpable as she spoke. The words blurred in and out of my consciousness, and no matter how hard I tried to focus, I was met only with darkness. I was vaguely aware of hands gripping my back and legs, lifting me. Someone was carrying me.

“-will it wear off? This is horrible,” Loren’s voice floated in and out. “I can’t believe I let her go somewhere alone. I’m a terrible friend. This is insane. I-”

“Moonbeam,” came a lower voice, calm yet authoritative. Maximus? He sounded eerily composed. “Panicking about it now isn’t going to help. We got her. She just needs to sleep it off.”

“So it will wear off?” Loren’s voice was shaky, filled with anxiety. “I’ve only heard of people using wolfsbane on prisoners. You never hear what happens to them after.”

Wolfsbane.

Suddenly, the pieces clicked into place. That was what had made me feel so disoriented and loopy. I wasn’t merely drunk; I was drugged.

My knowledge of wolfsbane was scant, but I knew it was lethal to humans. The thought of what it could do to a wolf sent a wave of panic coursing through me. I struggled against Maximus’s hold, desperate to find my voice, but my words emerged slurred and incoherent.

“Shh,” Maximus said, adjusting me in his arms, his voice soothing. “I’ve got you, love. You’ll be okay.”

Those were the last words I heard before I sank back into the comforting embrace of darkness.

—

Light pierced through my eyelids, a harsh intrusion that forced me to slowly open my eyes. But as soon as I did, I was met with a blinding brightness that felt like the sun itself had decided to invade my personal space. I hissed softly and instinctively curled into myself, seeking refuge in the soft fabric beneath my head. I buried my face deeper into it, groaning as I tried to piece together the fragmented memories swirling in my mind.

All I could recall was sharing drinks with Loren at the party, and then everything after that was a hazy blur, like a dream I had long forgotten. Another groan escaped my lips as I became acutely aware of the pounding in my skull. Was I suffering from a hangover?

“Easy,” a gentle voice broke through the fog. “I’ll close the curtains. Your eyes still may be sensitive.”

“‘Are,” I mumbled into the pillow, my voice muffled and heavy. The bright light dimmed significantly, allowing me to attempt to open my eyes again. My eyelids felt weighted down, as if they were made of lead.

Gradually, shapes began to materialize in front of me, initially appearing as a chaotic jumble before clarifying into recognizable forms. I was in a dorm room, a man’s dorm room at that, given the stark lack of any personal décor.

The room was sparsely furnished, with just one bed—presumably the one I was occupying—and a dresser. I let out another groan, sweeping my gaze across the room as my head throbbed in protest. There was a figure sitting at a desk, their outline familiar yet still indistinct.

“Nothing,” Maximus replied quickly, his tone firm. “I stopped him before anything happened. Jackell was trying to get back at you for Kairos. For some reason, he seemed to think Kairos would approve of such an assault.”

In that moment, I felt smaller than I ever had in my life. I curled in on myself in the bed, the weight of helplessness crashing down on me. Tears threatened to spill from my eyes, but I fought them back with all my might. I wouldn’t show weakness. I couldn’t. They already perceived me as fragile enough to prey upon. Drawing in a shaky breath, I steeled myself.

Maximus suddenly jumped to his feet, rushing to my side. He knelt beside the bed, reaching for my hand, but I instinctively yanked it away.

“Don’t,” I snapped, the words sharp and defensive.

Max’s expression shifted, a look of hurt flashing across his face. “Zora-”

“No!” I yelled back, my voice echoing in the small room. “This is all yours and Kairos’s fault! You both saw me as weak and told the others to capitalize on it. This is all your doing, and now you’re trying to comfort me as if it wasn’t!”

Maximus’s frown morphed into a snarl, his frustration boiling over. “I didn’t do shit,” he snapped back, his voice rising. “I didn’t set the hunt on you. Kairos did. I didn’t send people out to attack you. Kairos did that too. I tried to help you, if you remember.”

He stepped back from me, clearly furious. “Furthermore, I would never condone the assault of a woman,” he hissed, his tone fierce. “Nor would Kairos, if you were wondering. What Jackell did was his own choice, trying to get in with Kairos’s good graces. I saved you from that dickwad, not let him continue having his way.”

The thought of what could have happened sent shivers down my spine, and I flinched at the memory of his intentions. Maximus’s expression softened slightly as he slowly reached out again, this time taking my hand gently. “I’m sorry,” he said, his voice dropping to a softer tone.

“Thank you,” I managed to bite out, my gratitude tinged with lingering bitterness. “For saving me. For everything else, the jury is still out.”

Max opened his mouth, as if to respond, but his words were cut off by a sharp knock on the door. Neither of us moved, tension crackling in the air. I glanced toward the door, then back at Max, who held my gaze with an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine.

“Fuck off,” he growled, irritation evident in his voice.

The door swung open with a loud bang, slamming against the wall behind it. I flinched, instinctively clutching the blankets to cover myself, my heart racing as I processed who had just barged in.

Valentin Lunerly, the headmaster of Alpha Academy, stood there, his presence commanding and intimidating, staring directly at me in Maximus’s bed.