My Alphas' Dark Desires
Chapter 254: Talk To Him

Chapter 254: Talk To Him

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Chapter 254

~Valerie’s POV~

The morning was quiet, the kind of quiet that lingered because of but no tension.

I stood by the buses, adjusting the strap of my bag on my shoulder as the first group began boarding.

Everyone looked bright-eyed and excited—like this wasn’t just a school trip, but a break from all the crap we’d been drowning in for weeks.

I wasn’t so sure I could share their enthusiasm.

My dreams hadn’t stopped. If anything, they’d grown more intense, more... vivid. And waking up every morning tangled in sheets and drenched in sweat with my heartbeat thundering behind my ribs was becoming a painful ritual.

The bus was already half-filled by the time I stepped inside. I glanced around quickly, scanning for any seat that didn’t reek of social landmines.

At the front, Astraea sat beside Eryx. They were laughing about something, and when Eryx spotted me, he gave me a casual wave.

I smiled back, but it barely touched my eyes.

Emerald and Isla were together too, seated by the windows, whispering about something I didn’t bother to catch.

My gaze glanced to the side, just three seats away, where Isla and Emerald sat.

With Astraea breaking our formation for a guy, I was stuck with myself. I couldn’t blame her; she was happy.

I moved further into the bus.

About halfway through, I caught sight of an empty seat behind Ash and Ace.

Both of them were lounging like they owned the vehicle, legs stretched, heads leaned back, a constant undercurrent of lazy confidence in their posture.

I paused.

My first instinct was to keep going—to take the seat at the back where Avery and Brielle sat, isolated from the rest of the group.

But the moment I looked in their direction and caught Avery’s subtle smirk, I kicked the idea into the sun.

Nope. Absolutely not.

And then there was Kieran.

He sat three rows down with Lucy beside him, her bag resting on her lap.

The moment our eyes met, Kieran shifted.

Without a word, he shoved Lucy’s bag aside like it was nothing more than a disposable paperweight and slapped the seat next to him, patting it as if he were doing me a favour.

My gaze flicked to Lucy.

She didn’t say anything at first, but the way her grip tightened on that ridiculous plastic bag of snacks said more than enough. Her expression was blank, cold, and even.

I looked at Kieran. Then back to Lucy.

"I suggest you be grateful for the help you’ve got," I said calmly, "and try being a decent werewolf, then maybe you’d be respected more for your Alpha status."

Her jaw tensed, but she said nothing.

I turned to walk past them, and Kieran reached out, his hand brushing mine.

My entire body reacted. A pulse of heat climbed my neck, but I yanked my hand back before the contact could deepen.

And then I heard Lucy’s mutter something laced with venom. "I don’t need your sympathy."

I didn’t dignify it with a response.

Instead, I walked back toward the seat behind the Lycan twins, dropped into it, and let my bag take up the space beside me.

I was done being nice to people who thought being cruel gave them power.

Sliding my headphones over my ears, I pulled out my phone and scrolled through my playlist, needing something—anything—to drown the noise.

Just as I clicked to queue up Free by Huntrix, a shadow blocked the light.

I looked up to see Xander.

He had that lopsided smile on his face again, hands in his pockets like he wasn’t fully sure what he was walking into.

"Can I join you?" he asked.

I blinked. Then I nodded slowly, pulling my bag aside.

As he dropped beside me, I felt a new shadow, heavier, more familiar, fall over us both.

I looked up again.

Dristan.

He stood in the aisle, his eyes locked on mine. There was something in his stare—quiet, unreadable intensity. Like he’d come here with a purpose and forgotten it the second he saw me beside Xander.

I gave him a small smile. One, he didn’t return. He hesitated a moment longer, then turned and walked to the back of the bus where Xade sat.

The knot in my stomach tightened. Left with no worries, I slumped against the window and finally hit play. Thankfully, Xander was kind enough not to disturb me.

The music filled my ears like an escape hatch. My head leaned against the cool glass as the bus started to move.

As soon as the bus lurched forward and the engine settled into a low hum, I felt a presence twist around in the seat ahead of me.

Ace.

He peeked over the headrest, giving me that lazy half-smirk. "You’re not exactly subtle, you know."

I blinked. "What?"

"You keep sneaking glances at him," he said, eyes flicking toward the back. "Dristan. Talk to him, Val. You were... happier when things weren’t so tense between you two. He deserves a second chance."

Ash, beside him, turned too. "Can’t believe I’m saying this, but... yeah. You were less gloomy."

I opened my mouth to argue but instinctively glanced back—and there he was.

Dristan.

Sitting alone near the rear window, hood half-drawn over his head, eyes fixed on nothing, that same heavy, silent expression carved into his face. To his side, Xade leaned against the other end of the bus.

My chest tightened.

Then Xander’s voice came from beside me. "They’re right."

I sighed, fingers brushing over the seam of my jeans. "Fine," I muttered, almost to myself. "I’ll talk to him... once we’re settled in."

Ash grinned, Ace hummed, and Xander leaned back like he’d just scored peace in a war zone.

"Don’t just talk. It is time to reconnect lest you want to have the most boring senior year ever."

I rolled my eyes at Ash. "Sure. Noted."

I wasn’t sure what scared me more: talking to Dristan again... or what I’d say when I did or what I’d do with the heat between the matebond getting worse.