My Alphas' Dark Desires
Chapter 255: Settling In

Chapter 255: Settling In

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Chapter 255

~Valerie’s POV~

The hours passed in a blur of roads and fading city lines. I must’ve dozed off somewhere along the way, because by the time I opened my eyes again, the sun had dipped halfway across the sky.

The air changed, and the engine slowed. The bus finally pulled to a stop.

Outside the windows, the skyline was different from what I was used to in Starcity, new, expansive.

Mountains in the distance, tall pine trees dotting the road, and a warm, golden glow falling across the pavement as we rolled into a cleaner, quieter place.

"Welcome," a voice called from the front.

It was Professor Winnie, our Biology teacher.

She stood at the centre of the gathering crowd after we’d all disembarked, clipboard in hand and a breezy energy that didn’t match how much her heels were sinking into the earth.

"Welcome to Graymist Wilderness Reserve, nestled right here in the heart of Veradin City. You’ll find your rooms inside this lovely hotel—" she gestured to the sleek, glass-panelled building behind her. "We’ll check in now, rest, and return in an hour sharp, at 4 p.m., for our orientation walk and dinner."

Bags rustled, groans and chatter buzzed around me as everyone started moving toward the lobby.

I followed the crowd inside with my headset partly still covering my ears, while walking side by side with Xander.

The hotel lobby smelled like lavender, all marble floors and chandelier lighting that looked like it belonged in a royal palace rather than a student trip accommodation.

"Damn," Astraea whispered beside me. "This place screams money."

Professor Winnie handed out key cards in groups, rattling off numbers while assistants pointed toward the elevators. "Four students per suite. Respect your space, don’t trash the place, and no—absolutely no—room swapping unless approved."

Naturally, room swapping began the second she turned her back.

I ended up in Room 704 with Isla, Emerald, and Astraea. The suite was massive—two king-sized beds separated by a golden curtain, with plush lounge chairs, a balcony overlooking a garden pool, and a walk-in bathroom that made me momentarily forget every ounce of academy stress.

"Okay, this might be the only part of this trip I’m excited for," Emerald said as she dove into the bed closest to the window.

I rolled my suitcase to the corner beside the other bed and started unpacking.

Isla and Astraea claimed the second bed together while I shared with Emerald.

Across the hall, the chaos was louder.

"Kai, you snore like a bear!"

"You liars... No worse than you hogging the covers, Axel."

The boys had been crammed into Room 705. Kai, Axel, Dristan, and Ace—until Ace noticed that Ash had been separated from him.

"Oh hell no," Ash barked. "Not doing this trip without my idiot twin."

Within minutes, Ace was swapping with Xade from Room 706, who simply shrugged and tossed his key to Ash without question.

"Godspeed," Xade said with a lazy grin.

That left Room 706 with Ash, Ace, Xander and Riven—a dynamic I was sure would probably explode or form some chaotic alliance.

As for Avery, Lucy, Brielle, and Titania, they were placed far enough down the hall to give me temporary peace of mind.

While the case that had been with Kieran... I pity them all, but I bet Lucy would have some peace, though I couldn’t trust her choice of friends either.

With my things in place, I grabbed my toiletry bag and headed into the shower.

The water was hot, and for a few precious minutes, it washed away the stiffness in my shoulders. I let it run over my back but kept my shower cap on to prevent it from getting wet.

My mind drifted to before I left the room that morning. I had forgotten to dye it with the dye Solstice bought for me while I was trying to find my necklace. I tried sniffing the tracker I saw that evening but got nothing.

By the time my mind came back from overthinking, it was already pretty late. I finished packing up and going to bed.

It wasn’t until I was about to leave for my trip that I recalled it and took it along with me.

However, I wasn’t expecting us to be four in a room. I had hoped for two people in the room and planned to do it at night, but then...

I inhaled, breathing deep through the lavender-scented steam.

When I stepped out, wrapped in a robe with a towel resting on top of my hair, the suite had settled.

Emerald lounged on the window seat with her tablet. Astraea lay on her stomach, scrolling through her phone and humming. Isla was fluffing a pillow, her eyes flitting toward me.

"Hey," she said, voice soft as she walked over to where I stood by the bed.

I tilted my head. "Hey."

Isla hesitated. "I... I know we’ve been kind of distant lately. Everything’s just been so much, sorry we couldn’t sit down together in the bus."

She winced slightly at his name.

I pulled the towel from my hair and nodded. "It’s okay."

"No, I mean it," she insisted, stepping closer. "I feel like I’ve barely been there for you. And you’ve been dealing with... everything. I hate that we’ve been so wrapped up in our own stuff."

I smiled faintly. "It’s alright, Isla. We’re all surviving in our own ways."

She sighed in relief. "Still, I’ll make it up to you."

"You can start by helping me figure out what the hell to wear for dinner and our stroll," I said, nudging her shoulder lightly.

Her face lit up, and she turned toward the wardrobe with dramatic flair to where I placed my box. "Now that I can do."

Astraea perked up from her spot. "Did someone say wardrobe crisis?"

And just like that, the air shifted. There was less tension and more giggles.

"Well, not a crisis," I drawled.

"But you’re either brain-dead or confused," Emerald chipped.

"Are you sure you want to be stuck with me, or do you want to go and check in on your new crisis?"

At once, her face heated up, and Emerald looked away. Isla and I burst out laughing and it should have stayed so before Astraea turned the jokes on me.

"While she has a crisis, I believe Valerie, you have a bigger bundle of male crises."

Everyone turned their attention towards me and I felt like bolting when suddenly a knock sounded on the door, freezing all of us.

"Valerie?"