Their Hidden Princess (Zora) novel Chapter 173

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

That night, sleep eluded me like a fleeting shadow.

I found myself caught in a whirlwind of emotions, each one more tumultuous than the last. The sheer embarrassment of having to engage in a conversation about sex with my mother was almost unbearable. Add to that the shock of her casual suggestion that I should sleep with four different men, and it was a recipe for chaos. But what really boiled my blood was the realization that I had no say in the matter. I felt like a marionette, strings pulled by someone else’s whims.

With a frustrated groan, I slammed my hands over my face for what felt like the hundredth time, desperately seeking a way to escape this tangled mess of thoughts. I buried my face deep into my pillow, muffling my cries so that Loren wouldn’t hear me. Not that she could, anyway; her snoring was a symphony of oblivion that filled the room, drowning out my inner turmoil.

In a fit of frustration, I pressed my pillow over my head, hoping to block out the world entirely. After what felt like hours of tossing and turning, I finally succumbed to sleep, only to awaken the next morning at the crack of dawn, groggy and disoriented, for training with Valentin.

We might have broached the subject of intimacy, but that certainly didn’t mean our morning training sessions were going to be canceled! Oh, no. As long as I held the title of vampire-slaying-wolf-savior, my responsibilities wouldn’t wane.

Dragging my feet reluctantly, I made my way out of the dorm, each step feeling heavier than the last.

Maximus was waiting for me in the hallway, his arms crossed over his chest, exuding the disapproval of a disappointed mother. Someone really should have informed him that I already had one of those. I gingerly closed the door behind me and raised my eyebrows at him, silently questioning his demeanor. He scoffed in response, then turned on his heel and strode out of our building, leaving me no choice but to follow him across the lawn toward the gym. The silence between us was thick, almost suffocating, as we walked side by side.

Unfortunately for me, my mind was a storm of memories, swirling around the last time we had “consummated” our bond. As I stepped into the locker room, I could feel the heat rising within me, confirmed by the way the steam seemed to cling to my skin. With a huff of exasperation, I plunged my head under the frigid water of the shower, hoping to wash away both the heat and the thoughts.

When I emerged, my hair clinging to my face, Maximus and Thorne regarded me with expressions that suggested they thought I had lost my mind. Valentin, however, seemed to possess an uncanny ability to read the room; his intense gaze locked onto me as if he could see straight through my facade. He shook his head, a knowing look in his eyes, before addressing the group.

“Today, we’re going to do something different,” he announced, his voice steady and commanding. “You will all be fighting as a team.”

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