Their Hidden Princess (Zora) novel Chapter 50

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**Chapter 50**

**Valentin**

As the weight of fatigue settled over him, Valentin felt his eyelids growing heavy, threatening to shut against his will. Just when he thought he could surrender to the pull of sleep, a loud thud jolted him upright. His heart raced as he blinked rapidly, coming face-to-face with his fiancée, Bella. Her golden eyes burned into him with an intensity that made him squirm. The long, dark cascade of her hair swayed around her waist like a tempest, amplifying the storm brewing in her expression.

“Did you even hear a single word I just said?” she snapped, her voice sharp as a blade.

Valentin rubbed the fatigue from his eyes, trying to shake off the remnants of his drowsiness. “No, I’m sorry. I—”

“I know I’m not your first choice,” Bella interrupted, her tone dripping with disdain. “But could you at least pretend to care?”

“What do you mean by that?” he shot back, gesturing toward the clutter of brochures and pamphlets strewn across his desk, evidence of her frantic attempts at wedding planning. He couldn’t help but notice how her skirt clung to her thighs, a sight that would have once sent a thrill through him. Now, however, it only served to irritate him further.

“You haven’t paid attention to anything I’ve said in the last hour,” Bella hissed, frustration radiating off her in waves. “It’s like you’re completely disinterested in this whole wedding planning fiasco. Don’t even try to deny it; we both know it’s because of her.”

A surge of anger coursed through Valentin, igniting a fire within him. He shot up from his chair abruptly, causing Bella to flinch back. With his chin held high, he glared down at her, the tension in the room palpable.

“I have made the choice to marry you,” he ground out, his voice low and fierce. “That should be enough for you. I am the Headmaster, for the love of all that is sacred. I don’t have the time or the inclination for wedding planning, nor do I give a damn about it.”

Bella gasped, her face twisting into a scowl that deepened with every moment. “But—”

“Enough!” he barked, sitting back down with finality. “Get out of my office before you embarrass yourself even more.”

She glared at him one last time, her eyes searching for any hint of remorse or softness. When none came, she turned on her heel, gathering the scattered brochures with a huff, and stormed out. The door slammed shut behind her, echoing in the silence that followed. Valentin sank back into his seat, the weight of the encounter pressing down on him.

He ran a weary hand over his face, exhaling a heavy sigh. What on earth was he doing with his life? His gaze fell longingly on his phone, half-hoping that Victoria would call, demanding he put an end to his engagement with Bella and instead claim her daughter as his own.

Her secret daughter.

A daughter whose existence was known to no one else.

The thought sent a jolt through his mind, and he grimaced, imagining the chaos that would ensue if the truth about Zora came to light. He could already picture the other suitors—those three arrogant sons of the High Alphas—flocking to her like moths to a flame, each one eager to win her favor. Anger bubbled within him at the thought of them.

He had never held any fondness for High Alpha Wolfham or High Alpha Moonraiser. Their arrogance was suffocating, and their confidence bordered on delusion. They had risen to their positions of power after the War, thanks to their unwavering loyalty to Victoria. Both packs had sent troops to fight for the Queen, and in return, she had bestowed upon them the coveted title of High Alpha, much like the honor granted to the Lunerly house. In doing so, she had shared a fragment of her power, elevating them above the other alphas. Victoria was the architect of the High Alphas’ rise.