Their Hidden Princess (Zora) novel Chapter 55

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**Chapter 55**

The journey to Valentin’s office felt longer than ever, a stark contrast to the usual hustle and bustle of campus life. This morning, however, an unsettling silence enveloped the surroundings, as if the very walls of the school were whispering secrets of shame about the previous night’s events. A few students wandered aimlessly, their expressions vacant, as they shuffled home from whatever chaotic escapades they had been part of. They resembled the living dead, and I couldn’t help but wonder if I appeared just as lifeless, draped in borrowed clothes that didn’t quite belong to me.

The thought sent a shiver racing down my spine.

As I climbed the grand stone staircase leading up to the admissions building, the weight of the silence pressed heavily upon me. It was a Sunday morning, and the building stood eerily vacant. My slippers echoed against the cold marble floor, each sound amplifying my anxiety. I quickened my pace, eager to reach Valentin’s office, and knocked lightly on the door, my heart racing at the uncertainty of what awaited me inside. A muffled voice responded, and I pushed the door open, attempting to mask my nervousness.

What I encountered within was chaos personified.

Papers littered the desk, some adorned with the official Alpha Academy crest, while others bore the royal insignia of the Queen. They lay scattered haphazardly, mingling with colorful pamphlets boasting phrases like “Wedding!” and “Perfect!” I suppressed a grimace at the sight; it felt like a mockery of my situation.

Valentin was slumped in his chair behind the desk, his head cradled in his hands. The normally composed figure I had come to respect was now a shadow of himself. His usually sleek brown hair hung in disarray, frizzy and unkempt. The shirt he wore was unbuttoned, revealing a hint of his sternum, and his sleeves were rolled up, wrinkled and carelessly folded. When he lifted his gaze to meet mine, the deep shadows beneath his eyes told a story of sleepless nights and unrelenting stress.

It was a stark contrast to the confident man I had seen earlier that morning in Maximus’s room. The professor, who usually exuded control and poise, seemed to be unraveling before my eyes. I felt an overwhelming urge to reach out, to offer comfort, but I forced my arms to stay firmly at my sides, battling the instinct to bridge the distance between us.

He needs you, my wolf murmured softly in the recesses of my mind.

I need him, I retorted internally, though my thoughts lacked the usual bite. He had made it abundantly clear that my presence was unwanted.

Shre, my wolf, whimpered in response, retreating into silence as if she understood the sting of rejection that hung heavily in the air.

Valentin gestured toward the chair opposite him, and I sank into it, instinctively wrapping my arms around myself in a futile attempt to shield my vulnerability. With a weary sigh, he leaned back, pressing his thumb and forefinger into his brow as if to ward off a headache.

“What do you remember?” he inquired, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Nothing,” I replied, my tone flat. “I remember getting a drink, and then it’s all just… black.”

Valentin nodded, dropping his hand in resignation. “Your mother is going to be horrified,” he remarked, his voice heavy with concern.

“I think everyone is,” I shot back quietly, my frustration bubbling beneath the surface.

“Agreed,” he replied, licking his lips, which seemed to carry the weight of his thoughts. “You had wolfsbane in your system.”

“I know,” I said tersely. “Maximus told me.”

At that, a spark ignited within Valentin. He straightened in his chair, his golden eyes ablaze with intensity. His entire demeanor shifted, becoming rigid, yet the words he spoke lacked any hint of malice.

“Yes, I suspected something transpired between you two,” he said, shuffling through the disarray on his desk. “At least one silver lining from this dreadful incident is that you’ve accepted a suitor. Your mother will be pleased to hear that.”