Their Hidden Princess (Zora) novel Chapter 84

**Zora**

The morning after a week spent tangled in the web of nightmares unfolded surprisingly quietly. Perhaps it was the fact that it was Monday, a day often draped in a shroud of monotony. Or maybe it was the crisp chill in the air, signaling the arrival of winter, as the first delicate flakes of snow drifted down, blanketing the campus in a soft, white embrace. It could even be that I had simply become uninteresting, a mere shadow flitting through the lives of others.

As I strolled into Basics alongside Loren, I couldn’t shake the feeling of being invisible. The usual buzz of chatter and laughter seemed to ebb away as I passed, leaving only a muted backdrop of indifference. Training earlier that day with Thorne, Maximus, and Valentin had also been oddly subdued. There were a few growls from Maximus when Thorne dared to wrap himself too closely around me, and Valentin had snapped at Maximus when he unceremoniously pushed me to the ground. Yet, all things considered, it had gone smoothly. I relayed the details of my morning to Loren as we made our way to Basics.

“What’s it like to have three Alphas vying for your attention?” she asked, her voice laced with dreamy curiosity.

“Exhausting,” I replied flatly, suppressing a sigh. “Now tell me about your Alpha.”

Loren’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she recounted her encounter with her mystery girl in the library the previous night. She had been eager to share the details, but I had been too engrossed in my studies to notice her return. The time we had between my training and Basics was our first real opportunity to discuss it.

As we entered Basics, I braced myself for the usual glares and whispers but was met instead with an unsettling silence. A few students cast blank, half-hearted stares in my direction, but no one seemed inclined to comment. I exchanged a puzzled glance with Loren, both of us clearly sensing that something was amiss.

After changing into our training gear in the locker room, the atmosphere felt heavy with an unspoken tension. “Do you think someone cast a spell on this place to make everyone forget the last month?” Loren whispered, her brow furrowed in confusion.

“I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if someone slipped them a memory potion,” I replied, shaking my head in disbelief.

Loren chuckled softly, “Those don’t exist, you know.”

I shot her a look that clearly said, “Really?” She shrugged, a sheepish grin crossing her face as she glanced at her watch. “Oh no, I have to get to the library! I promised one of the girls in my math class I’d tutor her. I was supposed to start five minutes ago!”

“Go,” I urged, a laugh escaping my lips. Loren offered me a weak, apologetic smile before darting off into the locker room, leaving me chuckling at her hasty retreat.

Unlike Loren, I had no obligations until later in the afternoon. I decided that a long, hot shower followed by a classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich would be the perfect remedy for my lingering unease. I peeled off my training clothes and tossed them onto the bench by the showers, letting the steam envelop me like a warm embrace.

To my surprise, the locker room was deserted, allowing me to take my time and indulge in the communal soaps, lathering my hair and body until I felt refreshed. When I finally turned off the water, I emerged smelling like roses and sunshine, a stark contrast to the chaos of my thoughts.

However, as I reached for a towel, I was met with disappointment—the shelf was entirely bare. It dawned on me that this was likely the reason no one else had showered. I peeked cautiously into the locker room, scanning for any stray towels. Miraculously, I spotted one sitting on the other shelf, fluffy and inviting.

But retrieving it would require a mad dash across the locker room, completely exposed. I glanced around, noting that most of the students had already left, leaving only a few stragglers changing in the corners. Taking a deep breath, I made my decision.

My bare feet slapped against the cool tiles as I sprinted across the room, water still dripping from my skin. Just as I reached for the towel, a perfectly manicured hand snatched it away. I whipped around, ready to scowl at the thief, only to be blinded by a sudden flash of light.

“What the hell?” I hissed, squinting against the brightness.

“Smile big, Smith!” came the taunting voice.

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