Mates, Curses, and Dollopheads

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CHAPTER 4

~Valerie's POV~

I had survived my first day at PSA without committing murder.

Barely.

Today wasn't going to be any different. I had chanted in my head many times as I made my way to the principal's office. 

It wasn't just the three insufferable alphas I now shared a mate bond with—the entire school was buzzing with my name.

Everywhere I walked, I felt the stares—the whispers.

"She's the one who mouthed off to the Alpha Kings' heirs."

"Didn't she collapse after they hit her with their aura?"

"How is she even still alive?"

"She should have dropped dead immediately after talking to the Alpha Gods of PSA."

"Who let someone like her in here? Heard she used special favours to get in at this time."

Some of the wolves eyed me with curiosity, others with amusement. But the majority? They were pissed.

Because I had defied their kings.

Too bad for them—I wasn't here to bow. Keeping my head high, I walked past them to the principal's office.

As much as I wanted revenge against those spoilt brats, I still had to be a student. One who needed to maintain her straight A's.

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~Principal's Office~

It was time for my official registration.

Upon entering, Ms. Heart beamed at me and gestured towards the office. "You are in luck. She is free now. You may enter."

I dipped my head in courtesy and walked towards the door. Inhaled briefly before turning the doorknob. 

The room was spacious and modern, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the academy's vast training grounds. Principal Whitmore, a middle-aged woman with a sharp gaze, barely glanced up as she stretched her hand to me.

"Good morning, Mrs. Whitmore."

"Principal Whitmore," she corrected sharply as I handed over my documents.

I managed to flash my trademark smile, which I used to escape punishments from my uncle, when she looked up for a second and she rolled her eyes, sighing. 

She glanced at my document, her lips lifting at the corner. 

Wait, did she just smirk?

My question was answered for me following her next sentence. "You've already made quite an impression, Miss Nightshade," he mused, flipping through my file.

I didn't respond. Just crossed my fingers in front of me and waited.

Her lips twitched in amusement. "As far as your impulsiveness is commendable against you know who, try to stay out of trouble," she said the last phrase in a softer tone but suddenly her firmness returned. "PSA may be a school, but it's also a pack's territory. You'd be wise to remember that."

"Noted," I said flatly.

"Especially when you are this far from home." 

Was that a warning?

"Prestige Supernatural Academy is many things and above all, comes with its own allure and distraction. If you want your straight A's not to have a flaw, you must do well to remember its rules."

"Yes ma'am."

"Good. Always remember curfew. Stay on the right side of the school's law and you and I wouldn't be seeing each other often."

"Absolutely, ma'am," I responded almost too quickly, like I had rehearsed it. She shot me a look, one that could freeze her enemies but for me... I smiled. 

"Dismissed."

Without saying much, I turned on my heels, opened the door, and exited her office. When I stepped out, Ms. Heart beamed and informed me that my textbooks would be waiting for me in my room when I closed from school. 

"Oh, and Valerie," she used my name this time, making me half turn. "Pay a visit to the doctor's office."

Without thinking much, I thanked her and left. However, I opened the door to leave—only to stop dead.

Leaning casually against the wall outside, waiting, were the three bastards that were my mates.

Dristan, Kai, and Axel.

I clenched my jaw. Fucking great. How the hell did I not sense them earlier on? Not like there was anything I could do now except walk and ignore them. 

I tried, but Kai blocked my exit, and all three of them had me pinned.

Dristan was the first to speak, his cyan-blue gaze cool and unreadable. "Took you long enough."

Kai's emerald-green eyes flickered with challenge, his arms crossed over his broad chest.

Axel? Smirking, like always. "You look like you missed us, sweetheart."

I scoffed, shoving past them. Luckily, I succeeded. "Get out of my way."

Axel tsked, falling into step beside me. "That's not how things work here, sweetheart."

Kai stepped in front of me, effectively blocking my path, and his broad frame radiated dominance, while Axel leaned in, annoyingly close, his smirk barely masking the tension in his hazel-green eyes.

Dristan stood just behind them, his icy cyan gaze locked onto me like a puzzle he couldn't solve.

Their emotions—anger, frustration, confusion—rolled off them in waves. But it wasn't just them.

Their wolves were restless.

And so was mine.

Astra snapped to attention the moment they closed in, pacing inside me like a caged animal.

"Mate. Mate. Mine."

Her growl rumbled through my mind, my body heating in response.

"No." I gritted my teeth, shoving her down. "Stand down, Astra. We don't want them."

"You don't." She snarled. "I do."

My fingers curled into fists. Traitor.

Axel exhaled a slow breath, eyes flicking over me like he was seeing me for the first time. "You feel it too, don't you, sweetheart?"

I forced a cold smile. "Feel what? The overwhelming urge to kick you in the face?"

Kai wasn't amused. His jaw clenched, the muscles in his arms tightening. "What the hell did you do to us?"

I blinked. "Excuse me?"

Dristan stepped forward, his expression sharp and unreadable. "Did you curse us?"

I stared. Then, a laugh bubbled out before I could stop it. "You think I wanted this?"

Dristan's rage snapped. His palm slammed against the wall beside me, the sound echoing down the hallway.

I flinched. Not from fear—from shock.

The hallway went silent and a few stares were sent in our direction.

Their wolves pushed forward, eyes flickering between human and beast. Even Astra stilled, her instincts tangling with theirs.

Dristan leaned in, his eyes locked with mine as his deep baritone questioned, "Does it look like we're playing?"

I turned my gaze to all three of them.

For once, they weren't cocky. They weren't smirking. They were serious.

They wanted answers. My heart thudded, but I met his glare head-on, scoffing as I shoved down the unease curling in my stomach.

"Why…" I started off slowly but kept my voice sharp, "—don't you take your jerk faces and go ask the Moon Goddess?" My pulse was raging.

Kai's growl vibrated the air. Axel's smirk was gone.

I pressed on. "Not like I want to be bound to a bunch of spoilt brats, either. So do us all a favour and let's just reject each other. That way, I can have my peace of mind."

A low growl built in Dristan's chest, his wolf's fury bleeding into his stance. His hands twitched, like he was fighting the urge to grab me.

Astra whined, the bond pulling tighter.

I gritted my teeth, shoving her down again. "You don't want them. They're arrogant, insufferable, egotistical dollopheads!"

But the second I thought it, I realized I had said it out loud.

Dristan's growl deepened.

I lifted my chin, glaring at him. "What? Mad because I said it first?"

He took a step closer, his presence suffocating. "You don't—"

A blur of movement. It happened so fast as someone shoved him aside. I barely had time to process what was happening before a hand gripped mine.

"And she's mine. Get in line, boys." A girl, bold, confident, and fearless, called after herself.

She shot the Alphas a wink—then yanked me away.