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CHAPTER 404
~Valerie's POV~
I woke up gasping, my body drenched in sweat.
My sheets clung to my skin, and there was an unmistakable wetness between my thighs that made my cheeks burn even though I was alone.
"What the hell?" I muttered, sitting up and pushing my hair out of my face.
The dream had been so vivid. So real. All six of them touching me, kissing me, their hands everywhere, their voices whispering things that made my core clench even now in the waking world.
I squeezed my thighs together, trying to ignore the throbbing ache that wouldn't go away.
"This is ridiculous," I said to myself, throwing off the covers and heading to the bathroom.
The cold tile felt good against my bare feet as I turned on the shower, waiting for the water to heat up. Maybe a shower would help clear my head and calm down whatever this was.
I stepped under the spray, letting the warm water cascade over my body. But the moment my hands touched my skin to wash, I froze.
Everything felt hypersensitive.
The simple act of running soap over my arms sent shivers down my spine. When I washed my breasts, I had to bite my lip to keep from making a sound. And between my legs—I barely touched myself there before I had to stop, my body reacting so intensely I thought I might collapse.
"What is happening to me?" I whispered, my voice shaky.
"Valerie," Astra's voice purred in my mind, sounding far too knowing. "I think you should know something."
"What?" I asked, trying to focus on washing my hair instead of the way my body seemed to be on fire.
"You're in heat."
I froze, my hands still in my hair. "What?"
"Heat. Your first one, actually. I've been sensing it building for a few days now, but it's hitting you fully today."
"No, no, no," I groaned, leaning my forehead against the cool shower wall. "This cannot be happening right now. I have classes. I have volleyball practice. I have—"
"Six mates who will absolutely lose their minds when they smell you," Astra finished, and I could hear the amusement in her voice.
"This isn't funny!" I said, but my body betrayed me with another wave of arousal just thinking about them.
"I never said it was. But you should probably figure out what you're going to do. Because trust me, they will know."
I finished my shower as quickly as possible, my hands shaking as I dried off and got dressed. I chose a long-sleeved shirt and jeans, as if covering more skin would somehow help mask what was happening to me.
It didn't.
Even fully dressed, I felt like I was burning up from the inside out. Every movement of fabric against my skin was almost too much. And the ache between my legs refused to go away no matter how hard I tried to ignore it.
"Maybe I should just skip class," I said to my reflection in the mirror.
"And do what? Hide in your room all day? Your heat will last for days, Valerie. You can't avoid them forever."
"I can try," I muttered, grabbing my bag and heading out.
The walk to class was torture. Every male student I passed seemed to do a double-take, their nostrils flaring slightly. I kept my head down and walked faster, praying I'd make it to class without incident.
The classroom was already half full when I arrived. I quickly scanned the room and my heart sank.
Dristan was already there, sitting in the back. His head lifted the moment I walked in, and his eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that made my breath catch.
I quickly looked away and found a seat near the front, as far from him as possible.
But I could feel his gaze on me the entire time. Hot and penetrating, like he was trying to figure something out.
More students filtered in, including Kai and Xade. They both paused when they entered, their eyes finding me immediately. Kai's brow furrowed in confusion, and Xade's expression shifted to something more curious, almost predatory.
"Fuck," I whispered under my breath, slouching lower in my seat.
"Told you," Astra sang.
I tried to focus on the professor when class started, but it was impossible. My body felt like it was vibrating with need. Every time I shifted in my seat, the friction was both relief and torment. My hands gripped my pen so tightly I thought it might snap.
"Miss Valerie?" the professor's voice cut through my haze. "Can you answer the question?"
I blinked, realizing I hadn't heard a single word he'd said. "I... um..."
"The answer is the Treaty of Shadowmere," Dristan's voice came from behind me, saving me.
The professor nodded, moving on, but I could feel the weight of multiple stares on my back now.
The moment class ended, I bolted.
I didn't wait for anyone, didn't look back. I just grabbed my bag and rushed out the door, heading for my next class.
But they were everywhere.
I spotted Ace and Axel walking together across the quad, and I immediately changed direction, taking the long way around the building. My heart was pounding, and not just from the exertion.
In my next class, Ash was already seated. His eyes found me the second I walked in, and I watched his nostrils flare slightly. His knuckles went white where he gripped his desk.
I chose a seat on the opposite side of the room and spent the entire class staring determinedly at my notebook, not absorbing a single thing the professor said.
"This is getting ridiculous," Astra commented. "You're acting like a scared rabbit."
"Because I feel like one," I shot back. "This is humiliating. I can barely think straight, and they can probably smell exactly what's happening to me."
"They're your mates. This is natural."
"Natural doesn't make it less mortifying."
By lunch, I was exhausted from avoiding them. I skipped the cafeteria entirely and found a quiet corner of the library to hide in, nibbling on a granola bar I'd stashed in my bag.
But I couldn't hide forever.
My last class of the day was Advanced Combat Theory, and all six of them were in that class.
I stood outside the door for a full minute, debating whether I should just fake being sick and go back to my dorm.
"Go in," Astra urged. "You're stronger than this."
Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the door.
All six heads turned toward me immediately. The combined weight of their attention hit me like a physical force, and I had to grab the doorframe to steady myself.
Dristan's eyes darkened. Kai's jaw clenched. Xade leaned back in his chair, a slow smile spreading across his face. Ace looked confused but interested. Axel's expression was soft but intense. And Ash... Ash looked like he was barely holding himself back from crossing the room.
I hurried to an empty seat near the middle, trying to put as much distance between myself and all of them as possible.
But the classroom suddenly felt way too small.
The professor droned on about defensive formations and tactical advantages, but I couldn't focus. My skin felt too tight. Every breath seemed to draw their scents deeper into my lungs, making the ache inside me worse.
I pressed my thighs together under the desk, trying to find some relief, but it only made it worse.
When class finally, mercifully ended, I tried to make another escape.
But this time, they were ready.
I'd barely made it three steps out the door when Xade appeared in front of me, blocking my path. Before I could turn around, Dristan was behind me. Kai and Ace flanked my sides, while Axel and Ash closed off any other escape routes.
"Going somewhere?" Xade asked, his voice low and smooth.
"I... I have practice," I stammered, clutching my bag tighter.
"Practice isn't for another two hours," Kai said, his golden eyes searching my face. "We checked."
"Val, what's going on?" Axel asked gently. "You've been avoiding us all day."
"I haven't—"
"Yes, you have," Dristan interrupted, his voice firm. "We haven't seen or talked to you since last night. After we agreed to be open with each other, to not keep secrets."
"Did we do something wrong?" Ash asked, and the genuine concern in his voice made my chest ache.
"No," I said quickly, shaking my head. "You didn't do anything wrong. I just... I'm not feeling well."
"Not feeling well how?" Ace pressed, stepping closer. "You look flushed. Are you sick? Should we take you to the infirmary?"
"No!" I said too quickly, taking a step back and bumping into Dristan's chest.
His hands steadied me, and the moment he touched me, I felt him go completely still behind me.
Then he leaned down, his nose nearly touching my hair, and inhaled deeply.
Every muscle in his body went rigid.
"I think I know why," Dristan said, his voice rough and low.
All of them tensed, their attention laser-focused on him.
"She's in heat."
The words hung in the air like a bomb.
All six pairs of eyes locked onto me with an intensity that made my knees weak. The hallway suddenly felt twenty degrees hotter, and I couldn't tell if it was from my heat or from the way they were all looking at me now.
Like predators who'd just caught the scent of prey.
Like mates who'd just discovered their female needed them in the most primal way possible.
"Oh goddess," I whispered, my face burning as I stared at the floor, unable to meet any of their eyes.