My Alphas' Dark Desires - Chapter 327

Chapter 327: Assassins
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CHAPTER 327

~Valerie’s POV~

Restless.

That was the only way to describe how I felt after returning to my room. I tossed and turned, tried every little thing that usually helped me relax, but nothing worked.

First, I took a warm shower, letting the water run over me until my skin felt numb.

No use.

Then I drank a glass of milk, hoping it would calm me down. Hugging the duvet tightly didn’t help either.

I even scrolled endlessly through my YouTube feed, watching random MSA short videos and listening to music— “FREE” by K-pop Demon Hunters, “Running Out of Roses” by Alan Walker.

Still, nothing.

Astra, my wolf, wasn’t helping either. She was pacing restlessly inside me, growling low under her breath like something was gnawing at her senses. Her agitation only made mine worse.

Finally, I sighed and sat up, running a hand through my damp hair. “I can’t keep this up.”

Left with no other choice, I decided to go for a run. Not a shift, though. Just… a run. Something to clear my head before I drove myself insane.

I quickly slipped into a black sports bra and tank top, paired it with dark joggers, and laced up my sneakers.

Quietly, I crept out of my room. Luckily, Solstice was spending the night in Isla’s room, so I had a clean escape.

Minutes later, I was out in the forest, feet pounding against the dirt path as the cool night air brushed against my skin.

The rhythmic sound of my breathing and the soft rustle of leaves offered temporary relief, but it didn’t last long.

I ran until my lungs burned, finally slowing to a stop near a clearing. My chest heaved as I braced my hands against my knees, catching my breath.

When I looked around, I realized I’d wandered further than I intended—back to the same spot where Xander had caught me transformed last time.

A shiver ran down my spine.

“Relax,” I whispered to myself, inhaling the cool air deeply.

I tried reaching out to Astra again. “Talk to me. What’s going on with you?”

Her response was quick and tense. “I’m not sure, Valerie… but I don’t like this. I don’t support us being outside right now.”

I frowned. “You were the one pacing like a caged wolf. What was I supposed to do? Ignore you?”

“Did you come out here because of me… or because you’re frustrated with our mates?”

I opened my mouth to argue, but that’s when I felt it—a shift in the air.

Before I could react, something sharp whizzed past my ear. I turned quickly, eyes locking onto two masked figures emerging from the shadows, dressed head-to-toe in black.

“What the hell…?” My voice came out low and cautious. “Do I know you?”

They didn’t answer. One of them lifted a crossbow and fired a dart straight at me.

Astra roared inside my head, and my body moved instinctively. I twisted sharply, dodging the dart by mere inches.

Before I could take a proper stance, both men lunged at me, blades flashing in the dim light.

I met them head-on. My movements blurred, instincts taking over as I blocked, ducked, and countered each strike. Steel clashed against air, every motion precise and fueled by survival. The sound of blades cutting through the night rang sharply in my ears. My lungs burned, my muscles strained, but I refused to back down.

Within seconds, I realized something terrifying—

They were fast. Too fast.

One of them spun low, aiming a dagger at my ribs. I twisted just in time, feeling the cold edge graze my side as I slammed my knee into his chest, forcing him a step back. The other came from behind, silent and deadly, forcing me to drop and roll as his blade sliced through the air where my neck had been a second earlier.

Their attacks were perfectly coordinated, almost as though they’d trained together for years. Every time I blocked one strike, another came from a different angle. A kick brushed my jaw, sending a sharp jolt of pain up my skull, but I forced myself to stay upright, refusing to give them an opening.

Astra growled low within me. “Careful, Valerie. Don’t underestimate them.”

“I’m not!” I hissed under my breath, ducking beneath a swipe aimed at my throat and shoving the heel of my palm into one of their masked faces. He staggered but didn’t stay down—he came right back, faster, stronger, like my hit hadn’t even registered.

Every slash, every jab—they were perfectly in sync, fighting as though they’d trained together for years. Their skill reminded me of my cousin Storm, one of the deadliest fighters I knew.

Sweat trickled down my temple as I blocked another set of rapid strikes, but my defence faltered for just a split second—long enough for the taller one to slash at my thigh.

White-hot pain lanced through me, forcing a sharp gasp from my lips.

I stumbled back, biting down a scream, and barely managed to catch the second assassin’s wrist before his dagger plunged into my shoulder.

With a grunt, I twisted his arm as I caught one dagger with my forearm and twisted away, landing a hard kick to the man’s ribs, sending him stumbling into a nearby tree.

But the brief relief didn’t last.

Before I could recover, the first attacker blurred past my vision, lunging again, and before I could steady myself, his blade cut across both my arms in a single, swift motion.

The sting was immediate, blood welled instantly, trickling down my forearms and staining my clothes.

“Shit.”

I clenched my fists tighter, forcing myself to ignore the pain.

I stumbled back, chest heaving as I tried to regain balance. They didn’t give me time. Their speed doubled, forcing me to keep retreating while my vision started to blur.

“Valerie, we’re losing ground!” Astra growled, her tone edged with panic.

“I know!”

Another blade came dangerously close to my neck, and I ducked just in time, rolling to the side. My body ached, my muscles screaming from the rapid movements.

Panic set in. The danger, Astra’s agitation, the helplessness creeping into my chest… it all mixed into something volatile.

And then—something stirred inside me.