CHAPTER 280: WELCOME HOME INDEED

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Chapter 280

~Valerie’s POV~

The second we pulled into the Alpha Kings’ Heirs’ private estate, I felt both out of place and weirdly... expected.

Dristan killed the engine and stepped out first, circling around to open my door like some dark prince in a modern-day fairytale. I raised a brow at him. He smirked.

"Welcome home—for now," he said, offering his hand.

I rolled my eyes, but I took it. It was nice. "So dramatic."

"And you love it," he whispered near my ear, sending goosebumps down my spine.

Inside, the house was just as immaculate as I remembered—sleek marble floors, faint hints of leather in the air, tall windows filtering sunlight through heavy navy drapes.

Their scent was everywhere. Gods, it was intoxicating, but what I hadn’t expected was the noise.

The moment I stepped in, a loud cheer rang out from the living room.

"Finally!" Xade’s voice called. "Took you long enough, Princess."

"You’re lucky we didn’t send a search party," Axel added, already half-lounging on one of the massive couches, shirtless like he owned the place—which, knowing him, he actually did.

And then...

"Val!" Ash appeared beside me like a ghost, his dark brown hair slightly messy and his eyes glittering with warmth. "You’re really here."

"I thought you guys left," I blinked.

"We did," Ace said from where he leaned against the doorway, arms crossed and smiling faintly. "But we turned back. Dristan said you were coming eventually."

"He just parked his broody ass outside and refused to leave until you showed," Xade teased from the couch.

Dristan, behind me, grunted. "Don’t make me regret inviting these two over and not kicking everyone out."

"Like hell you can," Kai commented from behind the others.

"Oh, we’ll behave." Axel waggled his brows. "Scout’s honour."

"I highly doubt you were ever a scout," I muttered, walking in fully with my bag in tow.

Kai swooped in and plucked it from my hand before I could argue. "I’ll take it to your room."

"Our room," Dristan corrected smoothly, earning a playful shove from Kai as he disappeared down the hall.

"I cannot believe this is happening," I muttered under my breath as I looked around at all of them.

"What?" Ace smirked. "All of us in one place again? Or the fact that we’re all still very much into you?"

"Both."

Ash chuckled, eyes bright. "Well, it’s happening. You’re here. With your mates. And even if we aren’t all officially accepted yet..." he paused, gaze flickering to mine, "we’re not giving up."

I felt heat rise to my cheeks, so I quickly turned my attention elsewhere, specifically to the kitchen bar where Xade had dropped off a box of leftover snacks from the trip.

"You guys kept these?"

"We figured you’d want them," Axel said, tossing a juice box at me. I caught it easily. "And besides, we need to discuss something very important."

"Oh no."

"Oh yes," he said, pointing a finger at me like I was guilty. "The Truth or Dare."

I froze. "What about it?"

"You started something, mate," Dristan murmured as he leaned against the counter beside me, eyes lazy but burning. "That glow stick game, the dares, the confessions..."

"It got pretty intense," Ash added, smirking.

Ace nodded solemnly. "And it didn’t help that we were already dealing with... certain dreams."

I blinked. "Dreams?"

I shook my head. No, no, no. What have these six souls been discussing since they left me? Did they create a group chat and had me on the table for such discussion?

I barely got a chance to voice my thoughts befroe Axel beat me to it.

"Oh, you know," Axel said lightly, "the kind where we wake up sweating, hard as hell, and your name slipping from our lips."

I almost choked on my juice. "Excuse me?"

I coughed, my hand rising to cober my mouth as Kai swooped in to pat me on my back.

"It’s not our fault," Ash said, raising both hands as if surrendering. "Blame the bond."

"And the way you looked during the campfire," Riven finally added from the armchair near the window, startling me—I hadn’t even realised he was there. His voice was low, husky. "That glow. That outfit and the way you kissed me... It’s burned into my mind."

Dristan didn’t say a word. He didn’t need to. His eyes were locked on mine, a slow, dark smile curling on his lips like he already knew how I looked in his dreams... and in his arms.

Though I was very much happy he didn’t bring up our own kiss or the fact that I was kissed by Riven

It would have been a disaster made in hell.

My face flamed. "You’re all ridiculous."

"Valerie." Ace moved forward now, keeping his tone quieter. "We’re not saying this to make you uncomfortable. But you need to know... all of us, we’re feeling it too. That bond. That pull. It’s not just you losing sleep and getting hot flashes in the middle of the night."

"We want you," Xade said simply. "Even if you’re not ready. Even if you choose just one of us, or none of us, we want you to know."

"Speak for yourself. I am not settling with getting rejected," Kai and Dristan voiced at the same time.

I swallowed hard, my fingers tightening around the juice box.

"I haven’t decided," I admitted softly. "I don’t even know if I’m supposed to choose."

Dristan stepped forward then, brushing a hand along my arm gently. "Then let us help you figure it out. We’re not rushing you, Val. But you don’t have to go through this alone anymore."

I looked around the room. At each of them. Gods... they weren’t just possessive Alpha heirs.

They were patient. They were open. They were mine.

Maybe.

My chest ached and my head spun, but my lips curved upward. "I’m going to need more juice if this is the kind of conversation we’re having."

"You can have all the juice you want," Axel winked. "But full warning, babe, we’ll still be dreaming about you every night, again and again."

"And next time," Ash added with a smirk, "we might just ask to act them out."

I groaned and tossed a nearby pillow at them as they ducked and laughed.

Dristan’s lips curled. "Welcome home."

Welcome home, indeed.

And trouble... was definitely brewing.