Chapter-42
VALERIE'S POV
"How long will it take?" Logan asked from outside the door, and I rolled my eyes at him.
"Seriously, you gave me only half an hour to get ready. Even if you think I have boyish charms and habits, I am still a girl," I sighed and was about to add more when the door of the room burst open, and Logan walked inside.
"Look, I don't have any problem. You can take your time, but your mate is making things hard for us. Why don't you just call the guy inside? He has been annoying me ever since you entered the room. I am fed up with his constant questions about how long you'll take. Just talk to him directly, will you?"
Logan's angry face made me smile, and I sighed.
"Tell him I will meet him at the part directly. I have a surprise for him. He will stop annoying you," I said, and he rolled his eyes before walking to the door.
*By the way, you look amazing. If you weren't mated and I wasn't your cousin, I don't see why I wouldn't have proposed to you today," Logan winked and left, making me sigh.
Once he left, I looked at my reflection and smiled at myself, feeling satisfied. I was wearing an off-shoulder red gown with frills on my skirt. It wasn't too flamboyant or sparkling. Then again, I wasn't really trying to be the star of the night.
I wanted to have a happy dance with Ambrose.
After talking to Logan, I talked to Ambrose, and we cleared up the things that happened yesterday. We came to the conclusion that someone was deliberately messing with us. Or why would someone send me a message from some private number that couldn't be traced?
My well-wisher, my foot. I bet this the work of some rogues group who -
Wait. What if -
'Do you really think this can be possible, Valerie?' Adele asked me, and I shrugged.
"Why not? Didn't we hear what Ambrose said? The guards couldn't see who left those bodies so close to the borders. There is no way some invisible force came and did that," I paused.
So far, the Deimos pack is working on the theory that the rogues were able to hide their scent with the help of some drug or some kind of strong witch who helped them do this. Both theories are equally believable, but what if we are completely neglecting the other theories?
The theories that this is the work of some vampires? The vampires came here just because I was here. I don't see why they won't go and warn the Deimos to pack to get alpha Ambrose engaged in that so that the vampires can come close to me.
If that vampire king, lord, or whoever he was considers me his wife, it must've hurt his ego that Ambrose and I marked each other, no? Or why would he make his presence known only now?
It's not like I turned eighteen and was capable of marrying just yesterday. It has been more than a few months. I am sure the vampires are making their presence known only now just because Ambrose and I marked each other. This is the only thing that makes sense to me.
'Honestly speaking, I don't think you should categorize the vampires as bad people without even knowing them. I have lived in this world longer than you, Valerie, and I assure you that they are really good people until someone gets on their bad side,' Adele said, and I scoffed at her.
'And what I think is that the germs of those vampires in my head are clearly messing with the way you think. How can you side with one species that has brought nothing but pain in my life?' I asked her, and she let out a low growl.
'Don't you dare say I am siding with them. I am just asking you to give them a moment of doubt. If the vampire lord really wanted things to turn bad, do you really think you would be sitting here in front of this mirror and getting ready for the annual ball? Have the powers gotten to your head? Stop thinking you are above all because you are not,' Adele said.
As harsh as her words sounded, I knew there was truth in them. She was right. If the vampire king or lord or whoever it was wanted it, things wouldn't be like this.
I shouldn't be thinking against them single-handedly without any proof. It might be just some rogues wanting to mess with Ambrose. It's not like I am not a rogue, and people wouldn't want to mess with me because of that.
Even the alphas downstairs wanted to bully me. Why should I only blame the vampire species when this werewolf species hasn't been any good to me?
I wore the jade bangle and looked at my reflection one last time, letting my powers cloud my mind, and Adele stood on alert as she looked around in confusion.
'Valerie, what is happening?' Adele asked, and I smiled.
'Valerie Adele Katya is going to announce her presence at the annual ball. I might not be above all, but I am definitely above everyone present at this annual ball. Let me use this aura to tell them that they can't mess with this rogue anymore,' I descended the stairs, the maids stopping at my presence and bowing their heads in respect, making me smile at them.
"Girl, you are finally here. I have been waiting for you so that we could go inside," Logan caught up with me before he paused.
He looked at me for a few seconds before he brought his hand up and twisted my ear.
"Ouch, Logan!" I groaned.
"You. I told you we are not revealing your identity, didn't I? Suppress your aura, and why is your dress not hiding your entire mark?" He said before he glared at me, forcing me to keep standing there, and I pouted.
'Someone was talking about making her presence known,' Adele scoffed, and I gritted my teeth.
'Shut up if you don't want me to mess with you,' I said, and she immediately quietened.
"Here," Logan brought an almost matching half-shrug from his knows where, and I looked at it amazed.
This was truly beautiful.
He draped it over my shoulders, his hand accidentally touching my skin, and he looked up.
"I still can't believe you are my sister," He said, and I looked at him, amused.
"Me too," I said, and he groaned before taking out what looked like a small tiara from his inner pocket.
"Since my princess wanted to shine tonight," Logan said, and I felt my eyes prickle with tears.
"Logan -"
"Sshhh, let me spoil you as a brother too. I have spoiled you enough as someone I was head over heels for. So what if I can't have you romantically, you will always be my princess and someone I really love," Logan said, and I looked at him from under my lashes, his hazel eyes making me smile.
"So you will always be my number one crush?" I asked, and he smiled before ruffling my hair.
"Always," he stepped towards me and kissed my forehead before putting the tiara on my head.
"Let's go?" He asked, and I nodded.
He was right. I didn't need to tell anyone who I was and risk my life. The words Adele said about the powers getting to my head might be right.
These provocations from the alphas were making me want to look down on them, and this is wrong on so many levels. Even my alpha is present in this ball. How can I look down upon him?
I suppressed my aura as Logan said and took the first step to the stairs.
"Should I help you?" Logan looked at my skirt, and I chuckled at him.
"Stupid, girls can handle longer skirts than these. I am wearing this so I can dance the night away," I grinned at him.
"And probably make out with Ambrose?" He asked, and I smiled even more before nodding.
I looked down at the people who were enjoying the party and at a particular alpha who was talking to some alphas with a cold look on his face.
Of course, Alpha Ambrose was back in action. I smiled at my innuendo.
As we started descending the stairs one by one, I noticed how almost everyone stopped what they were doing and started looking at us.
And why wouldn't they? She was walking with the next council head.
Everyone was starting to look at us, except one person I wanted. I turned to Logan when his grip on my hand tightened.
"Would you mind giving me your first dance, or do you want to eat first?" He asked, and I looked at him amused before turning to the food aisle.
"The food aisle looks tempting," I didn't deny, and he rolled his eyes at me.
"Dance it is," I said, and he smiled before pulling me to the dance floor.
"She is looking so beautiful,"
"I know, right? Who would've known she was this pretty?"
"A loving angel,"
"No wonder an alpha as strong as Ambrose is head over heels for this rogue," people started talkies around us as soon as we entered the dance floor, and Logan smirked at me.
"Is my handsomeness reflecting on you? Last time I checked, you weren't this beautiful," Logan said, and I chuckled at his choice of words.
We danced the first song to initiate the annual ball, and everyone clapped before the alphas started to bring their Lunas or daughters to the dance floor.
We were walking to the food aisle as Logan had promised and met a few alphas that he wanted to introduce to me when I heard one voice that I was sure about.
"What is so good about her? A pretty face can't hide her cursed self. Isn't that why she was thrown out of the pack? Even her best friend didn't want to stay as her mate and rejected her. Who would want to be near her cursed self that brings nothing but bad news?" Beatrice said, and my heart felt like someone stabbed it for a moment.
She just didn't say that, did she?