Three Alphas, Fated To One, Played By One, But Mated To One-Chapter 92: Lines That Burn

Valerie’s POV

Sleep didn’t come.

No matter how many times I turned, no matter how tightly I wrapped the blanket around myself as if it could shield me from everything, my body refused to calm down.

It was still burning.

Not from desire this time, but from frustration.

From anger.

From confusion.

I pressed my fingers against my lips, remembering the way Mike had kissed me like he owned me... like I belonged to him.

And the worst part?

For a moment... I had believed it.

I shut my eyes tightly, biting my lower lip.

What is wrong with me?

I had hated him.

Feared him.

Endured him.

And yet, just a few touches, just one kiss, and I had nearly thrown everything away.

Lizzie’s voice echoed again in my mind.

"You cannot let him claim you."

Why?

Why was it so important?

What would happen if he did?

My chest tightened.

I didn’t have answers.

And I hated not having control.

With a frustrated sigh, I threw the blanket aside and sat up.

The room suddenly felt suffocating.

I needed air.

I needed space.

I slipped out of bed, not bothering to change out of my nightgown, and quietly opened the door.

The hallway was dim, the soft glow of the night lamps stretching long shadows across the walls.

For a moment, I hesitated.

Then I started walking.

I was barefoot. Walking silently and aimless.

I didn’t even know where I was going, until I heard it.

A soft laugh.

Feminine.

Familiar.

My steps halted instantly.

My body went still, my senses sharpening.

That voice... was definitely Innocent.

My fingers curled slightly as I listened.

I hadn’t even realized when my feet started moving again, this time with purpose.

Each step felt heavier.

Colder.

More deliberate.

The closer I got, the clearer the voices became.

"...you didn’t come tonight," Innocent said, her tone light but edged with something sharp. "That’s not normal. Don’t you want me?"

There was a pause. Then Mike’s voice replied, low and tense

"I wasn’t in the mood."

I felt my chest tighten.

A lie.

And we both knew it.

A soft chuckle escaped Innocent.

"Not in the mood? Or... someone else caught your attention?"

How dare he let Innocent crawl into his bed after leaving mine?

Who was it that kissed me senseless I almost lost my reason?

Yet now, he was letting another woman into his bed.

Men could never be reliable or faithful.

What mate?

I stopped just before the slightly open door.

I shouldn’t listen.

I knew I shouldn’t.

But my body refused to move.

"...watch your words," Mike said coldly.

"Oh?" Innocent’s voice turned softer, almost teasing. "Did I hit a nerve?"

A pause followed.

I wondered how those two couldn’t tell I was there. Listening. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Or were they doing it on purpose?

"She’s that mate of yours, right?" Innocent continued, her voice dropping into something darker. "That slave girl."

My heart slammed violently against my ribs.

Slave girl.

Even now...

Even after everything...

That’s what I was.

I forced myself to stay still.

To listen.

"I said enough," Mike snapped.

But Innocent didn’t stop.

"She used to clean this very hallway," she went on, almost thoughtfully. "Head down. Eyes lowered. Like she knew her place."

Each word felt like a blade slicing into my skin.

"And now she’s Luna," she added, her tone laced with mockery. "Funny how fate works, isn’t it?"

My nails dug into my palms.

I should leave.

I should walk away.

But I couldn’t.

"...what do you want, Innocent?" Mike’s voice was colder now. Dangerous.

There was a pause before she replied.

"You."

The word hung in the air.

Simple.

Clear.

Possessive.

"You’ve always wanted me," she continued softly. "And I’ve always given you what you needed."

My stomach twisted.

Were they really doing it on purpose? Just to hurt me?

Otherwise, why would they have such a conversation in the middle of the night?

I knew that Mike gave Innocent whatever she wanted.

I had always known.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have made her Luna knowing that I was his mate.

But hearing it like this...

Hurt more than I expected.

"But now..." Innocent’s voice sharpened slightly, "you’re hesitating."

"I’m not," Mike said immediately.

"Then why didn’t you come tonight?" she challenged.

Why?

Of course because he was on my bed trying to get into my pants.

"...because I didn’t want to," he said finally.

A lie again.

Even I could hear it.

And so could she.

Innocent laughed softly.

"You’re changing, Mike."

No response.

"She’s changing you," Innocent added.

My breath caught.

"She means nothing," Mike said.

The words hit harder than anything else.

Nothing.

I felt it.

Deep.

Sharp.

Real.

But before I could even process the pain....

"Then prove it," Innocent said.

"What do you mean?" Mike asked slowly.

"Stay with me tonight."

My heart stopped.

"Or..." she added, her voice turning sickly soft, "are you afraid?"

I held my breath.

Praying that Mike would say no.

Just because of what happened earlier. I hoped he would refuse Innocent.

A long pause followed.

I held my breath without realizing it.

Waiting.

For what, I didn’t know.

Then,

A chair scraped and footsteps followed.

My entire body tensed.

I stepped back quickly, just as the door swung open.

And there he was.

Mike.

Standing right in front of me.

For a split second, neither of us moved.

His eyes locked onto mine.

Dark and unreadable.

Then they flicked over my appearance, the nightgown, the bare shoulders, the fact that I was standing outside another woman’s room in the middle of the night.

Something in his gaze shifted.

"Were you listening?" he asked.

His voice was calm.

Too calm.

I straightened slightly, lifting my chin.

"I wasn’t hiding," I replied coolly. "If you didn’t want me to hear, you should have closed the door."

His jaw tightened.

Behind him, Innocent appeared, leaning casually against the doorframe.

Her eyes swept over me slowly as if assessing me and judging my appearance.