My Alphas' Dark Desires-Chapter 28: You’re Fired

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Chapter 28

~Valerie’s POV~

A sharp gasp filled the room following that footage. Isla’s hands curled into fists at her side, and Astraea exhaled slowly as the silence stretched.

Then, slowly, everyone turned to Claudia.

Brielle’s expression shifted from confidence to sheer horror. Emerald smirked. "Well, well," she drawled. "What do you know? The truth."

Claudia’s entire body tensed. Her hands balled at her sides, and for a brief moment, she looked like she was going to speak.

But then—she spun on her heel. Her intention was very clear. She was going to run.

Too bad Emerald was faster.

The moment Claudia lunged toward the door, Emerald simply extended her leg—perfectly timed. Claudia’s foot caught on it, and with a sharp yelp, she went flying.

Her body hit the floor hard, a pathetic thud echoing in the small room. I barely held back a satisfied smirk.

"There, Mr. Security," I said coolly. "I think you’ve found the culprit." I tilted my head, watching as Claudia groaned on the ground, too stunned to move. "Now, I want justice for myself."

The security guard, still speechless, turned to Claudia, his expression unreadable. Brielle, on the other hand, had gone pale.

"No—no, this—" Claudia stammered, scrambling to her knees. She whipped around, locking eyes with Brielle, desperate for help. But Brielle only backed away, her lips pressed into a thin line.

She knew there was nothing she could say. We filed out of the security room, leaving Claudia behind with the security guard.

The moment we stepped into the main store, the tension in the air shifted. The once-alive shop had gone eerily quiet.

Too quiet. A shiver ghosted down my spine. Then, I felt it.

The air dropped.

The warmth in the store evaporated in an instant, replaced with a sudden, unnatural chill. The hair on my arms stood on end, a deep, instinctual sense of unease creeping in.

My breath hitched. Astra stirred in my mind, a rare tension in her voice.

"He’s here."

My stomach twisted. I swallowed hard as my hands flexed at my sides. Slowly, I turned toward the entrance of the store.

And there, standing just beyond the glass doors, was the one person I hoped not to see. His presence alone sucked the air from the room.

My pulse quickened.

This... this wasn’t just anyone. It was him—Dristan.

I watched as Dristan strode into the clothing store, his sharp eyes scanning the room, assessing everything with a single glance. But when his gaze landed on me, it lingered.

I couldn’t read his gaze as they darted, but I knew something dangerous flickered through his cyan blue eyes before they moved on to Brielle.

"What’s going on here?" His voice cut through the air like a blade.

I didn’t answer. Instead, I looked away, fingers curling into fists at my sides. My eyes met Isla’s, and in that instant, I understood. She had texted him. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com

Dristan stepped further inside, and his presence was suffocating with every step. The security guard and store attendant immediately bowed their heads. "Alpha..."

He ignored them completely and instead let his focus lock on me. Isla gave me a small smile and subtly pointed behind me, signaling that he was right there.

I shut my eyes and let out a slow exhale before turning to face him.

"Hello."

"Not the question I asked," he said, his voice clipped. "What’s happening, and who dares accuse you of theft?"

Lifting my chin, I met his gaze. "I’m alright. The matter has been settled."

"Has it?" His brow arched.

I nodded.

I wasn’t expecting Dristan’s next question as his deep velvet voice rang out. "Then what punishment were they given?"

"Umm..." I hesitated, my gaze flicking toward Claudia, still restrained by security.

"Nothing?" His deep voice rumbled with fury, making me shudder. His blue eyes shifted to Isla. "You didn’t punish them?"

From the corner of my eye, I saw Isla pout. "At least I informed you she was being bullied. Shouldn’t that count? And we just got the evidence that she was not guilty."

"She would never have been guilty!" Dristan thundered, and I could swear I felt some current sizzle past me as the lights in the store flickered. "There was no need for any proof. What use would she have to steal, huh?"

The store fell into an eerie silence. Astraea hesitated before speaking up. "Alpha, it was better to clear her name than—"

Dristan’s cold glare snapped to her, silencing her instantly. From what I could tell, he despised being questioned.

"Who are you to speak on this?" he demanded. "You’re her roommate, and you girls couldn’t defend her properly?"

"We did," Emerald interjected, despite the danger of his wrath.

"So you..."

I knew I had to step in before he turned his fury on them. "They did. It’s because of them that I’m not behind bars. You shouldn’t worry."

"Oh, I’m not worried." His voice was almost mocking. "It’s them who should be." His piercing gaze swung to Brielle and Claudia. "You."

Brielle’s face drained of colour. Fear flickered across her features, her breath hitching as cold sweat beaded on her forehead. She stuttered, trying to move, but her body remained frozen in place.

I turned fully, fascinated by the raw terror in her expression. Did they fear Dristan that much? Or was I missing something?

"You... I haven’t taught you a lesson yet, have I?"

Brielle’s knees buckled, and she collapsed onto the floor, landing in a heap. Her lips trembled as she muttered something incoherent, her eyes wide with horror.

Then, her words became clear.

"I didn’t do it," she gasped and Dristan’s eyes narrowed when I glanced in his drection. "I... I didn’t mean to do it. I... I got angry that you had more interest in her than me after everything I had done to prove my love to you, and I... I just wanted to teach her a lesson."

Oh... I am suffering from his fan girl’s unrequited love? How romantically uninteresting!

"I swear, it wasn’t... I didn’t do it. I only ordered Claudia to frame her and let the shop attendant accuse her after we told her about it."