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CHAPTER 248
~Valerie's POV~
It was quick—barely more than a whisper of skin against skin—but it made my heart stutter.
Then he grinned.
"Stealing one for the road."
I laughed—light and honest. "You're insufferable."
"And you love it," he called after me as I turned back toward the hallway, my hand pressing lightly to my lips.
I did.
Maybe I wasn't ready to say it aloud yet or to face the entire weight of what just happened but I felt something in me lift, like a weight I had no idea I was carrying.
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~Emerald's POV~
Luckily, Valerie's Day seemed to have been ruined with just a lab punishment, but I was stuck with a betrothal I couldn't escape.
I looked at her as she stepped out into the academy building. I had to say, deep down, I admired her, and yet I felt jealous.
Jealous she wasn't burdened by family problems, nor was she forced to marry someone else, and instead she had her mates and guys vying for her love and attention.