Fated to the Triplet Alphas-Chapter 112: Going Somewhere?

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Chapter 112

~Jade’s POV~

The moment we stepped out of the hall, the noise dimmed behind us, replaced by the softer echo of footsteps and distant chatter. The air felt cooler here, less suffocating, but the tension hadn’t quite left my body.

Ziva let out a breath beside me, then suddenly grabbed my arm.

"That was insane," she said, her eyes lighting up as she looked at me. "Jade, do you even realize what you just did back there?"

I let out a small chuckle, brushing it off lightly. "It wasn’t that serious."

"It was," she insisted, shaking her head. "You wiped that smug look right off her face. I swear, I almost screamed."

Her excitement was almost contagious, but it didn’t last.

Her excitement was almost contagious, but it didn’t last because the next second, her attention shifted to Silver.

I followed her gaze instinctively.

He walked beside Adrian, the dark stains on his tuxedo more obvious under the corridor lights now, the faint, unpleasant smell still lingering around him. He looked composed, almost unbothered, but there was no hiding the fact that he had taken most of it.

Ziva’s expression softened in something of worry. It was subtle, but I caught it.

Adrian noticed too. "It barely touched her," he said, nodding toward me.

Ziva didn’t hesitate. "Because he took most of it," she cut in, her eyes still on Silver. "He literally shielded her."

My gaze lingered on Silver. He looked... satisfied, almost pleased with himself. Like he would do it again without thinking twice.

And his words from earlier replayed in my head. "I couldn’t let anyone soil my queen."

Something about that made my chest tighten in a way I didn’t quite like.

Because I knew if things were different... if I didn’t already have my mates, Silver would have made a move.

The thought made me glance briefly at Ziva, catching the flicker of something in her expression before I looked away.

Adrian clapped his hands lightly, breaking the moment. "Alright, enough standing around. Silver, you need to get cleaned up and change. I’ll drive. We’ll grab a change of clothes."

His gaze shifted to me. "And we’ll get you something too. Just wait by the restroom."

I nodded. "Okay."

Silver’s gaze lingered on me for a second longer before he turned with Adrian, the two of them heading down the hall quickly.

For a moment, it was just Ziva and me. She cleared her throat once they were gone, shifting as she leaned back against the wall, her arms folding loosely across her chest.

"You’re lucky," she said after a pause.

I raised a brow. "Lucky?"

"Every guy’s attention is on you," she replied, like it was obvious.

A soft laugh escaped me. "It wasn’t always like that." Her head turned sharply toward me, disbelief clear in her eyes. "I’m serious," I added, shrugging lightly. "I wasn’t always... this."

"This?" she echoed.

"Confident," I clarified. "Seen."

Ziva frowned slightly, like she was trying to picture it and couldn’t.

"I used to be more like Isadora," I continued, my voice softer now. "Quiet. I kept to myself. Wore baggy clothes so no one would notice me. I didn’t want attention."

Her brows lifted slightly. "What changed?"

I paused for a second. New Year’s Eve flashed through my mind. The humiliation. The whispers. The way everything had crumbled in a single night.

"I got tired," I said simply. "Tired of letting people walk over me. Tired of hiding." Ziva watched me closely. "I had help," I added, "but I made the decision to be better. To stop being that version of myself."

She nodded slowly, something like admiration settling in her gaze.

"That explains a lot," she murmured. Before I could respond, her phone rang. She glanced at the screen. "Adrian." She answered quickly, listening for a few seconds before sighing. "Seriously? You left it with me?"

She sighed, her shoulders sagging as she added, "Fine, I’m coming." She hung up and looked at me. "He forgot his car keys. I’ll be right back."

I waved her off. "Go."

She hesitated for a second, then nodded before walking off. And just like that, I was alone.

For a moment, nothing happened, which I was grateful for, until...

"Hey."

I turned. A girl stood there, red hair falling over her shoulders, a small smile on her lips. She looked familiar in that vague way students did, like I had seen her around but never actually spoken to her.

She held out a glass.

"You look like you could use this," she said with a small smile. "To calm down... and celebrate after what you did back there. That was bold. I like your girl power."

I hesitated. There was something off about this. almost too convenient. Still, the waiter I had seen her taking it off his tray had just passed.

"Thank you," I said, taking the glass.

"It’s really good," she added, lifting hers and taking a large sip. "Trust me." Sensing my distrust, she added, "I followed you when you left, and was waiting for an opportunity to approach."

I watched her for a second. Then nodded slightly.

Javelin stirred. "Be careful."

"I know."

I lifted the glass and took a small sip.

Sweet, smooth against the tongue. "Thank you," I expressed, offering her a faint smile.

Her face lit up. "See? I told you."

She extended her hand slightly. "I’m Amy. I really admire what you did. You should keep standing up for us, Val Queen."

I gave a small nod. "I’ll try my best."

"Good," she said with a grin.

"Sorry to break this up, I need to use the restroom," I added. "I’ll catch up with you later."

"Sure," she said easily, already stepping back. "See you."

I watched her leave before dropping my expression. My posture straightened instantly, my gaze hardening as I stared at her retreating figure.

"You’ve been drugged," Javelin informed me.

I nodded slightly. "I figured."

"How are you feeling?"

"I took small," I replied internally.

"It’s potent," she warned. "Even a sip is enough. That Amy girl knew exactly what she was doing."

My eyes widened slightly. "Even a sip?"

I turned immediately and pushed into the restroom, the door swinging shut behind me. My reflection stared back at me from the mirror, composed on the outside but already betraying the panic creeping in.

I didn’t waste another second.

I poured the rest of the drink into the sink, watching the liquid swirl down the drain before bracing my hands against the counter and forcing myself to gag.

Nothing. I did it again, still... Nothing.

A frustrated breath left me as I straightened slightly, my chest rising and falling faster than usual.

"Don’t waste your time," Javelin said. "It’s already in your system. It will take effect soon."

My jaw clenched. At least I hadn’t taken much. If I had finished that drink... I didn’t even want to think about it.

My phone chimed, the sharp sound cutting through the silence.

I grabbed it quickly to see messages from Xavier and Xander. They were each asking about the party.

I typed a quick reply to Xavier, keeping it simple, my fingers moving faster than my thoughts. Before I could lock my phone, another message came in.

Are you ready for our date tonight?

My gaze lingered on the screen for a second longer than necessary, then I typed back.

Come pick me.

I didn’t explain, add anything else or wait for his reply. I just needed him here.

Now.

I took a steady breath before stepping out of the restroom a few minutes later. The hallway felt quieter now, almost too quiet. I checked the time; it was already 8:41 p.m. Then I slipped my phone back into my purse and adjusted my grip on it.

"Where is Ziva?" I muttered.

The question had barely left my lips when a sharp pain hit my head. I froze.

My vision blurred at the edges, the walls seeming to shift slightly as a dull ache spread behind my eyes.

"It’s taking effect," Javelin warned.

I clenched my jaw, pushing her voice aside. I couldn’t afford to panic.

I forced my feet to move, each step slightly heavier than the last as I made my way back toward the hall. The music grew louder with every step, but it felt distant, distorted.

But then I heard voices coming from the bend to the left and halted. Silvie’s voice.

"That bitch did this. I’ll make her pay when I see her."

"Calm down. The plan you have in motion would put her in her place.

My body went rigid. I didn’t think.

I cursed under my breath and turned immediately, taking the opposite path without hesitation. The last thing I needed right now was to run into her.

The hallway ahead was quieter, leading toward a row of unused rooms and a secondary exit.

Perfect. If I could just get outside, maybe the fresh air would help before Xavier came.

I needed air.

I picked up my pace, ignoring the way my head throbbed, the way heat slowly spread through my body in waves that didn’t feel natural. And to make matters worse, I was feeling tingles between my legs.

"This is not good."

But the moment I turned the corner, I stopped.

Two guys stood blocking the path ahead. My stomach dropped. Muteringa curse, I turned sharply only to have another one behind me, blocking my escape.

I stepped back too quickly, my heel catching slightly against the floor and before I could yelp, my balance slipped.

A hand shot out and caught me.

"Going somewhere, pretty?" one of the guys voiced, his voice laced with something that made my skin crawl.

My teeth clenched. "So this was Sylvie’s endgame. That nuisance would pay."