Fated and Claimed by Four Alphas
Chapter 27: I Don’t Believe Her

Chapter 27: I Don’t Believe Her

****************

Chapter 27

~Spring’s POV~

Storm ended the call.

I stared at the screen, stunned. No witty comeback. No chance to argue. Just a claim... and a promise.

I will chase after you, Spring, and I will make you mine.

His voice echoed in my ears long after the call ended. I dropped the phone onto my chest and exhaled slowly, letting the weight of everything settle.

As if that wasn’t enough, messages started pouring in.

Jace: Happy Birthday, little trouble. Try not to dream of me too much. However, doing so would make it breathtaking even for you. Think of sweet kisses, Jace.

Kael: You and I may not always hit off, but you are my mate. Whether you like it or not, you are stuck with us. That being said... Still owe you a gift, Moonbite. Pick something expensive.

And then Tyrion... just a single moon emoji.

I didn’t hear from Lucien.

Oddly, I was greatly relieved.

**************

~Rhys’s POV~

The hospital smelled like a hospital, sterile floors, false comfort, and over-perfumed air fresheners. I disliked hospitals. Always had. And yet... I was practically born in one and worked in one.

How ironic, but I had my reasons.

Kaius stood next to me, arms crossed, gaze locked on the closed curtain ahead.

We’d arrived just a few minutes after our parents. Mum had rushed in first, clutching her bag to her chest like she could hold herself together with its leather strap.

Dad followed with a steadier pace, asking the nurse questions and demanding answers we didn’t have.

Rose was in Room 9C—allergic reaction.

That’s what they said.

But as the nurse pulled back the curtain and I caught the first real look at her...

I didn’t see a girl fighting an allergy.

I saw a girl trying too hard to play victim.

Her face was red, puffy around the cheeks, and her nose was pink and raw. Her lips were swollen, too, but not like someone going into anaphylactic shock. No. This was more... chemical-based, they said, but I believed it was contact-based and localised.

And it didn’t make sense.

"Rose," Mum cooed, rushing to her side.

Rose gave a weak, sniffly whimper, head turning ever so slightly toward her. "It stings," she rasped. "I don’t know what happened... I— I just tried using a new powder Kaius gave me."

My eyes flicked to Kaius. He raised a brow. "I didn’t give her any powder."

Rose blinked as everyone fell silent.

Then she recovered fast—too fast. "I-I meant the one I found near the gifts. I assumed it was for me. It was right there besides other gifts."

"If I had gifted her that, then it had Spring’s initials engraved on the box," Kaius said flatly.

"Oh..." Rose looked away. "Maybe I read it wrong... I thought it read to my sister."

"Which you aren’t the only one, besides it is Spring’s birthday."

Dad made Kaius stop questioning her, claiming none o those would treat her, then he turned to the doctor, asking more questions, and Mum hovered at the bed like her presence alone would fix whatever was wrong.

But I just stood there just watching Rose. Every word she spoke felt like a broken record—familiar, too familiar.

"You think she did it to me?" Rose whispered when our parents stepped out briefly with the doctor.

I turned toward her.

"What?" I asked, voice calm, but my chest was tight.

"She probably laced the powder," she said softly. "It’s not the first time she’s tried something sneaky..."

Kaius’s jaw twitched. He said nothing, but I saw the flicker of something sharp in his eyes.

I stared at Rose. "You’re saying Spring deliberately tried to hurt you? Why?"

"She hates me!" Rose’s voice cracked. "You know that. She’s always trying to make me look bad. You believed her over me before—now look what she’s done."

"How sure can we be?"

"I am certain. She had done something before. I only took it and was happy."

I shook my head. "No. How sure was she that you would collect a gift meant for her?"

"I..."

"You also admit to stealing her gift?"

Immediately, hot tears rolled down Rose’s cheek as she hsook her head. "Brother..."

But the longer she spoke... the less I believed.

Not because Spring was innocent, but because this whole story was far too familiar. The deflection. The dramatics. The carefully-placed accusation.

I’d heard this speech before—word for word.

But back then, it was Spring who stood in this very position. And it was Rose who pointed fingers.

"She’s jealous."

"She wants to make me look bad."

"She hates me."

Only now, the roles had flipped... and the seams were starting to show.

My voice was quieter when I spoke again. "You’re sure it wasn’t your powder?"

"I didn’t touch anything else," she whispered, blinking fast. "I swear. Why would I hurt myself?"

I looked at the tray beside her. The compact was there—open, and the faint sting of pepper still hovered in the air around it.

Capriyan pepper. Strong. Dangerous if touched directly.

Too dangerous to just be... a mistake.

"You didn’t smell that?" I asked calmly.

"What?"

"The pepper. That powder was thick with it. Enough to burn anyone’s skin." I tilted my head. "You’re telling me you didn’t notice?"

Rose hesitated, just for a second. But it was enough.

"I felt it was the fragrance. Besides, I had a running nose this morning from bathing late at night."

Kaius stepped closer, arms still folded. "If someone had done this to you," he said, voice cool, "why didn’t you say anything earlier?"

Rose’s throat bobbed. "I... didn’t want to seem petty."

I almost laughed. I almost wanted to. Instead, I glanced at the nurse station, then back to her.

"Rest," I said simply. "We’ll talk later."

Her eyes widened. "Rhys—"

But I was already turning. Kaius followed silently as we exited the room.

When we reached the end of the hallway, he finally spoke.

"You think she did it to herself?"

I didn’t answer right away. I stared through the glass windows overlooking the parking lot.

Then I nodded. "I think she wanted Spring to use it. I think she knew exactly what was in that powder because she put something in what you gave Spring."

Kaius’s jaw flexed. "And now she’s trying to twist it, saying Spring did."

I exhaled. "Just like she did back then."

This time... I didn’t fall for it. I remembered the truth.

And for the first time in a long while... I felt angry at myself for ever believing her in the first place.

"Eryx really was saying the truth," Kaius stated. "But why? What did she have to gain?"

"I do not know but I will find out."

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.