Fated and Claimed by Four Alphas
Chapter 30: Spite Cloud in Gifts

Chapter 30: Spite Cloud in Gifts

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Chapter 30

~Spring’s POV~

Lunch had barely ended when the hallway outside the library annex began to fill.

I was making my way toward the library, still mulling over my new friends Eva, Chloe, and Nari’s unexpected sweetness, when it happened.

The air shifted.

Not magically—just... socially.

Heads turned, voices dipped, and heels clicked.

Then she arrived.

She was a bit taller than I expected—elegant posture, hair twisted into a braid woven with tiny silver chains, her uniform was crisp like it had been steam-pressed by elves.

Everything about her said pedigree, practised grace, and "don’t speak unless spoken to."

She didn’t walk. She looked like she glided.

The girl stopped directly in front of me, flanked by two others—one carrying a notepad, the other sipping iced coffee through a golden straw.

I blinked once, twice.

The scent of roses and bergamot drifted in as she smiled at me, slow, razor-edged.

"Welcome to Noxshade," she said smoothly, giving a half-curtsy, the kind that said, I’m doing this for show, not respect. "Crown Alpha."

My brows lifted. "Didn’t know I’d entered a pageant." My gaze darted around for show, just to mock her comment.

A soft titter came from one of her minions. The other one stopped sipping her coffee.

She didn’t flinch. "Oh, no pageants here. Just the occasional shift in social order. I’m Princess Serissa." Her eyes scanned me, top to bottom. "Spring Kaine..." Disgust flickered in her eyes briefly. "You’re... taller than I expected," she mused.

"And you’re louder than I hoped, Princess. Didn’t anyone teach you how disgraceful it is to behave without grace and a condescending attitude?"

Another chuckle from her entourage. But Serissa only tilted her head with mild amusement, like I was a baby bird snapping at her diamond heel.

"Anyway," she continued, lifting a delicate boutique bag with satin handles, "a little something to welcome you. From the royal dorms, we always extend kindness to new transfers."

She held it out.

I stared at the bag. It was sleek black, stamped with a luxury label I recognised from a billboard downtown—exclusive, expensive, and absolutely not my scene.

"I didn’t transfer. I’ve been here. Just... upgraded." I smiled at the last word.

Her lips curled. "Oh, I know. But everything about you feels... new, doesn’t it? Accept it. It’s courtesy, teacher Spring."

My fingers brushed the bag as I took it, slowly. Not out of gratitude, but curiosity. I felt no magic, no strange scent. Nothing.

Still, I didn’t trust it.

"I won’t pretend to be friends with someone I just met," I told her flatly.

"You don’t have to pretend," she said. "Some of us were born to lead. Others... fall into it. It’s important to know which one you are."

"Sure," I said, narrowing my gaze. "And you’ll be the one to tell me?"

"No," Serissa said, flashing another perfect smile. "The school will."

She turned on her heel like a queen done with court and walked off, her shadows falling into step behind her. Whispers followed her like perfume.

I looked down at the gift bag, still resting in my hand.

Inside: a bottle of expensive hair serum, a limited-edition face mist, and a cream compact with tiny gold initials etched on the side.

No enchantments. No scent. All legit.

And yet...

Jade stirred in my mind. "This isn’t a gift. It’s a performance. Be careful."

"Oh Jade, if after what happened to me in my past life I am not careful, then I am stupid. And stupid doesn’t mix well with my name."

"Which? Solstice or Spring?" Jade teased.

"Both, Jade."

I exhaled slowly and kept walking.

One thing was clear: whatever game she was playing, Serissa had made her move.

Let’s see how she handles mine. My lips curled to the side in amusement.

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~Later After Literature Class~

I balanced the stack of textbooks against my hip as I stepped into the staffroom, the sound of teachers mid-conversation dropping the moment the door clicked shut behind me.

"Ah. Kaine," came a deep voice from the far end.

I turned to find Mr. Gold, our Literature and History teacher, looking up from a pile of papers with that hawk-like stare he always wore during class. His sharp spectacles glinted under the light.

"You brought the books?" he asked, already standing.

"Yes, sir." I shifted the weight and placed them on his desk. "Straight from the resource room."

"Thank you," he said with a nod, then paused. "Actually... wait a moment."

I stiffened slightly as he rifled through a folder, then pulled out a familiar set of papers. My name was scrawled at the top in bold black ink.

"The essay you submitted on the Rise and Fall of Pre-Era Monarchs," he said, adjusting his glasses. "It was a very clean work with thoughtful structure. But it was your interpretation of the Lunar Treaty clause that caught my attention."

I blinked. "Really?"

He handed the paper to me. A red-inked A sat proudly at the top corner.

"You argued from the lesser-known side. Most students parrot popular opinion. You challenged it. That takes both guts and context."

A strange warmth settled in my chest. Although that wasn’t much given that I knew the history better from my era.

And in my time, ladies like myself pushed through for such treaties to neigbouring races.

"Also," he added, eyeing me over the frames, "your answer to the impromptu question yesterday? The one about comparative loyalty between bloodline heirs and chosen warriors?"

"Just a guess," I muttered.

"Well, it was the only one with nuance. That’s why you topped the class." He tapped the paper.

I smiled softly, nto actually expecting this.

"You know, when you first came, I was told about you and your history in you previous schools."

My eyes narrowed. "Would that be a problem, sir?"

He shook his head quickly, waving his hand in front of me. "No. On the contrary, I am impressed. Keep it up, Kaine. You’re more than people expect you to be."

I didn’t know what to say to that. So I nodded, took the graded essay, and turned to leave. But just before I reached the door, I heard him say quietly: "Whatever noise is around you lately... don’t let it drown your voice."

I paused briefly, nodded, then stepped out into the corridor.