Fated and Claimed by Four Alphas
Chapter 70: You’re Not Alone Anymore

Chapter 70: You’re Not Alone Anymore

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

Chapter 70

~Spring’s POV~

For a moment, I forgot the world existed.

Storm’s kiss had stolen the air from my lungs and dropped me into a silence so loud, I could feel the crowd holding their breath.

His tongue caressed my lips, probing to get an entrance, and when I finally parted my lips, he deepened the kiss in a way I had never been kissed in my life, both in this life and the last.

My head swoon, my eyes shut as my heart raced ten miles in a second.

When we finally broke apart, I didn’t dare look anywhere else.

Then Mira whistled.

A sharp, amused sound followed.. "Well, that’s one way to announce you’re officially off the market."

Rael just tsked behind her and walked away, his uniform suit swishing like he owned the wind. Typical.

I glanced toward the others. Jace’s jaw was tight, his arms folded. Kael looked like he was biting back a smirk, but his eyes were unreadable. Tyrion, as always, stayed calm, but the gleam in his eyes wasn’t just serene. It was... possessive.

They didn’t say anything, but I felt it.

The heat.

The hunger.

That tension only bonded mates could carry in silence.

I swallowed.

Just then, Chloe elbowed her way through the crowd. "Hey, ruling queen," she said, nudging me. "Your fans will survive. Eva, however, looks like she’s about to faint."

I looked past her to where Eva stood, eyes wide, mouth open, clutching her school blazer like it was her last tether to reality.

Storm caught my gaze and smiled faintly. "Go. Be with your friends," he murmured. "I’ll have more time with you later."

My cheeks heated again. I nodded once and slipped out of his hold, throwing a backwards wave to the rest of them.

Nari, Chloe, Eva and I left the pool area together. The moment we were out of earshot, they exploded.

"That kiss was illegal," Nari started, and the rest just followed from there.

"I think my heart stopped," Chloe muttered.

"I... I didn’t breathe for like three minutes," Eva whispered, then blinked at me. "Wait, do you feel different now that you’re Vice President?"

I laughed, really laughed. "No. But I definitely feel like I need a nap."

They kept chattering as we made our way through the back hall, voices bouncing between excitement and awe.

I loved them for it—this rare peace. But eventually, I slipped away, claiming I needed to change and clear my head.

I slipped into one of the quieter lounge chambers behind the arena. A place carved out for athletes and duelists to catch their breath after a match.

The duelling lounge was empty and quiet.

I pulled open the locker where I had kept my belongings, ready to pack my things, as my gaze glanced around.

There were water bottles stacked in a small cooler, a bench with velvet cushions, and just enough solitude to let me breathe.

That was the plan, at least.

Until the door opened and I didn’t have to guess who it was, as Jace walked in first.

Kael followed a second later, tossing a towel over his shoulder like he’d just come from a fight of his own.

Then Tyrion stepped through, his presence as calm as ever, and finally, Storm, who barely even tried to look casual after kissing me in front of the whole school.

He closed the door behind him with a soft click.

For a second, I just blinked at them all.

"...You all followed me?" I asked flatly.

Jace grinned. "Technically, we gave you a two-minute head start. That’s generous and called respecting space."

I resisted the urge to face-palm.

Kael flopped onto the nearest couch with a dramatic sigh. "You should be thanking us. We stopped five people from asking for selfies."

"I should’ve let them," Storm muttered, standing by the door, arms crossed. "Then they’d understand they don’t get that close to what’s mine."

"Storm." I gave him a look.

He didn’t flinch. "Yours, ours... then. Same thing."

My cheeks flared, but I looked away, trying not to think too hard about the heat in his voice.

My throat dried, my soul even drier. I took a sip from a bottle nearby that I hadn’t realised I was holding.

Kael tilted his head, his eyes glued to me as if assessing his favourite snack. His voice came softer. "Hey, you alright?"

I didn’t answer right away. I wasn’t sure how. Was I?

I’d just gone through three of the most intense games of my life, cracked open every weakness I had in front of the entire school, and then got kissed like I was the prize of a war in front of everyone.

I was many things right now—relieved, tired, emotionally bruised—but alright?

"I don’t know," I finally admitted. "But I think... I will be."

Kael nodded slowly.

Tyrion sat down across from me, arms resting on his knees. "You carried more than just yourself today," he said gently. "You carried all of us."

My eyes stung. "Then why does it still feel heavy?"

"Because you didn’t use it to crush anyone," Tyrion answered. "That’s how it feels. Power held with care always feels heavier."

Jace didn’t joke this time. He just crouched down next to my chair, watching me carefully. "You scared me, you know."

My brows rose. "You?"

"You were up there bleeding, trembling, almost drowning—and still you kept going like none of it mattered." His voice dropped. "That kind of fire... it burns both ways."

I looked down. "I couldn’t afford to stop."

"I know." He touched my hand, briefly. "But next time, don’t forget you have people who’d bleed with you. Not just for you."

Storm stepped forward, looking at all of them—at me. "That’s the point, Spring. You don’t have to stand alone anymore."

I looked at him, then Kael, then Tyrion and Jace. All of them. My mates. My strange, powerful, ridiculous bond of men who didn’t try to control me, but refused to let me fall alone.

And somehow, for the first time in this life or the one before it... that didn’t feel like a chain.

It felt like a choice and being chosen.

I took a long breath. "Thanks for following me."

Jace grinned again. "You’re welcome."

Kael raised a brow. "So... since we’re already here, are we taking turns on who gets to hold you first, or are we all pretending that kiss didn’t happen?"