Fated and Claimed by Four Alphas

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~Storm's POV~

The school bell rang hours ago, but the weight of the day hadn't lifted.

Ever since my dad dropped that huge bomb on me, I haven't been the same.

Rather than spending time recalling my sweet date with Spring, that memory was smeared with Serissa's face in my mind.

No.

I heaved a deep sigh.

My wolf had been mostly silent since then, but I couldn't blame him. Even I was out of it.

I had tried to lighten the mood during her induction earlier to avoid suspicions from the other heirs and council members.

And right after we finished, I walked away even though I knew Spring would be eager to discuss it.

And when she called my name, I pretended not to hear and walked away, but I was killing myself inside for not running to meet her and kiss her.

I also knew why she needed to talk to me. She had sent a text yesterday, but my anger and pain made me pull away.

Not even my mother was permitted to talk to me after that stupid news.

I sighed as I stood in the parking lot, leaning against my car, watching the sun dip below the trees like a blood-orange bruise against the sky.

Then I heard them.

Jace, Kael, and Tyrion approached, their steps synchronised without meaning to. Jace tossed a can of soda in the air, catching it without looking.

Kael was fidgeting with the edges of his sleeves, his sunglasses still on despite the fading light. Tyrion walked with his usual quiet, intense calm.

Jace spoke first. "We found out where Lucien's hanging today. Riverbank. Five p.m. Fishing."

"Fishing?" I arched a brow.

"Fishing—with girls," Kael added, a disgusted twist on his face.

I didn't react, not even a muscle.

Jace tilted his head, narrowing his amber eyes. "You'd normally rip a forest apart for Spring. What's wrong?"

I shrugged, pushing off the car, and without giving him an answer, I ordered, "Let's go."

The ride was quiet. Tense. The only sound was Kael's playlist humming lowly through the car's speaker—some ominous instrumental track that somehow suited the mood perfectly.

None of us said it aloud, but we were all thinking the same thing.

Lucien had crossed too many lines. And this time, it was time to remind him why we were Alpha heirs and she was our mate.

By the time we arrived at the riverbank, the sky had dipped into a dusky gold. The wind carried music to our ears—bass thumping from a Bluetooth speaker set on a cooler.

Lucien stood surrounded by four girls, all in swimwear, laughing and dancing barefoot on the rocks, drinks in hand.

The second our cars pulled up, our presence crashed into the air like a thunderclap.

Our auras expanded in unison—heavy, suffocating, dominant.

The music died mid-beat. The girls froze.

Kael removed his glasses with a single hand, his gaze cold and pitiless as he scanned the scene.

Then, with one chilling word, he spoke. "Scram."

They didn't argue. They didn't whimper. They ran barefoot and stumbling, like flies fleeing fire.

Lucien remained, jaw set, defiant. His eyes flicked to each of us, calculating, arrogant, but I saw the faint twitch in his fingers.

We circled him like wolves around prey.

Each of us had our reasons. Kael had his. Tyrion his. Jace—always the firestarter—spoke first.

"We warned you," Jace said, voice dangerously calm. "You were going to pay for treating our mate like trash."

Lucien's lip curled. "Just because she spreads her legs for you lot doesn't make her less mine."

"Yours?" Tyrion echoed, tone flat but lethal. "For an insane dimwit, you've got balls. I'll give you that."

Lucien scoffed. "So she fucks all of you like a whore, and now you're here running like her lapdogs just to fight for her?"

GBISH!

Kael's fist landed so fast it was almost poetic. Lucien flew backwards, landing with a grunt and a thud.

I didn't move... yet.

But rage brewed in my chest. My wolf stirred.

The others stepped in. Kael glared down at him. Tyrion cracked his knuckles. Jace rolled his neck.

Each gave Lucien a piece of their fury—words sharp as claws, fists sharper.

Lucien bled, coughed, and spat, but he kept smiling.

"We'll be generous," Kael finally said. "Apologise publicly tomorrow, or next time, we won't just make you kneel."

The others turned. We all did and headed straight for our ride until…

"I can understand the others' anger," Lucien called out hoarsely, "but you… you still lost, just like me."

We froze.

The words had struck like a slap.

He wasn't looking at anyone else—just me.

Jace glanced between us. "What's he talking about?"

Lucien wiped blood from his chin and chuckled. "Unlike you, I still have a chance to reclaim her. You? Yours was ripped from you."

"What the hell…" Kael began, but I interrupted him.

"Shut up."

All eyes snapped to me.

"Storm?" Jace called gently.

Lucien pushed himself up, coughing. "Oh, they don't know? You didn't tell them you dropped out of the race?"

The air shifted, and I clenched my jaw. I stepped forward, grabbed Lucien by the shirt, and slammed my fist into his face.

"Storm?"

I didn't stop.

Another punch. Then another.

His laugh only infuriated me more.

"Your wolf yearns for her," he whispered through split lips. "But your crown pulls you elsewhere. What a cruel thing fate is."

I growled, tossing another brutal blow.

"It must eat you alive, watching her slip through your fingers while duty ties you to some brainless princess with a title."

"Shut it!"

But he wouldn't.

"Princess Serissa Winter," he said with a venomous grin. "Your betrothed. By decree."

I roared, red haze filling my eyes. My wolf clawed for control.

"Storm, stop!" Jace shouted, lunging toward me.

Kael grabbed my arm. Tyrion pulled Lucien back.

"Don't let him bait you," Jace snapped.

But I could barely breathe.

Lucien smirked, blood trickling from his lips. "Tell them… or are you afraid your little Alpha club will kick you out?"

Kael's voice sliced through the silence. "Tell us what?"

"Storm—don't," Jace warned.

Lucien laughed again. "Tell them how your mate was replaced. Tell them how you've been betrothed away by a royal decree to the sassy Princess, Serissa Winter. How the crown demands obedience over love."

"What?"

Jace, Kael, and Tyrion—all three voiced at once and turned to me in unison.