Fated and Claimed by Four Alphas Chapter 101: Happy Rhys

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Chapter 101

~Spring’s POV~

Storm gave a faint, crooked grin. "I’m a wolf, rember? We notice everything. You’ve been pushing yourself."

"I have tests," I said. "I’m supposed to."

"And you’ve got four guys practically stalking you with love-struck eyes," he added flatly.

I flushed. "That too. So you see? A girl can be tired."

Storm didn’t respond to my little joke and paused by a tree, hands still tucked in his jacket. "I was jealous."

I blinked, partly caught off guard by that revelation. "Of what?"

"The others. How they made you laugh so easily. The kiss you gave them without hesitation. I know we agreed to share..." He looked away, and I noticed the tightness of his jaw. "But sotis I want to steal you away and not share at all."

The silence between us thickened.

I stepped closer to him. "You’re the one who ntioned they are all my mates too, you know."

Storm looked down at , his gaze softening. "And I ant it. But it doesn’t make it easier."

He brushed a strand of hair from my cheek, fingertips trailing just slightly along my skin. "I want ti with you, Spring—just and you. I don’t want gas or an audience."

"I know," I whispered. "And you already said this, but after the assessnt."

His lips curved again, just slightly. "Good. Because I already told you, I intend to keep that promise."

"I’m not a baby, Storm, and you can’t steal like my brothers. I just..."

"Stop talking." Then, without asking, he pulled into a hug.

It was the kind of embrace that steadied your heartbeat and reminded you that soone would fight the world just to hold you longer.

I closed my eyes, arms wrapping around him slowly. "I... I missed this."

I had no idea I had said that out loud until Storm’s voice reached my ears as his fingers bruised against my hair. "Then let give it to you as often as you need."

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It was the third day of assessnts, and as usual, I was halfway through flipping notes at my desk when a knock ca at the door.

I frowned. Not many people ca looking for here. So it was either Rhys or one of my brothers who had co visiting.

I padded over and opened the door, and Rhys stood there with a little tousled hair from the wind, sleeves rolled up, a calm look on his face that didn’t quite hide how tired he was.

"Hey," I said, blinking in surprise. "Everything okay?"

He gave a small smile. "More than okay. I just ca to tell you... The patient recovered."

My breath caught.

"The one with the V..."

Rhys’s eyes narrowed slightly, and I paused, wondering if he had told about the boy’s condition in the first palace. So I quickly switched things up.

"Umm, the one with the very, very serious case?" I asked, almost afraid to believe it.

He nodded before his smile returned. "He is stable. The antidote worked. Symptoms reversed by the second day. He’s recovering faster than I expected. And it’s... thanks to whoever my helper was."

I smiled faintly. "That’s amazing. You see. Told you not to worry too much."

"You did, and thanks to you, too."

I smiled genuinely. "Yeah," he said quietly. "I’ve never seen anything like it. Not even in experintal case studies. It was almost... folklore-level." He paused. "And yet, it worked."

We stood there in silence for a beat. Then he sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"I texted her again last night," he added. "Solstice. I just... wanted to thank her properly."

"Oh?"

Rhys shrugged. "I also offered to buy her lunch and she said no."

I couldn’t help but laugh. "She sounds stubborn."

He grinned at . "Yeah, she really is."

I leaned my shoulder against the doorfra. "Did she say why she refused?"

"She said sothing about timing. And not wanting to get involved too closely." His voice softened. "But then we talked—just... random things. About the cities she’d been to. Her favourite colours. She ntioned a place that doesn’t exist on any maps, and I still don’t know if she was making it up or testing ."

I bit the inside of my cheek. "And what did you say?"

"I said I’d believe her even if she was lying. Because I’ve never heard anyone describe a place with that much longing unless it was real to them."

There was a pause.

"She’s different," Rhys said. "And I don’t an that in so romantic or mystical way. Just... sharp, but gentle. Familiar. Like I’ve known her longer than I should."

I felt my throat tighten just a little.

Rhys leaned against the opposite wall now, crossing his arms. "It’s strange how she reminds of you sotis. Sa tone. Sa... empathy."

I turned away slightly, fiddling with the charm on my bracelet. "That’s... interesting."

He didn’t press further, didn’t question. He just nodded, almost like he knew pushing would only get him stone walls.

"Anyway," he said after a pause, pushing off the wall. "Just thought you should know. The boy’s going to be okay."

"Thank you for telling ," I said sincerely.

He smiled once more and stepped back. "Get so rest after your exams. I’m planning to take a break too."

"You deserve it," I said, and ant it.

As he walked away, I stood at the door a mont longer, feeling my secret press down on .

That night, I opened the hidden ssaging app and stared at the familiar contact na, Dr_RK, which I had changed from Rhys for professional reasons and to keep my secret.

It was then I noticed he had ssaged since and I didn’t see it.

He’d written a simple ssage.

Dr_RK: He’s awake. Sitting up. The first thing he asked for was his gas and his parents. Thank you, Solstice. Truly."

I stared at the blinking cursor, then typed.

: You don’t need to thank . Just keep doing what you do best, saving lives, that is.

Rhys responded within seconds.

Dr_RK: You sound like soone who’s lost people before.

I hesitated. Then typed back.

: Maybe I have. Maybe I haven’t. Either way, I don’t want you to lose yours.

This ti, there was a pause in the typing bubbles. Then he wrote:

Dr_RK: Can I ask again? Lunch. No nas. No pressure. Just... a al.

I stared at the ssage for a long mont, then finally typed a response.

: One day. Just not yet.

Dr_RK: I’ll look forward to that, Solstice.

Then I locked my phone, heart aching in a way I couldn’t fully understand, and drifted into sleep, with one na echoing through my mind like the echo of an old vow:

Solstice.