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Chapter 22
~Spring’s POV~
The courtyard was quiet during the fifth period, most students tucked away in labs or electives. I had an open block and decided to take a walk, letting the wind tousle my hair and clear my thoughts.
In my past life, birthdays were never like this. My father, the king, ensured it. There were feasts, fireworks, and festivals held in my na, except the two or three tis I escaped to do sothing different.
Today? It was just silence... and the weight of five mate bonds choking more than any crown ever did.
Jade hadn’t said anything since this morning, but I could feel her—restless, circling. She wanted to accept them. Our mates. But after what we’d suffered last ti... I couldn’t bring myself to want that yet.
"I..."
I stopped walking when I heard those sharp, cruel, familiar voices.
"...You really thought you could just walk past ?"
No doubt it was Madelyn. That venomous tone could only belong to her.
My brows pulled together. Her voice was coming from behind the library wall—a secluded path rarely used unless soone wanted privacy or secrecy.
Another voice followed, this one shaking. "I—I didn’t an to... I didn’t see you. I’m sorry..."
"Didn’t see or you are blind?"
"No, Madelyn. She feels you are beneath her and I saw her laughing at your ssy state." That was Liana’s voice.
My fists clenched.
"What? This little oga bitch!"
Whoever it was, I knew they were in for a severe beating if sothing wasn’t done.
I followed the voices on quiet steps, slipping behind the hedged archway until I reached the clearing.
When I peeked, Madelyn stood with her arms crossed, her usual smirk twisting her face. Liana lounged nearby, flicking at her nails like she had nothing better to do.
And between them, kneeling, was a girl I hadn’t seen before. Petite. Wide eyes behind thick glasses. A uniform too big for her, like it had been handed down. She looked fresh out of a fairytale and dropped into a wolf’s den.
"You didn’t see ?" Madelyn scoffed. "That’s cute. Everyone sees ."
The girl stamred again. "I d-didn’t an to be rude. I’m sorry. I’m really sor—"
SLAP.
The sound echoed. The girl flinched, tears springing instantly to her eyes.
"Sorry doesn’t un-disrespect ," Madelyn snapped.
She lowered her head. "Forgive , please, I..." Madelyn’s leg shot out and she kicked the girl on her side.
The girl gasped, arms curling to shield herself from the kick.
"Forgive, you little bitch?" Madelyn scoffed. "If not for that stupid Spring who made a ss of things, would you, you this lousy oga ever be able to look at with contempt?"
Madelyn’s voice had dropped to a hiss, her fingers twitching like she wanted to grab sothing. Or grab the girl and do sothing even worse.
I clenched my fist. It was enough already. If I did not do anything, she’d beco the next Spring.
I didn’t wait anymore and stepped out, letting my voice slice through the clearing like a blade.
"Back off, Madelyn."
The clearing went still.
Madelyn turned slowly, her sneer faltering as she saw step forward. Her eyes flickered with sothing she wouldn’t admit—fear.
She caught herself quickly, arms crossing again like she was bracing for impact.
"Well, well. If it isn’t the academy’s new favourite," she said, trying to sound unimpressed. "What, here to save your fellow nobodies?"
I stopped in front of the girl still trembling on the ground. "You were always loud, Madelyn. But today, you’re just pathetic."
"Spring."
"I didn’t think letting you have a taste of your own wickedness would make you stoop even lower than you ever were."
Liana scoffed. "Look who thinks she’s tough now."
"I don’t think," I said calmly. "I know. And you do too. That’s why you didn’t co for directly. You tried to break soone weaker again, because it’s the only way you feel strong."
"Spring, you cannot..."
My gaze darkened as I glared daggers at her, and imdiately she shut up.
"Bullying a first-year now? What’s next? Kicking puppies?"
Madelyn folded her arms again, but I saw the flicker in her eyes—hesitation. She was uncertain if she should act or not.
The morning’s events were still fresh. Her flour-soaked humiliation was still trending on the academy forums. She knew eyes were on her now—mine included.
"She bumped into ," Madelyn said smoothly.
She breathed." I gave a dry smile. "That’s what this is about, isn’t it? The fact that soone didn’t fall on their knees fast enough."
"She didn’t even look back or apologise. I was just correcting her manners after she disrespected ."
"By cornering her?" I tilted my head. "I am not stupid, Madelyn. I heard it all. I saw it and... I have it all recorded."
I held up my phone, thumb already on the screen.
Her eyes darted to the video—clear as day. Her slap, her kick and the girl’s sob.
"Maybe correct your own manners."
Madelyn huffed.
"What? Want to keep going?" I asked, my voice calm but laced with venom. "Or should I just post this to the school board and tag your daddy’s funding committee?"
Madelyn paled.
Liana shifted uneasily beside her.
"You wouldn’t dare," Madelyn hissed, but her voice had lost its edge.
"You want to bet?" I asked.
"Who would believe you over , huh? Did you forget who you are, huh? Useless Spring Kaine, fake child of the Kaine family, who doesn’t want her. Like I said, you should die already." Madelyn smirked, her lips curling at the side in a mock smile. "Just because you are mated to the Alphas doesn’t an..."
I let Jade’s aura out, and the air around us turned cold, deadly as I pushed my alpha power out.
Madelyn’s face drained of colour. Her wolf whimpered inside her, folding instantly under the pressure.
I let another fraction of my power out, and her knees buckled, and she dropped to the ground, eyes wide with terror.
I did not stop there, and the pressure intensified. I could feel the power radiating from my body, pushing down on everything around us.
I glanced past her to see the smug Liana on her knees as well, as she stared at with wide eyes.
"Stop—please—Spring..." Madelyn choked out, the fight gone from her tone.
"Next ti," I said softly, stepping closer until my boots nearly brushed hers, "you so much as cross or her... if I even hear that you looked at soone the wrong way... I wouldn’t be so nice. Now, get lost."
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