Fated and Claimed by Four Alphas-Chapter 174: With Tyrion

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~Spring's POV~

"I'm not joking, Spring. I want you to be mine, not just my mate, but my girlfriend."

I opened my mouth, but no words came.

My thoughts were tangled into knots, my emotions colliding. Before I could form an answer, he tilted his head slightly and murmured, "Go change into something nice. I already took permission from Professor Lionel to take you out. We'll be back before curfew."

My heart gave a startled thump. "What?"

"You heard me," he replied, voice calm but firm. "Dress up for me, Spring. I want tonight to be ours."

I blinked at him, still processing, but his hand gently brushed mine before he stepped back, giving me space. Almost on autopilot, I slipped into my tent, my chest rising and falling too quickly.

Inside, I stood still for a moment, staring at my bag as though it held answers. I wasn't ready—my heart was still reeling from Tyrion, from Storm's words, from everything. Yet my hands moved on their own, pulling out a soft dress I'd packed just in case. I brushed my hair, added a little gloss, and when I caught my reflection, I almost didn't recognise the girl staring back at me. She looked… like someone who was about to go on a real date.

When I stepped back outside, Storm was waiting. His expression didn't change much, but I caught the flicker in his gaze as it roamed over me—warmth, admiration, possession. "Perfect," he whispered, offering his hand.

I took it.

The cab ride was quiet. Too quiet. My fingers twisted together in my lap, and though Storm's arm brushed mine, he didn't say a word. His silence wasn't awkward, though—it was steady, as if he was giving me room to breathe. Yet that made my thoughts louder, ricocheting through my head until I almost wished he'd tease me, distract me, something.

By the time the car slowed before a little restaurant on the outskirts of town, my stomach was a tangle of nerves. I pressed my lips together, thinking I'd have to force myself to eat.

But Storm surprised me again. He paid the driver, then instead of leading me toward the restaurant's entrance, he guided me around the back.

"Storm?" I frowned.

"Trust me."

We walked a small trail uphill, the soft crunch of leaves beneath our shoes, until the trees parted and the view opened up. My breath hitched. Spread beneath the fading sunset was a little clearing, with a blanket laid out, baskets and a cooler set neatly, lanterns glowing faintly around the edges. From here, I could see the town lights starting to twinkle below, and the sky bleeding pink and violet.

"You… did this?" I whispered.

Storm's lips curved just slightly. "I wanted to give you something better than four walls and chatter. Something that reminds you of what really matters. A gift of nature… and time."

My chest tightened, and for a moment, I couldn't speak. He led me to the blanket, and I lowered myself onto it, still dazed, while he began pulling out food and drinks from the basket.

Soon, we were sharing sandwiches, fruit, and sparkling juice beneath the sky. I realised, with a quiet sort of shock, that Storm wasn't pushing, wasn't circling back to his confession. He was just… being there, talking lightly about the tour, about silly things Jace had said earlier, about how Apex had once eaten an entire roasted boar alone and nearly passed out.

I smiled here and there, gave small answers, but my mind wasn't wholly in it. I kept waiting for the weight to drop, for him to bring up the words that still lingered between us.

It wasn't until he leaned forward, reaching to brush the corner of my mouth with his thumb, that my breath caught. "You had something there," he murmured, his face now so close, his gaze so focused it stole the air from my lungs. He didn't pull back. His hand lingered against my jaw, and slowly, deliberately, he leaned in.

My heart raced, but instinct pulled me back. I pressed a finger gently against his lips.

He froze, eyes flickering with surprise. "What's the matter?"

I drew a shaky breath, gathering courage. "Your father. Have you… have you told him? Broken the engagement?"

Storm halted, eyes darkening with something heavier. Slowly, he exhaled and gave a small nod. "I had a talk with him. But…"

My shoulders slouched, the faint hope I carried sinking. "But he isn't budging."

"No," Storm admitted, his voice low and pained. "He still thinks it's all a game. That in the end, I'll obey and go through with it."

"Have… will you?" My voice cracked.

His jaw tightened before he shook his head. "No, Spring. I meant every word I said earlier. I'm in love with you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you—my mate, not someone else. I want you to be my girlfriend."

Even though his words were steady, even though part of me had longed to hear them, the fireflies I wanted weren't sparking. Not fully.

"Storm…" My throat ached. "Unlike the others, I am sure of what I feel for you. Greatly. I love you, and I want to be with you. But…"

"Love shouldn't have obstacles," Storm cut in, almost desperately.

I shook my head, firm. "I don't want impediments between us. Get the betrothal called off, and then we can date."

"Spring, please…" His hand reached for mine, squeezing as his voice roughened. "Don't ask me to wait on my father's stubbornness. Do you know how hard it's been to stay away from you? Every time you smiled at Jace, every time Kael touched you, every time—" He broke off, his eyes flashing. "That night with Rael… when you gave him that lap dance… I nearly lost my mind. You have no idea how jealous I've been."

My eyes widened, my heart twisting. I turned my gaze away, but he wouldn't allow it. His hand lifted, firm but gentle, turning my face back to him. His expression was raw, stripped of all his usual composure.

"I swear to you," he whispered hoarsely. "I won't be with Serissa. Not ever. Even if I lose everything—my name, my inheritance, my crown. I won't leave you. I won't choose anyone but you."

Tears stung the back of my eyes, but I swallowed them. "Storm, I don't want to be a snatcher. I won't be the woman who takes another's man—"

He shook his head sharply. "Nonsense. I was never hers. I was made for you. Meant for you. And as long as the Moon Goddess approves, I don't care about anyone else—not even the king."

My lips parted, ready to protest again, but he didn't let me. His mouth pressed against mine, warm and claiming.

I hesitated, stiff for a heartbeat. Then his tongue traced gently against my lips, coaxing, patient, until my resistance faltered and I gave in. My lips parted for him, and suddenly I was lost.

The kiss deepened, slow but consuming, a tide that swept me away. His hand cupped my jaw, the other steadying me at the small of my back, pulling me closer as if he feared I'd vanish.

And beneath the canopy of branches, with the lanterns casting soft halos around us, we kissed—sharing everything we couldn't put into words, letting our hearts speak through the press of lips and the trembling touch of hands.

For that moment, the world disappeared. It was just him and me. Just us.

Storm's lips moved against mine with a hunger restrained only by sheer willpower, each kiss deepening the storm that brewed between us.

His breath was warm, mixing with mine, and the soft brush of his tongue against mine sent shivers racing through my body. My hands, once frozen at my sides, finally rose—trembling—as I gripped the front of his shirt, clinging to him like I needed him to keep me grounded.

He groaned low in his chest, the sound vibrating through me, and it was as if that small sound unlocked something inside him.

His hand slid from my jaw to the nape of my neck, his fingers tangling in my hair, holding me close, refusing to let me pull away.

I didn't want to.

The world beyond us no longer existed, Serissa, his father, my fears… all of it melted away until there was only Storm and the way he made me feel.

When his lips finally parted from mine, I gasped softly, a needy sound I barely recognised as my own. But he didn't let me go far. His forehead rested against mine, his breath harsh and uneven.

"Spring…" His voice was rough, deep, laced with something raw. "You drive me insane."

I swallowed hard, my chest rising and falling too quickly. "You… you make it very hard to think straight."

His lips curved into the faintest smirk, but his eyes… gods, his eyes burned. "Good. Then stop thinking."

Before I could protest, his mouth found the curve of my jaw, soft at first, then lingering longer, his lips tracing the sensitive line of my neck.

My breath hitched when he grazed his teeth lightly against my skin.

"Storm…" I whispered his name as if to warn him, but it came out more like a plea.