Riding on His Cocktail

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CHAPTER 4

~Spring's POV~

"I'll take her!" Eryx chimed in, raising a hand like a kid asking to go to the bathroom, which I would have found cute on a normal day but didn't.

"You're not even dressed," Kaius pointed out, glaring daggers at him.

"And she'll be late if you drive like you code," Rhys added dryly as he stood up.

"With his reckless driving?" Kaius scoffed, tucking his hands in his pockets. "More like get them into an accident."

"Then, how about we settle this with some rock-paper-scissors?" Eryx offered, ignoring their attempt to make him drop.

Kaius gave him a tight smile. "Fine then, let's settle it."

From where I sat, I watched as they lined up like teenage boys instead of high-functioning professionals.

Silently, I counted with them… One. Two. Three. Shoot.

Eryx slammed down scissors while Kaius and Rhys both dropped rocks. Eryx's jaw dropped slightly as he blinked in betrayal. "You teamed up on me!"

"It is decided then." Kaius nodded, ignoring Eryx's tantrum. "We both take her."

My eyes narrowed. "This is starting to feel like an ambush." I thought I had said that in my head, but Rhys' reply caught me off guard.

"It's family," he corrected calmly.

"Same thing," I muttered under my breath and deep down I was dreading where this was headed.

Was Rose involved? Or have the scales blocking their eyes finally fallen?

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

The ride to school was smooth—too smooth. Kaius drove like the world owed him the right of way, and Rhys sat beside him, flipping through his tablet calmly, which made my nerves itch.

I sat in the back and the air was oddly warm with attention.

When we arrived, the students already crowding the school gates began to stare openly. It was like dropping a bomb on campus. Phones came out faster than you could say 'rumour mill'. Gasps were swallowed. 

The prodigy Kaine brothers—with Spring?

Kaius stepped out first, walking to the passenger side like he was attending a board meeting. Rhys circled to my side and opened the door for me.

Just as I stepped out, his hand rose gently. He fixed my collar, tucked a stray lock of hair behind my ear, then with zero hesitation, leaned in and kissed the crown of my head.

I froze. Again.

His voice was low, just for me to hear. "Make smart choices today."

Then he stepped back like nothing had happened and adjusted his cufflinks.

The silence was deafening as I glanced up—every pair of eyes at the gate was on us. Wide.

I felt like a walking contradiction as I stepped into the courtyard like I owned it.

And right there, standing at the far end of the corridor, was Storm, Alpha Heir of the North region. 

I noticed that humans were still oblivious to the fact that supernaturals existed. 

To the outside world, Noxshade Academy was like any other school, but I knew better. A few humans here also knew better, but we were all sworn to secrecy.

Not that anyone would believe even if they were told.

His eyes locked on mine as a sharp glint flickered in his eyes.

I instinctively veered right, hoping to evade any conversation with him, only for a pair of smooth, taunting words to roll from behind me.

"Running again, sweetheart?"

I didn't even need to turn before I could place that voice.

Jace Raith. The naughty devil himself, the golden flirt with lips that lied like poetry. His tone constantly dripped with the smugness of someone who knew he looked good in every mirror.

"Or is the famous Spring Kaine too busy plotting her next scandal?"

His voice was low, smooth with challenge and amusement, like he was daring me to play.

Another voice joined—a cooler, silkier and observant voice followed.

"She's walking like she owns the place now."

Tyrion Levir, the quietest of the Alpha heirs, whose words carried twice the weight. His warm tone always felt deceptively soft, like honey hiding a knife.

His silver eyes flicked over me like he was scanning for weaknesses.

I kept walking, not giving them the satisfaction of a response.

Then came the inevitable snort. "Nah. Look at her."

Kael Kaiden—sassy genius, tech wizard, and master of mouthy commentary. He was already leaning against a wall, his grin lazy and eyes far too sharp.

"She knows exactly what she's doing. Probably even calculated how many degrees your jaw dropped."

"Or maybe," Storm's voice cut through the teasing like a blade wrapped in silk, "she thinks she can kiss an Alpha and vanish like it never happened."

I didn't know when. I had been too busy with Spring's memory of them to notice when Storm reached me.

His hand caught my wrist gently—but with authority. Not enough to hurt, just enough to stop me.

"Got a minute?"

His voice was lower now, rough and cold like the first drop of a coming storm.

I turned—slowly—meeting his eyes and the others. There was no warmth in them. Just... interest—dangerous interest.

"You kissed me yesterday," he said bluntly. "Should I expect a second?"

The other heirs leaned in slightly, clearly intrigued.

I tilted my head, smirking up at him, an action he clearly was not expecting. Perhaps they thought my action yesterday was just a flick but they were wrong. 

"That depends."

"On?"

My lips twitched, and I held his gaze. "If you're still worth the trouble."

Jace gave a low whistle, grinning like the devil he was. "Ouch. She bites now."

Tyrion chuckled quietly. "I like her."

Storm didn't flinch, didn't blink. He just stepped closer.

His voice dropped another octave.

"Then bite the right man next time."

Before I could reply, movement caught the corner of my eye.

Beatrice.

She stomped over like her pride had been ground to dust, clutching a sleek black box in both hands like it was a live grenade.

"Here," she snapped, thrusting it at me. "The latest Samsung. Receipt's inside. Now we're even."

I raised an eyebrow but said nothing as I took the box. Beatrice spun on her heel and fled without another word, shoes clicking furiously down the hall.

A long silence followed.

"She actually did it," Jace muttered, half to himself.

Storm's eyes flicked to the box in my hands, then back to my face, a smirk curling at the edge of his mouth.

"You've been busy."

I shrugged, not looking away. "Just handling my business."

Storm took a half-step closer, close enough that I could feel the chill rolling off him—like winter had its hand on my shoulder.

"Just because you've learned to fight back," he murmured, "doesn't mean you get to ride my coattails for free, love."

I arched a brow, letting a slow smile bloom across my lips. "Oh?"

His voice turned colder, but intrigued. "Let's see what surprise you have next."

Kael leaned against a wall and flashed a lazy grin. "Whatever it is, I'm watching."

Jace clicked his tongue. "We all are."

Tyrion's voice was the softest—yet it lingered the longest. "Make it good, Kaine."

"I don't disappoint, boys." 

I turned and walked away without another word, heels clicking steadily as I cradled the new phone in one hand and kept my head high.

I didn't glance back, but I knew everyone was watching, and their brows were probably arched.