Fated and Claimed by Four Alphas

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~Author's POV~

The steps of the palace echoed sharply under Serissa's boots as she swept into the entrance hall.

The air inside the estate was crisp and heavily perfumed, a blend of apple and old roses, but nothing could mask the tension that accompanied her presence.

The moment the guards stationed by the door caught sight of her, they straightened instantly.

One of them darted away without needing orders, likely to inform the house staff that the Princess had returned.

And just like that, the palace came alive.

Servants rushed down the long corridors, skirts rustling and shoes whispering against the stone. Doors opened, lights flickered on.

The air buzzed with motion as staff who had once dared to breathe easily now moved with the urgency only Serissa's name could command.

She walked slowly, her leather gloves in one hand, her sharp eyes taking in the flurry with disdain.

She didn't need to shout for obedience. Her presence alone carved silence into every corner.

Upstairs, her lady-in-waiting, Stella, stood nervously by the door to Serissa's private suite. She was a woman in her early twenties, mature enough to hold her tongue but not old enough to hide the tightness in her smile.

"You're here early, my lady," Stella said quickly as Serissa approached.

"I came straight after the assessments," Serissa replied, brushing past her. "Where is she?"

Stella's hands were folded in front of her gown. "Lady Jade… she's been delayed. She asked me to extend her apologies and assure you…"

"She always asks you to extend apologies," Serissa cut her off coldly, pausing in the doorway of her suite. "And she always disappears when I need her."

"She's meeting with a royal delegate, I believe. Or a healer—"

"I didn't ask for her schedule," Serissa snapped.

Stella winced.

Without another word, Serissa turned on her heel and stalked down the hallway, her fury barely restrained.

Her long hair swayed behind her as her heels clicked rhythmically across the palace floor.

Two guards stepped aside immediately when she approached her mother's chamber doors. Everyone knew better than to disturb her or prevent her from reaching her desired destination.

After all, she was the king's jewel and her mother's pearl.

Serissa didn't bother knocking.

She pushed open the heavy doors with a sharp thrust and stepped inside, only to find it empty.

No soft rustle of skirts, no perfume trailing in the air. Only silence and the echo of her own anger.

Her hands curled at her sides. "Of course," she muttered, her tone sharp as broken glass. "Where else would she be when I actually have something that matters to say?"

"My lady," Stella's voice was softer now, more pleading, as she tried to step inside after her. "Please… let me speak with the Lady first. She did not mean to offend—"

"I'm not here to be coddled!" Serissa turned sharply, voice rising. "This is about a curse. Not some broken necklace or petty court gossip. She told me she would arrange a meeting. Mother knew how this has been affecting me and…"

The doors creaked again, and Serissa's words died on her tongue.

Standing in the doorway was her mother, Lady Jade, the King's mistress and concubine herself—tall, poised, and dressed in a gown of deep emerald that gleamed with silver threading.

Her long, black hair was pinned high, and her pale face was unreadable, but her gaze was as glacial as ice.

The room went still.

Serissa straightened slowly, her jaw tight.

Concubine Jade didn't blink as she stepped inside and let the doors close behind her.

"You are yelling in my chambers, Serissa," her mother said coldly. "Do you believe that improves your cause?"

"I believe it's the only way to get your attention," Serissa replied tightly. "You said you'd help. You said you'd schedule the witch. I've been waiting—"

"The witch is scheduled for tomorrow evening. Which you'd know of and not act like a runt had you not fallen prey to your own antics," Concubine Jade chided in a clipped tone. "If you'd stopped acting like a petulant child, you might've learnt that calmly."

Serissa's hands trembled at her sides—not from fear, but from the sheer restraint it took to hold her tongue.

Concubine Jade walked past her like she wasn't there and sat by the tall window seat, unhurried, composed as always.

"You're excused for now. Rest from your journey. And try not to insult anyone before lunch. Who knows what you'd do when you do not hold your tongue against your father and he learns of this."

Serissa stood frozen, every inch of her aching with something between humiliation and fury.

"You know how disappointed your father would be. And should anyone other than those outside of this room learns of this in this palace…"

Her eyes darkened as the pressure in the room went down, sending chills down Serissa and Stella's spines.

Stella shifted awkwardly, waiting for a cue, but none came.

Finally, Serissa turned and walked out.

But her eyes… burned like tomorrow couldn't come soon enough.

Serissa stormed down the corridor, her skirts brushing angrily against her legs. Her footsteps were too loud and echoed down the pristine marble hallway.

Her hands were clenched so tightly that the tips of her gloves creaked. The weight of her mother's scorn still angered her.

It was always the same with her mother, calm, cold, perfect in public and cruelly distant in private.

Only when she wanted to weave her dark mindset into her daughter did she become way more affectionate.

Serissa had learned long ago that emotion meant weakness, but even so, something about today cut sharper than usual.

She took the first bend in the hallway without looking and nearly collided with a tall figure descending the grand staircase.

Alpha Vox.

Clad in formal black, his silver-embroidered coat brushed against the edges of his polished boots.

The man was as imposing as ever—her father's loyal adviser, calculated, silent, and far too clever.

His gaze met hers briefly, a flicker of recognition crossing his sharp eyes. "Princ…"

However, Serissa didn't pause, curtsy or even greet.

She walked right past him or tried to until…

"Serissa."

A single word reverberated through the air. She froze mid-step, spine going stiff.

Stella, two paces behind her, let out a barely audible gasp. Her lips parted, but only one word escaped. "The King."