Fated and Claimed by Four Alphas

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~Spring's POV~

My brain short-circuited for a full five seconds. Rhys had a girlfriend? Since when? How?

I know he and I weren't close anymore, but since they started getting close to me, I never once heard him mention that, either on a call or just, you know…

I exhaled and opened my mouth to ask something—anything—but didn't get the chance.

"Spring?" Rhys's voice came from behind me, casual, like this wasn't rapidly spiralling into chaos.

And then he walked towards me barefoot, shirtless, a damp towel still around his shoulders, and those cursed grey sweatpants riding a little too low on his hips, probably from coming from his indoor gym.

He stopped mid-step when he saw us. I saw his eyes flick from me to River, and he froze.

"Oh."

Then—like he wasn't making things worse—he came over and casually wrapped an arm around my waist. His fingers brushed the fabric of the shirt, and before I could even process it, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to my temple.

"Morning," he murmured.

My spine locked.

River didn't react, not outwardly, but her smile tightened. Her eyes sharpened.

Rhys straightened quickly, finally seeming to realise the optics of the situation.

"You said noon," he told her.

"I finished early." River tilted her head. "I thought I'd surprise you."

"Right… You did." His hand was still resting near my hip, and I instinctively stepped aside.

The air between us shifted instantly. She didn't look at him anymore—she looked at me. Like I was the mess she hadn't expected to clean up.

"This must be your… sister," River said, though her tone was loaded with suggestion. "Rose was it? I thought she had blond hair and…"

I smiled politely. "Spring, not Rose. And before you ask, yes, I'm staying here for a while."

She looked me over again, this time more slowly. Her eyes lingered on my bare legs and Rhys's shirt. I could practically see the questions she wasn't asking.

"Short story," Rhys said quickly. "This is my other sister, my first sister, Spring Kaine. She's the one we grew up with and not Rose."

"But I haven't heard of her," River stated, eyeing me. "You never mentioned her."

"That's because of some family stuff. Dad wanted Rose to take the ad brands for the cosmetic company, and since you've barely been in this city for eight months, you had no idea."

"I see. So she's like your blood sister…? And if so, who is older, she or Rose? Because she looks just like Rose's age."

"They are the same age."

"Like twins? Non-identical?"

I sighed. Just watching her try to dissect me and understand my origin was giving me dizzy spells.

"No. We're not even close."

Rhys quickly tried to intervene. "We're… connected. Family. Just not in the conventional sense."

"I love unconventional," River replied sweetly, but I wasn't buying it.

"Is she the fake heiress people gossiped about?"

Immediately, Rhys' protective attitude sprang out. "She's no fake."

I exhaled and gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "Yes, I am an adopted daughter."

"And you are still my sister," Rhys finished.

"You look very… comfortable here," River voiced, trying to shift the topic to something more, the subtext practically screaming.

"Comfortable enough to wear his clothes, apparently," I muttered, instantly regretting it.

Rhys groaned and rubbed his forehead, muttering. "This is not how I planned this morning."

River's smile twitched again, but not in amusement. It was the kind of smile that belonged in a courtroom—polite, practised, and absolutely lethal.

Before anyone could say something awkward—or more awkward—Rhys cleared his throat and gestured casually. "Let's move this inside. It's cold out."

He gently touched the small of River's back, guiding her past me and into the living room. His other hand reached out to tug the towel off his shoulder and toss it over the stair railing as they walked.

I followed slowly, still holding my now-cold coffee, trying to look unbothered, even though every step I took was punctuated by River's faint perfume and an even fainter tension crawling up the back of my neck.

"You still take it black?" Rhys asked, already heading toward the kitchen.

River sank gracefully onto the edge of the sofa like she was claiming it. "No, I take it with oat milk now. Healthier."

"Right."

I remained standing, unsure whether I should sit or vanish. I started toward the hallway to give them space, but…

"Spring," Rhys called over his shoulder. "You good?"

I paused. "Yeah. I'll just… shower."

River looked over her shoulder, her smile softening, barely. "You should. Morning sweat clings to the skin all day."

I blinked. Was she serious?

Rhys set down the coffee canister with a little more force than necessary. "River."

She tilted her head, batting her lashes. "What? I was just giving a hygiene tip."

I bit back a reply, turned on my heel, and walked off. Not because she'd won—no. I just knew that if I stayed, I'd say something that would stain the floorboards.

I headed upstairs but slowed on the landing when I heard voices drift faintly from the living room.

"I see why you didn't mention her," River said, her voice low. "She's… beautiful."

"She's my sister, River." Rhys's tone was calm, much too quiet for the dangerous flame he had sparked. "And technically, I didn't think I needed to give you a family tree to date me."

There was a pause, and then she added, "You kissed her on the head. You held her waist. That's not how most brothers behave."

"Maybe not," Rhys partially agreed. "But Spring's different. She's been through hell. And she's not just my sister, she's my priority."

River laughed. "So, what was it, then? You paraded her in front of me to test my reaction?"

Silence followed as I held my breath, waiting for his response.

And then, Rhys stated, "Maybe. Maybe I did."

I leaned against the wall, stunned. He… what?

"I've seen you brush off other women. You don't flinch when clients flirt or when people compliment me in front of you. I needed to know if you gave a damn."

River didn't answer for a long time.

And then she said in a relatively cool and clipped tone, "You got your answer. Besides, they aren't half as beautiful as she is."