Chapter 31

Chapter 31
Sera pov 🍂

The morning sun was already warm as we sat outside the exam hall, textbooks and notes scattered around, the Sovereign Circle gathered together like they always did before a big test.

I tried to focus on my notes, but my stomach kept twisting in a way that had nothing to do with nerves.

I scrunched my face subtly, hoping no one would notice. Just a little discomfort… nothing serious.

But Alexander noticed.

He didn’t say anything immediately, didn’t make a big scene, but I could feel his sharp eyes on me. The subtle way my hands pressed against my stomach, the slight wince when I shifted he saw it all.

Without a word, he stood, straightening his shoulders.

“Where are you going?” River asked, barely able to hide his amusement.

Alexander didn’t answer, just walked off with that calm, purposeful stride that always seemed to make everything around him stop moving.

Luca whistled softly. “Uh… he’s going shopping? During pre exam?”

River laughed quietly. “Yeah, right. This is going to be good.”

I frowned, a mix of embarrassment and concern twisting my stomach. “He didn’t even say anything to me…”

Theo snorted. “Trust me. If Alexander is walking off like that, it’s serious. And whatever it is, he knows exactly what he’s doing.”

Twenty minutes later, Alexander returned. He was carrying a small paper bag, his expression was as unreadable as ever. He walked straight to where I was sitting, every other member of the Sovereign Circle watching in stunned silence.

He crouched slightly so he was eye-level with me and placed the bag on the bench quietly.

“Here,” he said simply. “Take these.”

I blinked at the bag. Inside were a few packets of painkillers and some individually wrapped snacks fruit bars, small chocolate squares, things that could soothe and give energy.

“I… I can’t...” I started, cheeks heating.

He cut me off with a soft, neutral tone. “You will. Take them now.”

I hesitated, utterly speechless. My hands shook as I accepted the bag.

Luca’s jaw dropped. “Wait… did he just…?”

River’s eyes were wide. “He bought snacks and painkillers for you…? Like, what? Since when does Alexander do… anything for anyone?”

Theo muttered, crunching another snack thoughtfully. “I think my brain just broke.”

I didn’t say anything. I just took the chocolate first, unwrapping it slowly. Alexander didn’t smirk. Just stayed there, silent, almost like this was completely normal for him.

Which made it all the more shocking.

“You… didn’t have to,” I whispered, barely audible.

He raised his eyebrows slightly but said nothing. Just nodded once and stood.

The quiet authority of him, the way he didn’t wait for thanks or fuss, made my chest twist in a strange, unfamiliar way.

River muttered behind me, “I swear… the world just stopped for a moment. Alexander Voss. Who even are you?”

Luca, unable to resist, leaned closer and whispered teasingly, “Uh-oh… Seth got her personal bodyguard now. Careful, Seth… or maybe I should say… personal Alexander.”

I wanted to glare at him, but my stomach betrayed me with another sharp cramp. I leaned slightly forward, hiding my face in my arms, and silently cursed my luck.

Alexander noticed immediately, even from across the bench. Without a word, he moved closer, crouching down, his gaze calm but piercing.

“You okay?” he asked quietly.

I shook my head, cheeks heating. “…Yeah. Fine. I just… it’s nothing.”

“Take the painkiller,” he said, sliding it toward me. “And the snack. Eat something. You’ll feel better.”

I took a deep breath and did as he said. The warmth of the chocolate in my mouth and the simple act of him handing me the bag without fanfare, without judgment made my chest ache in a way I hadn’t expected.

Luca, River, and even Theo watched the entire interaction in stunned silence.

Finally, River whispered, almost to himself, “I… I don’t even know what to say. Alexander… did that. For him.”

Luca’s smirk had faded into something closer to disbelief. “This is… unprecedented. He doesn’t do this. He doesn’t care about anyone. And now he’s… doing this? For Seth?”

I swallowed hard, embarrassed, grateful, and utterly overwhelmed all at once.

Alexander didn’t answer, didn’t smirk, didn’t give any of the usual signs of emotion. He just remained beside me, silent, protective, calm.

And that… made everything worse.

Because now I realized just how much the Sovereign Circle and even I underestimated him.

And worse…

Kael, who had been watching from a distance, had noticed everything. His jaw flexed slightly, his hands clenching.

I looked at Alexander, silently thanking him, and for the first time… I felt like I had an ally who truly understood.

But I also knew… nothing was going to stay simple for long.

River leaned forward, whispering nervously to Luca, “Do you… think Kael noticed?”

Before Luca could answer, Kael’s voice cut through the courtyard, low, sharp, and utterly terrifying:

“You’re sitting too close to him.”

I froze as my chest tightened. Alexander’s eyes flicked toward Kael, calm, unreadable… but there was a faint shift in his posture, almost as if he was ready to defend.

I swallowed hard, caught between two fires Kael’s possessive glare and Alexander’s silent, unwavering protection.

And I realized… the next move wasn’t mine to make.