Chapter 88
I turned around, meeting his annoyed gaze. “Why are you here, Ryan?”
He ignored my question, staring me down with an odd mix of jealousy and annoyance.
“If you need help with your studies, why not ask me? My grades are a lot better than his.”
Ryan’s possessiveness was glaringly obvious, as if he didn’t want anyone else near me. But he
seemed to forget that this wasn’t his home, nor his decision.
Before I could respond, Lirian stepped forward, his voice calm yet firm. “Actually, I’m Sophia’s fiancé. So there’s no need for an outsider’s help,” he said pointedly, emphasizing the word “outsider.”
The word hung heavy In the air, and I felt a flicker of shock. Fiancé? I stared at Lirian, surprised. He had never mentioned anything like this before.
Lirian looked at me, a faint smile playing on his lips. I had thought he was only stepping in to support me, but when he called me his fiancée, I found myself nodding, almost out of instinct..
My fingers slipped into his hand, and I felt an unsteady warmth as I tightened my grip.
Ryan’s face fell as he watched us, disbelief flashing in his eyes. Hearing the word *fiancée from Lirian’s mouth seemed to solidify something for him–something he had lost without even realizing
- it.
The weight of his defeat hung in the air between us, thick and undeniable. I could see the hurt in his eyes as he processed Lirian’s words, and yet, there was something more–resentment, burning quietly beneath the surface.
Hearing Lirian say the words fiancée with a straight face, Ryan knew he had lost.
He knew very well that he had never gained the approval of Ethan or Moonshadow, but had merely appeared at just the right time when I was at my most vulnerable.
But he’d always been jealous of Lirian, and he’d cursed with me many times about how Lirian was just a pariah who’d grown up in the slums.
And now that I, whom he had already been high on, had become Lirian’s fiancée, it must have been very painful for Ryan.
Lirian’s hand tensed around mine, but he held his ground, stepping forward slightly to shield me
The Alpha’s Substitute
Claimed. A Soul Bela
Chapter 88
from Ryan’s glare. His voice was calm, but the steel behind it was unmistakable.
You might remember me,” he said, voice unwavering, “we’ve crossed paths before. I’m Lirian of the Iron Claw Pack, the same Lirian who defeated you on the court last month.”
Ryan’s expression hardened, clearly recalling their earlier run–ins on the field. He straightened his back, forcing a smug expression. “Ryan,” he replied, dismissively. “And yes, I heard you were… engaged.
Just so you know, Sophia’s always liked me. But don’t worry,” he added, his smirk sharpening. “I have my own interests. I’m just here to help her with her studies. After all, I wouldn’t want to leave her academic future in… inexperienced hands.”
I couldn’t hold back a small laugh. It sounded absurd the way Ryan talked, as if he were granting me permission to be with Lirian, like I was a pawn in his little game.
Ryan’s gaze snapped toward me, his expression demanding an answer. “And what’s so funny?”
I shrugged, trying to mask the amusement in my eyes. “Oh, nothing,” I replied casually, “just that you’re probably unaware that you and Lirian have exactly the same class ranking. And next time, I’ll surpass you both.”
Ryan’s confident smile flickered, just for a moment, his brows furrowing as I finished speaking and qurned to head up the
airs.
The tension between the two of them was palpable, each word laced with a silent challenge.
Ryan’s voice, still thick with irritation, called out to Lirian. “Just remember, if she doesn’t make it into a decent university, it’ll be on you.”
Lirian’s calm, unwavering gaze met his. “She’s my fiancée. Supporting her through this is my responsibility, one I’m happy to accept.”
It felt like an unspoken battle, each of them sizing the other up, neither willing to back down.
Once inside the study, I took a breath and set my bag down, finally alone with Lirian. He hadn’t said anything yet, but I could feel his eyes on me, watchful and steady.
Gathering my nerves, I decided to confront what he’d said before, breaking the silence.
“So… what was that? You called me your fiancée
Lirian lookewd down, a faint smile on his lips, but his gaze held a kind of seriousness that caught me off guard. “Sophia, there’s something you don’t know,” he began, his voice soft. “Our parents… they
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were comrades, long before you and I ever met.
They fought side by side, and, as the story goes, made a promise–that if one had a son and the other a daughter, they’d be betrothed.”
I blinked, stunned by the revelation. “So… we’re actually engaged by arrangement?”
He nodded. “Yes. When I arrived here, your family was gone, the promise faded into memory. But Alaric mentioned it the last time I visited Iron Claw…, so here we are.”
His eyes softened, watching me as though waiting for my reaction, seemed to fear that I would reveal my resistance and aversion to the marriage.
Sumpter 89
