Mated to Two Bad Boy Alphas (Lia zane Blake) novel Chapter 230

Chapter 230 – Birthday Surprise

–LIA’S POV–

The hallways buzzed with the usual Monday morning

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chaos—footsteps, lockers slamming, someone yelling about a late assignment—but I barely registered any of it. My head was in the game today. We had a plan.

Christy walked beside me, clutching her books and chewing on her nail like she sometimes did when she was nervous or upset.

Of course she was.

She didn’t know that her birthday hadn’t slipped our minds. Not even close.

Nathan had reminded us all of last week, pacing in front of the vending machine and saying, “She has been trying so hard to not say anything. It’s clear she wants something big. She’s never celebrated her birthday at school before.”

So yeah.

We had to plan something.

I’d remembered her birthday anyway, and I would have wished her already if we didn’t come up with this plan. She was my best friend, but up until now, school wasn’t a particularly happy place for either of us. So we never got to celebrate our birthdays

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Chapter 230 – Birthday Surprise

at school.

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Now with the Hounds and Nathan on our side, I could finally fulfil her dream without worrying about bullies or someone slamming our faces in our own cake.

I glanced behind us.

Zane and the Hounds were pretending not to be in sync—Ajax whistling like usual, Warner leaning against the wall like he owned it, and Aaron and Sheila holding hands and talking to

each other.

Christy didn’t suspect a thing.

“When will this day be over?” I groaned, watching her from the corner of my eye. “I just wanna go home and cuddle with Zane.”

She gave a small shrug, trying hard to keep the disappointment from her face. “Soon. It’s just a few more classes,” she said softly.

My heart broke for her a little, but I had to stick to the plan. My poor girl.

We made it through two more classes before the tension in my chest finally gave way to excitement. Zane caught my eye right before lunch and nodded once. Showtime.

I led Christy into the cafeteria, pretending I needed to grab something for chemistry. Nathan trailed behind us, way too

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Chapter 230 – Birthday Surprise

fidgety to play it cool, but Christy didn’t seem to notice.

As we stepped into the cafeteria, a loud cheer went up.

“SURPRISE!”

Christy flinched, nearly dropping her tray.

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The table was decorated with confetti and a messy homemade sign that read Happy Birthday, Christy! in different

handwriting. A small vanilla cake with bright pink frosting sat in the middle of the table, surrounded by party hats and juice boxes.

Her mouth dropped open. “You remembered?”

Nathan stepped forward, holding out a paper crown. “Of course we did.”

She blinked rapidly. “You guys are ridiculous.”

I snorted. ‘You’re welcome.”

She sat down, blushing and trying not to smile too hard. Warner started lighting the candles with a sparkly pink lighter Aaron had somehow stolen from Sheila.

The Hounds began singing—off–key, loud, obnoxious. Nathan leaned in and sang the loudest, completely off rhythm, while Christy tried to hide her face in her hands.

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Chapter 230 – Birthday Surprise

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Zane and I laughed, glued to each other, as Ajax wolf–whistled and basically danced all around her.

The rest of the people in the cafeteria watched, some smiling, others rolling their eyes and looking away.

“Wow,” Rhonda’s voice sliced through the warmth like a knife. “You really threw a party for her?”

The cafeteria hushed, like it always did whenever someone made a desperate attempt to gain attention.

She stood with two of her friends, all lip gloss and cruelty, their matching sneers pointed straight at Christy.

Christy stiffened.

Nathan turned to them, already frowning.

“She deserves it,” he said simply.

Rhonda tilted her head, her eyes gleaming with something wicked. “Does she? Or did you just get bored waiting around for Zane and the Hounds to notice you?”

My jaw clenched.

“What did you just say?” Nathan asked.

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Chapter 230 – Birthday Surprise

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But Rhonda wasn’t looking at him—she was looking at Christy. “You’re just a stepping stone, sweetie. Lia’s your best friend, and she’s dating Zane, so Nathan had to get into your pants. That way, he can finally be friends with the Hounds. The popular boys. The elite of the school. Everyone knows it.”

My arms lowered to my sides, fists clenching.

Rhonda kept going. “I mean, be honest—you really think he likes you? It’s no secret that you’re a rebound at best. If Nathan’s ex ever came back to town, he’d dump you in a second. He never even liked you. That’s why he never asked you for prom.”

Christy glanced at Nathan, her eyes slightly wide.

Rhonda was voicing out her biggest fears before the entire cafeteria. For everyone to hear.

“That’s not true,” Nathan said, stepping forward. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Rhonda laughed. “Don’t I?”

Christy turned away, blinking furiously, and I saw it. The humiliation. The pain.

Something snapped in my chest.

I walked up to Rhonda, slowly. Calmly. My voice was loud enough for everyone to hear.

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Chapter 230 – Birthday Surprise

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I felt Zane stiffen up behind me. But he didn’t dare to stop me.

“You’re a miserable little girl, Rhonda. That’s why you try to ruin everyone else’s happiness. You’re threatened. You’re insecure. And honestly? I don’t even blame you. If I had your face and your brain, I’d be bitter too.”

Rhonda’s face went red. Shock filled her features. She glanced around, nostrils flaring as a few girls laughed at her.

“You think you’re so powerful,” she said to me. “Just because you’re Zane’s girlfriend.”

I smiled. “Oh no, sweetheart. I was powerful before he even looked my way.”

I’d always been a goddess, after all. Whether I knew it or not.

I glanced at the cake.

And back at her.

“Go ahead,” I said. “Stuff your face in the cake. Maybe it’ll dilute the bitterness in your life.”

The words barely left my mouth before Rhonda’s smirk vanished. Her body twitched once like something had seized her mind. Then she walked stiffly to the table, leaned over the cake, and shoved her face right into the frosting.

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The cafeteria exploded.

Gasps, laughter, and then the sound of phones clicking on.

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