The Witch and Her Four Dangerous Alphas

Chapter 10: Chapter 10 : When Kindness Turns to Hate

Lucian’s POV

There was no warmth in her eyes. No guilt. Not even a flicker of shame. Just silence.

It wasn’t the silence of someone who had nothing to say. It was the silence of someone who didn’t need to say anything. Like she was watching a chicken being slaughtered and felt nothing.

Like she was watching me bleed.

I stared at her, and it was like a bad memory had clawed its way back into my life. One I thought I’d burned, buried, and left behind in the ruins of what used to be my pack.

But she stood here, alive and untouched. And all I could see was everything we’d lost.

There wasn’t just disgust in me anymore. That would’ve been easier. Cleaner.

No. What I felt now was worse. Colder. It had festered in my bones over the years, buried under every scar, every nightmare, every betrayal. I didn’t even recognize it at first. But now, standing here with her in front of me, it was impossible to ignore.

Hatred.

Not the blind rage kind—but the slow, calculated kind that came from knowing exactly who the enemy was.

I remembered the first time I saw her—four years ago. She was this quiet thing with eyes too wide for her face, voice too soft, posture too hesitant. I thought she was a bird too scared to fly, waiting for someone to show her how.

Back then, I thought I could be that person. Foolish, wasn’t it?

I gave her kindness. Encouragement. Protection.

And she used it all.

Looking back now, I felt like laughing at myself. Not the amused kind. The hollow, bitter kind that curdles in your gut.

She wasn’t a bird.

She was a snake. Coiled and patient. Watching.

She fooled us all.

Selene lowered her gaze when our eyes met, just like she always used to. Hands trembling at her sides, looking like she might break under a breeze. Still playing the role. Still pretending.

Pathetic.

sorry," she whispered. "I’ll finish quickly.

it was. That soft voice.

a cold laugh. "You’re still good at

Not from fear.

stepped closer. I wanted her

to that perfect lady everyone adored?" I asked, tone sharp and mocking. "The sweet Selene Moonveil. Kind. Gentle. So well-loved. The kind of woman people

She

Good.

I said, tilting my head, letting my sneer show. "Everyone believed you were harmless. Graceful.

no words came out. Of course not. What

voice lowered. "Even while hiding from your father’s shadow, I heard everything. The capital never stopped talking about you. Selene Moonveil,

even closer,

was just shy. Sweet. So

shook my

You were pretending. You were

stepped back, looking like

she said, her

Every word from her

praise from the royals, admiration from the council, and love from the people. Even after your father’s crimes, they forgave

a breath, fighting the

it. That was your power. You made people want to protect you just by existing. That fragile little smile, that lowered gaze—it

mouth again.

"I didn’t mean to—"

"Stop acting like you didn’t know. Like you weren’t raised by the most manipulative bastard the North

curling in on themselves

But it didn’t matter.

the reason we walked into your pack. Hoping to see you.

I laughed—short and bitter.

people scattered. My brother

breath and glared

walked away clean.

never wanted that to