The Witch and Her Four Dangerous Alphas

Chapter 12: Chapter 12: No One Touches Her Name

I didn’t care.

Let them scream. Let them stare.

I stood there, fists clenched, chest rising and falling with every breath as the silence cracked like ice around me.

The head maid shrieked, her voice trembling with rage. "Hold her down! Hold her—"

But no one moved. No one dared.

Because like I’d said—bullies only prey on the weak. They puff up their chests when you bow your head. But the moment you stand, really stand, they falter. Cowards in uniforms. Cowards in aprons. Not one of them had the courage to face someone who was powerful than them.

I stepped forward slowly, my shadow falling over the head maid as she scrambled back in the dirt like a rat.

"You wanted to break me?" I said, voice low and steady, though it trembled at the edges. "Then you should’ve done it right the first time."

Her eyes darted left and right, looking for support.

"You think this will save you?" she spat. "They’ll kill you for this!"

"Then let them," I whispered, a bitter smile curling on my lips. "At least I’ll die fighting. Not crawling."

Tears burned behind my eyes, but they didn’t fall.

I turned in the dead silence of the room, surrounded by stares.

Let them sentence me.

Let them strip what little I had left.

Until the young omega maid, the one who sent me to Lucian’s room, shrieked like a banshee and charged at me.

"You monster!"

I ducked her wild swing and shoved her away. She came again.

This time, I didn’t dodge.

I struck.

My palm connected with her cheek—loud—and her body spun from the force, crashing into the edge of the courtyard table.

slumped to the

courtyard was still echoing with shocked silence when the head

and falling with rage. "You think this little outburst will save you? You think you’re still Alpha-blooded?" She laughed—a high, ugly sound that scratched at

A slave beneath us.

venom. "A filthy little bitch in heat, trying to play the victim

I stilled.

words struck like knives—sharp and

shift in me, and that made her bolder and

knew what she was. A pretty face your father kept warm in his bed. Probably didn’t even know which man planted a bastard inside her. You’re no Alpha—just a glorified mutt born from a woman who probably opened her legs

gasps echoed

whispered, "She’s

care. She smiled through her

anyone who looked her way. Bet she begged to be claimed like a dog in heat. And now look at you—just like her. Wearing

Something inside me shattered.

anymore. It was something

She had insulted me.

She had degraded me.

speak of my mother like

No.

one talks about

the ground as I lunged toward her, grabbing the front of her dress and dragging her up with one hand like she

my voice shaking with wrath. "You don’t get to speak about her with

me, trying

didn’t even feel

back against the pillar so hard the stone

you’re powerful?" I hissed, eyes wild. "You think wearing this title gives you the right to shame the only person who ever loved

my arm,

word," I dared her. "I

She did.

course she

so wide, even the wolves in heat got

I lost it.

fist connected with her

the ground, mounted her, and punched until her lip split wider. Until her eyes started to swell. Until blood gushed from her nose and

didn’t care who was

care if I was dragged off or

wasn’t about

was about the only

My mother was gone.