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 ground,

shocked silence when the head

for this," she spat, her chest rising and falling with rage. "You think this little outburst will save you? You think you’re still Alpha-blooded?"

but a branded dog. A slave beneath us. Stop acting

spat, her voice hoarse but full of venom. "A filthy little bitch in heat, trying to play the victim while spreading her legs

I stilled.

like knives—sharp and

saw the shift in me, and that made

what she was. A pretty face your father kept warm in his bed. Probably didn’t even know which man planted a bastard

few gasps echoed in the

whispered, "She’s gone

the head maid didn’t care. She smiled through her broken

begged to be claimed like a dog in heat. And now look at you—just like her. Wearing rags, licking boots, hoping someone important will stick his

Something inside me shattered.

anymore.

She had insulted me.

She had degraded me.

dared—she dared—to speak of

No.

talks about

I lunged toward her,

her name!" I screamed, spit flying, my voice shaking with wrath. "You don’t get to speak about her with that

slapped me, trying to fight

even feel

slammed her back against the pillar so hard the

"You think wearing this title gives you the right to shame the only person

clawed at my arm, but I

I dared her. "I swear—say another fucking word

She did.

course she

so wide, even the

I lost it.

with her face—again.

lip split wider. Until her eyes started to swell. Until

care who

was dragged

wasn’t about

the only thing that

My mother was gone.