The Witch and Her Four Dangerous Alphas

Chapter 13: Chapter 13 : Caged Like an Animal

I didn’t hear the gasps. Didn’t feel the blood on my knuckles. Didn’t notice the shocked faces gathering in a half-circle around me.

All I could hear was her voice—the head maid’s filthy words echoing in my head like poison. Her insults still clinging to my skin like grease.

My breathing was sharp. My fists were aching. My body burning with fire. I was about to go at her again.

I didn’t care if she was already half-conscious, bleeding on the courtyard stones. I didn’t care if they chained me or beat me or dragged me to the dungeons this time.

She had spoken about my mother. She had spat on her name. And for that, I was going to make sure she never opened that vile mouth again.

I moved.

My foot lifted, ready to kick her across the face—

And then, I was flying.

Not forward. But backward.

A violent kick slammed into my ribs and knocked the air clean from my lungs.

I hit the ground hard, rolling once before I caught myself on my elbows, dazed, breathless.

What—

I blinked the blur from my eyes just in time to see him.

Luca.

Storming forward like a shadow cast from flame. His eyes were burning with anger, and his face—twisted with rage.

Not at her.

At me.

"What the hell do you think you’re doing?" he snarled, towering over me like I was filth. "Beating my people bloody in front of the whole damn estate?"

I pushed myself to my feet, wincing at the pain in my ribs, but I stood anyway. I would not kneel for him. Not again.

"She deserved it," I spat. "She talked about my mother like she was a common whore—"

the right to maim someone?" His voice cracked across the courtyard like thunder. "You think you

laughed—low and bitter. "Oh, I’m sorry. Is that what hurts your pride? That a

at me with pure disgust, his voice

even surprised? After all... it’s in your nature, isn’t it? Just

I froze.

reason the moment someone dares to speak." His eyes burned into me,

breath hitched, but he

stepped closer, looming, his words cutting deeper than any blade. "You’re not strong. You’re unstable. A little slave girl, too

face. He spat it with venom, like I was

cursed reflection of

I couldn’t take it.

in my chest, but before I could

arms clamped around mine, holding me back like I was nothing but a wild thing to

say the word and end it already, Luca! Because I

clenched. His

him. "I’m done! I’d rather rot

I saw

his eyes. That disgust. That cold, sharp look that said more than

He hated me.

for one brief, broken second... it

welcomed the

me I

stepped forward, grabbing my arms so hard I

low it burned. "I told you

care!" I thrashed in his hold. "I’ll cross every damn line until you hear

he said, and those

could fight

over his shoulder like

pounding my fists against his back, twisting, kicking, anything. "You bastard! PUT ME

But he didn’t.

at him. Not even when my nails dug into

can’t die so easily, not before atoning for your sins," he muttered under his breath, his eyes going wild with fury and hatred. "You want chaos? You want fire? Fine. Then

the halls, every step a thunderclap. Servants scattered. Guards stared. No one dared

one dared save

into his