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—"

think that gives you the right to maim someone?" His voice cracked across the courtyard like thunder. "You think you get to lose control, to act like some

that what hurts your pride? That a little

looked at me with pure disgust, his voice curling like

am I even surprised? After all... it’s in your

I froze.

stand a single word that challenged your pride. You lose your reason the moment someone dares to speak." His eyes burned into me, cruel and merciless. "That’s why you tried to kill her. Not because she insulted your mother. No. Because deep down, you’re exactly like him—cruel. Bloodthirsty. Unhinged. A tyrant in

hitched, but

a few days before showing your true colors, did you?" He stepped closer, looming, his words cutting deeper than any blade. "You’re not strong. You’re unstable. A little slave girl, too broken

like a slap to the face. He spat it with

are. A cursed reflection of

I couldn’t take it.

in my chest, but before I could

me back like I was nothing but a wild

you all want, isn’t it? Just say the word and end it already, Luca! Because

jaw clenched. His

hear me?" I screamed at him. "I’m done! I’d rather rot in the ground than spend one more day crawling

I saw

in his eyes. That disgust. That cold, sharp look that

He hated me.

for one brief, broken

welcomed the

reminded me I was

arms so hard

so low it burned. "I told you what would

thrashed in his hold. "I’ll cross every damn line

worth hearing," he said, and those

could fight again, he moved

over his shoulder

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

But he didn’t.

him. Not even when my nails dug into

for your sins," he muttered under his breath, his eyes going wild with fury and hatred. "You

every step a thunderclap. Servants scattered. Guards stared. No

dared save

screamed into