The Witch and Her Four Dangerous Alphas

Chapter 119: Chapter 119: Celeste Naeris

Author’s POV~

The market still buzzed with whispers long after the bowl had fallen from her hand. But Celeste did not hear them. Her ears rang with her own rage. Her eyes locked on Selene, that girl standing tall with fire in her eyes.

Selene.

The one who had ruined everything.

Celeste clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. She was the daughter of Elder Naeris, the most respected and powerful elder in the entire coven.

From the time she could walk, she had been trained to take her place as heir. For twenty years, she had studied, practiced, and bled to perfect every art of magic. She had never stopped. She had never failed.

Until Selene came.

A girl with no family. No name. No known bloodline. A stray who had suddenly been declared pure-blooded.

The words still burned in her head—pure-blooded witch.

It was supposed to be her. It had always been her. She was the one born to the highest elder, the one who carried the weight of generations. But the moment Selene appeared, all eyes shifted.

"She’s different."

"She carries the ancient blood."

"She might change everything."

thousand times, each word

She had mastered spells Celeste still struggled with.

who once praised Celeste as the coven’s shining star, now looked at

tonight, she

in. Shielded her. Turned the

Celeste’s teeth ground together.

chosen that girl—a girl with no parents,

disgust. A child who doesn’t even know where

felt bile rise

The one to inherit the title of Witch Queen. But now, with the competition drawing near, Celeste knew the truth

against her,

because she deserved it. But only because

herself had trained

jealousy so strong it almost felt like pain. She hated the way Selene looked—calm, strong, as though

not with mockery but with respect. She hated the warmth of admiration that seemed to surround her

"You do not belong here. And I will make sure everyone sees

trembled, but her

was her destiny. She would not let it be stolen by a girl who

rang in her ears, but Celeste’s mind burned hotter than any word around her. She remembered the voice of her mother only hours ago,

had said. "Even those who once stood with us now look at her. They believe she will be the next Witch

All her training, all her years of effort, all the pride she carried as Elder Naeris’s daughter—swept

had confronted Selene in the market. That was why she had thrown the bowl, why she wanted to see her stained and humiliated before everyone. She had wanted to remind the coven that Selene was not untouchable. She had wanted