The Witch and Her Four Dangerous Alphas

Chapter 186: Chapter 186: Someone I had already lost.

Vaelen’s POV~

The night wind was sharp when I stepped out of Serena’s room. It hit my face, but it did nothing to cool the fire burning inside me. My chest still felt tight, my hands still clenched.

I couldn’t calm down.

Someone had dared to attack her in my presence. The thought alone made my blood boil. My wolf was pacing under my skin, restless and angry. I could still see her scared eyes, still hear her trembling voice asking what she did wrong.

I pressed my hand against the wall for a moment, trying to breathe, but it didn’t help. My body was shaking.

How the hell was I even supposed to face my uncle now? He would kill me the moment he saw her like that. I could already imagine his face, that cold, calm fury he always carried when something went wrong.

And for once, he’d be right to be angry.

If that old bastard Drevan had done anything worse, if Serena had been harmed even an inch more... I didn’t even know what I would have done.

I felt sick. Literally sick. My stomach turned as if I could throw up. Rage had nowhere to go.

That bastard... that old dog actually dared to touch her.

My wolf snarled, his voice echoing inside my head: "Kill him."

I wanted to. I really did. But I couldn’t, not now. Not yet. The council would twist everything. They’d say I broke peace. They’d paint me as the threat again. My father would kneel before them and beg forgiveness. He always did.

The image of my father’s useless, tired eyes made my jaw tighten. He’d never fight them. Never once did he stand for our kind. Every time the council demanded something, he just bowed his head lower.

They took and took and still pretended to be saints.

I knew what they were hiding. All of it. I had the list, the records, and the deals they made under the table. And one day, when the time was right, I’d burn them all with it.

But not today.

Tonight, I just needed to breathe.

I stepped out into the courtyard, the wind colder here. I was about to turn back when a strange scent hit my senses.

No... not strange. It was actually familiar...too familiar for his liking.

body froze for half a

That scent.

It was him.

anger in my chest rose like wildfire. I started walking fast, each step heavier

under the moonlight, calm as stone, with those same steel grey eyes.

of him being here made my teeth grit. His face was cold and unreadable, like always. Too calm. Too smug. And that calmness, that aloofness, only made my

even kneel. Didn’t even offer the proper bow. Just a small nod, like I was nothing

laughed. A

nothing. He didn’t respect me, not

doing here?" I asked with a sharp

that made me want to hit him. "Why can’t I be here, Prince?"

way he said "your father" made my skin crawl.

what

head slightly. "Just what you said, Prince. Is it not like you don’t allow your guests to roam around freely?"

leisure to roam around. Tell me... how do you all brothers still live so peacefully?

him with the same biting tone of his, wanting to gauge whether he

Kael didn’t even flinch.

step forward, my voice

Kael said suddenly, his tone cutting through mine. "Whether we live or die...that’s for us to

My chest burned.

were in your place, I wouldn’t be walking around so confidently. Your mate

grey in them darkened,

fully, the smirk gone now. "Can I ask the Prince," he said slowly, his tone too calm, "how

second. The air

going. "Because I didn’t tell

I knew everything. But everyone also knows about it... It was that damn rumor that is spreading that his mate was gone, that the four brothers were out of control. It had spread like wildfire in

from

face still and said, "Everyone’s been talking. The four of you are creating havoc everywhere because your mate’s dead; it’s all over

a slow breath and then laughed. "Everyone knows nothing," he said. "Our mate’s been missing for a year. No one saw her

think I’d suddenly get the news that she’s dead?

his stare. My own wolf surfaced, golden light flashing through my eyes. The air around us crackled,

one step closer, I’d rip his throat

eyes, he was ready to do the

one heartbeat

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