The Witch and Her Four Dangerous Alphas

Chapter 198: Chapter 198: Selene Is Alive?

Serena’s POV~

The room stayed silent after Aeron’s words.

You could almost hear the tension humming in the air. The queen’s polite smile had vanished, the king’s expression had gone stiff, and everyone else seemed too afraid to even move their forks.

It was awkward. Painfully awkward.

I stared down at my plate, pretending to be focused on my food, but my heartbeat was too loud in my ears. I could feel every gaze flicking between Aeron and the king. Even Kael had stopped smirking for once.

Finally, the king cleared his throat.

"Ahem..." His voice came out calm. "Let’s not allow old matters to spoil the evening, shall we?"

He forced a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. "We are all gathered here to celebrate peace and unity between the packs and the crown."

Peace and unity...right?

The only thing peaceful in this room was the silence that came after every insult.

But the king kept speaking, his tone gentle, almost fatherly. "Alpha Aeron, Alpha Luca, Alpha Lucian, Alpha Kael... I understand your journey has not been easy. You rose from nothing. You built what many thought impossible. I deeply admire your... determination."

The pause before "determination" said everything.

It was the kind of fake compliment that sounded like praise but felt like a warning.

I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. His hands were clasped together tightly under the table, knuckles pale. He was angry...furious, even, but he couldn’t show it.

Because he knew exactly what everyone else did.

He couldn’t afford to lose his temper with them.

The Alphas weren’t just powerful...they were dangerous. Their pack had grown faster and stronger than anyone expected. Even the werewolf council were starting to whisper about them.

If the king pushed too hard, he wouldn’t just be insulting some Alphas. He’d be provoking a possible war.

And that was something he couldn’t risk.

So instead, he swallowed his pride and put on that calm royal smile again. "You must understand," he said softly, "it is the duty of the crown to watch over the balance of power in the realm. I only wish for your safety and for the safety of your people. You’ve all suffered enough loss already."

He sighed, as if truly burdened by their pain. "I was deeply remorseful to hear about your mate," he added slowly. "Such tragedy is not something any ruler should ever ignore. Please, accept my sincerest condolences."

The words hung heavy in the air.

Even I froze for a second.

Mate.

That single word brought a stillness over the table.

Everyone seemed to wait for Aeron to respond. But before he could open his mouth, Lucian spoke instead.

His voice was calm but carried a sharp edge, like a blade sliding free from its sheath.

have not lost our

head turned

surprised that the silent

steady eyes. "She is perfectly fine," he said,

a pin and heard it hit

The shock was instant.

her plate. Prince Vaelen blinked, looking between Lucian and

king himself

he said carefully.

didn’t

"There’s nothing to discuss," he said flatly. Then he looked down

said another word after

silence stretched so long it started to feel like a

My chest tightened.

else was confused,

She’s alive.

Selene.

I...and the four brothers

believed she was dead, that she’d been lost to the fire, gone forever. But she

She was alive.

the shocked faces around the table, I almost forgot

my way again. Neither did Aeron, nor Luca, nor Kael. But I knew they all felt it...the same spark of silent

Lucian’s words

wasn’t just

faces changed in the same instant.

almost hear their

he just

looked completely lost. His brows drew together as

face twisted into something cold and ugly. "I’m sorry," she said slowly, voice dripping with disbelief.

even look

another sip of his drink, like her question

made it

of the late Alpha Eirik. The one who perished not

in the air, heavy and

knew what she

Everyone remembered the story.

witch who had

gone mad after losing their mate, that they had slaughtered every man who dared to speak

the king believed

hear that

and his hand froze halfway to his glass. "Alive?" he

set down his

were

repeat myself, Your Majesty," he said

it felt like even the candles had stopped

table, Arlena’s face went pale. Then red. Then pale again. She blinked rapidly, her lips trembling as she tried to form words that refused

you mean?" She finally stammered, her voice high-pitched and shaky. "H-how can Selene still be

"Enough."

cut through her words; he refused

wasn’t loud, but it