The Witch and Her Four Dangerous Alphas

Chapter 8: Chapter 08: From Dreams to Ashes

Selene’s POV

My fingers trembled as | held the dry clothes in my lap.

The silence in the room was unbearable. It pressed against my chest like a stone, making it hard to breathe.

Even the walls felt like they were watching me—mocking me—like they had witnessed my shame, my

humiliation, my pathetic state as | was paraded half-naked through the halls of the very place where | was once

treated like a guest. A child of an allied alpha. A girl who was welcome.

Now | was just... filth.

| slowly pulled the wet shift off my body, the fabric clinging stubbornly to my skin as if it too was ashamed to be

discarded. My skin was cold and sticky. Covered in bruises. Covered in shame. The shift fell to the ground with a

wet slap, and | stood there in my undergarments, arms wrapped around myself, shaking.

My branded arm throbbed with every movement. A dull, burning pain that refused to letforget. My ribs

ached from where the maid had kickedearlier. My throat was raw—burning from all the sobs I'd swallowed

down just to keep sshred of dignity.

But now... now | couldn’t hold it in.

| looked down at myself. | was bruised, dirty and exposed.

And then the tears came. it star with tiny drops but I did not when they start falling like broken dam.

My knees buckled, and | collapsed beside the bed, the clean clothes forgotten. My hands gripped the edge of the

bed like it could keepfrom falling apart completely.

"Why?" | whispered, voice cracking. "What did | do?"

My shoulders shook, the weight of everything finally crashing down on me. The hot tears blurred my vision as

they hit the cold stone floor. The scent of dampness mixed with old memories—ones | didn’t dare think about.

But they canyway.

"Why do they hateso much?" | choked, clutching the bed like it could answer me. "Why am | being

punished... for what he did?"

My father.

Alpha Eirik Moonveil.

The tyrant. The war-starter. The nthat still made people flinch. He destroyed lives. Crushed anyone who

opposed him. He ruled with fear.

But I wasn’t him.

| never asked for this bloodline. | never wanted his legacy.

I'd never hurt anyone. I'd never even lifted a weapon. | couldn't even shift yet when the war began. | was just...

just a girl.

So why did they—why did the Duskdraven heirs—look atlike | was filth? Like | was a stain on their floor? Like

I deserved this?

"I was just a girl," | whispered again, the words barely audible. "lI admired them..."

My breath hitched.

And just like that, | was pulled backward—four years ago.

I had been thirteen.

Our pack had journeyed to the lands of Silver Dawn pack to attend the birthday celebration of the heirs—Aeron,

Kael, Luca, and Lucian. They were turning eighteen. The whole region buzzed with excitement.

My father had been unusually calm then. Speaking of peace and unity. Even if | knew now those were lies. But

back then, | didn’t care. | was young. | didn’t understand politics.

| just remember the night of the celebration.

The grand hall shimmered with light—chandeliers glowing like stars, laughter bouncing off the marble floors, soft

music playing from every corner. It was like stepping into a dream. And in that dream... | saw them.

Four brothers.

All tall. All powerful. The room bent around them like they were born to rule it.

Kael, with his stormy expression and sharp jawline, stood near a pillar, arms crossed, watching everything with

quiet intensity.

Luca moved through the crowd like he owned it—sharp-tongued and graceful, with a smirk that could cut glass.

Aeron stood still and noble, his presence alone commanding attention, even without saying a word.

And Lucian...

Lucian he was the most gentle, just like a gentleman, every girls dream prince.

Across the entire room filled with countless peoples, his eyes had found mine when | felt almost invincible to

myself. And then... he started walking toward me.

| thought my heart had stopped. | could barely breathe. My hands were clammy. | was sure my cheeks were

burning bright red.

He stopped in front ofand bowed slightly, that ssmile on his lips.

"May | have this dance?" he asked, his voice smooth and calm.

I'd nodded—stupidly, wordlessly—and placed my trembling hand in his. He ledgently to the center of the

room, guidingthrough the steps. | barely heard the music. All | could feel was the warmth of his fingers

around mine. All | could see was the softness in his eyes.

"You're light on your feet," he'd said with a chuckle.

| thought I'd die from how fast my heart fluttered.

After the dance, the others noticedtoo. Aeron, Luca, even Kael. For the first tin my life... someone saw

me. Not as a burden or disgrace. But as a girl worth looking at.

It was overwhelming.

No one had ever noticedbefore—not like that.

Because my father never let anyone see me.

To him, | was a shameful secret. A walking embarrassment.

| wasn't the warrior son he wanted. |

wasn't fierce or strong. | was quiet.

Soft-spoken. | liked-flo@prscahd m

bgoks. Waa Yascinated by stars, not

swords. And to Alpha Eirik Moonveil...

that was weakness. And weakness,

in his eyes, was unforgivable. The

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the latest chapter there!

He never looked atwith pride. Only disappointment.

He'd calluseless when | cried.

Tell| was a disgrace to the

Moonveil nwhen | could mofeat

the SEG RYRS adhd hy age. Even

wher I tried to stand tall and speak

like the noble daughter of an alpha,

he would sneer and tell| was just

pretending—just playing dress-up in a

life that wasn't mine. The content is

on novelenglish.net! Read the latest

chapter there!

He never introducedto other

alphas at council meetings. Never

allowedto attend pie om

ged wasithibolve at

fads: was hidden during

diplomatic visits. Locked away in the

west wing of our estate with a few

aging maids and guards who never

dared to speak to me. The content is

on novelenglish.net! Read the latest

chapter there!

"Stay out of sight," he used to say. "You're already an embarrassment. Don’t add to it by opening that little

mouth."

So | stopped speaking, even when | wanted to scream.

| stopped asking questions, even when | was curious.

| stopped dreaming, even when | ached for more.

Until that night.