Chapter 9: Witch

ALEXANDER

Christina’s words lingered in my mind, haunting me for the rest of the day. Even during lunch, when I noticed that far more meat than usual had been served at the table, I couldn’t shake off the strange unease settling in my chest. The feeling only worsened whenever I caught the palace maids whispering among themselves, their suspicious glances constantly drifting in my direction.

At first, I tried to dismiss it as mere paranoia.

But when night came, Christina entered my room and said, “My Lady, we need to prepare you tonight.”

I frowned, uneasiness crawling deeper into my stomach. “Is there something I should know?” I asked carefully.

Christina visibly startled. Her eyes flickered for a brief moment, and I knew she understood exactly what I meant. Yet she pretended otherwise and simply replied, “The maids will be here any moment now.”

Without waiting for another question, she hurried out of the room.

I didn’t stop her.

Soon, several maids entered and escorted me to the large bathtub. They bathed me thoroughly, washing and cleaning me in silence. Though embarrassment burned through me, my mind remained consumed by the strange events of the day and the growing sense that something was terribly wrong.

When they were finished, I reached for my undergarments, but one of the maids stopped me and instead held out a thin nightgown. It barely reached my thighs.

“My Lady, this is what you should wear tonight,” she said.

I didn’t argue. I didn’t even ask why. I simply obeyed, pulling the nightgown over my body before climbing onto the bed.

The moment I did, everything changed.

My wrists were suddenly seized, and before I could react, the cold bite of metal snapped around them.

Handcuffs.

Panic exploded inside me.

I thrashed against the bed, my eyes darting wildly around the room as fear tightened its grip on my chest. “What’s going on?” I cried out, my voice trembling. “Why are you locking me to the bed? Can someone explain? What are you planning to do?”

My chest felt unbearably heavy, as though fear itself was crushing me. The air in the room turned suffocating, making it hard to breathe.

Then, in the midst of my struggle, I felt it.

A presence.

I turned sharply toward the window and saw a silhouette standing only a few feet away. The wall lamps cast a long shadow across the floor. Though his face was hidden behind a mask, I didn’t need to see it to know who he was.

Alpha Damon.

“Why are you wearing a mask?” I asked him.

He didn’t answer. Not a single word.

Instead, he climbed onto the bed and forced my legs apart. His touch was cold, mechanical, almost careless, and when I searched his eyes for even the smallest trace of emotion, all I found was something distant and unreadable. Beneath that blank expression, I thought I caught a flicker of disgust, though he seemed determined to hide it.

Humiliation burned through me, sharp and unbearable, yet my body betrayed me in ways that only deepened my shame. Before I could gather my thoughts, he had already leaned over me, caging me in with his arms braced on either side, leaving me trapped beneath him.

I squeezed my eyes shut as pain tore through me, tangled with overwhelming sensation so intense that I could barely make sense of it. A gasp escaped my lips, and my body tensed helplessly beneath him.

The force of his movements only grew harsher. I writhed against the mattress, my breathing uneven, panic and pain rising together until I could no longer contain it.

“Argh—umm… you’re hurting me,” I cried out. “Slow down… please.”

He didn’t listen.

He continued with reckless disregard until, at last, a low groan escaped him and his body slumped briefly against mine. Then he pulled away without a word and disappeared into the bathroom.

All my strength had drained from me. Exhaustion swallowed everything else, and I let my eyes fall shut.

When I woke the next morning, the handcuffs were gone. Someone had cleaned me up, and the sheets had been changed.

I pushed myself out of bed, but the ache between my legs made every movement difficult. Slowly, I made my way to the bathroom, washed up, and stepped back into the room.

Christina was there, waiting for me.

“My lady, we prepared this soup for you. It will help ease the pain you are feeling,” she said with a warm smile.

I reached out and took the bowl. In one gulp, I drank it all, then flashed her a smile. “Thank you very much.”

After Christina took back the plate, she left my room. I lay on the bed and soon fell asleep.

Later, I woke to the sound of two maids arguing among themselves. The moment they noticed I was awake, they abruptly stopped talking. I looked at them, and they both forced smiles.

“I will go and get Christina,” one of them said before quickly leaving.

When she returned, Christina came with her. Christina looked at me and said, “My Lady, breakfast is ready. Come and eat.”

I nodded and followed her to the dining hall. While I was eating, I could sense the tense atmosphere around me.

I looked at Christina curiously. “Is there something I should know?”

Christina hesitated before replying, “I am worried about your reaction…”

I shrugged. “You shouldn’t think too much. If there is something you want to tell me, just say it.”

She lowered her gaze before speaking. “The pack has been invaded from the northern border, but that is not even the greatest threat you face. Rumors are spreading through the pack that you are a witch, and you know the pack’s history with witches…”

The moment she mentioned rumors, I stopped listening. Instead, I focused on the food in front of me. Christina must have noticed my lack of interest, because she gave up trying to explain further.

After I was done eating, I rose to my feet and walked back to my room.

Not long after, Christina came in and said, “My Lady, spending all your days in your room would not be good for you. You should go around the palace and see what it looks like. I think you would really enjoy the sightseeing.”