The Witch and Her Four Dangerous Alphas-Chapter 232: Patience of a Predator

Elarliya’s POV~

I stood there, breathing hard, my palms still tingling with leftover magic from blasting that arrogant wolf across the room. My heart was pounding, not from fear, but from boiling rage. I stared at him as he smirked at me like he had full control over everything, including me.

Merek...That damned wolf.

How dare he? How dare he take action without me? How dare he poison the king without telling me?

Does he really think I am some innocent, clueless woman who just smiles and nods behind him?

If he thinks that, he is stupider than I believed.

I have blood on my hands. More blood than he could ever spill even in his wolf form.

He thinks being a werewolf makes him powerful; he thinks just having an over-large, bloodthirsty creature is the only superior thing. He’s wrong.

Fool, he is a complete fool.

I have killed more people than he ever has. I have cut my way through people and my enemies long before he even learned to shift. Even my sister...my precious, beautiful sister, I did not spare when she became a threat to my future.

If I could remove her from my path, the person I loved most in this entire cursed world, then who is he?

A nobody drunk on lust and arrogance.

His lecherous gaze disgusted me to the core. When he grabbed my waist earlier, I wanted to tear his arms off. When he whispered into my ear, I wanted to burn his lips.

Lusty dog.

Always in heat, always thinking with the lower part of his body. How dare he think every woman wants him?

He thinks because he is an alpha, every female must fall at his feet. That his strength gives him the right to touch me. How dare he think that I should be grateful he "wants" me.

Disgust crawled over my skin like insects. But I kept my expression controlled, furious, but controlled. I needed him for now, at least.

He must kill the Lycans. I need his help, without him, it would be impossible to kill all lycans except Maximus.

And it was the deal between us that was the reason I tolerated his stupid, disgusting face this long. That he would give me a docile maximus.

Once they all die and Maximus stands alone, vulnerable, with no guards, no pack, no support...

Then I will strike.

Merek truly believes he will sit on the throne. He truly believes he will rule with me beside him.

Pathetic.

He does not know I already prepared everything.

Everything he thinks he planned... I planned two steps ahead.

He is just a tool, a large, violent, stupid tool that swings itself without thinking.

I never play a game unless I am certain I will win one hundred percent.

And this game... Maximus... the throne, the kingdom... everything will fall neatly into my hands, exactly the way I intend it to.

But Merek?

He will not survive after this. I have already decided his fate. His arrogance today only made me more certain.

He thinks I am weak, angry, emotional, and impulsive. Good, let him think it. Let him believe I’m furious only because he acted without me, that my emotions rule me, and that I’m a woman blinded by rage rather than guided by strategy.

He has no idea what is coming.

I took a slow breath, forcing the raging storm inside me to settle into a cold, sharp wave. I stepped toward him. His smile widened, thinking I was approaching because of him.

"Idiot," he thought my anger made me helpless. No, my anger makes me dangerous.

"You really disgust me," I said, letting every word drip sarcastically. I did not bother hiding my disgust for him at all.

He laughed, like a dog wagging its tail.

"You say that like I mind," he said with that same maddening arrogance.

I almost crushed his throat right then. My fingers twitched, magic pulsing under my skin. But I swallowed it down. Not yet. Not now.

I needed him breathing, strong, and ready...because I needed him to kill every Lycan who dared to stand between me and Maximus.

So I put on my mask. The mask of a furious woman who thought she was equal to him. Not someone who was planning to slit his throat the moment he finished his job.

"I warned you," I said through clenched teeth. "If you ever act without telling me, the plan can collapse. Do you want to ruin everything?"

He stepped closer, spreading his arms lazily like he was inviting me to touch him. Arrogant beast.

His breath brushed my cheek when he spoke.

"I want progress," he repeated. "And I want you."

My stomach twisted with disgust so sharp I almost gagged.

He wanted me?

As if I were some prize he earned.

I stepped back slowly, letting him think I was angry, offended, emotional... but not dangerous.

"You act like you are the only one who matters in this plan," I whispered, keeping my tone sharp and agitated. "Do you think you can get the throne without me?"

He raised a brow. "I can take anything I want."

My fingers curled. He really believed he was capable of ruling, that he was enough. I almost laughed.

"You think so?" I asked, letting my voice shake slightly, playing the role he expected. "Then tell me, Alpha Merek... If you continue hiding things from me... How will you stop me from telling Maximus you poisoned the king?"

His eyes darkened for a moment—just a flicker—before he masked it.

Good, he was not fearless. He simply acted like it.

"If you dare—" he began.

I cut him off.

"You think you are the master in this game?" I asked, lowering my voice to a cold whisper. "You have no idea what kind of darkness I grew up with. You have no idea what I have already done to get here."

He stared at me, confused for a moment, because I sounded vulnerable, almost broken.

Perfect. He thought my words were emotional, that they came from feeling betrayed. He had no idea they came from pure calculation.

I tilted my head, forcing a tremble in my voice. "Next time... tell me before you act. Or I swear, Merek... I will make sure you will never sit on the throne."

His smirk returned immediately, as if my threat was small, cute, and harmless.

Exactly how I wanted him to see me.

He leaned in again, whispering, "You won’t stop me. You need me."

I forced myself not to laugh.

"Yes," I said softly, lowering my gaze. "I need you."

I could feel his ego ballooning, convinced he’d won this argument, convinced he’d tamed me with nothing but his voice. Pathetic.

"Good girl," he murmured.

My magic flared violently in my veins. I clenched my jaw so hard I thought my teeth would crack.

If he ever called me that again, I would rip his heart out. But I kept my expression twisted with anger, nothing more. I just have to wait, and then I will make sure to kill this disgusting bastard.

Because I knew soon, our plan would be successful, and he would be nothing but a dead person