Fated and Claimed by Four Alphas
Chapter 56: You Promised Me

Chapter 56: You Promised Me

NB: The following scenes in Madelyn’s POV may have some effects on readers; skip if you wish.

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Chapter 56

~Madelyn’s POV~

The words struck me like lightning as a silent thunder roared in my ears, the reality of her command sinking in.

I searched her face for a flicker of mockery, a sign that this was a twisted joke.

But there was none. Only amusement—and expectation. My tongue turned to dust in my mouth. My chest ached.

Never in my life had I faced this kind of embarrassment.

Not like this. Not so... public, s-so raw.

The disgrace was something else entirely—it clung to my skin like filth I couldn’t wash off.

As I knelt there, still hunched slightly from the lingering ache in my chest where Vice President Lilith’s aura had knocked the air out of me, I dared to look up—and immediately wished I hadn’t.

Standing not far off, I caught sight of Liana and Beatrice. Their uniforms pristine, their arms crossed tightly, and their faces curled into twin expressions of disdain.

Disgust. Irritation.

They stared down at me like I was an infected wound that had begun to rot.

Not one of them moved to help. Not even a blink of pity. I knew I had wronged one of them in different ways, even if the truth serm didn’t bring out the words but to have them act like they were saints who hadn’t bullied a single soul, they were cruel.

My frie... I couldn’t even call them friends anymore. They turned away, thei rbacks to me but I knew they were watching from in hiding.

I wasn’t one of them anymore though.

"Well?" Lilith’s voice sliced through my shame like a whip, pulling my attention back. "You think you’re too good for my shoes now?"

I swallowed hard.

"You don’t want my help?" Her tone was light—too light. But underneath was the promise of something cruel.

"No—please," I stammered as she turned to walk away, my body scrambling forward as my dignity dropped behind me like shattered glass.

I grabbed her boot, looked up at her. "Please..." hoping that something would change in he heart but from the looks of things, Lilith Astor was a cold and devilish like her father, void of any emotion.

She didn’t reply. But the deadly look in her eyes was answer enough.

It chilled my spine and made my heart pound erratically.

Everyone knew Lilith’s reputation—how far she could go. Her cruelty wasn’t rumour. It was fact—proven, feared.

She had backing—from her father, from her inner circle, from the rules that somehow never applied to her. Almost untouchable.

Almost.

Still kneeling, I pushed myself forward and did what I’d never imagined I’d do.

I stuck my tongue out.

And licked the top of her shoe.

The faint taste of polished leather and floor dust touched my tongue. My stomach twisted and even at that she said nothing. Lilith Gabriella Astor said nothing.

So I did it again.

And again.

After the third try, she finally stepped back, snickering.

"Now," she said with a sneer. "Wipe your stinky breath from my shoe with your handkerchief."

I obeyed, my hands trembling as I pressed the soft cloth against the part I had just defiled myself on. My tears blurred my vision.

And still I waited. Like a loyal, desperate pet. Waiting for approval.

Lilith stared down at me, head tilted as if studying something curious and unworthy.

"Look at you," she finally said. "Look at how far you’ve fallen."

Her voice was calm, almost pitying.

"I remember when you made Spring Kaine do this exact thing... And yet, she never licked your shoes. Even when you beat her, she kept her dignity, unlike you."

I clenched my fists. Hot tears rolled down my cheeks, in humiliation.

"Compared to her," Lilith continued, eyes narrowing slightly, "you’re nothing but a disposable rag doll. Even she has more class and pride than you."

The truth in her words hurt more than any slap could.

"Pathetic." She didn’t even need to say it again—I felt it in every inch of my being.

As she turned to walk past me, I panicked.

I couldn’t let her leave—not like this.

Throwing every ounce of shame away, I rushed forward, blocking her path. "Vice President—please! You promised to help me."

She stopped. Her lashes lowered, then she laughed—a low, maniacal laugh that echoed through the quiet hallway.

"Help you?" Her voice dripped with mockery. "Oh, dear Madelyn... I never make promises to roaches."

The blood drained from my face.

"Besides," she added, eyes gleaming with cruel amusement, "you’re a lost cause. What do I stand to gain from helping you?"

"Vice—Lilith As—"

I didn’t get to finish when the air thickened suddenly and her aura exploded.

It slammed straight into me like a truck, sending me flying backward. My body crashed into the floor, hard, the breath knocked clean from my lungs.

From the side, I heard someone yelp and saw Beatrice and Liana sprinting away in fear.

Lilith’s eyes turned sharp—bright crimson red like her lipstick. Her wolf had risen to the surface.

"Don’t..." she growled, her voice distorted and dangerous. "You. Ever. Dare!"

My body trembled on the ground, overwhelmed by the weight of her power. My wolf whined in submission, curled deep within me like a wounded pup.

She approached slowly, crouching just a little until her face was close. Her fingers reached forward and gripped my jaw harshly, forcing my gaze to meet hers.

"You’re not Spring Kaine," she said through gritted teeth, voice as cold as frost. "So unless you want me to break your jaw or rip out your tongue and make sure you never speak again..."

Her nails pressed harder into my skin.

"...don’t ever speak my name again."

I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t move and yet something in her eyes sparkled like a twisted, sick joy.

She was enjoying this.

Like a predator toying with its prey—savouring every second.

And then—

"Ohh... is that so?" a third voice called out from behind.

My body froze.

The tone was calm. Feminine. Sharp. Like silk sliding over a blade.

The footsteps that followed were soft, yet commanding—each one sending a shiver down my spine.

I didn’t need to turn around before I knew who it was.

My breath caught in my throat as fear from that day came rushing back.