Defy The Alpha(s)

Chapter 45: Who Knows Asher’s Plans?

A cold like never before burrowed deeply into Violet’s skin, chilling her to the bone. The steps she took down the empty hallway felt heavy, almost robotically, as if she had been disconnected from her own body.

Nothing made sense anymore. Not when her head swirled with a thousand thoughts, all crashing into each other like waves in a violent storm. It was as if the world had tilted off its axis, and she was left grasping at straws to regain her footing.

Her instincts had always whispered to her to be wary of Asher, and now she knew they had been right all along.

"You, my purple queen, will take Elsie’s place." Those words kept echoing in Violet’s head, haunting her as she replayed them over and over. They looped through her mind, like a broken record that refused to stop.

It was chilling.

At first after he had said that, Violet had assumed Asher was joking. She thought it was another one of his games, you know, his own twisted way of riling her up. But there had been nothing playful about that dark, intent look in his eyes. And that was all the confirmation she needed to know he was deadly serious.

"You mad man!" she had shouted, pushing him away before taking to her heels, her breath catching in her chest as she fled. She hadn’t looked back. No, she didn’t dare to.

What the fuck was wrong with Asher? What did he mean by her "taking Elsie’s place"?!

Elsie was the one chosen by the Alpha King for one of them. Taking Elsie’s place would mean challenging the Alpha King himself, and only someone with a death wish would even consider that. It was madness. Suicidal.

And Violet, as reckless as she was, still wanted to live. So she clung to that desire fiercely, which meant there was no way she could go along with Asher’s ridiculous idea.

The first thought that rushed into Violet’s mind was running away. To leave Lunaris and escape Asher and his insanity as planned. But she couldn’t do it now. Not in broad daylight when his eyes and ears were possibly everywhere.

After all, Asher had made it crystal clear that he doesn’t plan on letting her go anytime soon. Violet shuddered at the thought of what he would do if he caught her trying to "leave him." so running wasn’t an option. Not while the sun was up.

afford any mistakes at this point in time. She had

hallway was deserted, and she had completely missed half of the lesson. But then, she couldn’t avoid class forever, no matter how shattered she

would likely deduct points, maybe, even punish her. But that was nothing compared to

complete stop when someone stepped out from the corner of the hallway, intentionally

her spine. The blood drained from her face, leaving her feeling cold and hollow. Of all people, it

didn’t move and kept his gaze fixed on her, an unsettling reality dawned on her that this was no

been

Oh God.

slammed right into someone else. She stumbled back, lifting her gaze to see who it was, and her heart leaped as she met the eyes of

sense of relief. Alaric had always seemed the most harmless among the cardinal alphas. Maybe, just maybe, he’d help her. But that was until she remembered that Alaric and Griffin were best friends, just like Asher and Roman. It made sense then. Alaric wasn’t here to save her; he was

Fuck her life.

split second, and he knew at that moment what she was thinking. Violet’s fight-or-flight instincts took over. She tried to dash to the side, but Alaric moved fast, wrapping an arm tightly

me go!" Violet screamed, struggling against him with all her might, twisting and squirming. But Alaric was strong—unbearably strong—and he pulled her back, holding her tightly against his chest. She could feel the tension in

thinking twice, Violet threw her head back, hard. It connected with Alaric’s face, hitting his nose with a satisfying crack. He yelped, and his grip loosened, giving her a

then, but it

hands wrap around her shoulders, and then she was being

shoulder like she weighed nothing. The world tipped upside down, her stomach lurching as she landed hard against his broad back. The jarring force knocked the air

go!" her scream reverberated

fists against Griffin’s back, but he didn’t even flinch. Instead, his

at Violet’s insides as she realized how powerless she was against him. Griffin

was deserted, and any hope of

the sound echoing off the walls like a final