Defy The Alpha(s)

Chapter 52: High Staker

Violet stood under the shower, letting the water stream over her head as she chanted four names over and over, as though reciting some dark mantra:

"Asher Nightshade."

"Roman Draven."

"Griffin Hale."

"Alaric Storm."

It had been over an hour since she stepped into the showers, and though the stench of wolf urine was gone, her skin still crawled with the memory of it.

Wolf urine.

That was what they had branded her with, Roman Draven, in particular. Yet the others, Asher, Griffin, and Alaric, had stood by. Maybe they hadn’t explicitly agreed to it, but their silent approval had been damning enough.

Violet’s blood ran cold as her mind drifted back to the scene. She could still picture the mocking grins on her classmates’ faces, especially the elites. They had whipped out their phones to record her humiliation, broadcasting it for everyone at Lunaris Academy to see. Now she was undoubtedly the most talked-about person in the school forum, all over again.

What enraged her most wasn’t just her classmates, though, it was the teacher who should have protected her. Instead, after the ordeal, the teacher had only offered Violet a hand to help her up. When Violet ignored it, all Mrs. Clarkson had said was:

"Congratulations, you’re now a full member of Lunaris, and it took real courage to endure that. You can go wash up and take the rest of the class off. I’m sure you need it."

There had been a flicker of pity in her eyes, but not a shred of remorse, as if what had happened was just another ordinary day at the academy.

Her classmates’ taunting laughter echoed in her ears once more, threatening to overwhelm her. Violet suddenly shut off the shower, the abrupt silence deafening. She shivered, goosebumps rising on her skin, and not just from the memory of the scenting prank. The water had turned cold.

Violet had used up all the hot water, the icy cascade pouring over her without her noticing for a while now. A small, bitter smile tugged at her lips. At least someone would be annoyed when they discovered there was no hot water left. A petty victory, but a victory nonetheless.

the shower, wrapping a towel around herself as she moved toward the mirror. She rubbed her hair with another

plastered to her scalp, made her look beaten down and exhausted. Yet as she gazed into her mirror, something fierce stared back at her from those golden eyes. They

stepped out of the bathroom. She froze in her tracks

Damn it.

had forgotten they were in the room. And judging by the way they fell silent, they

a care for their stares, she unwrapped her towel, standing naked for

herself by making her bed. She was already preparing to lie down on it, when Lila approached her sheepishly. Although Violet caught her coming from the corner of

tentatively, but Violet

of her

she could stand there

her head and growled, "What the fuck do

a tray in

was stunned; she hadn’t seen that coming. She had expected Lila to come groveling and begging for forgiveness—something Violet could ignore to make her suffer a bit,

food drifted into her nose, and it dawned on Violet that she had not eaten supper,

anything," she told Lila and took the tray from her, not missing the small smile on

hadn’t had an appetite earlier in the afternoon and now, having missed dinner,

are you doing?" Ivy’s voice broke through her focus, startling

at the blonde girl. There was no sarcasm or hostility in

How would you feel in my shoes?" Violet snapped, her mouth full

have told you. I thought it would be fun and didn’t want

their dicks in my face is what you call a ’surprise,’ aye?" Violet sneered, her

her mouth to respond, but someone else beat

it’s us humans who feel awkward about it," Daisy Fairchild,

girl had merely stated a fact. But Violet wasn’t in the mood for cold logic, not when she felt like

shot back, her voice sharp. "Are werewolves so uncivilized that they don’t recognize