Defy The Alpha(s)

Chapter 131: Are You The Oracle?

Violet’s throat tightened as she watched Alaric break away from his team, approaching her in strides. His pure, unguarded smile, so full of trust and excitement, made her stomach twist painfully.

Shame clawed at her, threatening to overwhelm her entirely. He didn’t know—he couldn’t possibly know. Her chest felt heavy with guilt, and for a brief moment, Violet thought she was going to be sick.

"Hey," Alaric greeted her, his voice warm and boyish, carrying the kind of unfiltered joy that only made her feel worse. His smile was the kind of thing people fought wars to protect, and she was about to shatter it.

"Hey," Violet replied, her voice shaky as she fought to calm herself. She tucked her trembling hand behind her back, hoping he wouldn’t notice.

Alaric stepped closer, cupping her face with a tenderness that nearly broke her heart.

"Where have you been? I’ve been looking for you everywhere. I was almost tempted to have Richmond arrested if you didn’t show up after this."

It was clearly a joke, one meant to make her laugh, but Violet could barely muster a smile. She forced her lips into a weak curve, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Her stomach churned as Alaric chuckled at his own humor, his eyes crinkling in the corners.

"I, um... I had an emergency," she lied smoothly, fidgeting under his gaze. "But it’s fine now. I’m fine."

like you were tossed into a tank of

every fiber of her being screaming at her to pull away. But she didn’t. Instead, she allowed his lips to meet hers, their kiss gentle and familiar. She hated how right it felt, hated how much she was betraying him with every second

smile widened, radiating the same unguarded joy that had first drawn her to him. But Violet’s heart twisted painfully, her own smile fake. She felt like a betrayer, a liar, and the weight of it was almost

deserves someone who won’t hurt him like this. Someone who will love

if it was just training. And she couldn’t possibly do it here, in public, where everyone could see. Alaric didn’t deserve that level

was just a kiss to temporarily satiate my hunger," Alaric said with a husky voice as he leaned close to her ear. "We’ll spend more time together at the party later,

were loaded, but Violet had no choice but to play along. She forced a playful smirk onto her face, hiding the anxiety inside of her. "I

she swore she saw a flicker of lightning in his eyes. The air around

out of the moment. "I’ll shove a thunderbolt up your ass if you don’t bring that said ass back to this field right

impossible not to, even as her heart ached. Before

called over his shoulder as he jogged back to the

her focus was on Alaric as he ran back to his team. She caught herself

still smiling until her eyes connected with Asher’s across the bustling field and the emotion

like a blade, cutting through the brief joy she’d felt. Violet’s scowl deepened, but Asher didn’t flinch. He simply held

with a scrutinizing gaze that nearly made her jump. The girl’s stare was unnervingly sharp, as though she could see