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."

"You smell like you were tossed into a tank of perfume but If you say you’re fine," he replied,

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

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,

him like this. Someone who will love

tell him the truth, not when he needed to focus on his games, even 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 of

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

had no choice but to play along. She forced a playful smirk onto her face, hiding the anxiety inside of her. "I can’t

nickname made Alaric’s grin widen, and for a moment, she swore she saw a flicker of lightning in his eyes. The air around them suddenly felt charged, static dancing along her

Harrington’s voice bellowed across the field, snapping them out of the moment. "I’ll shove a thunderbolt up your ass if you don’t bring that said ass back to this field

but laugh too. It was impossible not to, even as her heart ached. Before

later, minx," he called over his shoulder as he jogged back to the field, his laughter echoing behind

focus was on Alaric as he ran back to

field and the emotion immediately died

stormy gaze was unmistakable. It pierced through her like a blade, cutting through the brief joy she’d felt. Violet’s

breath and turned away, only to find Natalie watching her with a scrutinizing gaze that nearly made her jump. The girl’s stare