Defy The Alpha(s)

Chapter 159: Let Her Go

"What do you mean by that?" Alaric tightened his grip on Violet’s wrist, a deep, gnawing fear settling in his gut.

He didn’t want to let go, not when Violet looked like she might slip away forever. Alaric didn’t know what this encounter would mean for them—for their relationship—and he was scared to find out.

Violet squeezed her eyes shut, her breathing shaky as she tried to calm herself. The panic was clawing at her throat again, and she was holding on by a thread.

And then she looked him dead in the eyes, she said, "Days ago, when Asher and I hung out, he told me straight to the face, ’You, my purple queen, will take Elsie’s place.’"

Her lips parted with a humorless laugh. "What do you think he meant by that, Alaric? I’m his rebellion against the Alpha King. And he wants all of you in it. What better way to make that happen than through me?"

Almost immediately, a hollow laugh escaped her lips, one of bitter understanding. "Lila was right. Asher’s a fucking puppet master. This whole time, you thought you were winning, but look where we are. Both of you, vying for my attention, and he never even had to lift a damn finger."

"Fuck." Violet cursed, her hands tangling into her hair, tugging as if she could yank out the thoughts that had latched onto her mind.

"What if this attraction I feel for all of you isn’t real? What if it’s his manipulation? Oh, god—" Her voice cracked as horror spread across her face.

"Is he in my head? I thought he promised!" Her frantic gaze darted back to Alaric, wide and desperate, searching for answers he couldn’t give her. One that left her disappointed.

Violet’s breath was coming too fast, too shallow. Her chest heaved violently, her vision tunneling, her world crashing down.

"Alaric," Griffin warned, his voice edged with concern. "She’s losing it."

Alaric swore under his breath, his eyes now wide with realization. "Fuck."

He moved swiftly, grasping her cheeks, forcing her to focus on him.

"Alright, Violet," he said seriously. "I need you to calm down."

But Violet shook her head, stubborn and frantic. "No, I’m fine. I just—I just need to see Asher. I need to know what he did to me."

Violet didn’t even realize that she was in the middle of a breakdown.

But Alaric did.

He tilted his head slightly, his ears twitching as his wolf senses honed in on her heartbeat. It was racing faster than it should be. Wild and erratic.

I can hear your heart pounding. You

spike in adrenaline, and with her stress levels this high, her body was running

was being her stubborn

get away. The walls were closing in. The air was too thick. She needed to breathe,

Alaric stepped

he said. "I need to calm you down first,

fingers brushing lightly over her sternum, ready to channel his power to

drowning in panic, she saw the move as a hindrance.

her hand shot out as

immediately, coughing hard, his body recoiling from

the fuck?" He wheezed,

aftermath because she was already on the

Alaric choked out, his hand still grasping his throat. Even as a werewolf with fast healing,

after

a mission, he barreled straight into her, taking her down hard. They hit the dirt hard,

Violet

Griffin roared, using his Alpha command. "Calm down! We’re only trying to

her body stilled, her breathing slowing. Griffin thought it worked and she had submitted. Except he was

shot up, ramming straight into the one place no man wanted to

went wide

goes without saying that particular spot

hands flying

Holy fuck.

her to date him. His mother

Griffin had bigger problems. He had given her

command. Not unless

with a power equal to a Cardinal Alpha. What the fuck was

discovery barely had time to settle before Violet was running

to let her

her next, but unlike Griffin, he had learned from the mistake. He pinned her fast, making sure she had no leverage to knee him where it hurt. His grip was like iron, his

go!" She struggled

from his fingertips, not enough to harm her, but enough to send a gentle pulse of energy against her skin. It was enough to slow her racing heart and to pull her