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.

hear your heart pounding. You

heart in a panic response meant a dangerous spike in adrenaline, and with her stress levels this high, her body was running on overdrive. If this continued, she’d

was being her stubborn

away. The walls were closing in. The air was

but Alaric stepped in

help you," he said. "I need to calm you

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

panic, she saw the move

of motion, her hand shot out as she karate

immediately, coughing hard, his body recoiling from the

fuck?" He wheezed, the

didn’t wait to see the aftermath because she was already on

as a werewolf with fast healing,

after

a mission, he barreled straight into her, taking her down hard. They hit the dirt hard, a sharp oof escaping her as the air

easy. Violet kicked, twisted,

command. "Calm down! We’re only trying

her breathing slowing. Griffin thought it worked and she had submitted. Except

straight into the one place no man wanted to

eyes went wide

his strength, it goes without saying that particular spot was soft and full of

strangled groan, his hands flying to his

Holy fuck.

while trying to get her to date him. His mother would absolutely love Violet if

her an Alpha command. And she

one resisted an Alpha command. Not unless they were an Alpha

someone with a power equal to a Cardinal Alpha.

unsettling discovery barely had time to settle before

let

Griffin, he had learned from the mistake. He pinned her fast, making sure she had no leverage to knee him where it hurt.

She struggled with

a gentle pulse of energy against her skin. It was enough to slow her racing heart and to