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

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

being her stubborn

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

but Alaric stepped in her

help you," he said. "I need

sternum,

who was already drowning in panic, she saw the move as a

her hand shot out as she karate chopped

his

wheezed, the

aftermath because she

throat. Even as a werewolf with fast healing,

after

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

down easy. Violet kicked, twisted, fought with everything

"Calm

slowing. Griffin thought it worked and she had submitted. Except he was

straight into the one place

wide as

his lower half. Even with all his strength, it goes without saying that particular spot

his hands flying to his junk

Holy fuck.

kneed him while trying to get her to date him. His

He had given her an

Not unless they were an Alpha

someone with a power equal to a Cardinal Alpha. What the

time to settle before Violet

let her escape this

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

me go!" She

of energy against her skin. It was enough to