Defy The Alpha(s)

Chapter 160: It Was Time

~ Alaric and Griffin ~

The party carried on as if nothing had happened. Laughter rang through the bonfire clearing with students drinking freely, and the rhythmic pulse of the music keeping the energy alive.

Violet was back with her friends, enjoying the rest of the party — or so they he believed. Nonetheless, everyone was cool and It was almost as if the earlier tension had never existed.

Griffin and Alaric sat hunched over at one of the tables, slightly apart from the crowd, their drinks in hand as they brooded over their failed attempt at wooing the lady of their choice.

"Perhaps we came on too strong," Alaric muttered before downing his drink in one go.

"Perhaps," Griffin said dryly, tilting his head back and swallowing his own drink with unnecessary force.

The alcohol burned on the way down, but it wasn’t enough to drown out the sting of rejection. Not even close.

Their faster metabolism tore through human liquor like air, leaving them only with the memory of the burn, not the intoxication. And right now, Griffin wished more than anything that he could get drunk.

Unfortunately, tonight was the night of the initiation, so he couldn’t get drunk either way. He needed to be fast on his feet seeing this was a tradition, he especially as a cardinal alpha, couldn’t ignore. The fate of the new pack members—and apparently, Violet—would be decided tonight.

Her name alone made his chest tighten.

Griffin didn’t hate her for rejecting him. He respected her choice. But that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt.

For the second time in his life, a girl he had sincerely liked had turned him down. At least Violet had been polite. Not like Elsie, who had shredded his heart and stomped on the remains as if they were nothing.

tell me you’re giving up."

heard the

leaning forward. "She doesn’t know our way. She needs time. Time to be convinced. Time to be taught." His lips curled into something almost wicked. "Time

gaze, a heavy and unspoken emotion

a quitter, Griffin. The Ironlady would be disappointed." He mimicked his

in warning, but Alaric

you, about us, proves she’s not like Lucille. it confirms that

as long as she got what she wanted. Asher could’ve slaughtered us in front of her, and she wouldn’t

us all chasing after her. Maybe Violet did good by rejecting me...." His voice hardened as he took another sip. "...because I’m not in the mood to be

you won’t be," Alaric assured him. "We’ll deal with Asher while

that. But at

out a relieved breath. Despite everything, Violet hadn’t fully shut him out. She was furious, sure, but she hadn’t given up on him. Just... not on

out in the end," Alaric said with

as he took another

time to see Violet’s roommates giggling as they

and Alaric could tell Violet resisted at first with her stiff and reluctant posture,

into something slow, and sensual, the bassline thrumming through

movements were hesitant, rigid, as if she was painfully self conscious of the eyes on

rhythm effortlessly. She rolled her body in a

moving as one. They laughed, feeding off each other’s energy, with their hands grazing one another, and bodies brushing as they teased without

Violet stood out. She wasn’t trying to draw attention. But

her back, tilting her head as she let